They say that God moves in mysterious ways. And perhaps the Almighty does, but can you really see him/her on a bike? Sure it’s better for the planet, as well as a decent form of exercise, but surely a more comfortable way to travel would be in a roomy people carrier? It may lack mystery, but it would make up for it in convenience.

However bikes are the preferred form of transport for this endearing French comedy, which sees a group of nuns literally get on their bikes.

Looking after a handful of Sisters in a rural convent is Mother Véronique (Valérie Bonneton). She is tasked in keeping them and the convent in check, which can prove challenging sometimes, especially as they also have Gwendoline (Louise Malek), a trainee in their midst.

They have local responsibilities too, helping out at a local hospice, but due to lack of funds, it’s in a bad way and desperately in need of repair.

Unfortunately their convent doesn’t have much in the way of money itself, so they need to think of another way of raising money to help the hospice out.

And then it comes to Mother Véronique, in not so much a vision but more of a poster, advertising the fact that a cycling race is going to take place locally, and there’s a nice prize for winning it.

She decides that they must enter, and won’t let the tiny fact that most of them are not very good on a bike stop them.

But can a bunch of out of shape nuns win a competitive race?

Films about nuns can do well, as 1992’s Sister Act proved; with a budget of just over $30 million, it went on to make the Godly sum of $230 million at the box office. This is similarly themed, but instead just swap singing out for bikes.

It has a very old fashioned feel to it, like a cosy episode of Dad’s Army, but with Mother Véronique being the equivalent of Captain Mainwaring, looking after her version of a hapless bunch of misfits.

As you would expect of such a comparison, it’s very twee and charming, with each nun having their very unique personality; perhaps the most entertaining one is the one that says nothing, due to taking a vow of silence, and has to write short statements on a small wipe board to pleasing comic effect.

But you can’t help but feel the whole film could have been pushed a little more, possibly being a little too respectful to both the material and God. Its few takes on being subversive are still rather safe, and it’s this inability to take risks that make it a relatively harmless experience and therefore its cross to bear.

Still, some of the performances are whimsical and engaging, and its old school charm is certainly worthy of some praise.