Bonjour, ce post s'adresse particulièrement aux voyageuses à vélo.
J'aimerais savoir comment vous faites pour gérer votre hygiène lors d'un voyage un long cours?
En effet lorsque nous sommes partis avec mon ami faire à Loire à vélo (seulement 13 jours) il nous est arrivé de ne pas trouver de camping ouvert car s'était en fin de saison (en octobre) et alors on ne se lavait pas. Mais comme il ne faisait pas fort chaud c'était pas vraiment un problème. Il m'est arrivé aussi d'avoir mes "mensuelles" et je n'ai pas trouvé ça pratique car il fallait trouver des toilettes, des poubelles, de l'eau etc...Et quelle type de contraception vous utilisez?
Bref j'aimerais avoir votre expérience.
Merci d'avance!
Étant un homme je ne suis pas confronté à ce genre de problèmes "mensuelles" comme tu dis, mais pour le lavage quotidien je prends (si je ne suis pas sur de trouver campings, fontaines, torrents, lacs pour me laver) des lingettes jetables
je sais c'est pas trop écolo mais je m'en sers vraiment en cas de nécessité absolue dans les cas cités plus haut.
sinon j'ai mon savon d'alep et serviette
en cherchant se genre de produits j'ai vu qu'il en existait des classiques, des biodégradables, des spéciales hygiène intime féminine
Pour les déchets je pense que tu peux prendre un sac poubelle et à la première poubelle tu jettes...
Si tu ne trouves pas la vérité là où tu es, où espères tu la trouver ?
Nous sommes partis depuis 11 mois, autour du monde en velo. Je pensais que le manque de douche aller etre penible, mais on arrive toujours a ce laver: riviere, fontaine, WC...pour l hygiene intime, j'utilisais aussi les lingettes pour bebe, on en trouve partout dans le monde.
Pour le probleme mensuel, j ai pris la solution de mettre un Implant. Tu le met dans le bras, c est plutot la gyneco qui le fait d ailleur, pour une duree maximum de 3 an. (je vais l enlever en retrant)
Je me suis renseignee avant pour le risque, mais apres avoir pris l avis de 3 medecins c est pas plus dangereux que de prendre la pilule. L'implant evite les regles mensuelles, mais pas a tous les coups. Je veux dire que c est pas fiable a 100%. Je l ai mis en janvier pour savoir si je ne faisais pas de rejet et si cela me coupait mes regles. On est partis en avril et tout c est bien passe. Durant le voyage j ai eu 2 fois des petits saignements, surtout du a l etat de fatigue et mal-nutrition je pense.
Je sais qu il existe aussi ce que l on apelle la "moon cup", sorte de tampon plastique...mais je pense que cela demande une hygiene bien plus importante...
Prendre une contraception juste pour interrompre son cycle normal n'est jamais anodin, même si plein de cyclottes le font. Une co-équipière de voyage s'est retrouvée avec des règles plus ou moins un jour sur 2 pdt 2 mois, puis un cycle totalement irrégulier à l'arrêt de la pilule. Perso, je préfère ne pas rouler 1 ou 2 journées par mois si je ne me sens pas hyper bien plutôt que bousculer mon rythme biologique. Et avec des tampax, on n'est quand même pas trop embêtées. Pas essayé les moon cups. C'est bien pour éviter les déchets, mais il faut quand même pouvoir les laver, pas forcément pratique ?
Pour l'implant, il y a des contre-indications pour certaines personnes, et il peut y avoir des effets secondaires (genre déréglement hormonal, c'est arrivé à ma belle-soeur, elle a mis 2 ans pour s'en remettre ! Bon c'était il y a plusieurs années, c'est peut-être mieux dosé maintenant ?). Quant j'ai parlé à mon médecin de prendre la pilule juste pour interrompre les cycles, il m'a dit que c'était selon lui une hérésie. Comme quoi il y a différents sons de cloche.
Pour ce qui est de l'hygiène, pas besoin d'une douche pour se laver. 1 litre d'eau et un gant suffisent amplement. Quand il fait vraiment trop froid en bivouac pour se laver, on peut confectionner des lingettes plus écolos que les jetables, en préparant à l'avance un petit mélange d'huiles essentielles sur une base d'huile végétale (jojoba + qqs goutes de melaleuca pour ses propriétés antibactériennes, de lavande ou de sauge). Il suffit d'en verser qqs gouttes sur un carré en microfibre, parfait pour une toilette rapide. Avec 4 morceaux microfibre de 10x10cm, on se lave pdt 4 jours. Il faut juste trouver de l'eau le 5ème pour laver les lingettes...
