Original post
Bonjour, je projète de faire Charleville-Namur à vélo, quelqu'un aurait-il des conseils pour choisir le meilleur itinériaire? Merci
Charleville (Marne) - Namur (Belgique) à vélo: meilleur itinériaire?
by Pauld51
This discussion is in French, the community’s main language.
De Charleville à Namur à vélo il n'y a qu'un itinéraire: voie verte en france, ravel en belgique; le tout le long de la meuse (plat et agréable).
Oui je crois que Bernard à raison, le ravel en belgique est bien souvent tres agréable meme si certaines portions ( pas plus de quelque kilomètres) sont en pavés ou en mauvais état.
Avec mon vélo de course je préfère souvent prendre la " vraie " route qui longe le bord de meuse. Elle est en tres bon état et j'aime bien de passer par les village meme si c'est vrai que sur le ravel la tranquilité est sans pareil !
Malheureusement il n'y a pas de ravel partout, je pense notament qu'entre Dinant et givet tu vas devoir rouler sur une nationale mais la route est belle et vraiment pas désagréable !
Avec mon vélo de course je préfère souvent prendre la " vraie " route qui longe le bord de meuse. Elle est en tres bon état et j'aime bien de passer par les village meme si c'est vrai que sur le ravel la tranquilité est sans pareil !
Malheureusement il n'y a pas de ravel partout, je pense notament qu'entre Dinant et givet tu vas devoir rouler sur une nationale mais la route est belle et vraiment pas désagréable !
De mémoire, le Ravel belge ne va pas jusqu'à) la frontière. Enfin bon, la partie Givet - Hastière - Dinant n'est pas trop désagréable. Après Dinant, soit la piste le long de la Meuse rive gauche, où il y a beaucoup de trafic à côté, soit la rive droite via Dave qui est plus agréable.
Bonjour,
Début Juin de cette année j'ai eu le plaisir lors d'un très long voyage à travers la France de parcourir cette section en VTT (version grande randonnée donc avec bagages). Aussi voici des informations et liens que j'ai pu récolter : Sur la section en France (Charleville-Mézières - Givet) il y a une magnifique voie vertes nommé : Voie verte Trans-Ardennes avec un fléchage et un Carnet de route remarquable. Et même un site web : http://www.voiesvertes.com/htm/departement08.htm Télécharger le Carnet de route. Ce carnet de route est également normalement disponible dans les offices de tourisme du secteur. Je profite de l'occasion pour féliciter chaleureusement ceux qui ont mis en œuvre cette initiative et encourage à poursuivre sur d'autres secteurs. (Charleville-Sedan, ...). Concernant la section en Belgique, effectivement le réseau Ravel qui signifie : R pour Réseau A pour Autonome V e pour Voie L pour
Il existe un guide excessivement bien fait et détaillé (cartes) mais il semble introuvable en France. Apparemment on peut le commander (gratuitement) mais le service ne semble reprendre que le 18 Aout. A l'office de tourisme de Dinan ils en ont, mais il est payant (2, 48€) et en plus ensuite pour aller jusqu'à Namur le trajet est très simple et bien fléché (dont peu utile). Voici un lien vers la carte générale du parcours qui se nomme "RAVEL 2" : http://met.wallonie.be/...vel_2/?display=carte
Fiche technique Origine Chemin de halage ou de service des voies hydrauliques Longueur du tronçon 47.8 km Localités traversées Hermeton-sur-Meuse - Hastière-Lavaux - Hastière-par-delà - Blaimont - Waulsort - Dinant - Anhée - Annevoie-Rouillon - Rivière - Profondeville - Wépion - Namur - Jambes Revêtement Majoritaire : Asphalte Détail : Asphalte (48%) - Dalles, Clinkers (20%) - Pavés (11%) - Béton (8%) - Cendrée, Dolomie (5%) - Terre / herbe (4%) - Inconnu (4%) - Autre (1%) Largeur minimum 0.6 m Praticabilité Bonne (79%) Moyenne (15%) Inconnu (4%) Difficile (2%) Genre Chemin (59%) Route (33%) Sentier (7%) Passage sur accotement Oui (14%) - Trottoir - Piste cyclable Cavaliers autorisés Oui (17%) Distance entre le début de l'itinéraire et le début du tronçon 28.2 km Distance entre la fin du tronçon et la fin de l'itinéraire 37.8 km
De Givet il y possibilité de rejoindre ce parcours qui emprunte une ancienne ligne de chemin de fer jusqu'à la Meuse, mais c'est assez complexe à expliquer et apparemment quasiment personne (y compris les offices de tourisme) connait le passage !!! Aussi mieux vaut considérer qu'il faut suivre la Meuse (et non la Marne comme indiqué dans le titre du post) et qu'en regardant bien il y a des panneaux qui indiquent des voies sur berges réservées pour les vélos. Toutefois attention parfois les panneaux ne sont pas explicites. En effet on voit des panneaux qui indiquent que les vélos peuvent emprunter le chemin mais ce n'est pas forcement l'itinéraire du Ravel 2. Il faut donc pas hésiter à demander autour de soi en espérant tomber sur des personnes qui connaissent le parcours. Le parcours emprunte effectivement parfois la route principale sur plusieurs Kms où il y a la circulation des voitures.
