Bruges to Paris 2 Week Bike Tour!

Day 1: Brugge

You are welcomed onboard, Monday at noon. Once settled in your cabin, we head for the town center for a walking tour.

In the late afternoon we fit you on a bike and take a short spin. Introductions to the captain and crew will start our Welcome Dinner at 6 p.m.

Day 2: Ghent (25 miles)

Once the seat of the counts of Flanders, we enjoy a short cycle to majestic Ghent, Belgium.

We hope to meet an old friend, Dany, who will hit all the historic highlights including St. Nicholas Church, the Gravensteen, and lovely medieval Patershol district.

Day 3: Ghent to Oudenaarde (28 miles)

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.

Day 4: Oudenaarde to Tornai (34 miles)

Within sight of the French Border we overnight in Tournai. Located on the Scheldt River 7 miles 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.

Day 5: Tournai Bouchain/Arleux (35 miles)

We start with an early sailing this morning. After breakfast we depart ship and cycle the forests to St. Amand Les Eaux adorned by its beautiful abbey. We are now in the Flemish/French area with small town roads lined with red brick houses surrounding classic courtyards.

Day 6: Bouchain - Hermies (30-35 miles)

The boat with be leaving the Schelde into the Canal Du Nord today. Our mooring town will depend on the locks and traffic of the Canal.

Scenery today is the the agricultural landscape of Northern France – large fields and slightly rolling hills. Midway in our route we stop for lunch in Cambrai, a charming town with beautiful old center and square.

Day 7: Hermies - Péronne (15 miles)

Today we enjoy a short cycle into Peronne. Built on an island along the meandering course of the Somme River, Peronne has been embroiled in history since the year 929.

Day 8: Day off in Péronne

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.

Day 9: Péronne – Pont l'Eveque (35 miles)

As we venture south still along the Somme region, 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 former Picardie's Farmlands, and turning westward, follow picturesque landscapes of the Verse River that leads into historic Noyon.

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

We will take time to enjoy Noyon before heading to the Feniks moored 3 miles away in Pont l'Eveque.

Day 10: Pont l'Eveque – Compiègne (25 miles)

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

We'll take the Route Eugenie to the grounds of the Chateau of Compiègne for our introduction into vibrant Compiegne. More time will be spent after loading bikes to enjoy Compiègne's impressive architecture, picturesque sites and landmarks.

Day 11: Compiegne – Creil (36 miles)

A nice ride in the immense forest to the east of town, including a visit to the castle of Pierrefonds, restored and rebuilt in the 19th century by the famous architect Violet le Duc.

We stop in beautiful St. Jean-aux-Bois and famous Roman Ruins of Champlieu before heading west through more lovely towns into Creil and our boat mooring on the Oise river.

Day 12: Creil – Pontoise (31 miles)

Today is a ride in a wooded area with nice bike paths. There are several town visits today like Senlis and Chantilly-castle and Royaumont abbey. Part of the distance will be covered by sailing as determined by our captain. En route, we stop by the little town of Auvers, where Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh spent his last months, producing a large number of paintings.

Day 13: Pontoise – Bougival (25 miles)

Today is a bit shorter in miles but very beautiful with one hill to climb off the bike. We follow the Oise and cross the Seine and through the Centre of Horseriding of Maisons Lafitte. Then cycling the forest of St. Germain we stop in St. Germain-en-Laye with a beautiful chateau-museum.

Not far away from Bougival (4 km mainly on bike paths) is the chateau-museum of Malmaison, dwelling of Napoleon and Joséphine, his first wife.

Day 14: Bougival – Paris (25-30 miles)

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 its incredible gardens.

We return again to the River Seine and "nook and cranny" our way through the streets of Paris to the Feniks. Especially if you are staying several days in Paris, an option today is to stay on board and enjoy Paris from the river.

Day 15: Goodbye to a Great Tour!

After breakfast your bike-and-boat trip from Bruges into the capital comes to an end. We hope you extend this adventure with additional days sightseeing Paris.