Au mois de novembre, je pars pendant 3 semaines avec une amie au Bénin.
Nous souhaitons nous déplacer en vélo. Nous comptons rester dans le Sud du pays (aller jusqu'à Abomey).
Savez-vous s'il y a beaucoup de circulation, si c'est dangereux pour les cyclistes? S'il est possible d'emprunter de petits axes? Ou est-on obligé d'emprunter les routes à fortes circulation? Les routes sont-elles facilement praticables à vélo?
Un coin tranquille pour faire du vélo , c'est d'aller de Cotonou à Ouidah par la route des peches .
En fait une piste longeant la mer au milieu des cocoteraies , 35/40 kms de plat avec quasiment pas de circulation .
par contre faire du velo à Cotonou meme , ce n'est pas l'idéal vu la pollution generée par les centaines de zems= motocyclettes/taxis.
Je préfére annoncer la couleur t'entré, les routes sont en mauvaise états et il y'a beaucoup de circualtion.
Sur Cotonou vous aurez aussi les nuisance des pots d'échappement...
C'est une belle aventure je ne peux que vous félicitez ! Prudence sur la route, hydratez vous bien, et mettez un casque!
ouf , je pense qu'il vaudrait mieux que vous veniez faire un petit séjour avant de vous lancer dans une aventure à vélo , Les routes praticables le sont pour des véhicules de ts genres , la conduite est souvent dangereuse , ça fait peur!!!!
Donc soyez prudentes et bon courage si vous allez au bout de votre projet ,
Nous serons au Bénin dans un village qui s'appelle Azowlissé , je vous donne les coordonnées où vous pourrez nous joindre au cas où... 97 18 14 43 , nous y partons pour 3 mois à partir du 10 octobre.
Merci pour toutes vos réponses. Mais je ne suis pas sûre d'avoir été assez claire dans mon message. Nous ne voulons pas faire du vélo à Cotonou ou juste faire une journée de vélo.
Nous voulons aller de lieu en lieu en vélo. ( Ouida, Passotome, Gran Popo, Abomey, Allada, Porto Novo...). Le but n'est pas de faire plein de kilomètres, mais juste d'emprunter un moyen de transport différent. D'ailleurs, nous n'envisageons pas de faire de grandes distances.
Et on se demandait si quitter la ville de Cotonou se faisait facilement (quitte à faire un détour pour emprunter des petits axes), si aller d'une ville à l'autre (lieux cités précédemment) n'était pas trop dangeureux (même s'il faut pour cela rallonger le chemin de façon à ne pas emprunter les grands axes), savoir s'il existait des axes secondaires.
Je suis passée en février dernier dans le Sud du Bénin, j'ai visité les villes dans lesquelles vous souhaitez aller. La circulation n'était pas particulièrement intense, il est vrai que j'ai évité Cotonou...
Bon voyage au Bénin
COUCOU
il y a actuellement un reportage sur arté concernant le bénin il ne parle peut être pas de la possibilité de se déplacer à vélo dans le sud du bénin mais il présente un peu le pays et les coutumes ce qui peut être interessant avant de partir.tu pourras peut être retrouver ce reportage sur internet.
j'ai été au bénin en 2007 pendant 2 mois.je n'ai malheureusement pas voyager en vélo.j'ai utilisé les "zem" taxis motos et taxis voitures pour me déplacer à travers le pays.a cotonou il est vrai qu'il ya moult zem et taxis et les gens roulent un peu comme des fous mais a y repenser il me semble que c'est pas pire qu'une nationale!dès que tu t'éloignes de cotonous, dans les autres villes il y a moins de circulation.par contre il n'y a que les routes principales qui sont goudronner.
si tu veux plus d'infos n'hésite pas.
bon voyage.
pour vivre au bénin, travailler à cotonou et me ballader tous les week ends dans le sud (les villes que tu cites) je peux te dire que les routes osnt affreusement dangereuses, qu'on aperçois des véhicules broyés voire des gens gisant au sol toutyes les semaines.
moi je dirais (sans mauvaise intention, genre te dégouter) que faire du vélo au bénin c'est du suicide.
désolé d'être franc mais c'est réellemnt dangereux (une ballade sur la route des pêches est effectivelment envisageable mais c'est du tout terrain)
Je réagis suite au message de Sebleh, car je pars prochainement avec Anahid faire du vélo au Bénin et notre objectif n'est pas de revenir en mille morceaux...
