It's been ages since I took my bike to Paris. I’ve ridden on
a bike share Vélib the last few times I’ve there but nothing beats that feeling
of arriving in this beautiful city fresh from London on your own two wheels.
So a couple of weeks ago I booked my ferry ticket from
Newhaven to Dieppe, lodgings at the coastal town, and a hotel room in the
trendy 11th arrondissement of Paris.
That would hopefully motivate me to keep pedalling.
I have good memories of this part of Paris from the time
when I lived there, and I never tire of going to the different zones in the
area – Bastille, rue de la Roquette, rue de Charonne, Chemin Vert, Richard
Lenoir, Voltaire, and in particular the old local wine bar, Le Baron Rouge at Ledru
Rollin.
Keeping these places in my mind would get me through the
long ride across northern France - not that riding across Normandy would be such
hardship!
This was my fourth London-Paris bike-ride, and it was also
my fourth different route. There are so many roads in northern France that you
really do have 57 varieties to choose from when getting to the City of Light.
I was going to ride along part of the Avenue Verte - a waymarked route from London to Paris along disused railway lines and quiet roads.
I was going to ride along part of the Avenue Verte - a waymarked route from London to Paris along disused railway lines and quiet roads.
Setting off
When taking the Avenue Verte route the official start is
from Marble Arch, but given that I live in South London and I didn't fancy
doing Crystal Palace to Newhaven in torrential rain my ride didn't start until
Newhaven when I rode from the train station to the harbour – all of one mile!
My Avenue Verte section would therefore start on the other side of the English Channel.
My Avenue Verte section would therefore start on the other side of the English Channel.
On the ferry it was easy to spot the other cyclists. They
were the ones walking around in shorts, no shoes (as cycling shoes are
difficult to walk in), sporting a bad case of helmet hair and looking very
bedraggled after their sodden ride from central London.
We were a merry bunch! I was just glad to be on a ferry with
other cyclists. The last time I took a ferry as a cyclist I was sandwiched
between a load of Spanish lorry drivers looking at me like they hadn't seen a
woman for 10 years! This Friday evening crossing was a definite improvement!
Once off the ferry we made our way through the late-night
sleepy streets of Dieppe en masse. Although we were separate groups travelling independently,
by some coincidence we had all booked to stay at the same hotel. How uncanny!
Breakfast was surprisingly hearty by French standards. They
had definitely catered for folks who would be riding their bikes all day!
On y va!
Riding to Paris can be done at different paces, and the
different groups of cyclists were doing just that. Some, myself included, were
doing the ride in one day, while one couple from Brixton was making it a laid-back sightseeing trip that would take five days.
I didn’t hang around in Dieppe much, as I needed to be in my
booked hotel in Paris that night, so off I popped with the proprietor wishing
me a good, and hopefully dry ride. He probably knew the forecast was for a
rainy day!
Very soon I reached the town of Arques-la-Bataille – an apt
name, for I arrived right when a parade was taking place with folks dressed up
to do a medieval battle re-enactment. Thanks for the welcome party guys!
Shortly afterwards the route led me to the Avenue Verte, a
path reclaimed from a disused railway line in the woods. It was a real delight
to be away from traffic and in my own little world. It was good to be under
tree cover as well, in case of rain.
Given the length and traffic-free nature of Avenue Verte this
is a popular route with cyclists, particularly those from the UK. So on this
Saturday morning I was non-stop greeting other riders as I ambled along.
Avenue Verte has lots of stopping points with either cafes
in disused railway buildings or exit points which lead to the centre of a
village. I particularly welcomed toilets along the way, which were gleaming
clean and had a good supply of toilet roll. Those little things count for a lot
when you are cycle touring!
Particular stopping points of interest are
Mesnières-en-Bray, Neufchatel-en-Bray, Neuville-Ferrières, and
Beubec-la-Rosière – all pretty places, some with their own little chateau.
Unfortunately at lunchtime the sky turned dark and the rain
came down in torrents. Someone must have been watching over me as this happened
just when the Avenue Verte crossed a tunnel where I could shelter.
Related posts
Paris en vélo! Arrivée fictive
Paris en vélo! Arrivée réelle
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