Après Namur, il y a plein d'autres "RAVEL" qui permettent de poursuivre l'exploration de la Belgique par des voies idylliques. Bravo à la Région Wallonie pour ces réalisations et encouragement à poursuivre leur lancé.
Le paradoxe c'est que beaucoup d'infrastructure existe déjà pour circuler très agréablement à vélo. Cependant pour des raisons dont j'aimerai bien savoir, pouvoir emprunter pleinement ces infrastructures, cela relève plus du jeu de piste ou d'une chasse aux indices que d'une paisible ballade où on n'a pas de gros soucis pour savoir quel direction prendre aux intersections.
Voila en espérant que mon commentaire rassurera plus qu'il ne n'inquiètera. En tout cas, c'est un parcours qui vaut le détour et dont j'encourage à l'emprunter pour tout ceux qui ont plaisir à faire des découvertes de beaux paysages à vélo.
Début Juin de cette année j'ai eu le plaisir lors d'un très long voyage à travers la France de parcourir cette section en VTT (version grande randonnée donc avec bagages). Aussi voici des informations et liens que j'ai pu récolter : Sur la section en France (Charleville-Mézières - Givet) il y a une magnifique voie vertes nommé : Voie verte Trans-Ardennes avec un fléchage et un Carnet de route remarquable. Et même un site web : http://www.voiesvertes.com/htm/departement08.htm Télécharger le Carnet de route. Ce carnet de route est également normalement disponible dans les offices de tourisme du secteur. Je profite de l'occasion pour féliciter chaleureusement ceux qui ont mis en œuvre cette initiative et encourage à poursuivre sur d'autres secteurs. (Charleville-Sedan, ...). Concernant la section en Belgique, effectivement le réseau Ravel qui signifie : R pour Réseau A pour Autonome V e pour Voie L pour
Il existe un guide excessivement bien fait et détaillé (cartes) mais il semble introuvable en France. Apparemment on peut le commander (gratuitement) mais le service ne semble reprendre que le 18 Aout. A l'office de tourisme de Dinan ils en ont, mais il est payant (2, 48€) et en plus ensuite pour aller jusqu'à Namur le trajet est très simple et bien fléché (dont peu utile). Voici un lien vers la carte générale du parcours qui se nomme "RAVEL 2" : http://met.wallonie.be/...vel_2/?display=carte
Fiche technique Origine Chemin de halage ou de service des voies hydrauliques Longueur du tronçon 47.8 km Localités traversées Hermeton-sur-Meuse - Hastière-Lavaux - Hastière-par-delà - Blaimont - Waulsort - Dinant - Anhée - Annevoie-Rouillon - Rivière - Profondeville - Wépion - Namur - Jambes Revêtement Majoritaire : Asphalte Détail : Asphalte (48%) - Dalles, Clinkers (20%) - Pavés (11%) - Béton (8%) - Cendrée, Dolomie (5%) - Terre / herbe (4%) - Inconnu (4%) - Autre (1%) Largeur minimum 0.6 m Praticabilité Bonne (79%) Moyenne (15%) Inconnu (4%) Difficile (2%) Genre Chemin (59%) Route (33%) Sentier (7%) Passage sur accotement Oui (14%) - Trottoir - Piste cyclable Cavaliers autorisés Oui (17%) Distance entre le début de l'itinéraire et le début du tronçon 28.2 km Distance entre la fin du tronçon et la fin de l'itinéraire 37.8 km
