Bike and Barge Belgium to Paris

$2,599 per person

May 14-28, 2011- 2 weeks!

Bike and Barge Itinerary

Ghent - Arrival at boat and sightseeing

Once the seat of the counts of Flanders, our journey starts in the beautiful Medieval City of Ghent, Belgium.

Cyclists are welcomed to our boat starting at noon. Roger will be fitting bikes and guests will settle into their rooms and enjoy yummy snacks.

At 2 p.m. Suzie will lead a walking tour of historic Ghent including St. Nichola's Church, the Gravensteen, and lovely medieval Patershol district. We finish our evening with a lovely Welcome Dinner onboard.

Ghent to Oudenaarde

We'll follow the Shelde River through bucolic landscapes into Oudenarde- whose fame was linked to the 16th century tapestry trade and made famous nowadays in cycling circles by its Tour De Flanders.

Called the "Pearl" of the Flemish Ardennen, Oudenaarde has over a hundred protected monuments- including one of Flander's most striking town halls. We'll enjoy a scenic walk through the town to discover its uniqueness ending in visit to the beautiful Liedts Castle and grounds.

Oudenaarde to Tornai

Within sight of the French Border we overnight in Tournai.

Located on the Scheldt River 10 km from the French Border, Tournai is one of the oldest cities in Belgium, established by the Romans on the road from Cologne to France.

Our Lady's Cathedral of Tournai is one of the most spectacular churches in Belgium and echoes the town's past as one of the greatest cultural and economic centers of Flanders.

Another famous native of Tournai is Flemish master painter Roger de la Pasture, better known as Rogier van der Weyden.

Tornai to Bouchain

We leave Tornai and on into France to cycle though it's oldest regional park- Scarpe-Escaut. This adventure features wonderful miles of incredible woodlands cycling.

Among our stops this day will be to the Forest Center in Raismes where we learn about the history of this area from coal mining wasteland to rejuvenated haven for birds and wildlife.

We'll also take a peek at the infamous Wallers-Arenberg ancient cobblestone highway featured in the Paris -Roubaix Cycle Race.

Bouchain to Peronne

We depart after breakfast slightly northwest to the historic mining town of Lewarde.

We'll visit the extraordinary Mining Museum that depicts the impact of the Coal Mining industry upon the Picardie Region of France. Led by retired miners we'll actually descend down 450 meters to the underground where coal was dug.

After our visit many of us will meet The Feniks at Marquion where we'll board and sail through a remarkable 3.5 mile long boat tunnel towards Peronne. Others desiring more cycling in their day will follow us along the Canal Du Nord, stopping in the village of Arleux at the intersection with the Sensee River.

Then passing the beautiful Havrincourt Forest and Chateau we enjoy beautiful quiet farm roads and villages into Perrone.

Day off in Perrone

Built on an island on the meandering course of the Somme River, Peronne has been embroiled in history since the year 929.

The Peronne Castle built by Phillipe Auguste in the 1300s which houses the Museum of the Great War and the original ramparts of the Port de Bretagne remain as testimony to its history as a fortified town.

We'll take this day off to explore the lovely town center and Saturday town Market. Those interested in some cycling can ride to neighboring Albert 24 km away to see the famous town impacted in WWII.

Week Two

Perrone to Noyone

As we venture south still along the Somme, our terrain turns slightly hilly. Where the canal splits, we turn eastward and visit villages along the Somme and St. Quentin canals.

We enjoy lots of cycling among Picardie's Farmlands. As we turn westward, we'll follow picturesque landscapes of the Verse River that leads into historic Noyon.

A small historic town in the Oise Department of Picardie, Noyon boasts the lovely Cathedral Notre Dame where Charlemagne was crowned in 768 and it is the birthplace of John Calvin, famous theologian during the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s.

We will enjoy a town walk and visits to the beautiful gothic cathedral and John Calvin Museum.

Noyone to Compiegne

Wonderful cycling with some hills invites us through the forest of Ourscamps and De Laigue.

Nearby we stop for a visit to the majestic fortified castle of Pierrefonds- looking quite like a fairy tale castle as it looms over the countryside with its hulking presence.

We'll take the Route Eugenie to the town of Compiegne. Its remarkable setting in the heart of the Oise Valley at the edge of a vast forest is the explanation for why it was favored by the kings of France and chosen as one of the principal royal residences- built for Louis XV.

The town offers an impressive self-guided walking tour starting at the beautiful Hotel de Ville following Compiegne's impressive architecture, picturesque sites and wonderful historical landmarks.

Compiegne to Creil

We continue skirting the lovely Oise River through the regional natural parks known as the Pays de France.

Along the river we'll stop to visit the beautiful Royal Abbey of St Jean Baptiste de Moncel. Through the forest Parc d'Halatte we come upon the village of Creil- proud of its green space.

