Nous avons un projet de petite rando cet été de Gand à Amsterdam, pour découvrir ces belles villes du nord et les magnifiques paysages de la mer du nord 😉
Nous partirons à trois, ma femme mon fils de 8 ans et moi.
Nous sommes déjà parti il y a deux ans le long du canal de Garonne de Bordeaux à Toulouse, une belle rando qui nous donne l'envie de renouveler ce type de voyage (Nous avions aussi fait Nantes à Brest, et faisons très régulièrement des balades). Le fiston à un velo tout neuf, plus qu'a préparer le trajet.
On pense donc partir de Gand (on a moyen de laisser la voiture sur Armentière, en vélo jusqu’à Lille, train pour Gand).
Arrêt a Bruges pour découvrir la Venise du Nord (un camping a proximité?). Puis route vers les pays bas, via Flessinge, Zierikzee, Willemstadt, Dordrecht, Gouda et arrivée à Amsterdam (a peu près 310 km). C'est un itinéraire qui est souvent proposé par les agences de voyage a vélo. Mais je vois qu'il y a aussi possibilité de passer via la LF1 plus le long des cotes.
Des avis, conseils ou suggestions sur le trajet?
On part avec sacoches et tentes, des remarques sur les camping en Hollande? Est il nécessaire de réserver ou facile de trouver une place? Y a t il des sites de référence? Je pense qu'on se basera sur des étapes d'une moyenne de 40 km, ca semble ok pour le fiston, plus ça gâcherait son plaisir je pense (même si on peut pousser sur une ou deux étapes)
Dernier point, pour le retour, comment faire Amsterdam Lille avec des vélo? J'ai commencé a chercher mais pas encore vraiment de solution. si vous avez des pistes je suis preneur.
Pour le trajet à vélo, cela dépend uniquement de ce que vous voulez voir car vous pouvez aller partout aux Pays-Bas en restant sur des pistes cyclables. Pour vous aider à choisir c'est vrai que les itinéraires nationaux de type LF sont des itinéraires qui font les petits détours qui vont bien pour voir les coins sympas.
Je vous conseille les petits village, Amsterdam, les parcs nationaux et peut-être Kinderdijk qui est très touristique mais classé.
Pour les camping, dans les petites villes inutile de réserver. Pour info, en principe les bivouacs (sauvage) sont interdits.
En revanche, pour Amsterdam il faudra réserver et même, selon la période à laquelle vous y aller je vous conseille d'éviter les camping, ils sont plein à craquer. Quand vous arrivez en été le gérant vous dit d'aller voir si vous trouvez une place dans l'espace tente et pour lui trouver une place c'est vraiment trouver la place pile poil de la tente. Il n'est pas envisageable de tirer les ficelles de la tente en haute saison. Ensuite, c'est très très animé, toute la nuit!
Pour le retour, il y a quelques années j'avais fait Lille - Den Haag et voici la solution que j'avais trouvé: Aux Pays-Bas pas de souci pour mettre le vélo dans le train, idem pour la Belgique. J'avais donc rejoint Courtrai en Belgique et fais les 30 km entre Lille et Courtrai en vélo (pour passer la frontière) puis Courtrai - Anvers - Den Haag
Bonjour,
J'ai eu une très mauvaise expérience à Amsterdam il y a de cela assez longtemps (en avril 1982). Nous avons campé à Amsterdam, moi et ma femme, et pris nos vélos pour aller en ville. Nous avons laissé nos deux vélos attachés avec deux chaînes ensemble sur un pont à côté de plein d 'autres vélos et sommes partis à pied nous promener dans les alentours. Une heure après, en revenant reprendre nos vélos, ils avaient tous les deux disparus. On est allé déclarer le vol à la police qui nous a dit que les vols de vélos étaient très fréquents à Amsterdam. la police nous a même dit que les vélos volés seraient envoyés par containers vers les pays en développement comme en Afrique.
J'espère pour vous (et les autres) que la situation a changé depuis.
