Calais - Paris

[Paladin - York]

Anyone cyclo-camped enroute from Calais to Paris? If so any recommendations? I have checked the Camping France website so I have some idea of locations but if there is anyone out there with the experience I'd be pleased to hear from them.

 

[JackE]

This: http://www.descampings.fr/ is a good intro to smaller French campsites.

 

[Brains]

The more pleasant route from the UK to Paris is via the Velo Vert wich runs from (Southampton) Le Havre to Paris mostly on a disused rail line. There are camp sites (and wild camping opportunities) along this route.

The Calais/Paris route is flat, open and pretty boring

 

[JackE]

We found the area between Calais and Abbeyville (part of the Marais National Park) to be far from flat and boring. The Sept Vallees region (around Hesdin/Montreuil) is lovely cycling country.
If you want to enter Paris by the slightly "easier" NE side (along the canal de l'Ourcq) then you can include some of the WW1 battlefield sites en route to Compiegne.

 

[Paladin - York]

Thanks Brains, I'll check it out.

Calais was my first choice as it seems easier to get to from York by rail, ie King's Cross - St Pancras - Folkestone West - Eurotunnel - Calais.

The more pleasant route from the UK to Paris is via the Velo Vert wich runs from (Southampton) Le Havre to Paris mostly on a disused rail line. There are camp sites (and wild camping opportunities) along this route.

The Calais/Paris route is flat, open and pretty boring

 

[Paladin - York]

Thanks JackE,

I did notice that various maps show a lot of contours in places not all that far south of Calais.

I've obtained quite a few cycling guides and again the canal de l'Ourcq cycle path appears to take you in quite close to the city centre. I understand that to get to the NE start of the l'Ourcq would be better on a Sunday due to the "no cars" rule that exists. It's difficult to know the state of the traffic etc just by looking at a map. Anyway, I'll check out the "descamping" website as well for camping options.

Thank you

We found the area between Calais and Abbeyville (part of the Marais National Park) to be far from flat and boring. The Sept Vallees region (around Hesdin/Montreuil) is lovely cycling country.
If you want to enter Paris by the slightly "easier" NE side (along the canal de l'Ourcq) then you can include some of the WW1 battlefield sites en route to Compiegne.