La Meuse cycle way, Belgium/France

[ThompsonCrowley]

Hi guys. Me, my partner and our dog just came back from a 3 month cycling trip around Europe. We cycled through Scotland, England, then caught the ferry to Amsterdam and cycled through Holland , Belgium and into France. Towards the end of our trip we stumbled upon La Meuse river, which connects Belgium and France. It's awesome to say the least! A beautiful river which heads south from Namur. Steep ridges either side, green, green, green. Lots of birds singing, not much other noise. And the water is blue. And along it is a cycle path all the way to Charleville in the Champagne region of France. And not only that, there's loads of cheap camp sites right on the river. Just wanted to spread the word about it as everyone I mention it to has never heard of it. If you're heading that way it is a must. It's a very safe ride, away from the road and there are lots of other people travelling along it, I even saw one guy with a donkey, but not many British folk seem to know about it. Is there anyone else out there that has been?

 

[Donger]

Yep. Love it too. The southern part of Belgium - in fact the whole of the Ardennes region of France, Belgium and Luxembourg - is so under-rated.
It is just made for a cycling tour. I've taken the bike with me on holidays there, but never managed a tour yet. I am envious.
My only words of caution are to watch out for the goose crap in sections of the cycle ways!

 

[Hill Wimp]

Sounds great

Where did you pick the cycle path up ?

@hopless500 and i are touring Holland, Belgium a small bit of Germany and France in July and are looking for routes through Belgium up toward Rheims. We are dropping into Monschau in Germany so will be entering Belgium from there. Its roughly level with Spa.

Any other recommendations of your trip greatly appreciated too. We start from Utrecht and watch the first 2 days of the TDF. We should be out there for 4 weeks.

 

[hopless500]

Sounds great

Where did you pick the cycle path up ?

@hopless500 and i are touring Holland, Belgium a small bit of Germany and France in July and are looking for routes through Belgium up toward Rheims. We are dropping into Monschau in Germany so will be entering Belgium from there. Its roughly level with Spa.

Any other recommendations of your trip greatly appreciated too. We start from Utrecht and watch the first 2 days of the TDF. We should be out there for 4 weeks.

 

[ThompsonCrowley]

Hi Hill wimp. We got on the path at Profondeville, just after Namur. You can get on the path at Namur I think, but it doesn't really get started properly until a few miles south after. We stayed at a great campsite just outside Namur, called>
Camping Les Trieux
Les Trîs 99
5020 Malonne
Belgium
Which I'd really recommend. Then after you're spoilt for choice. There are signs all along the way detailing different sites where you can stay, and very cheap too. I'm not sure the best way to get there from Holland. We just cycled on small roads over Belgium, past Turnhout, Geel and Diest, which were okay, but you could probably find something better, a path or route along the way.
hope this helps!
Tom

 

[Hill Wimp]

Thanks Tom

Im sure Hop and i will have a good look at this during one of our drinking planning sessions. It does sound good and from what i have seen on the internet it looks a really pretty ride too.

 

[Hill Wimp]

Glad you popped up @User259.

Going slightly off topic, jumping into Holland and using your local knowledge of the Low countries, any places that we shouldn't miss in Holland after leaving Utrecht ?

We are not doing the North Sea route.

 

[Hill Wimp]

We will be going to Delft and will certainly have a look at Leiden and Rotterdam too, thank you. We probably use Le Meuse when we come back in from Germany on our way up towards Ghent and Bruges and Ypres, Liege and Roubaix will be in there somewhere too.

Got to have a go in the velodrome

 

[hopless500]

Got to have a go in the velodrome

 

[Hill Wimp]

 

[xilios]

We've cycled from Maastricht, NL along the Maas (Meuse in French) several times. The last time being in June 2013, when we cycled from the source of the river back to Maastricht. We took the train some of the way because the budget finished and we have had visited those parts in previous tours.
The section from Huy to Liege should be avoided. The north bank of the river is bad, the south bank horrible and dangerous to ride. Old industrial areas with bad poorly signposted roads and heavy traffic with many trucks, It probably would be best to just take the train from Namur to LIege, cheap, quick and the only thing you'll miss is a bad experience.
Cheapest camping we've found was in Givet, clean, very basic but at €2.30 p.p. who can complain.