A verdant and vibrant bike & barge through France
Distance: 35-50 km average per day. Altitude: 0-100 hm average per day. The lightest cycling holiday; over mostly flat terrain, with not too long daily distances (average 50 km). Short spicy slopes with height differences of up to ± 100 meters occur.
Perhaps you never imagined reaching Paris by following quiet forest paths, riverbanks, and peaceful villages. But here it is: a bike and barge journey that begins in the verdant landscapes around Soissons and leads you all the way to vibrant Paris.
Starting in historic Soissons, you follow a route shaped by forests, rivers and quiet countryside. Along the way you’ll discover the striking castle of Pierrefonds, a fairytale landmark rising from the Compiègne forest, and visit Auvers‑sur‑Oise, the village where Van Gogh created many of his final works. As the landscape gradually opens, the green surroundings guide you toward the elegant park of Versailles, a royal prelude to your arrival in Paris.
Arrival in Soissons at the mooring place of the Feniks. Soissons is a small town in the North of France, lovely situated at the river Aisne. We will try out the bikes and adjust them to your liking.
Soissons is a medieval town with a beautiful cathedral, wich you can enjoy during an evening walk.
The tour starts with a bike ride to the north to Noyon. A small town with an early 12th century gothic cathedral. After that you will ride through the fields and woods to Vic-sur-Aisne, a small (1600 pop.) town with a 13th century medieval castle.
Nice ride trough the forest, one serious slope to the castle of Pierrefonds. The silhouette of this castle is used by Disney in their logo. Visit the Clairiere de l’Armistice (armistice place 1918/1940 in the forest) and continue along the river Aisne and Oise, into Compiègne. After arrival in Compiègne you have some time to enjoy the town, visit the Palace Museum or you can join a guided walk in this historic town (Joan of Arc).
A nice ride through the immense forest to the east of town, including a visit to the castle of Pierrefonds, restored and rebuild in the 19th century by the famous architect Violet le Duc. Visit the village in the forest St. Jean-aux-Bois and Roman ruins just south of it. Or enjoy a short ride on a new bike path along the river to Béthisy St. Pierre. From here we cycle to the river to meet our ship for the last stretch to Creil, mooring on the Oise river.
Today’s ride takes us through a wooded area with beautiful cycling paths. There are several possible visits along the way: the town of Senlis, Chantilly Castle, and Royaumont Abbey. Because of the distance between today’s moorings, part of the route will be covered by sailing. On our way to Pontoise, we will stop near the small town of Auvers‑sur‑Oise, where the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh spent his final months and created a remarkable number of works. A guided walk is included. After the visit, the ship will take us onward to Pontoise.
Sailing downstream on the River Oise and upstream on the Seine is one of the highlights of the tour — and cycling alongside these rivers is just as enjoyable. Within a short distance, you’ll find many interesting places to explore. We can begin our bike ride in Pontoise or Conflans, an old river port located at the confluence of the Seine and the Oise. The stretch between Conflans and Bougival is less than 30 km. Along the way, we pass Maisons‑Laffitte, known as a major centre for horse riding. The next town, Saint‑Germain‑en‑Laye, is home to a remarkable museum with an impressive collection of human artefacts ranging from early prehistory to the early Middle Ages.
Just 4 km from Bougival, mostly on bike paths, lies the Château de Malmaison, with its beautiful park. This former residence of Napoleon and Joséphine offers a wonderful alternative to the grand but often crowded Palace of Versailles. If you wish to visit Versailles, we recommend staying an extra day in Paris and dedicating a full day to the experience.
Today we enter the suburbs of Paris, an area that still offers plenty of green spaces. The route includes some challenging hills, making this a more demanding day trip. Our first goal is the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, where we can visit the vast park. A visit to the château itself takes several hours, so it is not included in today’s ride. A private reservation for today or tomorrow is possible.
The itinerary also includes rides through several beautiful parks and viewpoints. We will see some highlights of Paris, but without cycling through the busy city centre. The route is designed to avoid heavy traffic and crowded streets, keeping the ride enjoyable and safe.
As we approach Paris, traffic naturally becomes more intense than what you experienced during the past two weeks. For many guests, the best way to experience Paris is from the water: staying on board and enjoying the city from the river offers a relaxed and memorable perspective.
After breakfast your bike-and-boat trip from Soissons into the capital comes to an end.
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. Gps-tracks can be provided by e-mail.
To see the prices for 2027, select your preferred travel period and click “Book”.
You are expected at the barge on Monday afternoon, between 12 PM and 2 PM. You can bring your luggage earlier to the barge, but not before 11 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 Epernay is near the city center.
The nearest airport to the embarkation point of the barge is Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). The simplest way to reach Soissons is by train from Paris Gare du Nord. Trains run frequently and take about 1 hour 10–20 minutes.
The nearest train station to the embarkation point of the barge is the station of Soissons, about 2 km away. From there you can take a taxi to the embarkation spot or you can walk.
Should you arrive by car, we strongly advise to arrive earlier to unload your luggage. More information about parking in Soissons.
The tour ends one week later in Paris on Monday morning after breakfast at 10 AM. You will spend the night from Sunday to Monday on board in Paris. The mooring place of the barge in Paris is Bassin La Vilette or Bassin de l’ Arsenal.
On this tour the following barges are scheduled
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 cabins have central heating and a porthole or window; they are provided with running water (hot and cold), private shower/toilet and 220 voltage. There is limited storage space in the cabin. We recommend 1 suitcase per person. You can slide the suitcase under the bed.
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; vegan meals; gluten free meals etc.), we ask you to mention this when booking, but no later than 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; vegan meals 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, Germany 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).
Yes, but you must indicate this when booking. Diets that require special preparation or specific ingredients can only be accommodated to a limited extent. We will do our best to meet your needs, but we also ask for your understanding: due to the limited logistical possibilities on a barge, we are not able to provide fully specialized menus. On some tours, a surcharge applies for gluten‑free, lactose‑free, or vegan meals. This is stated per tour.
Most participants simply put on their rain gear. If the weather becomes so bad that cycling is truly impossible, which almost never happens, you can stay on board or your guide can arrange an alternative program, such as cultural excursions or city tours (at your own expense).
The main countries represented by our cycling guests are: United States and Canada. We also receive guests from United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand. The common language on board is English.
No, the barge does not follow the same route as the cyclists. Sometimes the route may need to be adjusted due to weather conditions or repairs to bridges or locks. In those cases, the guests and the guide can coordinate with the skipper to meet at a different location. Of course, you can always choose to stay on board for one or more days.
The average age of our guests ranges from 50 to 80, although we certainly welcome both younger and older participants as well. During school holidays, it is also possible that children may join the tour.