Bonsoir,
Nous avons fait l'été dernier un périple aux Pays Bas en longeant d'abord la cote par la LF1 avant de redescendre sur Amsterdam, Gouda, Rotterdam...
Vous trouverez le lien de notre blog dans la signature.
Je vous rassure, 4 vélos, 3 semaines, aucun vol de vélo, ça peut arriver partout y compris en France.
La LF1 est sympa, on est vraiment en pleine nature, attention au vent cependant, de manière générale, ça souffle beaucoup aux Pays Bas.
Nous avons toujours campé et parfois, nous avons dû faire quelques crochets pour atteindre les campings. Finalement, il n'y a pas de temps de campings que cela mais entre les guides, google maps... on trouve toujours.
Nous avons aussi campé au camping Zeeburg à Amsterdam, je confirme, c'est bondé l'été.
Je joins une photo. Il s'agit d'un camping pour la jeunesse européenne mais finalement, c'est assez calme, assez parfumé... Après avoir planté notre tente à l'endroit de la photo, nous avons décidé de déménager dans un autre endroit du camping plus calme et plus aéré.
Je pense que vous trouverez pas mal de réponses à vos questions à la lecture de notre blog mais si vous avez d'autres questions, n'hésitez pas.
Bonsoir Maël, très chouette idée!! Je ne puis malheureusement répondre à vos questions pratiques niveau vélo ou encore camping, mais j ai moi-même un fils de 8 ans et je suis super fan d Amsterdam où il m a déjà accompagnée plusieurs fois. J ai créé un blog dans lequel je partage mes « bons plans ». Vous y trouverez peut être de chouettes infos resto, visites ou encore activités à faire avec lui. http://happyamsterdam.wordpress.com
Bons préparatifs !! Florence
Bonjour lalel, oui il est toujours possible
D'attraper la LF1 à Brugge, ou à ostende.
https://www.routeyou.com/fr-fr/
route/view/4274589/itineraire-a-velo-recreatif/lf1
Ou l'eurovélo 12 qui est la Lf1 pour les holandais.
Pour la partie belge tu le systéme des ravels.
http://ravel.wallonie.be/home.htmlhttp://translate.google.com/translate?depth=1&hl=fr&prev=/search%3Fq%3Deurov%25C3%25A9lo%26biw%3D1067%26bih%
3D512&rurl=translate.google.fr&sl=en&u=http://www.eurove
lo.com/en/eurovelos
Pour la partie francaise.
Pour armentiéres lille
La deule c'est l'eurovélo 5
De armentiéres pour la canal de la deule au village de
deulemont
Attention de rester sur la deule pour lille, car changement à marquette les lilles, à partir de là c'est l'eurovélo 5 direction Roubaix.
Bonne route
Je me rend compte que je n'ai pas encore fait de retour de ce voyage de l'été dernier.
Donc, pour info aux futurs voyageurs, et en réponse a ceux qui avaient pris le temps de nous aider ici, nous sommes bien partis de Gand à Amsterdam, sur 3 semaines.
Train Caen- rouen - lille - gand
Nous avons passé 3 jours a Gand, super ville bien vivante. camping au parc Blaamersen (grand lac, baignade, espaces sportifs...) a 15 minutes du centre ville.
Puis Gand Bruges, camping à Bruges, piste cyclable tout le long.
Bruges Flessinge via Damme (passage en ferry pour la traversée), puis middelburg, dombourg, traversé des digues venteuses et des iles de la Zelande et leurs grandes plages de sable (vive les petites baignades sur les pauses!!!), passage par Renesse.
Traversé de Europoort, cette imensse zone industrielle et portuaire, traversée en ferry jusqu’à Hoek van holland, puis remontée vers La haye, escapade a Delf, puis toujours via la LF1 que nous avons suivi tout du long, jusqu’à Haarlem puis Amsterdam ou nous sommes resté 3 jours, avec une magnifique boucle dans le waterland. Petit camping calme au nord d'Amsterdam dans une ferme, super a 20 minutes du centre (mini camping 't uilenstekkie)
650 km, et retour en train (amsterdam - Anvers - Amiens - Rouen - Caen, 11h de train ....
