DolceVia

This 14-day tour combines two French cycling routes, the Avenue Verte and the Vélomaritime, extending on through Belgium and the Netherlands to Amsterdam. Starting at the Parvis of Notre-Dame in Paris, the route heads through Cergy and Gisors to Forges-les-Eaux, then on to Dieppe on the Normandy coast.

From Dieppe, the Vélomaritime coastal route continues through Cayeux-sur-Mer, Berck-sur-Mer and Boulogne-sur-Mer, with dunes, coastal cliffs and nature reserves, before crossing into Belgium at Nieuwpoort and on into the Netherlands via Breskens and Haamstede.

The final stages pass through Hoek van Holland and Noordwijk before finishing in Amsterdam, with its canals, bridges and 17th-century gabled houses.

Highlights:

• Avenue Verte through Normandy's countryside and wooded hills
• Vélomaritime coastal dunes and cliffs, Cayeux-sur-Mer to Boulogne-sur-Mer
• Crossing into Belgium at Nieuwpoort
• Dutch coastal towns of Breskens and Haamstede
• Historic fortified towns and windmills en route
• Finish in Amsterdam among its canals and gabled houses

Surface and terrain:
Rural landscapes and wooded hills through France, giving way to dunes and coastal paths, then flat Dutch countryside into Amsterdam.

Suitable for:
Travellers in good shape wanting a small challenge; moderate, 40-70km/day.

This 6-day self-guided tour follows La Régalante cycle route from Saint-Malo, starting on the Vélomaritime coastal path, to Mont-Saint-Michel before heading inland into Brittany's bocage countryside. The route continues to the medieval fortress towns of Fougères and Vitré, crossing tree-lined countryside into La Guerche-de-Bretagne.

From there, riders continue to Châteaubriant and its castle, then follow the Erdre River, often called the most beautiful river in France, through marshland and cycle paths towards Nantes.

The tour finishes in Nantes, with its Château of the Dukes of Brittany and the Machines of the Isle, a mechanical art attraction built around a giant elephant and other creatures.

Highlights:

• Mont-Saint-Michel
• Medieval fortresses at Fougères and Vitré
• Châteaubriant castle
• The Erdre River, "the most beautiful river in France"
• Château of the Dukes of Brittany, Nantes
• Machines of the Isle, Nantes

Surface and terrain:
Flat and windy near the coast, through Breton bocage and tree-lined countryside inland, then marshland and cycle paths into Nantes.

Suitable for:
Travellers in good shape wanting a small challenge; described as moderate, 40-70km/day, accessible to everyone.

This 17-day self-guided tour crosses France from Paris to Marseille via Burgundy and Provence. Early stages follow the route through Melun, Sens and Auxerre to Chablis, with a Burgundy wine cellar visit and tasting, then on to Beaune, taking in the Hospices de Beaune, the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy and a nougat workshop.

The route continues down the Saône to Lyon, then follows the Rhône Valley through Vienne and Valence to Montélimar and Orange, passing Roman heritage sites including the Ancient Theatre and Arch of Triumph.

The final stages reach Avignon, with its Papal Palace and medieval bridge, before crossing Provence via Aix-en-Provence to finish at Marseille's Old Port on the Mediterranean coast.

Highlights:

• Burgundy wine cellar visit and tasting
• Hospices de Beaune and Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy
• Nougat workshop visit
• Roman heritage in Orange: Ancient Theatre and Arch of Triumph
• Papal Palace and medieval bridge, Avignon
• Finish at Marseille's Old Port

Surface and terrain:
Mixed countryside, vineyards, lavender fields and urban sections; generally accessible cycling routes.

Suitable for:
Riders wanting to experience the route at their own pace, discovering France's cultural and natural heritage.

This one-day ride follows the Seine from the heart of Paris out to Maisons-Laffitte. Starting at the Parvis of Notre-Dame, the route heads out along Boulevard Sébastopol, one of the capital's busiest cycling routes, before threading through Place de la République and along the Canal Saint-Martin, passing its small locks and picturesque footbridges.

From Bassin de la Villette, the route follows the Quai de la Seine and Canal Saint-Denis, taking in the Sainte-Marthe district, Parc des Buttes Chaumont and the Centquatre cultural centre, before turning to follow the Seine itself towards Chatou, a riverside town about 30km from Paris and a popular lunch stop.