De Givet il y possibilité de rejoindre ce parcours qui emprunte une ancienne ligne de chemin de fer jusqu'à la Meuse, mais c'est assez complexe à expliquer et apparemment quasiment personne (y compris les offices de tourisme) connait le passage !!! Aussi mieux vaut considérer qu'il faut suivre la Meuse (et non la Marne comme indiqué dans le titre du post) et qu'en regardant bien il y a des panneaux qui indiquent des voies sur berges réservées pour les vélos. Toutefois attention parfois les panneaux ne sont pas explicites. En effet on voit des panneaux qui indiquent que les vélos peuvent emprunter le chemin mais ce n'est pas forcement l'itinéraire du Ravel 2. Il faut donc pas hésiter à demander autour de soi en espérant tomber sur des personnes qui connaissent le parcours. Le parcours emprunte effectivement parfois la route principale sur plusieurs Kms où il y a la circulation des voitures.
Après Namur, il y a plein d'autres "RAVEL" qui permettent de poursuivre l'exploration de la Belgique par des voies idylliques. Bravo à la Région Wallonie pour ces réalisations et encouragement à poursuivre leur lancé.
Le paradoxe c'est que beaucoup d'infrastructure existe déjà pour circuler très agréablement à vélo. Cependant pour des raisons dont j'aimerai bien savoir, pouvoir emprunter pleinement ces infrastructures, cela relève plus du jeu de piste ou d'une chasse aux indices que d'une paisible ballade où on n'a pas de gros soucis pour savoir quel direction prendre aux intersections.
Voila en espérant que mon commentaire rassurera plus qu'il ne n'inquiètera. En tout cas, c'est un parcours qui vaut le détour et dont j'encourage à l'emprunter pour tout ceux qui ont plaisir à faire des découvertes de beaux paysages à vélo.
Xavier.
Un globe trotteur qui est en pleine découverte de l'Europe à Vélo en empruntant souvent de grands itinéraires type Eurovélo. Il y a tellement de belles choses à découvrir dans toute l'Europe, que déjà cela fait un beau terrain de jeu... http://www.xaviste.fr
Un globe trotteur qui est en pleine découverte de l'Europe à Vélo en empruntant souvent de grands itinéraires type Eurovélo. Il y a tellement de belles choses à découvrir dans toute l'Europe, que déjà cela fait un beau terrain de jeu... http://www.xaviste.fr
Namur - Dinant se fait entièrement sur le Ravel, asphalté sur 95%. Il reste de petits tronçons en pavé mais rien de bien méchant. Entre Dinant et Hastière, il faut prendre la route mais elle n'est pas trop dangereuse. Il y a beaucoup de passage lors des week-ends (samedi et dimanche après-midi). Hastière - frontière française sur site propre du Ravel. Ensuite +/- 3 km pour atteindre Givet et prendre la voie verte vers Charleville qui est magnifique et en site propre.
Bonjour,
le ravel existe de la frontière à Hastière (rive gauche).
A Hastière, il passe rive droite jusqu'à Waulsort.
Continuer jusqu'au "passeur d'eau"... un petit bac (gratuit) par lequel on retraverse la Meuse.
De là, effectivement plus rien jusque Dinant.
Par contre rien de la frontière à Givet...
Par contre rien de la frontière à Givet...
« Je ne suis pas d’accord avec ce que vous dites, mais je me battrai jusqu’à la mort pour que vous ayez le droit de le dire. »
Mes voyages à vélo: http://velonomade.weebly.com/
Mes voyages à vélo: http://velonomade.weebly.com/
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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?