Bien pratique aussi, les solutions gels avec alcool, mais à réserver pour les mains (génial pour faire partir le cambouis), pas pour l'hygyène intime !
Il y a une pillule, Lybrel, qui est pensée à etre administrée sans interruption et qui arrête la menstruation. Mais je ne sais pas si elle est légal en France.
Hello,
tout à fait d'accord pour les petites lingettes jetables, c'est hyper pratique et souvent suffisant.
Concernant la contraception, chaque femme est différente et supporte plus ou moins bien les méthodes qui existent, alors à toi d'essayer AVANT de partir, sur le long terme, pour savoir ce qui te convient.
Personnellement, je prends la pillule depuis plusieurs années et je m'arrange pour ne jamais avoir mes règles durant les vacances. Mais j'ai dû changer jusqu'à trouver LA bonne pilule qui me va bien. Il faut savoir que normalement prendre entre 3 et 6 plaquettes d'affilée n'est pas dommageable pour le corps, ensuite il faudrait de toute façon faire une pause. En parler avec ton médecin.
Et c'est vrai que pour nous les filles l'hygiène intime est très importante dans les voyages à vélo, mais finalement il y a tjs une solution, un peu d'eau à portée de main pour une toilette minimale, et ça suffit. C'est tout de même mon soucis principal en partant. Et attention aux infections: hygiène moyenne + fatigue + relations sexuelles = infections plus fréquentes. Les préservatifs sont ici fort conseillés, yc avec un partenaire "habituel"! 😉
Donc en résumé, selon ma pratique, pour éviter tout problème: toilette intime à faire chaque soir même sans eau courante (lingette) + éviter d'avoir les règles (bon c'est pas un drame non plus mais bon... 🤪) + relations sexuelles protégées + si possible s'essuyer après être allée faire pipi... ben oui!
Pamil
Le principal est d avoir une contraception adaptée. donc bien essayer avant de partir.
J ai aussi opte pour l implant car partant pour un an je ne voulais pas me trimballer mes 12 plaquettes de pilules. En plus j avais peur d oublie de la prendre, en velo on a un rythme diffèrent. Et pour finir avec les décalages horaire c est pas simple non plus.
Avec un minimum d'hygiene, on evite tous plein de tracas.
Allo! Il y a des "lingettes" jetables très efficaces en l'absence d'eau qui, entre autres avantages, respectent le "ph local". Elles prennent très peu d'espace dans les baggages. Par contre, il faut les tansporter jusqu'à ce qu'on puisse en disposer dans les ordures. On les prétend biodégradables.
saluts le mondes vert
personellement 11 mois dans l'année costard cravate
le 12eme on s'relache (comme dans la chanson le plastic est fanta(ma)tique
a+pierrot
Pour ce qui concerne la contraception et les affaires mensuelles, je vous suggère de jeter un oeil à cette rubrique du site de Martin Winckler. Il est l'auteur de deux bouquins de référence sur ces sujets.
Catrike Road pour la randonnée, Brompton pour l'utilitaire en ville et parfois +, Yuba Mundo pour le transport de troupes
Bonjour,
Nous avons acheté en 2005 la tente MSR modèle vélo (2 places + grand auvent pouvant accueillir 2 vélos). Elle nous a fait un très bon usage, notamment pendant un voyage d'1 an en Afrique. Aujourd'hui, un des arceaux est cassé et nous aimerions le remplacer car c'est le seul problème de la tente... qu'on adore ! Ce sont des arceaux de diamètre 9.35 mm, avec 8 éléments de 49 cm et 2 éléments de 28 cm. Longueur totale une fois monté : 416 cm. En fait 2 grands éléments sont cassés : un section droite et une section courbe. Donc galère à retrouver car le modèle n'existe plus nul part dans le commerce.
Est-ce que quelqu'un aurait ce modèle qu'il n'utilise plus et accepterait de me vendre un arceau ?
🇷🇼 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…
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
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.
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