Creil to Auvers sur L'Oise

Our bike legs will be tested today but we will be rewarded by beauty and adventure on our route.

We pedal today to the elegant town of Chantilly also known as the horse-racing capital of France. Of course, what beckons people here is the impressive Renaissance Chateau set on a lake and surrounded by a romantic emerald forest.

We will enjoy quite some time exploring the Castle and the museum de Conde. And, we won't leave without tasting some pastries and whipped cream for which the town is famous.

We will spend the night in quaint Auvers-sur-l’Oise- a haven for 19th century painters like Paul Cézanne and Vincent Van Gogh who made a number of his famous paintings here and spent the last days of his life in this town. On our town walk we will visit the small graveyard where he is buried.

Auvers sur L'Oise to Bougival

We find ourselves very close to Paris today!

As we follow the Oise River still we visit the town of Pontoise- once one of the principal towns of Medieval France and whose castle was a royal residence and imposing fortress. Quite interestingly, we can explore numerous vaulted tunnels that lie beneath much of the old town which date back to the 13th century.

As we leave the Oise for the famous Seine River we will stop at St.-Germaine-En-Laye, birthplace of famous composer Claude Debussy. The beautiful Chateau which was residence for numerous French Monarchs adorns this elegant town. However, it is famous for its 2.4 kilometer stone terrace built in 1669 which affords a breathtaking view over the valley of the Seine into the distance-- Paris!!

We enjoy our evening in tiny Bourgival resting at a turn on the river. Bourgival was known as the cradle of Impressionism and painters like Monet and Renoir came here to paint the sky and water of this area.

Bourgival to Paris

Today will be thrilling! Excitement starts with a pedal uphill to one of the most celebrated palaces in the world - Versailles - on the heritage list of UNESCO.

One of the most stunning achievements of 18th century French Art, Versailles was once a humble hunting lodge which grew into the seat of French power until the 1789. We'll take a large part of today to fully partake of the experience of Versailles and it's incredible gardens.

We return again to the River Seine and "nook and cranny" our way through the streets of Paris to the Feniks.

Day Thirteen and Fourteen: Paris!

We have planned two days to have fun in Paris - the capital of France and the country's largest city! So many things to see and do - and EAT! Of course, we suggest that cyclists plan additional days in Paris should our schedule need to change or just to make time for all the sites that can't possibly be covered in 1-2 days.

Trip Difficulty

The Netherlands and Northern Belgium terrain is mostly flat, but we can experience wind and rain which are weather factors that impact cycling experience and ability.

As we enter the Picardie region of France we will start to experience hills, but we will have some riding options to shorten distances. In addition, we cycle several miles each day through area forests which are mostly unpaved but that handle well with our hybrid rental bikes with good cycling skills.

So, we recommend this trip for an experienced cyclist who can complete 30-40 daily miles on a hybrid 21 speed bicycle on varied terrain.

We advocate a "stop and smell the roses" philosophy to cycling and our group cycles together as a shared experience. Suzie is our route leader and guide and Roger is route "sweep" and mechanic.

Of course, you can always take a break from cycling and enjoy sailing from the sundeck of our barge — quite a delightful experience!

We do not use the assistance of a support vehicle on our Bike and Barge tours.

Transportation

Our arrival town is Gent/Gent Belgium serviced easily by the excellent train network from both Amsterdam Schiphol and Brussels "Nationaal" airports. From the Gent St. Pieters train station it is only a short taxi ride to our boat docking.

Post-trip transportation- there is excellent train service from Paris Nord train station to either Brussels or Amsterdam. We will have more detailed information about transportation in the Welcome Letter confirmation we send you upon registration.

As with all European trips, we advise our cyclists to arrive a few days before the trip start to acclimate to the time change, get acquainted with the new culture and sightsee beautiful Belgium.

Additional Information

We will partake of the wonderful hospitality of the boat — Feniks.

Our hosts, Captains Winfred and Els are an endearing team who strive to make our stay on their boat a memorable experience.

Our cyclists learn quickly that Els is also a great chef and look forward each night to her culinary creations.

The Feniks is a cheery boat with cozy bedrooms featuring a few rooms with 2-lower beds (assigned on a first-come, first served basis) and other rooms with upper and lower berths- all with private bathroom.

It also features a relaxing dining-common area and large sundeck where we enjoy afternoon snacks and dinner several evenings.

Information about this, what to pack, pre-trip lodging in Amsterdam, traveling abroad, tips on airfare, and other important pre-trip details will be provided in our detailed WELCOME LETTER sent to you when we receive your registration for the trip.

Please visit the Trip Information page for more general trip information and registration. Also feel free to e-mail us with any questions.