Les personnes qui ont des accidents au Bénin sont peut-être aussi des personnes qui conduisent n'importe comment, non?
Les seuls messages rassurants sont ceux de Pascale77000 et Laurento: avez-vous des conseils de sécurité à nous donner? Pouvez-vous nous préciser l'état des routes et l'importance du trafic routier?
Quel a été votre parcours au Bénin?
je crois que je me suis mal fait comprendre, je vais donc te donner plus de détails :
les routes lorsqu'elles sont pavées ou goudronnées sont pleines de trous et de bosses, parfois les grilles d'égouts sont manquantes (attention en marchant sur le trottoir aux trous béants) , d'autre fois c'est un objet encombrant ou un véhicule garé au milieu sans signalisation.
80 à 90 % des usagers de la "voie" n'ont pas leur permis de conduire, puisque les motos n'en nécessitent pas et que le permis auto s'achète 70 000 cfa en douce.
ajoute à cela que la conduite étant inconnue de la plupart des gens ils n'ont pas conscience des dangers de la circulation et improvisent des manoeuvres toutes plus étonnantes les unes que les autres.
dernière précision une règle non écrite de la circulation est que le plus petit laisse le passage au plus gros, ce qui fait que lorsque tu es à pieds personne ne dévie d'un pouce pour t'éviter, ou qu'un camion ne cédera jamais face à une voiture quoi qu'il en coute
...
ça peut paraître exagéré mais la circulation est un des sujets de conversation récurrent entre expats et la plupart d'entre nous ne prend le zem qu'en cas de nécessité.
j'ai pris le taxi plusieurs fois dans le sud, pour ouidah, porto novo, grand popo, à chaque fois tu descends heureux d'être vivant...
voilà un peu plus d'explications, que ceux qui connaissent bien le bénin interviennt à leur tour.
je reviens tout juste de mon voyage au Bénin. Et le Sud du Bénin se fait très bien à vélo! Nous n'avons pas fait une grande distance mais ce n'était pas le but du voyage.
Le parcours que nous avons fait:
- Cotonou - Bohicon en train
- Bohicon - Abomey à vélo
- Abomey - Azovè à vélo
- Azovè - Lokossa à vélo
- Lokossa - Possotomè à vélo
- Possotomè - Tokpa Domè en bateau motorisée
- Tokpa Domè - Ouidah à vélo
- Ouidah - Cotonou en taxi
Les routes que nous avons empruntées étaient en très bon état et il n' y avait pas beaucoup de circulation. Nous n'avons absolument pas eu peur sur ces routes et nous avons l'occasion de traverser de nombreux petits villages.
Nous avons fait de la piste pour aller à Ouidah. Le reste du temps, nous avons majoritairement pris des routes goudronnées.
Nous avons visité d'autres sites au Bénin (Porto Novo, Ganvié, Les Aguégué) mais nous n'avons pas emprunté le vélo car il y avait trop de circulation pour un vélo!
Quand tu demandes des infos sur la dangerosité des routes, commence par regarder
s'il s'agit de conducteurs de vélo ou de voiture. Les derniers sont souvent alarmistes et
ne reflètent pas la réalité.
Ce n'est pas parce qu'il y a un fort trafic que la route est dangereuse...si la route est large,
cela peut être parfaitement cyclable par exemple.
Etre dans une voiture et être sur un vélo, ce n'est pas du tout pareil.
Enfin, mis à part quelques pays où l'on conduit très bien , les reste conduit moyennement bien.
Après tout est une question de largeur de route, de la présence de nombreux véhicules lents qui
il faut bien le dire aident à rendre la route plus agréable.
Bonjour je voyage au bénin a vélo au moi de janvier, je me demande si il et facile de quitter Cotonou a vélo ou si il et préférable de prendre un autre moyen de transport ?
Mon itinéraire passe par porto novo! quel et le meilleur moyen pour m' orienté ? Quelles solutions vos solutions ? Merci pour vos reponses ? 🙂
Nous n'avons pas quitté Cotonou à vélo. Personnellement, je trouvais qu'il avait beaucoup trop de circulation et que c'était bien trop dangereux.
En revanche, ça ne pose aucun problème de prendre un taxi pour sortir de Cotonou puis de continuer à vélo une fois sortie de l'agglomération. C'est ce que nous avons fait.
