Je prévois d'aller jusqu'à Dubrovnik en Croatie au mois de Juin en partant de Genève et je cherche quelques infos ou expériences sur cet itinéraire ainsi que sur les bons et mauvais plans sur place ;).
Mon itinéraire n'est pas encore définitif, mais j'ai un mois pour me faire plaisir. Je prévois de prendre le train ou le bus à certains moments pour la première partie jusqu'à la côte Italienne pour ensuite prendre un ferry qui m'amènerai jusqu'en Croatie. Une fois surplace, j'aimerai démarrer à Pula puis en partie la côte et les îles.
Si certains d'entre vous ont déjà pédaler dans cette direction je serai ravis de pouvoir vous lire ;)!
Si tu arrives par Pula, pour aller à Dubrovnik le chemin le plus court est par la cote est de l'Istrie. Seulement si tu as le temps je te conseille de faire un détour sur la cote ouest pour voir
Rovinj qui est une tres belle ville medievale en bord de mer, aussi avec de belles plages aux alentours. Ensuite tu peux voir Porec et sa basilique du 6eme siecle en style byzantin. La ville est aussi une station balneaire et tres animee en soiree.
(perso j'arrive toujours en Croatie par Trieste, et je trouve ça le plus simple, car le bateau est assez contraignant et cher - dans ce cas il est naturel de commencer la visite par Porec et Rovinj)
Ensuite tu peux faire une incursion dans les terres et visiter Motovun, petite ville au sommet d'une colline entouree de murs medievaux. Tres pittoresque, on y mange d'excellentes pâtes aux truffes à la Konoba Mondo.
Si tu recherches de l'insolite, va voir à Beram la petite église avec des fresques de la Danse Macabre.
Après, tu as le choix de continuer le long de la côte, ou de passer par les îles.
C'est un choix stratégique, car il faut savoir que la corniche connaît un trafic soutenu, surtout en haute saison, et donc on se prend beaucoup de gaz d'échappement.
1) Par les iles
Tu te diriges vers Brestova pour prendre le ferry pour Cres. Ensuite tu longes Cres pour arriver sur Mali Lošinj (les deux îles sont reliées par un pont). Tu peux prévoir une étape d'un ou plusieurs jours pour la plage à Mali Lošinj, c'est très beau.
Ensuite tu peux reprendre le ferry de Mali Lošinj pour Zadar. Zadar est une très belle ville à visiter, prévoir une journée. Si tu disposes d'un peu de temps, très belle excursion d'une journée en bateau à faire dans l'archipel des Kornati depuis Zadar.
Ensuite tu peux reprendre la route côtière vers Šibenik et Split, en effet entre Zadar et Split il y a l'autoroute en parallèle donc trafic moins dense. N'oublie pas de t'arreter à Trogir, ville classée par l'UnEsco, et si tu as le temps fais un détour par le parc national Krka.
2) Par la côteSi tu longes la cote, prochain arret Opatija, station balnéaire chic etablie par les Autrichiens au 19eme siecle. Puis descente de la corniche vers Senj (visiter le fort de Senj pour comprendre l'histoire medievale quand cette partie de la Croatie protegeait le monde occidental contre l'invasion ottomane). Ensuite tu continues direction Karlobag, mais pour éviter une partie de la corniche, je te conseille de traverser depuis Prizna sur l'ile de Pag en face, tu pédaleras plus tranquille et tu peux faire un arrêt à Zrce pour une beach party techno (si tu aimes ça), à la ville de Pag pour voir les salins, la dentelle et surtout l'excellent fromage de brebis de Pag (un peu comme du Parmesan, en mieux), puis ensuite tu continues sur toute la longueur de l'ile et tu reviens sur le continent par un pont, ensuite tu continues sur la petite ville de Nin avec la plus petite cathedarale au monde, de la taille d'une chapelle (elle est cathédrale parce qu'un evêque y officiait...) A côté de Nin, la plage de Sabunike et ses boues médicinales censées soigner arthrites et rhumatismes.
