Changement de gare à Paris (à vélo)
by MCMdu57
This discussion is in French, the community’s main language.
Original post
Bonjour à tous,
Nous avons 55 minutes pour aller de la Gare Montparnasse à la Gare de l'Est. Nos vélos seront chargés, quelqu'un pourrait-il nous dire si nous avons assez de temps et si les gares sont accessibles à vélo. Euh... c'est notre tout premier séjour à vélo 😀
Merci à vous
Ça doit être faisable, mais il faut connaitre l’itinéraire avant je pense, et il ne devrait pas y avoir de soucis.
Mais il faut passer entre les voitures comme des scooters et ne pas craindre la circulation, bienvenue en Île-De-France :)
"Tout le monde savait que c'était impossible à faire. Puis est arrivé quelqu'un qui ne le savait pas et il l'a fait."
C'est assez juste, à supposer que ton train d'arrivée soit juste à l'heure, ce qui est quand même pas certain.
Ensuite la sortie du train et de la gare, l'installation du matériel sur le vélo à Montparnasse, la première fois il a fallut que je demande pour trouver la sortie!!!
Et après connais tu bien Paris, si non lire la carte ou utiliser un GPS.
Et à la gare de l'Est, trouver la bonne voie ou alors une appli sur le portable.
Trouver le wagon vélo, avec de fortes chances qu'il contienne déjà des vélos en nombre
Bref tu vas stresser à mort ou alors un plan B au cas ou.
"Ne cherche pas à suivre les traces d'un autre, cherche plutôt à savoir ce qu'il cherchait."
Si les vélos ne sont pas démontés, c'est bon, mais faut pas perdre de temps, surtout pour sortir de la gare montparnasse. Par contre je prendrais l'itinéraire le plus direct, rue de Rennes, rue du Four, bd st Germain puis à gauche bd st Michel et tout droit via bd sebastopol et bd de strasbourg jusqu'a la gare de l'est dont l'accès est facile - Part cet itinéraire on roule surtout dans les couloirs de bus, ça chauffe bien les mollets, je le fais souvent, faut juste rester zen
Bonjour
L'année dernière, j'ai fait gare de Bercy - gare de Montparnasse. Mes quelques conseils issus de cette expérience : bien reconnaître et mémoriser le parcours sur la carte, pour ma part j'avais la navigation GPS Google maps sur mon téléphone et les écouteurs branchés.... ça m'a bien aidé. Les couloirs du bus, c'est pas mal mais quand on n'est pas parisien c'est un peu chaud. Penser au rétro, ça ne sera pas du luxe. Pour ma part, le plus difficile a été de trouver la bonne entrée et le bon ascenseur pour monter mon vélo chargé sur le bon quai de la gare Montparnasse.
Patrick
Bonjour,
Je vous donne mon expérience de non parisien : j'ai déjà fait 2 fois Paris Vaugirard (près Montparnasse) - Paris Bercy et 1 fois Paris St Lazare - Paris Bercy. Je compte plutôt 2 heures entre les deux trains pour être à l'aise car les distances sont de manière surprenante assez grandes (10km plus ou moins). Avec l'expérience sur les 2 trajets ci-dessus je réduirais éventuellement à 1h30 mais pas moins.
Si dans les 55 minutes vous comptez : sortir du train, monter les sacoches, sortir de la gare Montparnasse (les quais TGV sont assez excentrés), chercher son trajet, faire attention à la circulation, respecter la signalisation routière, rentrer dans l'autre gare, chercher votre train et monter vélo + sacoches dedans, alors, à mon humble avis personnel, c'est impossible. En outre, entre Montparnasse et gare de l'Est, il me semble que cela monte, donc avec des vélos chargés cela ralentira encore votre roulage.
Bonne réflexion et surtout bon premier voyage à vélo !
Je vous donne mon expérience de non parisien : j'ai déjà fait 2 fois Paris Vaugirard (près Montparnasse) - Paris Bercy et 1 fois Paris St Lazare - Paris Bercy. Je compte plutôt 2 heures entre les deux trains pour être à l'aise car les distances sont de manière surprenante assez grandes (10km plus ou moins). Avec l'expérience sur les 2 trajets ci-dessus je réduirais éventuellement à 1h30 mais pas moins.
