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Bruges-Paris Bike+Boat
Flanders and Northern France
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Exciting experiences
During this 15 day bike & barge trip through Flanders (Belgium) and northern France, from Bruges to Paris, you will cycle through attractive areas, not yet discovered by mass tourism. This tour is characterized by a wide variation in landscapes and has all the ingredients a good bike & barge tour needs to explore these interesting regions. The first stage in Belgium features highlights like magnificent Bruges as unbeatable start of a beautiful discovery tour, history in medieval Ghent, tapestry in Oudenaarde, Vincent van Gogh’s heritage, a nice Belgium beer at end of your daily cycling tour.
Dates 2024:
Arrival: see dates
Duration: 15 days
Ship Fleur
Bruges-Paris: May 12.
Paris-Bruges: Sept 21.
Ship Zwaantje
Bruges-Paris: May 11., July 20.
Paris-Bruges: July 06., Sept 20.
1st Day: Bruges, approx. 22 km
Embarkation and check-in at 2 PM in the center of Paris. After a welcome by the captain, crew and tour leader the barge will sail right through the city. Mooring place for the night is in a suburb of Paris. After a sailing dinner there is time for a short walk. We advise you to come to Paris one or more days earlier, so that you will have plenty of time to discover this interesting city.
2nd Day: Bruges–Aalterbrug, approx. 34 km or 44 km | Aalterbrug – Ghent
After breakfast you’ll start cycling. You will zigzag through charming woodland and pasture. Half way the canal between Bruges and Ghent your barge will be waiting for you. Once everyone is on board the anchor will be lifted to continue by barge to Ghent. Ghent is a lively university city, also with a rich past. The city has its origins in Roman times, at the confluence of the rivers Leie and Scheldt. This favorable site resulted in great prosperity over the years, which had its peak late 13th, early 14th century. Textile manufacturing brought great wealth. In the city center many old patrician houses have been preserved. In the Clothmakers’ Hall (1425) textile merchants used to meet. Ghent’s major church is St. Baafs’ Cathedral, raised in various ages and in various styles. In the cathedral you can admire a number of masterpieces of medieval painting, of which the “Adoration of the Lamb” by Jan van Eyck is the most famous.
3rd Day: Ghent–Oudenaarde, approx. 46 km or 53 km
This morning you will cycle back into downtown Ghent, where you can make a nice tour through the historical center with a small canal boat. In the late morning you will hop on your bicycles again, onwards to Oudenaarde. Oudenaarde is a small town, which was situated on the border of the French German Empire, so the town was the involuntary witness (and victim) of many wars. Because it was often in the firing line, there was always someone on the lookout. The statue of most famous watchman, “Hanske de Krijger”, still stands on the magnificent town hall, that was built in the first half of the 16th century and is one of the most beautiful in Flanders. Style is Brabant late gothic, material is sandstone from Balegem. Oudenaarde is also known as the town of tapestry weavers. The tapestries became famous all over the world. Before reaching Oudenaarde you will visit an interesting archaeological site (of an old Abbey) Ename which is located at the eastside of the river Scheldt.
4th Day: Oudenaarde–Doornik (Tournai), approx. 42 km
Before leaving Oudenaarde, there is a guided visit to the beautiful town hall. After that you will follow the river Scheldt upstream and cross the linguistic frontier, thus arriving in the Wallonia region. From now on people speak French and villages, towns, and cities have French names. Today’s destination is Doornik or (in French:) Tournai, one of the oldest towns of Belgium. Doornik was under French government until the early 17th century. Just like in Oudenaarde, after the decline of textile industry, tapestry became important here. In 1940, the entire town center was destroyed in a German air raid, but renovation of the center of town has been very successful. Especially the Notre Dame Cathedral (12th and 13th century) is worth seeing. Also the Belfort, built around 1200, is definitely worth a visit.
5th Day: Doornik (Tournai) – Bleharies | Bleharies – Pont Malin, approx. 41 km or 53 km | Pont Malin – Arleux
During breakfast the barge cruises into the direction of the Belgian-French border, through the so called “white land”, where (white) limestone has been quarried since Roman times. Around the village of Bleharies at the border, you will start today’s bicycle ride. The tour goes through open farm land, through little mining towns towards Lewarde, where a mining museum can be visited. You will spend the night in Arleux.
