Bonjour,
Cette été, je fais Toulouse Agde par le canal du midi, avec mes deux filles. étapes de 50 Km, un détour dans la montagne noire.
L'une est équipée. Pour la seconde, j'ai le choix:
- je lui prête mon vélo de route, guidon plat, roues de 700 montées avec des pneus de 28, selle confortable;
- on lui prête un VTT de série, entrée de gamme chez Décathlon il y a 10 ou 15 ans. Bref un tape cul je crains.
Ceux qui connaissent l'état de la voie verte et du chemin de halage qui borde le canal peuvent-ils me guider dans mon choix?
En d'autre termes, le canal est-il faisable avec un vélo de route quelque peu aménagé?
Merci
Pierre
Pour la 1ere partie (goudron) le vélo de route est mieux
Pour la 2e partie, c'est le VTT !
J'ai fait récemment Carcassonne - Béziers : piste avec cailloux et racines, sentier monotrace,
boue due à l'arrachage des platanes : cela passe en vélo de route, mais le VTT n'est pas du luxe !
Peut-être faire Toulouse - Bordeaux en vélo de route ?
merci Flanoche
Pour nous ce sera Toulouse Gruissan.
Je veux bien croire que le vtt ne serait pas "du luxe" sur ce chemin, le problème est que si le vélo de route que je peux prêter est un bon vélo, le vtt, lui, n'est vraiment pas un vtt de luxe!
J'ai vu toutes sortes de vélo sur le canal du midi qui est très tape-cul en dehors d'un cours kilométrage en macadam:
- vélo de course
- vélo de ville
- VTC
- VTT
Perso je l'ai fait avec un simple VTC.
Dans un seul cas le VTT devrait l'emporter: après une pluie abondante le chemin n'est plus que de la boue donc n'est pas praticable avec autre chose qu'un VTT avec de gros pneus à crampons.
Clairement pour moi le VTT n'est pas un vélo de randonnée. D'ailleurs il n'a pas été conçu pour ça.
Ton vélo de route est le mieux des 2. Bien sûr il faudra le ménager à cause du poids des bagages plus les chocs.
un autre critère : choisir le vélo sur lequel on est le plus à l'aise.
sachant de plus que si c'est ma fille qui prend le vélo route, elle ne portera pas de bagages: c'est moi qui vais faire le baudet!
Donc vélo de route sans bagage.
On m'a dit ailleurs que je risque fort d'enchaîner les crevaisons, même avec de pneus de 28.
Ok, merci d'insister Flanoche.
Mais pourquoi le vélo avec roue de 700 est à proscrire?
Admettons, je suis tes conseils: ma fille part donc avec un vieux vtt et je lui change la selle; c'est déjà un meilleur confort.
Penses-tu alors que je puisse prendre le vélo de route que je lui destinais (sachant pour le coup que c'est moi qui porte les bagages et tire une remorque), ou tes conseils (privilégier plutôt un vtt, même vieux, entrée de gamme et sans confort aucun) valent pour moi aussi?
Pardo, je m'adresse dans mon message ci-dessus tout à la fois à Rogerd et Flanoche, mais si je vous suis, les conseils se confirment:
Proscrire le vélo route grande roues pour Rogerd
Privilégier le Vtt pour Flanoche
Mais pourquoi le vélo avec roue de 700 est à proscrire?
Pour ces raisons:
Sur la voie verte du canal du Midi, seuls 80 km possèdent un bon revêtement : ailleurs c’est un chemin de halage en terre, en plus ou moins bon état !
Bon revêtement Toulouse – Port-Lauragais (50 km)
Bon revêtement Carcassonne -Trèbes (15 km)
Bon revêtement Béziers - Portiragnes (15 km)
Je vous invite à lire cet article le-plaisir-a-velo.com/...di--Un-scandale.html
Je dis juste qu'en 700, s'il pleut, sur les portions de sentiers ou sur les portions ou il y a des
racines mouillées, c'est un peu galère !
Je ne comprends pas que tu dise qu'il n'y a aucun confort sur un VTT (même vieux) ?
Les cyclistes débutants sont souvent plus à l'aise sur un VTT que sur un vélo de route
(position)
Mais, je le répète, c'est faisable sur tous les vélos
(cela reste la route le long d'un canal ou d'un fleuve la moins bien entretenue de France)
oui, j'avais déjà lu ce reportage: c'est vrai que ça calme!
merci en tout cas, nous voilà avertis;
je me dis qu'en étant avertis avant de partir, on se prépare mieux, on se prépare pour.
