https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bpzo_BWLoc
Retour sur un petit périple à vélo au Yunnan (novembre 2014)
by Caterina
This discussion is in French, the community’s main language.
Original post
Un petit périple de 600 et quelques kms que je recommande : de Kunming au Xishuangbanna par la route nationale 213, particulièrement agréable et tranquille (car remplacée par une autoroute) surtout si on prend soin d'éviter la portion Kunming - Eshan (circulation, usines, pollution) en prenant un bus.
Ensuite, que du bonheur, quelques montées longues mais pas trop rudes, de beaux paysages, cultures tropicales et plantations de thé, des bourgs sympathiques, animés, et pour finir la ville de Jinghong, agréable, et surtout les alentours : l'ancienne route Jinghong-Menghai (demander la "old road" à la sortie ouest de Jinghong) puis, plus difficile, mais ça en vaut la peine, la piste qui relie Menghai à Gelanghe et Gelanghe à Gasa, et traverse les plantations de thé Pu'er les plus réputées de Nannuoshan. Novembre : climat idéal tout au long du chemin, un seul jour de pluie, soleil estival au Xishuangbanna,
Si vous avez des questions, n'hésitez pas... et pour un aperçu du voyage, c'est là :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bpzo_BWLoc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bpzo_BWLoc
Bonjour
Planifiant une randonnée à vélo dans le yunnan en fin 2015, j'ai lu votre article et ai beaucoup apprécié votre vidéo avec de biens beaux paysages.
Je souhaiterais avoir plus de précision sur votre itinéraire et les routes et chemins empruntés. Disposeriez vous de tracés GPS ou d'un report sur une carte de votre itinéraire ?
Avec mes sincères remerciements
Bonjour,
c'est bien vrai, le yunnan est trés agréable.un des rare pays d'asie où les routes
sans trafic sont encore nombreuses, (les vieilles routes sont laissées á l'abandon..)
sans pour autant se retrouver dans le" désert"...
beaucoup de villages , villes, hotels pas trop cher et restos délicieux.
Dommage que les visas chinois soient moins facile á avoir....(il y a encore 3 ans, en 5 minutes et 20 euros en thailande c'était réglè?)
Octobre et novembre sont parfait. (Sauf la 1ere semaine d'octobre car fériée en chine)
Bonjour,
De Kunming à Jinghong, rien de plus facile... il suffit de suivre la route 213. Autour de Jinghong, mieux vaut bien se renseigner et, contrairement à nous (!!!), avoir des VTT pour les pistes. J'avais des cartes en chinois achetées à Kunming (si vous ne lisez pas le chinois, ce n'est peut-être pas la peine que je vous envoie quelques images scannées), et je m'étais renseignée à Jinghong auprès d'un français qui tient le Mekong café (son appréciation de l'état des pistes s'est révélée inexacte mais, comme je l'ai dit, l'effort en valait la peine (avec nos petites roues c'était quand même très
limite !). La vieille route Jinghong - Menghai 214 est un BONHEUR. La voie rapide infernale !
Ci-dessous, la carte détaillée fournie par le Mekong café :
http://www.mekongcafe.cn/La%20Carte%20detaillee%20du%20Xishuangbanna.html
Je m'étais inspirée de quelques itinéraires glanés sur le net, notamment ici :
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=9985&v=Go
En tout cas, très belle région à découvrir en vélo, et en novembre, climat idéal !
Ci-dessous, la carte détaillée fournie par le Mekong café :
http://www.mekongcafe.cn/La%20Carte%20detaillee%20du%20Xishuangbanna.html
Je m'étais inspirée de quelques itinéraires glanés sur le net, notamment ici :
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=9985&v=Go
En tout cas, très belle région à découvrir en vélo, et en novembre, climat idéal !
Merci caterina,
Une vidéo intéressante, un dépaysement assuré. Je commence à dépasser l'âge des longs périples à velo... et pourtant, ça fait terriblement envie. Il ne faut jamais renoncer, alors je vais y penser.
Une vidéo intéressante, un dépaysement assuré. Je commence à dépasser l'âge des longs périples à velo... et pourtant, ça fait terriblement envie. Il ne faut jamais renoncer, alors je vais y penser.
Merci Catherine d'avoir répondu à ma demande.