Magnifiques paysages dans les parcs, autour des polders, superbe zones naturelles. Le soleil au rendez vous, ce qui rend tout de suite le voyage plus agréable !!!
Le système de voies cyclables, et de nœuds pour se repérer est juste génial.
Bon accueil des hollandais.
En zeland, plutôt des gros camping parfois complet, un peu galère, mais on a trouvé quasi tout le temps. une nuit sans rien, beau camping au sommet des dunes avec vue sur la mer et les biches au réveil, magique !!!
Bref on a adoré et on vous recommande la découverte de ce beau pays à vélo !!!
Cet été, direction l'est , départ de Strasbourg, descente du Rhin, puis lac de constance, lac de Zurich, Bâle et route des vins jusqu’à Strasbourg !!!
Merci Lalel pour ce retour complet. Nous partons (2 adultes + 2 enfants 8 et 6 ans) pour un parcours similaire (départ de Bruxelles) dans une semaine. J'ai pris note de tes conseils pour les campings. Aurais-tu d'autres adresses à me conseiller/déconseiller ? Bonne route pour cet été (la destination a l'air top !)
J'aimerais prendre le Thalys à Paris avec un vélo, visiter Gand puis rouler jusqu'à Anvers, y passer la nuit, puis reprendre le train pour rentrer à Paris. Je…
Je vais devoir guider cet été un petit groupe d'amis à travers la Belgique (du 5 au 10 août), et comme je n'ai pas le temps d'aller repérer le parcours sur le…
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
I’ve got my flight ticket sorted—departing in mid-November and returning in mid-March. I’ll arrive in Santiago and leave from Buenos Aires.
I’ve already been to southern Argentina, specifically Torres del Paine National Park, and I’d love to go back to do the full W trek (I only did the shorter version last time).
I also want to do some hiking and maybe even tackle a summit. I climb and occasionally do some mountaineering, so I’ll definitely be going with a guide.
I plan to start around Temuco in Chile, with the idea of heading toward the lakes, then taking the Carretera Austral.
I’m not sure if I’ll go all the way to Ushuaia—it’s supposed to not be *that* worth it, except for the bragging rights of saying you’ve been to the end of the world.
I saw there are lakes in Argentina too.
I don’t have a precise itinerary, but what I’d love is, once I reach the southernmost point of my trip, to take a mini-cruise to see some wildlife. Any tips for that?
What kind of sleeping bag did you take? Is a 0°C (32°F) one enough?
And one last question: white gas stove or can I get by with my gas stove?
Hi there,
I’ve been road cycling for several years, and I’m about to switch to gravel in the next few days—I’m waiting for my bike, which should arrive this week.
I’m planning a bikepacking trip in a few weeks along the Véloroute V81, also known as the Vélosud, from Biarritz to Le Barcarès.
Has anyone here already done this route? Any info is welcome, whether it’s about the route itself, gear, or accommodation. I’ll prioritize staying with locals as much as possible. On that note, I just signed up for the brand-new site *Guidon et Couette* ((www.guidon-et-couette.fr)), which offers free accommodation between cyclists across the country, but there’s almost no one listed along my route!
Thanks in advance.
Laurent.
Hi there, I’m planning a cross-Canada bike trip, and I’ve got a question that might seem silly, but could someone tell me how to pack a bike (in a box, with a fragile sticker... I don’t know) for a flight? Thanks in advance!
This summer, we’re planning to cycle along the EV 19 that follows the Meuse River from Langres all the way to Rotterdam.
My question is about getting back to Nantes.
Do any of you know what the best return option might be? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
I saw that FlixBus doesn’t take bikes.
By train, I think it’s possible but would involve multiple local trains.
We were also wondering if there’s a boat from Rotterdam to Saint-Nazaire that could take passengers with bikes.
Any tips or experiences you can share would be really helpful—thanks in advance!