Vtt sûrement
Par contre, je refuse pour l'heure de croire en la conclusion de l'article: fuir le canal. Un peu abusif, non?
Pierre
en 2003 j'ai fait Bordeaux à Sète par le canal des 2 mers (garonne+midi)
A l'époque pas de macadam sur le canal de Garonne et le canal du midi sauf autour de Toulouse.
je n'ai pas trouvé que le midi était tape-cul.
j'y suis retourné en 2010 et là une toute autre histoire. j'ai trouvé que c'était très tape-cul et déplaisant.
mon explication :
- en 2003 le canal du midi était très peu fréquenté. quelques racines et cailloux effleuraient de ci de là. Rien de bien méchant.
- en 2010 j'y ai trouvé une grosse fréquentation.
hypothèse : la fréquentation a enlevé beaucoup de terre et découvert beaucoup de racines et caillous.
P.S. à tout ceux qui semble méconnaitre le canal de Garonne. Je vous encourage à le parcourir. Il est aussi agréable que le canal du midi et vous y trouverez désormais depuis plusieurs années une piste cyclabe en macadam tout du long. en 2007 hélas elle commençait sérieusement à se dégrader en quelques endroits.
pour ceux que ça intéresse quelques photos de ma ballade sur le cana de Garonne en 2003
picasaweb.google.com/...&feat=directlink
ici une tempête de nuit a fait tomber des arbres sur des km il m'a fallu emprunter la route!
picasaweb.google.com/...&feat=directlink
ici les effets de la boue sur mon vélo je suis quand même passé mais c'était pénible même avec des pneus de 35 mm et crantés sur les bords.
UNE BONNE ALTERNATIVE EST DE FAIRE COMME NOUS AVONS FAIS MON ÉPOUSE ET MOI
DES DÉCATHLON ROCK RIDER 500 (18 ans et bas de gamme) équipés de pneus en 26 x1.50
Vittoria "le randonneur" "decathlon aussi"
se montant sur les jantes d'origines
en gros 50 euros de pneumatique et on roule comme CA depuis longtemps et nous passons partout et bien charges
Un grand merci vf promeneur pour ces conseils. Les photos de ton vélo parlent toutes seules!
et merci à Claudecath25: je vais donc faire comme vous: améliorer le vtt qu'on me prête avec une selle et de bons pneus.
Par contre je maintiens la destination: nous avons une contrainte sur le lieu de départ et celui d'arrivée. Si la boue rend le voyage désagréable, nous quitterons le canal pour utiliser d'autres routes. Je verrai
Merci encore
Pierre
Pour voyager il faut du solide et rustique.
Pour pas chère, moi j'aime bien : le vélo du facteur : costaud, assez léger, gros et très gros porte bagage tout alu, vitesses moyeux, etc... j'en ai ai 2 et j'en vends un 350 € !
si intéresse : tel : 06.66.86.61.07
En 2010, j'ai fait le trajet d'Agde à Bordeaux et c'est le Canal du Midi que j'ai préféré. C'est sûr ça roule mal, il faut faire attention où on met les roues mais j'ai apprécié cet aspect; on en était pas encore à l'abattage des arbres. Je roulais avec un VTC, ça me semble indispensable et j'ai cassé un rayon...réparé à Castelnaudary.
En comparaison, le canal latéral de la Garonne m'a paru moins intéressant même si on y roule très bien et de fait, beaucoup plus vite.
Bon voyage, en prenant son temps on passe partout !
perso je l ai fais l année derniere sur un vtc decatlhon
original 500, je suis passer partout mais c est vrai ya des portion ou ca ne passe pas en velo de route
notamment le dernier troncon pour arriver a agde
faut etre hyper vigilant, sais pas l age des enfants, mais attention
si tu es a agde faut pas la rater la piste cyclabe bord de plage qui va jusqu a sete, (de marseillan a sete sans voiture)
merci Philip40
On fera attention, mais nous allons jusqu'à Gruissan par le canal de la robine
Tu as fait ton voyage avec une tente?
tu as trouvé des solutions d'hébergement du côté de Homps?
Pierre
Merci Bikonaute
Je suis bien content de lire que tu as trouvé du plaisir à faire le canal du midi!
c'est vrai qu'on lit beaucoup de retours assez négatifs.
