In North America, as in France, there is a lingering misconception that bikes are for fun and cars are for practical use. In France, recreational and tourism use account for 50% of automobile travelling and 37% of greenhouse gases associated with this form of transportation. However, polls show that more and more travelers are eager to spend their vacations away from their cars. In popular tourist destinations, cycling has a number of advantages. When a town’s population grows from 10,000 to 200,000 in a manner of days during peak tourist seasons, bicycles are instrumental in helping to stave off traffic congestion. France’s Île de Ré, for example, has 50,000 beds and 20,000 bikes for rent. About half of the visitors to the island opt to cycle during their stay.
In Pouliguen, in the Brittany region of France, the local road system has been reworked to deliberately make car traffic less efficient and minimize the availability of parking facilities. One car lane of a major thoroughfare was designated as a bike lane, notably to cater to the tourist population. Vacation cycling is the first step toward utilitarian cycling. After people find out how pleasurable it can be to get around on a bike, they often seek to repeat the experience in their day-to-day routine.
Velo Québec Associat ion, 2007, « Bikeroutes, Greenways and bicycle touring ».
http://www.routever te.com/rv/index_e.php?page=top5_e
21 sept. 2009.
Wow, sounds cool