Have a great evening
I’ve gotten used to crossing Europe by bus to return by bike.
It was really convenient to take the bike without having to disassemble it.
But FlixBus no longer accepts bikes...
What alternatives do you know about?
Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m planning to ride the Dutch section of the EuroVelo 19, from Maastricht to Rotterdam.
Since it’s too complicated to bring my bike on the train, I’m looking to rent one locally.
I’d love any tips or bike rental shop recommendations—I’m struggling to find options even in Rotterdam.
The plan is to rent in Rotterdam, take the train to Maastricht with the bike, then cycle back to Rotterdam.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions!
Nath
I’m planning to cycle from Morlaix to Brest (via Roscoff and the V45 coastal route). We’ll start riding on August 16th for 13 days (with stops for island visits, surfing, etc.). Is there a lot of traffic at this time of year? I’ve got two kids, 11 and 13, and we don’t like riding in the middle of cars (we’ve already done the Vélomaritime—Caen to Cherbourg—the Loire route from Orléans to Saumur, the Vélodyssée from Nantes to Royans, and the canals like the Nivernais and Bourgogne, where there were plenty of bike-only lanes, which isn’t the case on this route).
Thanks for your help if you’ve already done this route in late August!
Virginie
I’m planning to build a new touring bike.
I want to prioritize lightness.
That said, I’m tempted by a suspension fork that could offer some comfort on rougher roads.
The recent appearance of gravel suspension forks on the market might meet my needs—at least on paper.
I’m particularly considering the RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR fork.
Unlike MTB forks, its travel is short: either 30 mm or 40 mm.
It weighs 1400 g, which is 400/500 g more than a steel fork.
Any thoughts or real-world feedback on this?
I’m also wondering about the durability of magnesium (lower leg) for long-distance bike touring.
And what’s the impact of skipping the manufacturer-recommended maintenance every 50 and 200 hours? That’s bound to happen on a long trip unless you carry extra gear.
More generally, how reliable are these kinds of forks?
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share with you the incredible feat my friend José, who’s 72 years old, is currently undertaking. He left Auterive near Toulouse on Monday, May 18, 2026, on his non-electric bike, heading for the North Cape in Norway!
You can follow his route on the link below—he’s currently in Sweden:
https://thierry-thomas.travelmap.net/jose-de-toulouse-a-nord-cap-2026
You can zoom in on the map and click on each stopover town to see the photos
I’m making an exception and creating a separate post this time, since it’s all about France. In May, we spent a week in Provence, specifically in the Luberon, exploring the cycling routes *Autour du Luberon à Vélo*, the *Véloroute du Calavon* (part of EuroVelo 8), and the shorter *Les Ocres à Vélo* route. Together, they gave us an amazing journey through rolling hills, vineyards, lavender fields still green in spring, and some of the most stunning landscapes in southern France.
It was, of course, the perched villages that impressed us the most. We visited Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Ménerbes, Oppède-le-Vieux, Cucuron, and Lauris. Many of them are among the most beautiful villages in Provence, and it’s hard not to agree with that reputation.
One interesting point is the route of EuroVelo 8 in this part of the region. The official path mainly follows the old railway line of the *Véloroute du Calavon*, which is very comfortable and safe. But in our opinion, cyclists traveling EuroVelo 8 around the Mediterranean would discover even more treasures if the route passed through villages like Bonnieux, Lacoste, or Oppède-le-Vieux.
We were also pleasantly surprised by how safe cycling felt. Most of the route takes small local roads, but traffic is light, drivers are respectful, and road design really takes cyclists into account. It’s one of those places where you can ride peacefully even without separated bike lanes.