Je vais préparer un circuit en m'aidant de vos conseils, de Google Earth, et j'affinerai avec l'achat de cartes sur place.
J'étudie le chinois de base avec reconnaissance des caractères et leur prononciation en pinyin afin de pouvoir être plus à l'aise mais en huit mois je ne peux prétendre qu'à des connaissances de base.
J'entrerai en Chine par le Laos via Mengla et Jinhong et je serai directement dans le vif du sujet ... Ma durée du séjour dépendra du visa que je pourrais obtenir mais il ne semble pas trop difficile d'obtenir une prolongation sur place à Kunming.
J'aimerais bien après Jinhong et Kunming remonter sur Jianshui et Xinjie (yuanyang) mais pour ce faire il me faut rester au minimum deux mois.
Sincères remerciements
On n'avait pas assez de temps mais j'avais aussi pensé passer par Jianshui et Yuanyang. Ceci dit, en venant du sud je pense qu'il faut après Pu'er (Simao) passer par Xinjie ( Yuanyang ) puis Jianshui AVANT Kunming.....
Bonsoir Catherine
Entièrement d'accord sur ta remarque, je me suis très mal expliqué. Après Xinjie et Jianshui mon plan pour rejoindre Kunming est de passer par l'enchainement des lacs Qilu Hu, Xingyun Hu et Fuxian Hu. Le profil, tout au moins dans sa première partie, entre la ville nouvelle (nansha) et jianshui semble assez sportif, pour un cycliste j'entends, notamment pour sortir de la vallée. Après Jianshui pas de difficulté. Je vais faire un petit relevé des dénivelés.
Cdt
bonjour
si tu cherches un equipier pour aller au YUNNAN en 2015 ou 2016, tiens moi au courant merci
Patrice
si tu cherches un equipier pour aller au YUNNAN en 2015 ou 2016, tiens moi au courant merci
Patrice
le vrai voyageur n'a pas de plan établi et n'a pas l'intention d'arriver.
LAO TSEU
La route de Jinghong vers lijiang et Shangri-la est trés bien aussi (suivi en partie)
ici un blog (un peu ancien...) avec les profils. Trés bien fait
j'arrive á faire le copié collé!!
Suffit de google:
Pazu's asiantrip 2004
Bonjour,
ton voyage me plait bien et après tout, pourquoi pas ? Juste que j'aimerais ou plutôt, nous aimerions savoir : où as-tu couché ? As-tu trouvé des hébergements tous les soirs sans trop de peine ? Le transport des vélos par avion ? Comment ça se passe et quel coût par rapport à un billet pour 1 personne.
MERCI
ton voyage me plait bien et après tout, pourquoi pas ? Juste que j'aimerais ou plutôt, nous aimerions savoir : où as-tu couché ? As-tu trouvé des hébergements tous les soirs sans trop de peine ? Le transport des vélos par avion ? Comment ça se passe et quel coût par rapport à un billet pour 1 personne.
MERCI
Bonjour Catherine,
Sur vos voyages en chine vous utilisez des vélos dahon pliant, et en france des randonneuses classiques. quels retour peux-tu nous faire sur l'utilisation de vélos pliant en voyage?.quelles distances arriviez-vous à couvrir par étape? je commence à m'intéresser aux vélos pliant pour voyager. merci
Sur vos voyages en chine vous utilisez des vélos dahon pliant, et en france des randonneuses classiques. quels retour peux-tu nous faire sur l'utilisation de vélos pliant en voyage?.quelles distances arriviez-vous à couvrir par étape? je commence à m'intéresser aux vélos pliant pour voyager. merci
j'aime le travail, je pourrais passer des heures à le regarder
"...des hébergements tous les soirs sans trop de peine ?": Oui, je sais par expérience qu'en Chine dans le moindre bourg il est quasiment toujours possible de trouver un hôtel.... Et avant qu'il soit trop tard je me renseignais.
Ceci dit nous avons juste dû un jour rebrousser chemin (redescendre les 20 kms que nous venions de grimper pour retourner dans une ville !) : pluie et montagnes à l'horizon, très peu peuplées, avec très peu de villages et encore 50 kms à parcourir pour être sûr de trouver un hôtel !
"Le transport des vélos par avion ?" Avec nos vélos pliants, pas de problème : dans des housses, protégés autant que possible, avec un peu de matériel en plus, ça passe comme bagage autorisé en soute (un peu "oversized" mais guère plus de 20 kgs, aucun problème ni avec KLM ni avec Kuweit Airlines).... Sinon à propos du transport de vélos en avion, voir les nombreux posts sur le forum.
