Fin d'année , décembre , j'ai obtenu mon congés sabbatique de 6 mois .
J' envisage l' Amérique du Sud , la question que je me pose concerne notamment le Salar Uyuni et le nord de l'Argentine avec les hautes altitudes .
Vaut-il mieux le faire en Décembre , j'ai vu qu il y pleuvait un peu plus ou Avril mais température plus basse ?
Je compte arriver à Santiago , de là , soit je descends au Sud pour ensuite remonter en douceur la 40 avec passage Chili-Argentine et liaison en bus parfois ; pour terminer en avril par le Salar , ou bien commencer en décembre par Arica et me retrouver sur l'Altiplano à cette période .
Nous avons voyagé en famille à vélo en Amérique du Sud en 2018-2019 du nord au sud, entre Lima au Pérou et Puerto Natales en Patagnie Chilienne. Nous avons traversé le salar d'Uynuni fin septembre/début octobre 2018 et nous avons eu un temps sec tres beau sans avoir eu trop froid ni la journée, ni la nuit. Il faut tojt de meme des veteme ts et un sac de couchage chauds ! Je te conseille vraiment d'y aller plutôt en avril (tu devrais avoir les même temps que nous) ou les précipitations sont plus bien plus faibles qu'en décembre, regardes les stats :
https://www.meteoblue.com/fr/meteo/historyclimate/climatemodelled/uyuni_bolivie_3901903
Nous avons des amis qui ont traversé les salars plus tard que nous et c'était une vraie galère de rouler dans l'eau !
Après la traversée du Sud Lipez en 4x4, nous sommes arrivés à San Pedro de Atacama au Chili. De la, nous avons rejoint San Antonio de Los cobres en Argentine via le Paso Sico. Ensuite, direction Cafayate via le col Acay. Je te recommande vivement cet itinéraire, qui est notre plus belle partie de tout notre voyage. Nous avons relaté cette traversée dans 2 articles sur notre blog :
* San Pedro de Atacama - Paso Sico
https://envourchonsnosvelos.wordpress.com/2018/11/08/san-pedro-de-atacama-paso-sico-frontiere-argentine-le-paradis-des-cyclos/#more-3447
* Paso Sico - La Poma : https://envourchonsnosvelos.wordpress.com/2018/11/16/paso-sico-la-poma-laccueil-la-chienne-et-labra-del-acay/#more-3551
Bon préparatifs et bon voyage à toi, je t'envie !
Bye
Pascal
La famille Envourchons Nos Vélos
1 an en voyage à vélo en famille, avec nos enfants (5, 7 et 9 ans), en Amérique du Sud (2018-2019).
Merci pour ce résumé.
Je vais prendre le temps de lire les liens.
Ça confirme mon idée de descendre à partir de Santiago pour ensuite remonter quitte à prendre un bus..
Pour arriver en avril dans les contrées d atacama, sud lipez...et uyuni.
Bonsoir Olivier cette région d'Amérique du Sud du désert d’Atacama et ses déserts périphériques entre Chili, Argentine et Bolivie j'y suis allé 3 fois à vélo, chaque fois entre octobre novembre et début décembre. C'est vrai que début décembre on a commencé à avoir un peu d'eau. Octobre Novembre les 3 fois jamais d'eau, par contre en novembre sur les grands cols entre Chili Argentine des vents à décorner les bœufs, on nous a dit que c'était le moment de l'année le plus venteux sur cette partie des cols directement face au Pacifique.
Dans la période que tu envisages attention le salar d'Uyuni peut être sous l'eau, je crois que c'est vers décembre à mars.
Tu peux regarder les différents carnets de voyage que j'ai mis sur VF sur ce coin en tout 10 entre les 3 pays sur le désert d’Atacama, ça pourra te donner des idées sachant que tu risques d'avoir des conditions météo très différentes:
voyageforum.com/...ost=9673277;#9673277
voyageforum.com/...ost=9329716;#9329716
voyageforum.com/...ost=9291830;#9291830
voyageforum.com/...ost=9265828;#9265828
voyageforum.com/...ost=9245053;#9245053
voyageforum.com/...ost=6627816;#6627816
voyageforum.com/...ost=6294444;#6294444
voyageforum.com/...ost=3977832;#3977832
voyageforum.com/...ost=3844834;#3844834
voyageforum.com/...ost=3830639;#3830639
En tout cas ce coin quand on y va on a encore d’y retourner.
Merci bien...ça me conforte à nouveau dans mon idée de finir par le nord....
Merci pour votre réponse...je lirais également attentivement vos liens.
A bientôt
Bein non, justement, il ne faut surtout pas terminer par le nord (en plein hiver et dans les inondations).
De décembre à fin janvier (voir mi-février) tout le nord. Ensuite, une fois à Santiago, je te conseil de prendre un bus jusqu'à Temuco pour continuer ton périple dans le sud (carretera Australe + passage en Argentine).
Bien à toi.
Quand tu passeras par Santiago, fais-moi signe, j'y tiens une Casa de ciclistas.
C'est fou ça...quand on regarde " quand partir " dans le salar.....ça indique l'inverse , je vais m'y perdre à force !
Cool pour la casa , ce sont des lieux où on peut dormir je suppose , j'ai pas encore regardé :)
C'est vrai que commençait par le nord , me bottait moyen , me retrouver assez vite sur les Hauts plateaux , pour une mise en route et mon premier voyage à vélo , ça me paraissait prétentieux !
Merci pour les infos , il me reste 4 mois pour affiner :)
Bonjour Olivier quand je pars en voyage à vélo je suis très peu ou pas entraîné, l'important c'est de rejoindre l'altitude lentement. La fois où j'ai traversé l'Atacama d'Arica à Santiago on a démarré à Arica, du bord du Pacifique, on a mis 4 jours pour les 190 km pour nous mener au premier col à 4500 m Parinacota et c'est passé sans problème, alors que je suis assez sensible à l'altitude si je monte vite.
Je n'ai jamais vraiment senti de différence en altitude si je suis monté lentement en pédalent, un peu plus de gêne la nuit en dormant. De manière paradoxale plus de sensation d'altitude en étant couché qu'en pleine action!
Luc
En mal de voyage, je plonge mon nez dans les cartes et blogs pour dans "bien longtemps" afin de rêver un peu... L'idée sera un (long) voyage en famille avec…
Voyager à vélo › Bolivie / Argentine / Chili · 9 replies
Je debute un voyage à velo depuis le sud du Pérou jusqu'à Santiago de Chili sur une periode d'environ 3 mois, en passant par Uyuni, sud Lipez et le desert…
Je souhaite accumuler le plus de conseils possibles (meilleur itinéraire, meilleure période, passage des andes, frontière, matos, éventuels dangers, logements,…
Voyager à vélo › Chili / Argentine / Bolivie · 5 replies
Nous avons 3 mois pour une boucle à vélo de mi février à mi mai 2020. Au départ de Santiago, nous hésitons entre partir pour le sud et rejoindre Ushuaia ou le…
Après des recherches sur le forum je n'ai pas réussi à trouver de réponses qui me convenaient! Au temps pour moi si je me trompe! Voilà je pars pour un an en…
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.
Hi! I’m planning to visit the Stockholm Archipelago by bike in early April.
Do you know if the boats will be running between the different islands at that time of year? For those who’ve already been, all your tips and recommendations are welcome—accommodation, etc. Also, do you know where I can rent a bike in Stockholm? Thanks so much in advance for your help!