2bis) Variante par la côte et les montagnes
Depuis Senj (et si tu te sens d'attaque pour faire de la montagne) possibilite de rejoindre Zavizan, au coeur du Parc national de Velebit et profiter d'une vue plongeante sur la côte et les iles du Kvarner, ainsi que quelques randos faciles en montagne.
Ensuite tu peux aller à Plitvice, l'endroit le plus visité de Croatie avec ses sept splendides lacs qui se déversent l'un dans l'autre. Ensuite tu reviens à la côte sur Zadar, très belle ville ancienne avec une attraction unique: l'orgue marin.
Depuis Zadar, magnifique excursion d'une journée à faire en bateau sur les Kornati, archipel de 200 iles et ilôts pour la plupart très arides et d'une beauté spectaculaire.
Ensuite cap sur Trogir petite ville classée site UNESCO, puis Split avec sa vieille ville construite dans l'ancien Palais romain de l'empereur Diocletien. Ca vaut le coût de prendre un guide pour t'expliquer comment distinguer les mur romains des murs mediévaux. Depuis Split, possibilité de prendre le ferry ou des excursions à la journée pour visiter une ou plusieurs îles. Les plus courues sont Hvar, Brac et Vis (pour sa Grotte Bleue). Possibilité de faire 3 îles en 1 journée, mais je ne recommande pas, choisis plutôt une et prends le temps d'y passer une ou deux nuits minimum.
Après Split, cap sur Dubrovnik, là tu peux y aller direct ou alors en faisant un crochet par Mostar en Herzegovine, tres belle ville mediévale avec des éléments de culture multiculturelle car y vivent Croates et Bosniaques musulmans. Arret à Ston si tu aimes les huîtres et puis détour interessant à faire par Korcula et la presqu'ile de Peljesac avec son vignoble de qualité.
Si tu as le temps je recommande de passer une journee sur l'ile de Mljet, facilement accessible depuis Ston. Son Parc national est superbe avec sa vegetation luxuriante, ses deux lacs et une ile dans le lac...
Enfin Dubrovnik, sûrement la ville la plus connue, et pour cause. Seul souci: trop de touristes, donc je te conseille de prendre un logement dans la ville (chez l'habitant), pour pouvoir profiter d'une balade le matin avant 9h et l' arrivee des foules.
En general pour le logement en Croatie il faut privilegier le logement chez l'habitant, offrant le meilleur rapport qualite prix.
Je te remercie vraiment beaucoup pour ton message et et le temps que tu as prît pour rédiger tout ça!
Tout ça me permet de repenser mon parcours ;) !
Je prend un peu le temps d'analyser tout ça et je reviendrai sûrement vers toi ensuite, tu m'a l'air sacrément bien renseigné ;) ! C'est quelque chose que tu as déjà fait plusieurs fois ?
Encore une fois merci beaucoup, j'apprécie énormément !
Oui, j'ai un peu l'habitude, je suis franco-croate et j'ai fait pas mal de fois, en voiture surtout. A vélo j'ai fait d'autres trajets, mais j'ai toujours l'esprit à ce que ça donnerait à vélo.
N'hésite surtout pas si tu as besoin d'autres informations :)
Je recherche des idées d'itinéraires en vélo en Croatie avec 2 enfants de 6 et 3 ans (6 ans à vélo, 3 ans dans la carriole). 20 km par jour environ, pas trop…
J'effectue un voyage à vélo jusqu'en Inde. Je suis parti le 26 février de Genève (suisse) et me rend en Inde. Je suis à Dubrovnik en Croatie et ma prochaine…
J'envisage de faire un Munich-Zagreb à la toussaint si la météo n'est pas trop défavorable...Je fais appel à vos expérience pour me dire s'il y a des pièges à…
Suite à une discussion avec un gars qui connaissait pas mal la région des Balkans, ce dernier m'a déconseillé l'intérieur des pays comme la bosnie-Herzégovine,…
Voyager à vélo › Croatie / Bosnie-Herzégovine · 38 replies
Nous sommes en train de monter notre premier gros projet à vélo sur un mois avec mon amie. L'idée initiale est de rouler dans les Balkans pour découvrir cette…
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