Si dans les 55 minutes vous comptez : sortir du train, monter les sacoches, sortir de la gare Montparnasse (les quais TGV sont assez excentrés), chercher son trajet, faire attention à la circulation, respecter la signalisation routière, rentrer dans l'autre gare, chercher votre train et monter vélo + sacoches dedans, alors, à mon humble avis personnel, c'est impossible. En outre, entre Montparnasse et gare de l'Est, il me semble que cela monte, donc avec des vélos chargés cela ralentira encore votre roulage.
Bonne réflexion et surtout bon premier voyage à vélo !
je ne suis pas parisienne mais il m'est déjà arrivée de changer de gare à Paris.
Mon "record" est gare du Nord - gare de Lyon en 30 minutes, mais pour réussir ce chrono, je connaissais déjà le chemin de quai à quai, je n'avais que 2 sacoches, le train est arrivé à l'heure, j'étais prête à bondir du train à mon arrivée gare du Nord et je suis sortie la première, j'ai pédalé relativement vite en "anticipant" quelques feux verts, et par chance mon TGV gare de Lyon partait d'un quai relativement proche de l'entrée.
La distance gare Montparnasse - gare de l'Est est un tout petit peu plus longue (entre 5.6 et 6.6 km selon les itinéraires, contre 5.3 km pour mon trajet légèrement descendant gare du Nord -> gare de Lyon).
Pour quelqu'un qui est plus chargé et ne connaît pas le trajet, 55 minutes pour cette correspondance gare du Nord - gare de l'Est est théoriquement faisable, mais risqué. Prévoir un "plan B" serait préférable (billet échangeable pour le 2e train, par exemple).
Mon "record" est gare du Nord - gare de Lyon en 30 minutes, mais pour réussir ce chrono, je connaissais déjà le chemin de quai à quai, je n'avais que 2 sacoches, le train est arrivé à l'heure, j'étais prête à bondir du train à mon arrivée gare du Nord et je suis sortie la première, j'ai pédalé relativement vite en "anticipant" quelques feux verts, et par chance mon TGV gare de Lyon partait d'un quai relativement proche de l'entrée.
La distance gare Montparnasse - gare de l'Est est un tout petit peu plus longue (entre 5.6 et 6.6 km selon les itinéraires, contre 5.3 km pour mon trajet légèrement descendant gare du Nord -> gare de Lyon).
Pour quelqu'un qui est plus chargé et ne connaît pas le trajet, 55 minutes pour cette correspondance gare du Nord - gare de l'Est est théoriquement faisable, mais risqué. Prévoir un "plan B" serait préférable (billet échangeable pour le 2e train, par exemple).
Merci Douyouphil pour tous ces renseignements, mais pour passer des vacances sereines j'ai changé la correspondance qui nous laissera deux heures de marge.
Trop de stresse en vue 😀
Merci pour toutes ces informations, finalement j'ai changé la deuxième correspondance. Nous aurons deux heures de marge entre les deux gares, comme ça je passerai des vacances sereinement parce que là ça m'inquiétait déjà 😀
Encore merci à tous
Merci à toi, j'ai changé mon billet, deux heures entre les deux trains c'est plus raisonnable 😊
Hello,
Je dois faire un trajet similaire (gare du nord à gare de montparnasse) en 1h07 min cet été.
Je compte charger les sacoches de vélos avant la descente du train et que quelqu'un m'aide à le descendre, puis essayer de me grouiller pour sortir de la gare ( ascenseur ? ) et filer vers la gare montparnasse. 6.7 km, ca va être galère ... faisable selon vous ?
Je compte charger les sacoches de vélos avant la descente du train et que quelqu'un m'aide à le descendre, puis essayer de me grouiller pour sortir de la gare ( ascenseur ? ) et filer vers la gare montparnasse. 6.7 km, ca va être galère ... faisable selon vous ?
