Where to tour early April?

[jay clock]

I have a couple of friends from the US coming to the Netherlands late March and will be free from approx 1 April for around two weeks. There are experienced cycle tourers (in the US) but not in Europe. (They cycled three quarters of the way round the US last year aged almost 70!).

They are asking my advice on how to use the two weeks for cycle touring. I may well join them.

Personally I would fly south to southern France or Spain. But I suspect that they may be put off with the hassle of bringing bikes over and then more flights. Plus if we do a point to point tour (e.g. Nice to Toulouse or Bordeaux) we would have to find three boxes which could be a hassle. Having said all that a trip from NL to the Med could be an idea....

Given a choice they would probably prefer to camp.

My feeling is that NL risks being cold and windy weather wise in early April.

Any suggestions.

 

[betty swollocks]

Hop on the ferry to N Spain?
Temps for Bilbao will be in mid-teens or better.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I have a couple of friends from the US coming to the Netherlands late March and will be free from approx 1 April for around two weeks. There are experienced cycle tourers (in the US) but not in Europe. (They cycled three quarters of the way round the US last year aged almost 70!).

They are asking my advice on how to use the two weeks for cycle touring. I may well join them.

Personally I would fly south to southern France or Spain. But I suspect that they may be put off with the hassle of bringing bikes over and then more flights. Plus if we do a point to point tour (e.g. Nice to Toulouse or Bordeaux) we would have to find three boxes which could be a hassle. Having said all that a trip from NL to the Med could be an idea....

Given a choice they would probably prefer to camp.

My feeling is that NL risks being cold and windy weather wise in early April.

Any suggestions.

Follow the Rhine: it's fairly flat, there's generally good cycling infrastructure and lots of historical interest. Also plenty of camp sites, assuming they're open that time of year. After a week they can turn around and return to the NL, with the advantage it is mainly downhill that way. I reckon they could make Cologne.

Alternatively, train to Koblenz and ride the Rhine south from there, the scenery is a bit prettier on the south end, or train to say Mannheim and ride back North so you're travelling mostly downhill and get to see the whole length to the sea.

 

[steveindenmark]

Majorca. Its got everything

 

[jay clock]

Thanks. I now hear they are flying into Paris. They could leave the bikes there, go to NL and back to Paris where I could meet them and cycle to the Med. Just got to persuade them that not having a shoulder does not make a road unrideable!

 

[jay clock]

Hop on the ferry to N Spain?
Temps for Bilbao will be in mid-teens or better.

thanks but that means coming to the UK first..... won't have the time

 

[jay clock]

Majorca. Its got everything

I have ridden there but it is not ideal for a two week tour. Too small. But we could do day rides out of one place.... thanks

 

[avsd]

Tuscany has been my best cycle tour. Is a train from Paris to Pisa too long (13 Hrs/£60) ? Loire valley is another option with the train to Tours.

 

[jay clock]

OK so after an hour on Skype last night we appear to have a plan. They will fly to the UK and leave bikes with me. Then they will fly to Netherlands and or Paris and back to me.

Then we will fly to south of France (Montpellier possible) and cycle back to St Malo

A bit early in the season for me and camping likely to be harder

Pretty much a repeat of this that I did in 2016 https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=2sf&doc_id=17453&v=DE