The wind caressing your face, the pleasure of stopping wherever you like, of discovering places you couldn't get to otherwise, only cycling makes this possible. Europe is now criss-crossed with magnificent cycling routes. Make way for slow travel.
1. Norway-Spain: Pilgrims' Cycle Route
Inaugurated in 2018, this extraordinary cycling route of over 5,000 km crosses the continent from north to south. EuroVélo 3, nicknamed ‘Pilgrims’ cycle route’, connects central Norway with Santiago de Compostela, following ancient pilgrimage routes. It starts in Trondheim and links up with Oslo, then crosses Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Belgium. It continues on to Paris, then on to the Loire, the Pyrenees and the Spanish Atlantic coast. Cultural, it links some of Europe's finest monuments, including the Swedish rock site of Tanum, the cathedrals of Trondheim, Cologne and Paris, the art cities of the Loire and, of course, the city of Compostela.
Length: 5,300 km.
2. France: the Atlantic freewheels
Visit Vélodyssée follows the French route of EuroVélo 1, also known as the Atlantic Coast Route. Departing from Roscoff, it crosses Brittany on the Nantes-Brest canal and then follows the Atlantic coast to Hendaye, on the Basque coast. An iodized itinerary, with the ocean as a backdrop on most stretches. And as soon as it turns away from the ocean, it takes in greenways, flower-filled locks and towpaths, or enters a village or historic town. Easy and well-developed (70% on its own right-of-way), the Vélodyssée is an ideal route for families or first-time cyclists. The icing on the cake is that over 400 «Accueil Vélo» accommodations (campsites, hotels, gîtes, chambres d'hôtes) are located within 5 km of the route.
Length: 1,200 km.
3. Portugal: Rota Vicentina, the fishermen's trail
Until now, this route has been reserved for mountain bikers, but the Rota Vicentina has been extended in 2019 to include a new route dedicated to bicycles. There's something for everyone on this 500 km route, divided into 5 stages of around 100 km each, or 10 half-stages of around 50 km, with indications of bike-friendly accommodation services, support structures dedicated to cycling... The route largely avoids heavily trafficked roads, which not only allows you to ride beautiful, little-traveled stretches along the coast, but also to make long forays into the interior of the country outside the traditional tourist circuits.
Length: 510 km between Lisbon and Faro.
4. Belgium: Unesco heritage in Wallonia
Visit ‘Unesco Route’ is a new itinerary divided into 11 stages for discovering Wallonia's heritage. From Tournai to the remarkable site of Blegny-Mine, at the gateway to the Netherlands, the route crosses Wallonia via the RAVeL network and nodes. Alternating between landscapes as varied as the plains of Hainaut, the banks of the Meuse, the hills of Condroz and the secret valleys of the Ardennes. For each stage, a travel diary offers a detailed map of the route, Unesco sites to discover along the way, and a selection of cycle-friendly accommodation, attractions and gourmet producers.
Length: 500 km.
Logbooks to download on visitwallonia.be/routeunesco.
5. Italy: around Lake Garda
This fairly recent, highly successful cycle path takes you around Lake Garda. The route leads from Lombardy through Trento to Veneto. «Garda by Bike» is also connected to two long-distance European cycle routes: EuroVélo 7 - Véloroute du Soleil, which runs from the tip of Norway to Malta, and EuroVélo 8 - Route de la Méditerranée, which links Cadiz (Spain) to Izmir (Turkey), with a detour to Cyprus. This newcomer is suitable for all cyclists: the route is wide, with no steep climbs. But above all, it offers unforgettable scenery, including the 2 km stretch from Capo Reamol on the western shore of the lake, which winds its way along the cliffs and literally seems to float above the water.
Length: 140 km.
6. Atlantic - Black Sea: river cycle route
EuroVélo 6 is a superlative: at over 4,400 km, it is the longest continuous cycle route on the continent; it is also known as the ‘River cycle route’ because it follows the course of three of Europe's greatest rivers: the Loire, the Rhine and the Danube. Linking the Atlantic to the Black Sea, it's also one of the most popular routes. The low gradient and the advantage of having the wind at your back when travelling from east to west make this an ideal route for any cyclist. Much of the route is on its own right-of-way. The famous sections along the Loire and Danube rivers (Vienna, Budapest...) have even become legendary.
Length: 4450 km.
7. Netherlands: in the footsteps of Van Gogh
In the land of the little queen, cycle paths abound, the infrastructure is top-notch and you have to do it on purpose to get lost. A new series of itineraries takes cyclists on a journey through the life of the Impressionist painter. Vincent Van Gogh, to discover the Brabant landscapes of the Netherlands. One of these, inaugurated in 2015, runs through the Nuenen region near Eindhoven, where the artist produced a quarter of his work. The route links a series of sites (mills, railway station, church, presbytery, «Potato Eaters» house...) painted by the master, but the craziest section - measuring just 600 meters - was imagined by an artist. Daan Roosegaarde has encrusted the asphalt with millions of luminous coloured stones. They recharge in daylight and illuminate the ground as soon as night falls, evoking fragments of Van Gogh's «Starry Night». Technological poetry that accompanies the cyclist as if in a dream.
Length: 51 km.
Infos : www.holland.com/fr.
8. Denmark: hygge on two wheels
It's called the N8 because it's shaped like an 8 and links southern Denmark from east to west, crossing in the historic town of Svendborg. Visit ‘Baltic Sea Bicycle Route’, is no ordinary cycle route. Comprising 14 stages, it offers over 800 km of pedaling - the longest cycle path in Denmark - and criss-crosses the Danish archipelago from island to island via bridges and ferries, crossing landscapes of absolute calm, skimming white sandy beaches, passing immaculate churches, castles and manor houses. A wonderful way to discover the Danish way of life.
Length: 820 km.
https://balticseacycleroute.com.
9. Austria: along the Inn
It's possible to explore the Alps without having to negotiate dizzying mountain passes. That's what the Inntal cycle path. The route, which takes ten to twelve days, starts in the Grisons region of Switzerland, crosses the Tyrol to Kufstein, then enters Bavaria and returns to Upper Austria, all the while staying true to the Inn, a pretty river whose blue and green hues betray its glacial origins. Apart from a few climbs at the start, the route faithfully follows the banks of the river, revealing different profiles of the Alpine landscape. The diversity of the route, most of which is on cycle paths, is what makes it so interesting.
Length: 520 km.