Je crois que si on s'attend à un terrain difficile, on vit mieux le voyage; si on s'attend à de l'enrobé, forcément on est très déçu!
Du coup j'entraine mes filles sur des petits chemins de terre: fini le bitume!
Pierre
Nous avons fait Béziers-Langon l'été dernier avec nos deux enfants 10 et 13 ans. Environ 500km.
Nous avions des VTT sur lesquels nous avions mis des pneus type VTC.
Nous n'avons pas du tout regretté notre choix de vélo. De Béziers jusqu'a environ 50 km avant Toulouse le chemin n'est pas adapté à des vélos de route.
Si dessous quelques photos.
De même si vous avez une remorque, une mono roue est recommandée.
Je n'ai pas de photos mais juste après Béziers le chemin est comme les photos ci-dessous.
Conclusion, avec un VTT pas de problème. C'est vraiment très agréable. Les enfants ont d'ailleurs adoré la partie technique Béziers-Toulouse moins monotone que la partie bitume Toulouse-Bordeaux.
Nous remettons le couvert en vélo cet été normalement.
I’d been watching this ultra-light travel movement or trend for a while.
So I gave it a try—goodbye to the 5 panniers and rear racks.
A 15L saddle bag for clothes and a stove cookset.
Two cages on the fork blades: 2x5L—mattress on one side, tent on the other.
A 5L frame bag for miscellaneous items: battery, camera, small bits and pieces.
And one on the handlebar for the sleeping bag.
I tested it this summer on a crossing from Valence to Perpignan via the Massif Central.
My conclusions:
The obvious advantage is the reduced weight. In total, I had 12 kg on the bike, which makes climbing in the mountains much easier.
Another benefit I hadn’t considered is the significantly lower wind resistance compared to a traditional setup—you really feel it when the wind’s against you.
Of course, it’s not all perfect...
For example, it’s impossible to carry a food stock. You buy just enough before each meal or go to a restaurant!
You also have to accept a more spartan comfort level at stops.
In conclusion, I think for summer trips in regions where resupplying is easy, it’s an interesting option—especially if there’s significant elevation gain.
On the other hand, it doesn’t allow for enough autonomy, so some trips are off the table.
On the bike side, I swapped my Shimano 11/34 cassette for an 11/40. Even though Shimano doesn’t recommend it with a 105 derailleur and a 46/30 double chainring, it works really well.
The only limit is avoiding the 46/40 gear ratio.
Hi,
what are the easiest ways to get back from Nordkapp without pedaling—
train, boat, or plane?
Has anyone already done this?
Thanks for sharing your tips!
Hi, does anyone have recent info on the Shikoku pilgrimage? We’re traveling as a pair by bike, and I plan to camp whenever possible because from what I’ve seen, accommodations are pretty expensive, especially for long trips. I’d love any info or tips—thanks in advance! Aichatou
I’m planning to leave Nice for Toulouse around 10/15 and I’m looking for tips / great deals regarding:
- The route: I was thinking of taking Nice - Grasse - Draguignan - Salernes - Cadarache - Cavaillon - Arles, then the Camargue, Sète, and the Canal du Midi to Toulouse. The idea is to avoid high-traffic roads and too many steep climbs. Are there any spots to avoid or must-see stops? Since it’s been a while since I’ve been on the road, I was thinking that sleeping indoors might be preferable. If you have any budget-friendly accommodation suggestions along part of the route, don’t hesitate!
Thanks in advance, and if you’re in the area around that time, we could ride together... Ciao.
Hi,
I need to arrive in Thessaloniki by bike at the end of September and I plan to head to Istanbul along the coast.
Could anyone help me pick the best route? Safety, difficulty.
Thanks in advance.
Marc
Hi everyone! Thanks for welcoming me to the forum :)
I’m preparing for a long trip heading to Nepal, with stops along the way depending on my mood, work needs, and the season. I cycle a lot, but this will be my first big touring adventure. I’d like to camp regularly to keep costs down, so I’ll be riding on all kinds of surfaces: smooth and rough roads, main highways and rocky paths to find my camping spots, flat terrain and the occasional steep slopes.