After lunch, the route continues along the Seine past the Château of the Count of Monte-Cristo and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, finishing at the 17th-century Château de Maisons-Laffitte, with time to visit its park and equestrian stables.

Highlights:

• Boulevard Sébastopol and Canal Saint-Martin's locks and footbridges
• Bassin de la Villette and Canal Saint-Denis street art
• Sainte-Marthe district and Parc des Buttes Chaumont
• Riverside lunch stop in Chatou
• Château of the Count of Monte-Cristo and Saint-Germain-en-Laye
• Château de Maisons-Laffitte, its park and equestrian stables

Surface and terrain:
Urban bike lanes and canal paths through Paris, then riverside paths along the Seine. Little elevation gain.

Suitable for:
Families and beginners; described as easy, with little elevation gain.

This 8-day self-guided tour runs 400km from Sarlat in the Dordogne to Île d'Aix on the Atlantic coast. Early stages take in the Lascaux IV prehistoric art museum and medieval villages including Saint-Robert and Saint-Jean-de-Côle, along with the Château de Hautefort and its Museum of History of Medicine.

The route continues through Nontron and into Cognac country, with visits to a producer's cellar for a tasting, before following the Charente River valley, crossing by chain ferry and passing through Saint-Savinien on the way to the coast.

The final stages take in Rochefort's Corderie Royale (Royal Ropeworks), Fort Vauban, and a chocolate factory in Trois-Palis, finishing with a crossing to Île d'Aix and its Napoleonic fortifications.

Highlights:

• Lascaux IV prehistoric art museum
• Medieval villages: Saint-Robert, Saint-Jean-de-Côle, Nontron, Saint-Savinien
• Château de Hautefort and its Museum of History of Medicine
• Cognac cellar visit and tasting
• Charente River valley and chain ferry crossings
• Rochefort's Corderie Royale and Île d'Aix's Napoleonic fortifications

Surface and terrain:
River valleys and varied countryside routes, including the flat Coulée d'Oc greenway on an old railway line, with some climbs and descents elsewhere.

Suitable for:
Families; moderate difficulty and accessible to everyone.

This 12-day self-guided tour follows the ViaRhôna route from Annecy, on the "purest lake in Europe," down through the Alps and the Rhône Valley to the Mediterranean at Sète. Early stages pass through Savoie's alpine landscapes and Grenoble, ringed by three mountain ranges, before the route settles into the Rhône corridor through Provence's vineyards and garrigue, including the Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine regions.

Along the way riders pass Roman heritage sites including the Orange Theatre, Nîmes Arena and Pont du Gard, and the Palais des Papes and medieval ramparts of Avignon. The route continues to Montpellier before finishing on the Mediterranean coast at Sète, a fishing port on the Thau lagoon known for its oyster farms.

Highlights:

• Lake Annecy and the Alpine landscapes of Savoie
• Grenoble, ringed by three mountain ranges
• Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards
• Roman heritage: Orange Theatre, Nîmes Arena, Pont du Gard
• Avignon's Palais des Papes and medieval ramparts
• Mediterranean finish at Sète and the Thau lagoon oyster farms

Surface and terrain:
Shaded riverside bike paths along the Rhône, through Provençal countryside, garrigue, vineyards and orchards, transitioning to lagoon landscapes near the coast.

Likely weather:
Alpine climate at the start, becoming increasingly Mediterranean further south.

Suitable for:
"Sporty," for long-distance riders used to "70km and more/day."

This 8-day self-guided tour follows La Véloscénie from Notre-Dame de Paris to Mont Saint-Michel. The route opens with a visit to the Palace of Versailles before heading through rural roads and forest paths to Chartres, home to its famous Gothic cathedral.

Continuing into the Perche region, riders pass the Château de Nogent-le-Rotrou and Saint-Jean Castle, rolling through hilly countryside into the Normandy-Maine Regional Natural Park, with a stop at the spa town of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne.

The final stages take in the Mortain waterfalls before the route finishes at the UNESCO-listed Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, rising out of the bay.