17 days, 1,400 km, and 17,500 m of elevation gain cycling in northern Vietnam! 🇻🇳 🚴🇻🇳
From the misty Fansipan to the breathtaking landscapes of the Ha Giang Loop, from remote villages to vibrant markets...
I cycled through the north of the country, getting up close with its people—through mud, heat, endless mountain passes, and unforgettable encounters.
Most importantly, I discovered a Vietnam far different from the usual tourist circuits.
Join me on this adventure through a video that captures these 17 days of travel. :)
If Vietnam calls to you, come ride a stretch with me!
Another long-time dream of Claudio’s: the Petit Mont Cenis pass and the dam at the eponymous lake.
A place where many Italians, including my father, worked in the 1950s–60s.
Faverges → St-Michel-de-Maurienne → Lanslebourg → Petit Mont Cenis → return. 315 km, 3 days. Bivouac at St-Michel-de-M.
Brouter link
Leg One: Faverges → St-Michel-de-Maurienne
Leg Two: St-Michel → Lanslebourg → Mont Cenis Lake → St-Michel
Leg Three: St-Michel → Faverges
And it finally happened in August 2026: in the Maurienne Valley about the famous cycle route known as the V67
🇷🇼 Cycling in Rwanda: 4 episodes, an off-the-beaten-path adventure
After 3 weeks and nearly 1,200 km by bike across Rwanda, I made 4 videos to share this adventure in a different way: the landscapes, the encounters, the villages… but above all, all those incredible scenes of everyday life.
The 4 episodes are available here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnfbxjccWAg
The 4th episode focuses on rural Rwandan life: simple, authentic, and sometimes surprising scenes that you only truly discover when you take the time to travel by bike.
If you have a few minutes, let yourself be transported to Rwanda…
Hi, I'm looking for info on cycling to Nordkapp via the EuroVelo 7. Has anyone done it already, and where’s the best place to start the EuroVelo 7?
Thanks
Hi,
We bought the MSR bike tent model (2-person + large awning that can fit 2 bikes) back in 2005. It’s served us really well, especially during a year-long trip in Africa. Now, one of the poles is broken, and we’d love to replace it since that’s the only issue with the tent—we still love it! The poles are 9.35 mm in diameter, with 8 sections of 49 cm and 2 sections of 28 cm. Total length when assembled: 416 cm. Actually, two large sections are broken: one straight and one curved. It’s a pain to find replacements since this model is no longer sold anywhere.
Would anyone have this model lying around unused and be willing to sell me a pole?
Looking for a female travel companion for a cycling trip (arriving by plane in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and cycling toward Montevideo, Uruguay, returning by plane to France from Buenos Aires, Argentina) – 1,500 km
Hello everyone!
I’m planning a cycling trip across Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, with a departure set for late October, November, or December. I’m looking for a travel companion to share this long-distance adventure with.
Experience:
I already have solid experience in bicycle touring in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Currently, I maintain excellent physical condition by cycling an average of 250 km over 3 days per week (4 hours a day at 20 km/h).
The trip & the pace:
Daily pace: Between 50 and 80 km per day, to make steady progress while taking time to explore.
Accommodation: Flexible and authentic. We’ll alternate between wild camping, campsites, Warmshowers, small guesthouses, and budget hotels depending on opportunities and the weather.
Looking forward to reading your message and planning this amazing journey together!
Hi everyone,
In early April, I’m redoing the Vélo Francette (La Rochelle to Ouistreham), and then I’d like to cycle along the Cotentin Peninsula (which I don’t know at all), follow the coast up to Cherbourg, and then head back down to at least Saint-Malo. I’d love to know if it’s pleasant for cycling—are the roads nice? Not too windy? What are the must-see spots? Any great campsites? All your tips and advice are more than welcome, and I thank you in advance.
Hi there,
I’m planning to bike to meet some friends in Côte d’Ivoire in early November.
I’ll be starting in Abidjan and heading to Abengourou, which is close to the Ghana border.
I’d like to take the trails. Does anyone have recent info on eastern Côte d’Ivoire?
Any tips, safety advice, or must-see stops? I’m open to all suggestions.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Fx
After testing it for three years across various modes of transport, I’m sharing this video of a bike packing case. It’s made from recycled cardboard and shrink-wrapped, with adjustable thickness and added bubble wrap depending on the level of protection you want.
