First Euro trip, where to go?

[rm90]

I still need to get some gear, however have a bike at last. Thinking starting at Calais as you may expect, then maybe a Eurovelo route and want to fly back. Maybe a weeks cycling, Italy looks like a good bet. I guess you could go anywhere, any tips here?

 

[CopperBrompton]

The Netherlands is cycling mecca, so that would always be my first choice. The best cycling infrastructure in the world, flat and everyone speaks English.

 

[psmiffy]

I think the OP should sit down and decide what their preferences are- rivers, mountains, coasts, cities, rural, flat, hilly, historical wonders, geological vistas, hot cold etc and pick a destination that fulfills these objectives- Europe has all these things in abundance and often in close proximity to each other - the OP should also decide what is the objective - the often quoted maxim - is it the journey or the destination - is it a tour or a challenge?

The Netherlands is cycling mecca, so that would always be my first choice. The best cycling infrastructure in the world, flat and everyone speaks English.

The Netherlands - the antithesis of my personal preferences - it is very "nice" and I've always enjoyed cycling there - however it is a bit bland - to me it is not a destination but somewhere that I cycle though on the way to or back from tours - cycling infrastructure and flatness to me is not sufficient a recommendation

 

[andym]

What psmiffy said.

If you want to go somewhere that's reachable by ferry then Brittany and Normandy might be good choices.

You don't say how much cycling/cycle touring experience you have. If it's your first ever tour ever anywhere then it might be better to think about a week cycling in the UK. If you're not sure what daily mileage you can do then maybe think about a circular tour - or a tour that gives you the bailout option of taking the train.

Italy has lots of possibilities but you'd need longer than a week if you're planning on cycling there.

 

[rm90]

I think the OP should sit down and decide what their preferences are- rivers, mountains, coasts, cities, rural, flat, hilly, historical wonders, geological vistas, hot cold etc and pick a destination that fulfills these objectives- Europe has all these things in abundance and often in close proximity to each other - the OP should also decide what is the objective - the often quoted maxim - is it the journey or the destination - is it a tour or a challenge?



The Netherlands - the antithesis of my personal preferences - it is very "nice" and I've always enjoyed cycling there - however it is a bit bland - to me it is not a destination but somewhere that I cycle though on the way to or back from tours - cycling infrastructure and flatness to me is not sufficient a recommendation

I think all those, I would really like to see some major cities like Paris, Rome, Barcelona, but I am also going by the Eurovelo routes which don't fit too well. Say I wanted to go Calais -> Paris --> Rome, the Eurovelo miss huge sections here, well as far as I can see.

 

[psmiffy]

I think all those, I would really like to see some major cities like Paris, Rome, Barcelona, but I am also going by the Eurovelo routes which don't fit too well. Say I wanted to go Calais -> Paris --> Rome, the Eurovelo miss huge sections here, well as far as I can see.

The answer is not to bother with eurovelo - I never have - they are just artificial constructs -and often on the ground are barely visible - much easier just to look at a map - decide where you want to go and then make it up as you go along.

 

[andym]

If you're cycle touring my advice would be to get in touch with your Inner Dora the Explorer: avoid major cities and go to places you've never heard of. While major cities make good destinations for a short break (or a long break) they are often not particularly good for cycling through. Small villages and towns will be a lot more enjoyable to ride through (or ride around) and give you a better sense of place.

There's a nice cycle route called the Avenue Verte that will take you from Dieppe (reachable by ferry from Newhaven) to Paris.

 

[steveindenmark]

You do not have to ride massive distances to have an adventure. You could get a B&B in calais and spend a week just touring the area.

There is no point in just pedalling all day, in my opinion, if you dont stop and see things or talk to people you may as well stay at home and ride round the block for a week. You end up with the same results. You rode miles, saw nothing and met nobody.

As to where you should go? I am glad I dont have to decide that. It all depends what typecof cycling you like and what your interests are.