Mon blog sur le vélo amateur : http://www.velo-cyclisme.com
Le facebook : http://www.facebook.com/blogvelocyclisme
Et le twitter : http://twitter.com/velo_cyclisme
Pour ma part j'ai changé mon billet, nous aurons deux heures de marge, je ne voulais pas passer mes vacances à me demander si ça ira pour le retour. Trop de stress en perspective
Bonjour, 55 minutes pour relier les 2 gares c'est très juste.
je connais bien la gare Montparnasse à vélo : pour ne pas vous embêter avec les escaliers (les quais sont au premier étage !), il vous faut vous diriger vers la voie 1 lors de votre arrivée. Et là, sur votre droite lorsque vous tournez le dos aux trains, il y a une sortie avec une pente, qui débouche rue du Commandant René Mouchotte, la rue de Rennes se trouve sur votre gauche.
Parce que les escaliers avec les sacoches, c'est un peu infernal.
Les couloirs de bus : bon courage, faut pas trembler...ils ne vous écrasent pas à chaque fois. mais le rétroviseur est indispensable ... Sinon le principe dans ces circulations denses, c'est de ne pas trop s'occuper des autres et de suivre son chemin sans faire de déviation brutale. les autres vous éviteront naturellement.
Les couloirs de bus : bon courage, faut pas trembler...ils ne vous écrasent pas à chaque fois. mais le rétroviseur est indispensable ... Sinon le principe dans ces circulations denses, c'est de ne pas trop s'occuper des autres et de suivre son chemin sans faire de déviation brutale. les autres vous éviteront naturellement.
A la gare Montparnasse effectivement le plus facile quand on vient des quais du tgv est de se diriger vers la droite vers une petite sortie donnant rue du commandant mouchote. Je l'ai empruntée il y a quelques jours. Par contre je n'ai pas vu de pente mais un escalier d'une dizaine de marches.
sinon - il y a l'ascenseur en face sur la droite mais s'attendre à faire la queue. l'ascenseur ne peut contenir qu'un vélo en tournant la fourche et sans bagage à l'avant. - en face n'importe quelle sortie nous mène à la sortie principale c'est à dire des escaliers mécaniques mais là il faut être expert. je l'ai fait plusieurs fois avant de connaitre la sortie rue du cdt mouchote.
ci-joint une carte détaillée de la gare Montparnasse on y voit les ascenseurs et les différentes sorties par escaliers
www.openstreetmap.org/...=18/48.84048/2.31954
de même pour la gare de l'est
www.openstreetmap.org/...=18/48.87708/2.35946
sinon - il y a l'ascenseur en face sur la droite mais s'attendre à faire la queue. l'ascenseur ne peut contenir qu'un vélo en tournant la fourche et sans bagage à l'avant. - en face n'importe quelle sortie nous mène à la sortie principale c'est à dire des escaliers mécaniques mais là il faut être expert. je l'ai fait plusieurs fois avant de connaitre la sortie rue du cdt mouchote.
ci-joint une carte détaillée de la gare Montparnasse on y voit les ascenseurs et les différentes sorties par escaliers
www.openstreetmap.org/...=18/48.84048/2.31954
de même pour la gare de l'est
www.openstreetmap.org/...=18/48.87708/2.35946
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j'ai vu vite fait qu'il y'avait des lac en Argentine.
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qu'avez vous pris comme sac de couchage? un 0 degré suffit?
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zouli
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claudio

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

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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

Tout d'abord... bonne année ! De belles routes à vous en 2017 !
Je voyage depuis quelques années avec un VTT de très bonne qualité mais équipé de freins à disques hydrauliques. Je vis (pédale) avec l'inquiétude d'avoir une panne (fuite, bulle d'air, chaleur qui fait que le liquide...). Mon vélociste me dit qu'il est impossible de les changer pour des V brakes.
Qu'en pensez-vous ? Est-ce que je prends un gros risque à continuer (seule) avec ces freins ? D'avance je vous remercie pour vos bonnes idées.
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... 😉
Hi! I’m planning to visit the Stockholm Archipelago by bike in early April.