Installing spacers at the fork and chainstays makes the packaging compact. With the fifteen-odd euros for shrink-wrapping at the airport, this case travels really well.
https://youtu.be/_GDJi-GqmkM
- Low bulk (1.10m x 0.70m x 0.25m for a large frame), it fits vertically in train luggage compartments and the total dimensions (x+y+z) don’t exceed 2.40m.
- Two carrying solutions for public transport and easy handling by airport staff (no more tears in the cardboard from openings).
- Discreet packaging when dealing with bus drivers and train conductors, as it looks like an ordinary parcel.
- No need to return to the starting point to retrieve the case from your outbound trip, which you’d otherwise have to store somewhere, or deal with a bulky cover to pack in your panniers.
- You can still check tire pressure through the plastic film without damaging the packaging too much.
Drawbacks: Around 3 hours for this lengthy and meticulous process—removing the wheels, pedals, handlebars, and derailleur without misaligning them, then securing all components to the frame.
If you get a chance to test it, send me your feedback for future improvements.
I just took a trip in Tunisia from Tozeur to Douz, skirting Chott el Jerid to the south. I’m back with the urge to keep going further south via the 4x4 tracks to connect Douz to Ksar Ghilane. Has anyone driven this route recently or explored southern Tunisia?
Thanks for your tips!
fix
😎Fellow traveling cyclists or not, all of you who love travel, the pleasure of physical effort, nature, beautiful machines, people with true passions they seek to fulfill, and who also enjoy reading great literature about all this—the *200* magazine is for you just as it is for me. I should mention I have no financial or other interest in this (in an era where we accuse our politicians of all sorts of vile interests, I prefer to take precautions). I’ve been subscribed since the beginning, and every three months, I get my 130 pages of dreams (the magazine just went from 110 to 130 pages).
It covers everything from the trans-America route to the TCR (Trans Continental Race) from Belgium to a small town in Turkey, with mind-blowing averages—4,000 km and 80,000 m of elevation gain in 8 days and 15 hours for the winner. Let that sink in, and all of it without assistance—accepting a patch could penalize you. There’s also a story about crossing Iran, encountering one of the world’s most welcoming populations, following in the footsteps of Nicolas Bouvier, as well as retirees leisurely traversing France. The common thread in all these stories? Beautiful writing. Take, for example, a stunning article: *"Passengers of the Cold: From Edinburgh to Thurso, at the very north of Scotland, 550 km of moors, coasts, and icy wind. In Thurso, the road ends at a quay, facing the Orkney Islands. We wanted a November trip, off-season. We wanted to surprise winter. Just before the snow."* A sublime piece on the experience of facing adversity and the chance encounters along the road and in the elements.
Before I embarked on my own bike trips, I dreamed a lot about them—from the Atacama to the Gobi, along the Mekong, and not forgetting France. And now, these 130 pages every quarter keep those dreamy vibes alive through stories written in the most beautiful prose.
I’ll stop here because it might sound like I’m advertising, but if you don’t know *200*, I invite you to discover it. It’ll give you wings for the most incredible challenges or simply reinforce your desire for slow rides with your eyes open to others and nature.
A little news to wrap up: Axel Carion and a friend just broke the record for crossing South America from Colombia to Ushuaia in 59 days. On its own, that doesn’t mean much, but I can’t help it—it makes me dream. You should see how he talks about it, the flashes of that wild nature he’s stored away: a snowstorm at Paso Jama and the surreal sight of the suddenly snow-covered Licancabur!
Luc
PS: The magazine is called *200* because a day’s ride starts at 200 km—well, I’ve never done a ride like that since my longest was 167 km (with 18 kg of luggage, mind you), but why not one day? The magazine will explain how to tackle your first 200, and then the question in conclusion: when will you do your first 300?😏
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?
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.
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
Hello,
We’d like to go on a 3- to 4-month bike trip starting in December, crossing from Assam (northeast India) to New Delhi via Nepal.
Are there routes with light traffic along the Brahmaputra and through Nepal?
We’re also looking for any info on accommodations, wild camping, local interactions, etc.
Thanks,
Michel
Hello,
Has anyone here had experience using a gas stove in Sardinia and Sicily? I’m wondering if screw-on gas canisters (not the blue Campingaz ones, but brands like Coleman, Primus, etc.) are easy to find.
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
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 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?
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.