Cycling with the kids - Northern France, Belgium or Netherlands

[cheadle hulme]

Planning two weeks with the kids (13 & 9) end of August. Will be camping with a van. Kids are pretty fit. We’ll obviously have to do out and back each day, around 20 - 40 miles.
Where would people recommend? We’ve done sections of the Velo Loire before but didn’t enjoy the road sections with the youngest. Ideally looking for a two campsite tour with plenty of off road dedicated cycle paths nearby. Not averse to Netherlands/Belgium or even Germany but only ever been cycling in France.

Recommendations please.

 

[Cathryn]

Hi. If you’re looking for dedicated cycle paths then I think you have to go to the Netherlands, their network is astonishing. I don’t know Belgium at all. Northern France is pretty fabulous for cycling and the road network there is generally really good but it sounds like you’re a year or two away from those yet!

I was really impressed by Brittany last summer so that could be an option too. Loads of bike paths, we saw loads of families touring together so maybe consider there too.

Ref the Netherlands, again I don’t know it very well, I’ve only been a few times, but personally I’d pick a medium sized town and then do day loops out of it. I really liked Utrecht and my friend lives in Amersfoort, which sounds really nice.

 

[straas]

Possibly a bit further than you'd like to drive, but La Rochelle has some good options. Highlight is cycling over the bridge to Il De Re and trying the 100km of off road cycle paths there, interspersed with seafood cafés

 

[Gillstay]

We went around Brugge and Ypes for a few days and found the tracks particularly along the canals to be super. Proper adventure for kids, lots of history and chocolate and beer. The traffic was careful around us and you can do routes so your kids cycle into another country which always feels an achievement to them.

 

[Sixmile]

We did Holland with our kids when they were 9 and 11. We rode 30-50 mile days (on tandems not solo) with the main focus being a day in Efteling in the south - it really was worth the trip. The network anywhere in Holland is incredible.

We also enjoyed our trip through Llandudno about 5 years prior too

 

[cheadle hulme]

Thanks all, some good options for me to research this evening.
Having not been to the Netherlands before, I’m leaning towards there, especially as the Hull Rotterdam ferry becomes an option.