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If watching this year's Tour de France on TV has inspired you to get off the sofa and back in the saddle, then why not think about going on a cycling holiday? There are some fantastic bike rides around the world and not all of them are as arduous as the Tour de France. All of the following are best suited to road bikes or hybrids. You can book them through a UK travel company; alternatively, just pack your bike, buy a map and ride them solo.

Nova Scotia

The landscape in this Maritime province of Canada is nothing if not dramatic — from towering forests to stunning seascapes, this offers some of the most invigorating riding in the world. You'll feel the salt spray as you cycle along the Bay of Fundy, which boasts the world's highest tides before heading inland to the verdant orchards of the Annapolis Valley. After a hard day's cycling you can look forward to a cosy country inn and the freshest seafood on your plate at dinner.

Easy Rider Tours has a seven day guided tour, including pick up from Halifax Airport, all accommodation, most meals, bike hire, support vehicle and excursions from $2,695 (£1,350). For flights to Halifax, try Zoom Airlines, Icelandair and Canadian Affair

French Alps

Home to the most lung-bursting, thigh burning Tour de France climbs, the French Alps also boast some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe. Tackle the mighty passes of the Savoie region, made famous by Lance Armstrong and make a pilgrimage to the mighty Alpe D'Huez, which has 21 hairpin, 14 kms and an average gradient of 8.3%.

Fly to Geneva (Easyjet offers cheap flights from the UK) and use the pretty lakeside town of Annecy as your base. Skedaddle has an eight-tour guided tour with vehicle support from £875. Flights cost extra. The next departure is September 6.

Loire Valley

A perfect destination if you want to take it easy, indulge in the food and wine and savour the scenery as you go. The Loire Valley has a network of cycle paths that take you besides vineyards where you can stop for tastings, past fairytale chateaux and through the most bucolic countryside. Just an hour south of Paris, the region is easily accessible by flight, by train or by ferry from Dover to Calais.

Cycling for Softies which, as the name suggests, offers gentle rides, recommends a 7-day non-guided tour from Chinon to Tours which costs £969, including accommodation with breakfast, 4-course dinners, bike hire and equipment and emergency back up.

Camino de Santiago

Also known as St James Way, this route, which has been used by pilgrims for centuries, is the oldest and most frequented in Europe. From Burgos it's a 560km ride across the roof of Spain to Santiago, the ultimate destination for pilgrims. You don't need any religious conviction to enjoy the scenery, the architecture and the fabulous cuisine of northern Spain and though parts of this route are remote there are some excellent Paradores providing luxurious accommodation en route.

You can fly to Bilbao (try easyJet) and take a train or bus to Burgos, from where the route is well-signposted to Santiago, from where Ryanair has cheap flights back to the UK. Spanish company Bravo Bike Tours has an eight-day tour from Burgos, including accommodation, most meals and bike hire, from €1,420 (£1,130).

Cuba

One of the largest and most interesting of the Caribbean islands, Cuba has a lot more to offer than its fabulous but increasingly crowded beach resorts. A cycle trip will take you the colonial cities of Havana, Trinidad and Tobago, past beautiful plantations, tobacco farms, fields and jungles and relax in the off-the-beaten track places other tourists fail to reach.

To ride from the capital Havana along the north coast to Santiago at the opposite end of the island and back along the south coast takes about 10 days, covering an average of 70kms a day. Exodus has a 16-day package from £1,536 including flights, accommodation, most meals and excursions. Bike hire costs from £75.

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