Our full story:
Around Luberon by bicycle - the most beautiful villages of Provence
You can also find all our cycling travel stories on the forum:
Cycling Thread - Europe’s most beautiful bike routes
Hi there, we’re a group of 4 cyclists looking to get from Treviso in Italy to Munich with our 4 non-folding bikes. It seems complicated! Are there any solutions? Thanks so much.
hello fellow cycling enthusiasts
here’s a travel journal of the cycling tour through the Rhône-Alpes Auvergne region by Claudio
zouli
it was the plan
http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/auvergne-Ralpes/
the trip was completed
story being posted online soon
1100 km in 11 days
beautiful and varied regions
Hi there, we’re planning a Munich to Venice bike trip at the end of June 2026. Getting back from Venice to Toulouse by train with 4 bikes isn’t straightforward. What return options have others who’ve done this trip chosen? Any tips or great deals would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch! !
Hi everyone,
Happy owner of a Pegasus Estremo bike with a Rohloff hub, which is giving me trouble with the SF11-NCX-FT-E-LITE 700C TS 300/0 fork (serial number TD01329060). It’s starting to show its age, and I’d like to repair it to extend the life of my beloved bike.
The suspension is gone, and there’s an oil leak from the seals.
Does anyone know how to repair it? Where can I find parts that are about fifteen years old? Or where to find an identical replacement fork? Just to clarify, the Magura HS11 brakes are mounted using Firm Tech, meaning they’re on pivots behind the fork, facing the frame.
Hi, I'd like to know if anyone has done this route recently or has reliable info.
Does the track exist, and most importantly, is there sand (for biking)?
Any info is welcome.
Cheers,
diego ambilobe: mangaoka, manondro, ramena
vohemar sambava: masondrono, tanambao
Hi there,
New to bike touring,
I’d love to start with a section of the Via Rhona to explore and share (route to be decided).
Looking forward to exchanging tips!
I’m landing in Madagascar with a buddy before the end of April 2026. We’re planning to bike around for about twenty days or so. We don’t have a specific goal other than exploring the country and meeting the locals.
Ideally, we’d prefer a loop route starting from Antananarivo with a good chunk of it along the coast. On the bike side, we’re used to riding 6 to 8 hours a day, depending on the needs, encounters, and mood 😉 Any feedback or tips from trips around this length?
A big thank you to Lazarou for all the info you share in this forum!
I'm passionate about Morocco, which I cycled through back in 2009.
Last year, my wife and I explored the High Atlas by tandem. Completely smitten, we're heading back in April (Anti Atlas) and May (High and Middle Atlas), still on our tandem.
Do you have any info on the track between Amezri and Ali Ait Nito? Are the river crossings in the Tessaout still there? It's not easy to navigate with a loaded tandem... especially if the river level is high due to this year's heavy snowmelt!
Thanks in advance for any tips you might have, and best wishes for health in this new year!
Claudio specializes in the route of the Savoie lakes
Here are his travels
Between Bornes, Chartreuse, the Savoie foothills, and Dauphiné
Five lakes: Léman, Annecy, Paladru, Aiguebelette, Bourget, not to mention a few ponds along the way
Plenty of accommodation options: camping, hotels, and more...
A lovely route not far from his place
Rural and quite peaceful
A road cycling route created by Serge B...
First of all... happy New Year! Wishing you great roads in 2017!
I’ve been traveling for a few years now with a high-quality mountain bike, but it’s equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. I live (pedal) with the constant worry of a breakdown (leak, air bubble, heat causing the fluid to...). My bike mechanic tells me it’s impossible to switch them out for V-brakes.
What do you all think? Am I taking a big risk continuing (alone) with these brakes? Thanks in advance for your great tips!
First post here to share a quick recap of our west-to-east bike trip along Algeria’s coast in January 2025.
It was just the two of us—my partner and I—with French passports and not a word of Arabic. No friends or welcoming hosts in the country.
Under those conditions, we’d strongly advise against going.
Our original plan was to follow the coast from Algiers to Tunis. We ended up cycling from Algiers to Béjaia, then took the train from Béjaia to Annaba (with a stop in Constantine), and finally biked to the border.
We were tailed by police the whole way—whether on our bikes, on the train, or even on foot while exploring towns. On top of that, we couldn’t wild camp and were limited to the few state-approved hotels that accept foreigners. Under those circumstances, connecting with locals was especially tough.