 

[Haitch]

I think all those, I would really like to see some major cities like Paris, Rome, Barcelona, but I am also going by the Eurovelo routes which don't fit too well. Say I wanted to go Calais -> Paris --> Rome, the Eurovelo miss huge sections here, well as far as I can see.

You do realise Calais to Rome is 1,000 miles. That's about 150 miles every day for a week. You won't have time to go sightseeing in major cities. I think you need to scale down your ambitions for a first tour.

 

[vernon]

There's a nice cycle route called the Avenue Verte that will take you from Dieppe (reachable by ferry from Newhaven) to Paris.

I second the Avenue Verte route. I really enjoyed it when I cycled it this May.

You do not have to ride massive distances to have an adventure. You could get a B&B in calais and spend a week just touring the area.

There is no point in just pedalling all day, in my opinion, if you dont stop and see things or talk to people you may as well stay at home and ride round the block for a week. You end up with the same results. You rode miles, saw nothing and met nobody.

As to where you should go? I am glad I dont have to decide that. It all depends what typecof cycling you like and what your interests are.

Can't beat 'going native' as a solo cyclist I'm never short of folk wanting to chat and you get a better feel for the country through talking to its inhabitants. This year I got to know more about the Balkans conflict through riding in Croatia and Serbia than I picked up from the news and articles written about it. Some experiences were uncomfortable but I'd not exchange them for the sterile 'reach today's distant scheduled stopping point at all costs' approach that one cafe owner commented upon. Apparently I was one of the few cyclists to stop at his establishment out of all the ones that he'd seen - presumably cycling along the EuroVelo Six route.

As far a a week's cycling goes, I'd look at forty miles per day as a relaxing introduction to overseas touring.

 

[steveindenmark]

Vernon, i totally agree with what you say but I was thinking along the Lines of a first Euro Tour and the fact that some people starting out on tours actually think that unless you are rattling mile after mile off, it is not a Tour.

It was just an alternative idea.

 

[vernon]

Vernon, i totally agree with what you say but I was thinking along the Lines of a first Euro Tour and the fact that some people starting out on tours actually think that unless you are rattling mile after mile off, it is not a Tour.

It was just an alternative idea.

My shortest ever day on a tour was twenty two miles on a LEJOG. Mind you the night before I'd helped a chap at the camp site to drink his caravan dry and I wasn't up to pedalling until 15:00.

 

[rm90]

hmm thought I wrote a reply already - hasn't gone through.

These are good points, I think more realistic would be Calais to Paris as you said, I have no fear of cycling large distances, used to train hard at athletics and I know the pain barrier and enjoy it(to a degree). If the Eurovelo routes are vague as said then I guess I could cycle to Paris and work my way to Northern Italy, I guess one fear is that i cycle into some heavy duty mountainous areas that either require a lot of pushing for days or a huge detour.

 

[tiermat]

I agree with what others have said, 1000 miles is way to ambitious for a first tour. You might be able to a single day of 150, but can you do that distance, sleep well, get up and repeat, again and again?

FWIW I usually plan on ~350 miles for a week's tour, this give plenty of time to sight see, have a day off if needs be (by putting in some extra miles one day, having the day off then extending the first day you are back on the bike).

My vote will always be for Catalonia, partly because I love the place and partly because the cycling there is so wide and varied, from flat across the plains, to LOTS of UP in the mountains.

 

[vernon]

hmm thought I wrote a reply already - hasn't gone through.

These are good points, I think more realistic would be Calais to Paris as you said, I have no fear of cycling large distances, used to train hard at athletics and I know the pain barrier and enjoy it(to a degree). If the Eurovelo routes are vague as said then I guess I could cycle to Paris and work my way to Northern Italy, I guess one fear is that i cycle into some heavy duty mountainous areas that either require a lot of pushing for days or a huge detour.

The Eurovelo routes are not vague in that they link two end points it's just that they don't always go through the more interesting bits of a country. Having said that EV6 through France is an enjoyable route with lots of Chateaus, cafes and interesting features and is well signposted.