"Le transport des vélos par avion ?" Avec nos vélos pliants, pas de problème : dans des housses, protégés autant que possible, avec un peu de matériel en plus, ça passe comme bagage autorisé en soute (un peu "oversized" mais guère plus de 20 kgs, aucun problème ni avec KLM ni avec Kuweit Airlines).... Sinon à propos du transport de vélos en avion, voir les nombreux posts sur le forum.
Les avantages des vélos pliants : acceptés comme bagages par les compagnies d'aviation, mais peut-être plus fragiles à certains endroits qu'il faut prendre soin de protéger, voire démonter (on a eu 1 ou 2 mauvaises surprises), et en voyage (les avons expérimentés d'abord au Kerala, puis au Sri Lanka et 2 fois en Chine) quand on n'a pas trop de temps, il est également plus facile de les mettre dans un bus ou un transport (surtout à 2). Donc ça donne une certaine liberté, on se sent un peu moins limité sur l'itinéraire, et si ça devient trop dur, peu intéressant, ou que la seule possibilité d'hébergement soit trop éloignée, il est toujours facile de trouver un transport. Les speed TR Dahon sont très performants mais c'est quand même un peu moins "roulant", plus difficile en montée (les petites roues !)... C'est pourquoi quand on n'a pas besoin de mettre les vélos dans un transport.... on retrouve des vélos classiques ! Avec les Dahon, on fait peut-être un peu moins de kilomètres, une moyenne de 60 par jour, mais ça dépend aussi tellement du terrain..........!
Merci pour ces renseignements.
j'aime le travail, je pourrais passer des heures à le regarder
Merci Caterina,
Ça me fait terriblement envie. Il faut que je reprenne le vélo sérieusement après une opération du poignet qui m'en a privé pendant plus d'un an. J'ai recommencé les balades, petite dimension. Ce n'est pas encore ça, mais pas loin. Il fait beau dans ma Provence et c'est un plaisir de remonter sur le vélo. Merci de tes renseignements, j'ai un peu regardé et "tout" est possible (ou presque). Compte-tenu de mon opération, mon mari est un peu réticent, mais bon... les chinois ne sont pas plu mauvais médecins, non ? Merci de tes encouragements.
Ça me fait terriblement envie. Il faut que je reprenne le vélo sérieusement après une opération du poignet qui m'en a privé pendant plus d'un an. J'ai recommencé les balades, petite dimension. Ce n'est pas encore ça, mais pas loin. Il fait beau dans ma Provence et c'est un plaisir de remonter sur le vélo. Merci de tes renseignements, j'ai un peu regardé et "tout" est possible (ou presque). Compte-tenu de mon opération, mon mari est un peu réticent, mais bon... les chinois ne sont pas plu mauvais médecins, non ? Merci de tes encouragements.
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Nath
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?
Nath
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.
Source code: https://github.com/patricklmarie/GPX-Route-Planner Online demo: https://patricklmarie.github.io/GPX-Route-Planner/
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.
Source code: https://github.com/patricklmarie/GPX-Route-Planner Online demo: https://patricklmarie.github.io/GPX-Route-Planner/
Heinz Stucke has passed away.
He never stopped traveling the world since 1962.
So sad.
https://www.facebook.com/heinzstucke
https://www.facebook.com/heinzstucke
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
claudio

the trip was completed story being posted online soon 1100 km in 11 days beautiful and varied regions
claudio

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
Hi there,
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 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!
Hi everyone,
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
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
Coming soon:
https://www.Biclou.com/parcours/durance/
Starting from Faverges: 900 km over 9 days

Here’s the detailed Durance route starting from Briançon

Here’s the detailed Durance route starting from Briançon

Hi there,
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?
Thanks in advance
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?
Thanks in advance