Thinking of riding EV6 from Vienna to St. Nazaire.

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Mark Grant

Acting Captain of The St Annes Jombulance.
Location
Hanworth, Middx.
I've been looking at various options for a cycle tour in Europe this year for my wife and myself.
Several options have been bouncing around, most around 1000-1200 miles.
We are tied to school holidays so going too far south is probably out due to the heat, it's fine for laying on the beach doing very little but not so good for days in the saddle.
I have thought about a loop from Calais to Delft then though Holland & Germany via The Rhine and back to Caen via The Loire, also from Vienna to The Hook of Holland via The Danube & The Rhine, but favourite at the moment is Eurovelo 6 from Vienna to St Brevins/ St Nazaire then up to St Malo for a ferry back to Portsmouth. We'll fly to Vienna.
The river routes are flatish, which is a plus for Gail. I'm a bit concerned by reports I have read of them being a bit boring.
I expect to take about 4 weeks, camping and hotels/ hostels. If we are having a good time and the kids haven't demolished the house it could be longer or if we are not we could get a train to shorten the journey.
Nothing is set in stone at the moment, I'd be interested to have the views and opinions of those that have cycled these areas, or even those that haven't.
 

albal

Guru
Location
Dorset
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1mr&doc_id=14051&v=Dp. My blog on the route, going the other way.
 
I've also done it going the other way, but I don't do blogs ..... :laugh:

As for the boring question .........
The UK is crowded so you'll see a lot of variety in a day's ride.
There's a lot more room on the continent, so you can have a lot less variety in a day's ride.
So if you expect every day to be different then you'll probably get bored.
But if your happy to cycle 2-3 days between the interesting days then you'll be fine.

Luck ........ ^_^
 
Location
Hampshire
We've done quite a few sections of it whilst on route elsewhere and will be doing the bit between Vienna and Budapest this year (then turning off). Some of it is a bit samey but as flat routes go it's quite nice and you go through plenty of interesting places. We're stuck with school holiday times too and some of the campsites were pretty packed in August. BA flights to Vienna were good value and there's a cycle route from the airport on to the EV6 and the city.
 

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
We have done a few sections, I love the German/Austrian river routes, they are not boring unless you are a bum in the air cyclist who wants miles.

I would strongly suggest (actually, it's compulsory) that you lay your hands on the BikeLine books for the route, https://www.esterbauer.com/international.html if you cant get English ones, then any languague that you can order a pint of beer in will do.
You dont need to read the text but the maps are the best in the business and the index in the back for Camp sites, hostels, B&B;s and 5 star Hotels does not need any translation
 
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Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
I'd also reccomend you look at European Bike Express as a good method of getting out and back http://www.bike-express.co.uk/Company/SiteMap
You pick a drop off vaguely close to where you start, and do the the last bit by train, same for the way back
Bikes on Trains are actually encouraged through most of Europe (except the UK)

Having done UK to Europe via Bikes on Planes, Bikes on Trains, Bikes on Car, and Bikes on EBE
I'd chooses any option that did not involve a plane first.
 

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
FYI - Doing it East to West means that:
You will have the sun in you face from lunchtime until you finish for the day which (unless you normally start before dawn and end early afternoon ) will not be good
You will be riding into the prevaling wind, all day, every day.
Vienna in a looooong way east.
There is a bumpy bit in the way called the Alps

Me, I'd start at St Nazaire and go East.
 
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