London to Paris: Anyone done it before?

[Mapster1989]

Hi all,

I'm going to keep it short and sweet. I'm doing the London to Paris in August this year and just wondered if anyone else had done it before and what their experiences of it were?

The route is;
Day One: London -> Dover
Day Two: Calais -> Abbeville
Day Three: Abbeville -> Beauvais
Day Four: Beauvais -> Paris

Thanks.

 

[Rymo]

There are around 1001 topics that mention London to Paris on this site dude!
My experience of this route is that it is lovely until you get to within about 20km of Paris, then not so great as Paris is very large and confusing at 3am in the rain.
Don't forget to cycle back also, my tip is Dieppe though, quite a lot quicker

 

[mark2096]

I agree with the Dieppe comment. One of my first long distance rides started with Dieppe to Rheims - not quite Paris but close. You can see the map on www.mycycletour.com , specific route is http://www.mycycletour.com/displayroute.php?RouteNumber=3 . We went in early September - not perfect weather, but OK. You could also use that site to build out your own route - maybe download the GPX file to a smartphone app like Pocketearth, B.iCycle or Co-Rider (an app that can load a GPS/GPX file) and have it guide you into Paris. Good luck!

 

[Brains]

a lot of people are going for the " route verte" option. Which is London to new haven to Le Havre to Paris and takes you to Paris on a disused railway line and canal side paths

 

[john xyz]

From my research. the Route Verte doesn't look all its cracked up to be. Yes there a few miles of track for 10 miles from Dieppe, but then it seems its onto the roads, with afew miles of canal path into Paris.
My son and I did Calais to Paris last August, touring and wild camping on the way. Very pleasurable. 4 days from Calais. The way to enter Paris is from the West past Versaillles and through the nearby forests. then its quiet roads most of the way to the Bois de Bolougne. Very picturesque part of the City.

 

[Ticktockmy]

The easy route finding way for planning is just draw a straight line between two places, then work a route that stays close to the line, but uses D roads or cycle routes. remember what routes suits one person will not suit another, cos we are all different, Don,t have too strict a time scale, nothing better to find a nice little village with a cafe or bar and while away a few hours supping fine wine or even crap wine and some nice food or crap food and chat with the locals. then in the evening find a campsite or hotel near to or in a village, and have more fine wine etc. and relax and enjoy your ride taken in all the sights, sounds and smells.

 

[Asa Post]

I'm doing the London to Paris in August this year

That's a nice write-up you got in Active8

[For those who don't know what I'm talking about, it's a Sheffield thang ]

 

[dellzeqq]

the Fridays go via Newhaven, Dieppe, Saint-Saens, La Feuillie, Gisors, Marines and Pontoise, entering Pontoise via the D915Z and then sticking to the D14. This will be our third year, and although the route beyond Pontoise will get another look at, there's absolutely no thought of changing the rest of the route. It works perfectly.

 

[nathanappleton]

I'm planning on cycling London to Paris In July but going to Portsmouth, getting the ferry to Cherbourg, looping down through Foret d'Ecouves and then onto Paris. That's always an option (of sorts).

 

[Mapster1989]

That's a nice write-up you got in Active8

[For those who don't know what I'm talking about, it's a Sheffield thang ]

Cheers. Didn't get anything from it mind you but it was good none-the-less. Looking a lot less 'chubby' now than I do in that picture mind you.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

last time I rode that I was 16