Do you know if the boats will be running between the different islands at that time of year? For those who’ve already been, all your tips and recommendations are welcome—accommodation, etc. Also, do you know where I can rent a bike in Stockholm? Thanks so much in advance for your help!
Hello there, pedal-powered Young Boys!
Claudio (still from Faverges)
dreaming about a cycling getaway in Italy from Faverges (train all the way to Turin)
from Turin down to Venice along the Po River and back via the Padana (Alta Italia da attraversare – Northern Italy to cross)
The tricky part is getting from Chioggia to Venice.
I read it’s possible by hopping on a boat from island to island,
but it sounds a bit stressful.
Has anyone already tackled this route?
Thanks, and cheers to all! http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/Padania/
Claudio
Thanks, and cheers to all! http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/Padania/
Claudio

Hi there,
I’m currently looking for a bike to do my first bike trip across France, with the ultimate goal of cycling through Latin America. I’ve got a lot of questions and I’d love to hear if you have any answers or advice to share. First off, I’ve been through this before with hiking. I want to get top-quality gear right away. When I started hiking, I ended up buying everything three times—first beginner gear, then intermediate, then expert, etc. For biking, I’d prefer to skip that process and invest right now in a bike that could ideally handle Latin America. I’ve set a total max budget of around 5000 € (roughly 4000–4500 € for the bike and the rest for accessories: panniers, helmet, cycling shorts, etc.).
So, I’ve got quite a few questions:
* I’ve read in several places that some people recommend buying the bike directly in Latin America. Since I need a first bike to train in Europe, would it be better to buy an entry-level bike in France (and sell it before the big departure)? Or is it preferable to start right away with my final bike to get used to it? Is buying it there just to save a bit of money?
* For a long-term trip (around six months) in Latin America, is it better to go for a gravel bike or a mountain bike?
* Should I buy a new bike or a refurbished one? Even more so given that I’m planning a long trip—could a refurbished bike end up causing more breakdowns?
If you have any advice on models, technical features to prioritize, or recommended sellers or resellers, I’d love to hear it. I’m a total beginner—I’ve only just started watching videos and reading up on the subject, and all the technical specs are new to me!
Thanks in advance for your help!
I’m currently looking for a bike to do my first bike trip across France, with the ultimate goal of cycling through Latin America. I’ve got a lot of questions and I’d love to hear if you have any answers or advice to share. First off, I’ve been through this before with hiking. I want to get top-quality gear right away. When I started hiking, I ended up buying everything three times—first beginner gear, then intermediate, then expert, etc. For biking, I’d prefer to skip that process and invest right now in a bike that could ideally handle Latin America. I’ve set a total max budget of around 5000 € (roughly 4000–4500 € for the bike and the rest for accessories: panniers, helmet, cycling shorts, etc.).
So, I’ve got quite a few questions:
* I’ve read in several places that some people recommend buying the bike directly in Latin America. Since I need a first bike to train in Europe, would it be better to buy an entry-level bike in France (and sell it before the big departure)? Or is it preferable to start right away with my final bike to get used to it? Is buying it there just to save a bit of money?
* For a long-term trip (around six months) in Latin America, is it better to go for a gravel bike or a mountain bike?
* Should I buy a new bike or a refurbished one? Even more so given that I’m planning a long trip—could a refurbished bike end up causing more breakdowns?
If you have any advice on models, technical features to prioritize, or recommended sellers or resellers, I’d love to hear it. I’m a total beginner—I’ve only just started watching videos and reading up on the subject, and all the technical specs are new to me!
Thanks in advance for your help!
Calling all travelers.
We’ll be landing at Lyon Airport and want to bike to La Verpillière train station (with panniers and camping gear, etc.) to catch a TER to Voreppe.
What’s the safest route for this bike trip?
Thanks in advance
hi,
I'm planning a recumbent bike trip from the Pyrenees to Greece. On the EuroVelo 8 route, it doesn't specify the path through the Alps.
Are there any experienced cyclists here who can tell me where they go to avoid climbing too high?
Also, is there another traveler/bike forum better suited for broadening the responses?
thanks