For my bike model, I’m prioritizing durability, versatility, and repairability. From that perspective, I prefer a steel frame and fork with rim brakes since I’m used to them. I’ve narrowed my choices down to four models:
- The VSF Fahrradmanufaktur T-700 LTD (1400 €): steel frame, aluminum fork, hydraulic rim brakes, 28" wheels, 40mm tires, 36 spokes (2 mm), lightweight rear rack (max 20 kg), no front rack included, smallest gear ratio of 0.72, weight of 13.9 kg.
- The VSF Fahrradmanufaktur TX-400 (2200 €): steel frame and fork, hydraulic rim brakes, 26" wheels, 50mm tires, 36 spokes (2.34 mm), front and rear racks included (40+18 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.71, weight of 15.9 kg.
- The Genesis Tour de Fer 30 (2150 €): steel frame and fork, mechanical disc brakes, 28" wheels, 36 spokes, 40mm tires, front and rear racks included (27+10 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.77, weight of 15.9 kg.
- The Rockrider ADTV 900 from Decathlon (1700 €): aluminum frame and fork, mechanical disc brakes, USB port, 28" wheels, 47mm tires, 28 spokes, front and rear racks included (40+20 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.71, weight of 17.1 kg. This is the successor to the Riverside Touring 900, which was a hit.
I’ve got a few questions:
1/ Should I go for 26" or 28" wheels for my trip? 26" wheels seem better for rough terrain, but 28" wheels feel more comfortable on roads. I’ve also read that 26" tires/tubes are easier to find.
2/ Do you recommend a steel frame and fork over aluminum? I’m guessing a high-quality aluminum frame and fork would be better than a low-quality steel one, right?
3/ Regarding the smallest gear ratio, is 0.71 a good number for a loaded bike in the mountains?
4/ Finally, what do you think of these four models for my project? My heart leans toward the TX-400—it seems to combine the versatility and robustness I’m looking for. But the price difference with the T-700 LTD is making me think twice!
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts!
17 days, 1,400 km, and 17,500 m of elevation gain cycling in northern Vietnam! 🇻🇳 🚴🇻🇳
From the misty Fansipan to the breathtaking landscapes of the Ha Giang Loop, from remote villages to vibrant markets...
I cycled through the north of the country, getting up close with its people—through mud, heat, endless mountain passes, and unforgettable encounters.
Most importantly, I discovered a Vietnam far different from the usual tourist circuits.
Join me on this adventure through a video that captures these 17 days of travel. :)
If Vietnam calls to you, come ride a stretch with me!
Hi,
can anyone give us some tips on how to get to North Cape from Lyon Gerland?
What’s the best route to join the EuroVelo 7?
How many kilometers is it from Lyon to North Cape via EuroVelo 7?
The best month to leave—we’re thinking early May.
Thanks for any advice!
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!
Another long-time dream of Claudio’s: the Petit Mont Cenis pass and the dam at the eponymous lake.
A place where many Italians, including my father, worked in the 1950s–60s.
Faverges → St-Michel-de-Maurienne → Lanslebourg → Petit Mont Cenis → return. 315 km, 3 days. Bivouac at St-Michel-de-M.
Brouter link
Leg One: Faverges → St-Michel-de-Maurienne
Leg Two: St-Michel → Lanslebourg → Mont Cenis Lake → St-Michel
Leg Three: St-Michel → Faverges
And it finally happened in August 2026: in the Maurienne Valley about the famous cycle route known as the V67
🇷🇼 Cycling in Rwanda: 4 episodes, an off-the-beaten-path adventure
After 3 weeks and nearly 1,200 km by bike across Rwanda, I made 4 videos to share this adventure in a different way: the landscapes, the encounters, the villages… but above all, all those incredible scenes of everyday life.
The 4 episodes are available here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnfbxjccWAg
The 4th episode focuses on rural Rwandan life: simple, authentic, and sometimes surprising scenes that you only truly discover when you take the time to travel by bike.
If you have a few minutes, let yourself be transported to Rwanda…
Hi,
We bought the MSR bike tent model (2-person + large awning that can fit 2 bikes) back in 2005. It’s served us really well, especially during a year-long trip in Africa. Now, one of the poles is broken, and we’d love to replace it since that’s the only issue with the tent—we still love it! The poles are 9.35 mm in diameter, with 8 sections of 49 cm and 2 sections of 28 cm. Total length when assembled: 416 cm. Actually, two large sections are broken: one straight and one curved. It’s a pain to find replacements since this model is no longer sold anywhere.
Would anyone have this model lying around unused and be willing to sell me a pole?
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.
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
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.