Highlights:

• Palace of Versailles visit
• Chartres Cathedral
• Château de Nogent-le-Rotrou and Saint-Jean Castle
• Normandy-Maine Regional Natural Park
• Bagnoles-de-l'Orne spa town and Mortain waterfalls
• Finish at Mont Saint-Michel Abbey

Surface and terrain:
Rural roads, forest paths and valley trails, with rolling hills through the Perche region.

Suitable for:
Travellers in good shape wanting a small challenge; moderate, 40-70km/day.

This 6-day self-guided tour follows the Avenue Verte from Paris to London, largely on a former railway line converted to a cycling path. From Paris, past the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame, the route heads out via the Château de Maisons-Laffitte and the river port of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine.

Continuing through Normandy, riders pass the medieval castle at Gisors and the Benedictine abbey at Saint-Germer-de-Fly, through forests and rolling fields to the spa town of Forges-les-Eaux, then on to the seaside resort and port of Dieppe for a ferry crossing to Newhaven.

In England, the route crosses the South Downs nature reserve and Richmond Park, home to its deer herds, before finishing in London at Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge.

Highlights:

• Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame in Paris
• Château de Maisons-Laffitte and Conflans-Sainte-Honorine river port
• Medieval Gisors castle and Saint-Germer-de-Fly abbey
• Dieppe seaside resort and Channel ferry to Newhaven
• South Downs nature reserve and Richmond Park deer
• Finish at Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge, London

Surface and terrain:
Former railway line converted to cycle path, plus forests, rolling fields and countryside roads.

Suitable for:
Families and beginners; "Easy."

This 23-day self-guided tour follows EuroVelo 3, the Scandibérique route, for 1,190km from Paris to Hendaye on the Basque coast. Early stages wind through forest paths and along the Seine and Loire, taking in heritage stops such as the Château de Fontainebleau and Château de Blois.

Through the Loire and into the Charente, the route crosses rolling vineyard landscapes on the limestone plateau, including a Bordeaux estate visit with wine tasting, before reaching the city of Bordeaux itself.

The final stages follow the Aquitaine coast through pine forests and past the Dune du Pilat, Europe's tallest sand dune, along Atlantic beaches to Arcachon, Biscarrosse and Mimizan, with an Oyster House visit, before finishing at Hendaye on the Spanish border.

Highlights

• Château de Fontainebleau and Château de Blois in the Loire Valley
• UNESCO-listed vineyard landscapes on the limestone plateau
• Bordeaux estate tour and wine tasting
• Dune du Pilat, Europe's tallest sand dune
• Atlantic coast beaches through Arcachon, Biscarrosse and Mimizan
• Oyster House visit and finish at Hendaye on the Basque coast

Surface and terrain:
Forest paths, riverside canal routes and flat-to-moderate terrain early on; rolling hills through vineyard country in the middle stages; pine forest and coastal paths in the south. Daily distances 31-85km.

Suitable for:
Long-distance cycling enthusiasts; "Sporty"/"Expert level."

#eurovelo3 #ev3

This seven-day tour follows the EuroVelo 3 (Scandibérique) route from Paris to Bruges, combining culture and nature across French and Belgian landscapes of chocolate, beer, canals and history. From Paris, the route follows the Canal de l'Ourcq out of the city before reaching the Château d'Ermenonville, then continues through the Oise countryside to Compiègne, taking in its royal château and forest.

Riders pass the medieval Château de Pierrefonds and Noyon's Gothic cathedral before crossing Picardy to Cambrai, home to a UNESCO-listed Vauban fortification. The route then heads through windmill-dotted country to Lille, with time to explore the old town and taste local beer, before crossing into Belgium.

The final stages pass the Passchendaele Memorial Museum en route to Torhout, finishing with a short ride into Bruges, where a chocolate museum visit and the city's medieval Market Square and canals bring the journey to a close.

Highlights:

• Canal de l'Ourcq and Parc de la Villette leaving Paris
• Château d'Ermenonville and Château de Compiègne
• Medieval Château de Pierrefonds and Noyon's Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral
• Cambrai's UNESCO-listed Vauban fortifications
• Beer tasting in Lille's old town
• Passchendaele Memorial Museum and Bruges' canals, Belfry and chocolate museum

Surface and terrain:
Country roads, EuroVelo 3 cycle paths and trails through fields and villages, largely flat.

Suitable for:
Moderate difficulty, suited to travellers in good shape covering 40-70km daily.

#eurovelo3 #ev3