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https://youtu.be/_GDJi-GqmkM
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I’ve gotten used to crossing Europe by bus to return by bike.
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You can also find all our cycling travel stories on the forum:
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S.
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:
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You can also find all our cycling travel stories on the forum:
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hello fellow cycling enthusiasts
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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
claudio
the trip was completed story being posted online soon 1100 km in 11 days beautiful and varied regions
claudio
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Thanks for your help! Have a great day, Alexandre
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.
Thanks for your help! Have a great day, Alexandre
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
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!
hey everyone,
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?
Thanks in advance, Jérôme
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?
Thanks in advance, Jérôme
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!
Thanks in advance for any tips you might have, and best wishes for health in this new year!
A shout-out to a cycling colleague from Savoie
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...
N+1 reconnaissance trips on a loop of about 400 km This way, he avoids the SNCF and its troubles http://cbandiera.free.fr/vv/lacs-savoie/recos.php
The latest reconnaissance trip from April to May 2026 http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2026-grenoble-H/index.php
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...
N+1 reconnaissance trips on a loop of about 400 km This way, he avoids the SNCF and its troubles http://cbandiera.free.fr/vv/lacs-savoie/recos.php
The latest reconnaissance trip from April to May 2026 http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2026-grenoble-H/index.php
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!
Hi everyone,
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!
You’ve been warned.
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!
You’ve been warned.
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
Hi there,
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.
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
Hi there,
Coming from Laos (*), I’m planning to enter Thailand by bike via the Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.
Before this bridge was built, I’d already cycled the road from Louang Namtha to Houei Sai and crossed the river by boat to reach Thailand.
At the time, the condition of that road was impeccable, and most importantly, traffic was light.
So I’m wondering if anyone who’s taken it recently can tell me whether traffic has increased since the bridge opened.
Thanks in advance!
(*) I’m currently cycling in China (Yunnan)
Coming from Laos (*), I’m planning to enter Thailand by bike via the Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.
Before this bridge was built, I’d already cycled the road from Louang Namtha to Houei Sai and crossed the river by boat to reach Thailand.
At the time, the condition of that road was impeccable, and most importantly, traffic was light.
So I’m wondering if anyone who’s taken it recently can tell me whether traffic has increased since the bridge opened.
Thanks in advance!
(*) I’m currently cycling in China (Yunnan)
Hi there,
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.
Here’s the breakdown: Hekou -> Man Hao (94 km); Man Hao -> Yuanyang (64 km); Yuanyang -> Jianshui (bus); Jianshui -> Tong Hai (78 km); Tong Hai -> Chenjiang (85 km); Chenjiang -> Kunming (60 km); Kunming -> Kunyang (60 km); Kunyang -> Eshan (67 km); Eshan -> Yangwu (58 km); Yangwu -> Yuanjiang (59 km); Yuanjiang -> Pu'er (bus); Pu'er -> Dadugang (75 km); Dadugang -> Jinghong (80 km); Jinghong -> Menglun (67 km); Menglun -> Mengyuancun (51 km); Mengyuancun -> Mengla (43 km); Mengla -> Boten (67 km).
Otherwise, I’m currently in Thailand and just hoping my return flight with Qatar won’t get canceled.
Oh well... 😉
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.
Here’s the breakdown: Hekou -> Man Hao (94 km); Man Hao -> Yuanyang (64 km); Yuanyang -> Jianshui (bus); Jianshui -> Tong Hai (78 km); Tong Hai -> Chenjiang (85 km); Chenjiang -> Kunming (60 km); Kunming -> Kunyang (60 km); Kunyang -> Eshan (67 km); Eshan -> Yangwu (58 km); Yangwu -> Yuanjiang (59 km); Yuanjiang -> Pu'er (bus); Pu'er -> Dadugang (75 km); Dadugang -> Jinghong (80 km); Jinghong -> Menglun (67 km); Menglun -> Mengyuancun (51 km); Mengyuancun -> Mengla (43 km); Mengla -> Boten (67 km).
Otherwise, I’m currently in Thailand and just hoping my return flight with Qatar won’t get canceled.
Oh well... 😉