With such an omnipresent and intrusive police presence, we’d definitely recommend against this destination for bike touring. A really sad situation that completely cuts you off from the local population...
We’d been warned, we went to check it out, and we weren’t disappointed!
Hi there,
I’m planning the route to cycle from Lille to Nordkapp with my partner.
Duration: 3 months, from May 1st to July 31st, 2026.
In the attached details below, I need to add some "non-riding" days (rest days, basically).
So I’m looking to "shorten" the trip by taking ferries or trains for some stretches. Which areas could I skip?
Thanks in advance for your great tips.
Have a good evening.
https://www.komoot.com/fr-fr/collection/4023980/-lille-cap-nord-1er-mai-au-31-juillet-2026?ref=collection
I’m planning to bike back from Poland this summer. Does anyone know a way to ship it there without having to take it apart? Otherwise, it’s a real hassle to fine-tune all the settings before departure!
Thanks in advance.
Hi, has anyone recently bought Primus or Butagaz gas, possibly puncture-style, in Dubrovnik or the surrounding area? Same question for Albania... thanks. aichatou
Just a few words about the loop I did by bike in Yunnan.
Entry and exit
I entered China through the Sino-Vietnamese border crossing at Lào Cai / Hekou under the 30-day visa exemption currently available to French nationals and others.
The process was simple and quick. A Chinese police officer even helped me complete my electronic pre-registration at a computer kiosk. I wasn’t aware this formality was required—it’s similar to Thailand’s TM6.
No issues with the bike.
I left the country via the Sino-Laotian border crossing at Mohan / Boten.
The atmosphere was a bit chaotic there, but again, no problems with the bike.
The timing
I visited Yunnan in February 2026.
Weather-wise, at higher altitudes (between 1,500 and 2,000 meters), it was around ten degrees at night and in the mornings, and around twenty degrees at the hottest part of the day.
I had two days of rain, so I took the bus to keep moving. Otherwise, clear blue skies.
Culturally, Chinese New Year fell on February 17th (and the 15 days following), right in the middle of my trip. Because of this, my take on the traffic might be off.
Accommodation and food
I always found a hotel to stay in for prices ranging from 8 to 15 €. Except in Kunming (the capital), where many hotels were fully booked (Chinese New Year). I ended up at a 100 € hotel with great value for money.
A bowl of noodles costs about 1.5 € on average.
Onboard electronics
Since my smartphone doesn’t support eSIMs, I subscribed to a China plan with my carrier. Otherwise, for much cheaper, Alipay offers eSIMs for foreigners that allow access to services usually blocked for Chinese users (WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.).
An internet connection is essential for paying with Alipay or WeChat, as this payment method is widespread.
I only managed to use Alipay.
Either way, always carry cash because sometimes there’s no signal, or the merchant only accepts WeChat.
Also, it’s best to bring a power adapter when you arrive rather than struggling to find one.
Traffic and roads
The Chinese aren’t reckless drivers. They follow traffic rules and watch out for cyclists. This is slightly less true in Xishuangbanna (the region bordering Myanmar and Laos).
In urban areas, there are almost always wide bike lanes, separated from other roads, where bikes, electric mini-scooters, and scooters share the space pretty harmoniously.
The roads are in great condition, and traffic is generally manageable—even light—except for one stretch (Eshan -> Yangwu).
Most traffic is absorbed by expressways, China’s equivalent of highways: toll roads that are off-limits to slow vehicles.
You’re never far from these expressways; sometimes you even ride alongside them, which can be noisy at times.
The climbs are usually reasonable, around 5% to 6%. From what I remember, the steepest section was between Menglun and Mengla, with gradients of 8% to 10%, sometimes more.
Riding at these altitudes—though modest—took a bit of getting used to.
The route
I didn’t plan anything in advance. My only goal was to reach Kunming. I don’t know why, but just hearing the name of that city, like Yunnan, always felt dreamy to me.