Cycling holiday Bruges to Paris

After arrival, the crew welcomes you on board at the mooring place and you settle in with the first impressions of Bruges. In the afternoon we take a short try‑out ride into the quiet countryside around the city, anintroduction to the Flemish landscape and a chance to get comfortable with your bike. In the evening, the guide leads a walk through Bruges. The historic centre, with its canals, cobbled streets and warm evening light, offers a perfect first taste of the city’s atmosphere.

Today’s ride leads you through the classic Flemish countryside: small villages, quiet lanes, patches of forest and wide fields that open gradually as we approach Gent. The transition is gentle, from rural calm into one of Belgium’s most vibrant cities. Gent thrives with more than 250,000 inhabitants, and its long history is still visible in the layout of the centre and the many remarkable buildings. Once we arrive, you have time to explore some of the highlights: St. Baafs Cathedral with the famous triptych Mystic Lamb, the castle, the museum of fine arts and the lively streets around them. As evening falls, the well‑lit façades and canals give the city a different, almost theatrical atmosphere. There is also an option to cover the first leg by ship and join the ride later.

Another gentle ride through the Flemish countryside today, partly following the river Schelde. The landscape is open and green, with quiet paths and small villages along the way. Our destination is Oudenaarde, a town known for its elegant town hall, historic church, traditional breweries and the Tour of Flanders cycling centre. After arrival there is time to walk through the centre and enjoy the atmosphere.

We can visit the centre this morning while museums are open now. We continue our tour in the Schelde river valley. After crossing the language boundary (Flemish/French) the river is called Escaut. To the left hills appear on the horizon. Ancient cobblestone roads on some of these are (in)famous because they are part of Tour of Flanders speed cycling race. Die-hearts can try one or two of them! In a small village we can have our lunch. Goal in the afternoon is Tournai. Watch how big ships sail through the gate of the old watergate. The town centre is on the UNESCO world heritage list. A visit to the immense cathedral (5 towers) is not to be missed! Walk in town after dinner.

We start the day with an early sailing as the river makes a wide loop and the ship needs to cover a good distance. It is a calm and atmospheric beginning, moving through the soft morning light. Once on the bikes, the route leads through forested stretches and brings us to Saint Amand les Eaux with its impressive abbey tower rising above the town.
Further along, the landscape shows clear traces of the old coal mining belt that once stretched between the English Channel and the Ruhr area. Red brick buildings and former industrial sites still shape the scenery. By late afternoon we reach our mooring place in either Bouchain or Arleux, both offering a quiet and pleasant end to the day.

Arleux marks the beginning of the Canal du Nord, and following this canal can take time because of the busy shipping traffic and the many locks. Sometimes the captain has to moor halfway along the route, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, but a quiet night in the countryside has its own charm. We plan to moor near the village of Hermies, surrounded by wide fields and open farmland. From here we enter the agricultural landscapes of Northern France, with large fields and gentle slopes that appear now and then. The town of Cambrai is nearby, once part of the Netherlands in the 16th century, and depending on today’s starting point we may visit it. The ride continues through this spacious rural region until we reach our goal for today: Peronne.

It is a pleasant start today with a short ride along the canal toward Péronne. The scenery is calm and open, and the route includes at least one proper slope to wake up the legs. Once in town, you can enjoy the atmosphere around the waterfront and the historic centre. In the afternoon there is an option for another ride, offering a change of scenery and a relaxing stop halfway. It is an easy way to add a bit more cycling to the day while still keeping the pace comfortable.

The Musee Historial, the war museum in the castle is worth while visiting. There is another small local museum in the centre. Participants who are even more interested in the history of the Great War ‘14-’18 could use their day off for a visit to one or more places connected with the 1st World War. To the west, direction Amiens, was the Australian sector. We have a connection with an excellent guide organises excursions around Peronne and who knows almost everything related to the role of Australian,
Canadian and US troops in WW1. This excursion is not included in the tour.

Today’s route begins with either an early sailing or a relaxed afternoon one, depending on the schedule. Between Péronne and Compiègne the landscape becomes more rolling, with a few hills to conquer and wide views over the typical fields of Northern France. Small villages appear along the way, giving the ride a pleasant rhythm.
Noyon is one of the highlights, with its very old and impressive cathedral that dominates the town. By the end of the day the ship will be moored near Pont l’Eveque, about three kilometres from Noyon, in a quiet rural setting that makes a peaceful finish to the ride.

Today’s ride has a wonderful mix of forest, history and river scenery. The route begins in the woods, where one serious slope adds a bit of challenge and reward. Soon you enter the lovely valley of Saint Crépin aux Bois, a quiet and green stretch that feels almost hidden.
A visit to the Clairière de l’Armistice follows, the historic clearing in the forest where the armistices of 1918 and 1940 were signed. From here the ride continues along the rivers Aisne and Oise, a gentle approach into Compiègne. After arrival you have time to explore the town, including the Palace‑Museum, and you can join a guided walk through this historic centre with its strong connection to Joan of Arc.

Today’s ride leads through the immense forest east of town, with long quiet lanes and a visit to the castle of Pierrefonds, beautifully restored in the nineteenth century by Viollet le Duc. The forest continues with peaceful stretches and brings us to Saint Jean aux Bois and the nearby Roman ruins. A short riverside bike path takes us to Béthisy Saint Pierre, from where we cycle back to meet the ship for the final stretch to Creil on the Oise.

Today’s ride takes you through a wooded landscape with smooth bike paths and several tempting stops along the way. You can visit Senlis with its charming old centre, the impressive Chantilly Castle, or the peaceful Royaumont Abbey. Because of the distance between today’s moorings, part of the route will be covered by sailing, giving you a relaxing break on the water. On the way to Pontoise we stop in Auvers, the little town where Vincent van Gogh spent his final months and created an astonishing number of paintings. A guided walk brings his story to life. After the visit, the ship carries us comfortably to Pontoise for the evening.

Sailing along the Oise and the Seine is a highlight of the tour, and cycling nearby makes it even better. From Pontoise or Conflans the ride to Bougival is under thirty kilometres, passing Maisons Laffitte and Saint Germain en Laye with its impressive museum. Just a few kilometres further, on comfortable bike paths, you can visit the elegant Château de Malmaison, once home to Napoleon and Joséphine and a charming alternative to busy Versailles.

Today we enter the suburbs of Paris, still with plenty of green stretches and a few serious hills to conquer. Our first goal is the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, where we can visit the vast park. A tour inside the château takes several hours, so a private reservation for today or tomorrow is an option. The route continues through attractive parks and viewpoints, offering glimpses of Paris without cycling through the busiest parts. You will see several highlights of the city, and traffic will naturally be more intense than in the past two weeks, adding a touch of excitement to the final stage of the tour.

After breakfast your bike‑and‑boat journey into the capital comes to a gentle close. The ship is moored, the bikes are lined up one last time, and the memories of two weeks of landscapes, towns and shared moments feel pleasantly close. There is time for a final chat with fellow travellers, a last look at the river and the city ahead, and then you step ashore with the feeling of having completed a beautiful route, from quiet countryside all the way into Paris.