Have you ever dreamt of cycling from Paris to London? It is now possible. A 400km bike path has been made, linking northern France to southern England. This road goes through old abandoned railroad tracks, it is a small marked road but it is a perfect path for cycling.
You need to take The Green Avenue from Notre-Dame Cathedral and you’ll arrive at Westminster Bridge. This road crosses villages scattered in the French and English countryside, where time seems to stand still, with windmills, hills and groves abounding in the background.
In English territory, you will need to take three railways converted into cycle tracks: “Worth Way” between Crawley and Grinstead, the “Forest Way” between East Grinstead and Groombridge and the “Cuckoo Trail” between Polegate and Heathfield. In France, you shall do the same between Dieppe and Forges-les-Eaux and between Gisors and Bray.
The route along the Seine offers truly picturesque views, resembling some century old paintings by Monet and Renoir.
The cycle tour through England, linking St Paul’s Cathedral in London to Newhaven, stretches for 160km. The French tour, if your start from Gisors, is more than 240km long. There is another path, however, taking you through Beauvais, which then extends the route for a further 70km. Either way, you will end up right in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
The journey normally last for 4-7 days, depending on the ability of the rider, the paths he chooses and the weight he carries with him. The ideal bike is the VTC, tires with 23 mm in diameter, but a mountain bike or a hybrid bike may also be comfortable on dirt-filled roads.
FOCUS: Amsterdam, champion in cycling
The total length of the course varies: 408km if you decide to take the valley of the Epte, through Giverny and Claude Monet’s beautiful garden once in France, or 474km if you prefer the Beauvais region.
The crossing of the Channel by ferry is a hassle-free and pleasant experience lasting about 4 hours. If you wish to extend your stay, there are numerous options for accommodation (camping or hotel) in each country.
This is only the start. In time the journey will be improved and new bike paths will be added: traveling by bike has never been more pleasurable and cycling from Paris to London in one of the most picturesque cycling routes in the world is now possible!
