A cycling journey to the City of Love
Not too steep and not too long slopes on not very difficult terrain. The daily distances are up to approx. 60 km per day
Distance: 40-60 km average per day; Altitude: 100-500 hm average per day
One of the most famous bike and barge tours in Europe! From the Middle Ages of Bruges to the City of Light in two weeks. Most of our guests from Australia, Canada and New Zealand experience this tour as a journey through their own history because of the memories of the Great War.
This tour starts in famous medieval Bruges and leads you into the heart of Paris. It offers you a two-week bike and boat trip in two countries. History is abundant on this tour. You will visit several historic towns, museums and castles. The first week you will experience riding along rivers and canals and in forests. The landscape is almost flat!
In Péronne, where ANZAC day is commemorated each year, your barge halts for a day to offer you the possibility to make a guided tour along the War Memorials of the First World War, like Villers-Bretonneux, the Victoria School and the 4th Division Memorial of the Australian Army Corps in Bellenglise. From there you will continue along Compiègne, the castle of Chantilly, to Auvers sur Oise (where Vincent van Gogh lived and painted the last months of his life).
After Noyon, in the second week, you will encounter hills but with moderate slopes and in more wooded areas. The ship follows the river Oise downstream to Conflans. Sailing the Seine river with big loops it finds its way to Paris. Only near the capital you will have to climb some serious hills, but that’s after two weeks of daily exercise. The last day you will sail along La Défense, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Notre Dame while ending your tour in the midst of Paris.
Our carefully selected routes will lead you along the most beautiful spots of the country. The average daily distance is around 45 kilometers. Most participants prefer riding in a group with the cycling guide, but you can also ride individually. A road book is included (1x per cabin). Gps-tracks can be provided by e-mail.
You are expected at the barge on Thursday afternoon (barge Clair de Lune) or on Monday afternoon (barge Feniks), between 11.00 AM and 13:30 PM. You can bring your luggage earlier to the barge, but not before 10.30 AM. We are busy cleaning the barge, but we can provide you with suggestions to have a nice walk into town.
The mooring place of the barge in Bruges: at the ‘Buiten Katelijnevest’ near the Bargeweg (nearly 1 km/ 0.6 miles from the train station).
The nearest airport to the embarkation point of the barge is Brussels Airport (BRU). By train it is about 1½ hours from the airport to the railway station in Bruges. Walking distance from the train station to the barge is about 10 to 15 minutes. A taxi from the airport to the mooring place will take about 1 hour and costs about € 180,-.
The nearest train station to the embarkation point of the barge is the Bruges railway station. Walking distance to the barge is about 10 to 15 minutes. By taxi it takes about 5 minutes to the barge.
Should you arrive by car, we strongly advise to arrive earlier to unload your luggage. More information on parkings in Bruges: www.bruges.be.
The tour ends two weeks later in Paris after breakfast at 10 AM.
Mooring location in Paris is Port de l'Arsenal. You can walk to the metro station Bastille (walking distance about 10 minutes) and from there to Gare du Nord.
On this tour the following barges are scheduled
The Feniks was built in 1928 as a cargo barge for the Dutch, German, Belgian and French inland waters. On board you will find a comfortable and well-lit lounge, where you can relax on the sofa. As from 2019 the cabins are upgraded. Read more...
The Clair de Lune was originally built in 1936 as a freight ship in Belgium. The barge is 34.15 meters long and 5.05 meters wide, which makes it possible to boat in France with its narrow locks. In 2020 the barge is upgraded. Read more...
Rental bikes on this tour.
Imagine a floating hotel sailing to the next stage, while you are calmly pedalling along. No lugging of luggage: that is exactly what Bike & Barge is all about! In the pleasant atmosphere on board you can have a chat, go through the day with the others, and enjoy the meals prepared specially for cyclists. In the evenings you can enjoy a drink in the salon or admire the setting sun on deck. Do not expect a cruise ship with its passive luxury. The Bike & Barge Holidays are for people who really enjoy the physical activity of cycling and who value sociability more than wholesale luxury.
Free WiFi is (limited) available in lounge and on deck.
The captain/skipper, the chef and your tour guide all welcome you warmly. They are prepared specifically for these trips and will provide good and safe passage, good meals, and a friendly, pleasant atmosphere. They will, of course, also give you a great deal of interesting information during and after the cycling and sailing. The skipper is responsible for the smooth running of things on board; the cook is in charge of the catering. A tour leader accompanies you during the bike ride and can assist in case of breakdowns. He/She will be your guide to point out the things of interest along the way and is multi-lingual (Dutch/English, some speak German and/or French).
Your chef is used to cook delicious meals for hungry cyclists. Besides an extensive breakfast, you will also be offered a packed lunch for on the road. It consists of different types of bread and sandwich fillings, juice, a snack and a piece of fruit. Lunch package needs to be prepared by yourself after breakfast. Dinner is different every day. There is a first course, main course and dessert The meals on board are included in the price, as are coffee and tea. Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks can be obtained at a reasonable charge. When you return on board after the day’s cycling, a cup of tea or coffee with a biscuit will be waiting for you.
If you suffer from food allergies or food intolerance (such as lactose- or gluten- intolerance/-allergy) or if you have special meal requirements (vegetarian; pescetarian; gluten free meals etc.), we ask you to mention this when booking, but at the latest until 14 days before arrival. Diets which need a special preparation or special ingredients can only be offered in limited form. We will do our best to meet your needs, but we also ask for your understanding as due to limited logistic possibilities on a barge we are not able to prepare complete specialized menus and special food requirements cannot always be met in all details.
In case of Celiac; gluten free diet; lactose free diet, there is an additional charge.
One of the most attractive aspects of the Bike & Barge holidays is that you encounter an international company on board, including people from e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, France and United Kingdom. It’s a great opportunity for you to get to know various cultures at the same time! We have people of all ages, solo travelers, couples and also families with children (during the school holidays).