6th Day: Arleux–Ruyalcourt, approx. 35 km or 51 km
The barge leaves the large canal and will from now on follow the Canal du Nord. The construction of this canal was already planned in 1903, but it took until 1966 to finish the works. It was constructed to replace the older and smaller Canal de St. Quentin, constructed by Napoleon in 1801, to transport coal from the mines to the north. Your cycling tours leads to the city of Cambrai, once a Roman provincial capital and an important destination for pilgrims. Worth seeing are the impressive restored buildings of the city fortress, built under King Charles V. Later you will cycle through the marshlands of Chantraine to rural Ruyaulcourt.
7th Day: Ruyalcourt–Péronne, approx. 39 km or 52 km
The Canal du Nord has 2 tunnels, where the barge has to sail through. The longest one is the tunnel of Ruyalcourt, which is 4,350 meters (2.7 miles) long. Today the barge will sail through this tunnel. Above the tunnel is the watershed between rivers Escaut (Scheldt) and Somme. From here the barge therefore goes downhill again into the direction of Péronne. After passing the tunnel you will continue cycling through the valley of the river Somme through sparsely populated open and rolling landscape. At the end of World War 1, this area was the frontline of the battle around the Somme. You will continue cycling to Péronne.
8th Day: Péronne
Today the barge will stay in Péronne. The barge will be moored just outside this charming town with its intimate square and church as well as a castle and the fascinating Grande Guerre museum. Today there is no dinner planned on board. You can select one of the many restaurants of Péronne.
9th Day: Péronne – Épénancourt | Épénancourt – Noyon – Pont l’Évêque, approx. 39 km or 48 km
During breakfast the barge will bring you to the little village of Épénancourt. There you have to get on the bicycles in time for a long ride through gently rolling, open countryside to the art-deco town of Ham and along the river Somme and other picturesque villages. Destination is Noyon with its imposing cathedral.
10th Day: Pont l’Évêque – Compiègne, approx. 36 km or 45 km
From Pont l’Évêque you will set course for Compiègne. You will ride through the forest of Ourscamp and cross the river Aisne where the forest of Compiègne begins. Here, at “Clairière de l’Armistice”, French and German generals signed a Treaty to end World War I. You can visit the small but interesting museum that tells the story. Soon you will arrive at Compiègne. The town owes its magnificent buildings to the proximity of Paris and the great woods, where the French kings loved to stay and hunt. The gardens of the Chateau de Compiègne are definitely worth a visit.
11th Day: Compiègne – Pont-St-Maxence, approx. 45 km or 55 km
Today you cycle first through the forest south of Compiègne, after which you will follow the valley of the Oise further downstream into the direction of Creil. The long tour will add a loop in order to include the little town of Pierrefonds, where you can admire the exterior of the “Disney-like” castle with the same name. Right before reaching Pont Ste. Maxence you will pass by the abbey of Moncel, founded in 1309 by King Philip the Fair. Pont Ste. Maxence owes its name to the fact that in the Middle Ages here was one of the very few bridges over the Oise river. It became a place to spend the night for merchants and kings, who were on their way between Flanders and Paris.
12th Day: Pont-St-Maxence – Creil |Creil – Beaumont, approx. 42 km or 57 km | Beaumont – Auvers-sur-Oise
After a sailing breakfast you start cycling out of Creil towards the precious and famous Castle of Chantilly, also very known for the horse racing circuit and royal stables and for its art gallery – the Musée Condé – that houses one of the finest collections of paintings in France. After the visit you continue through a nice forest and pass the abbey of Royaumont. If you take the short option, you will be picked up by the barge at Beaumont. The long option will cross the river Oise and follow the river to Auvers-sur-Oise, where Vincent van Gogh spent the last days of his life and where he and his brother Theo are buried on the cemetery. You will have the possibility to visit Van Gogh’s grave on the local cemetery during a short evening walk. This region was very popular among impressionist painters.
13th Day: Auvers-sur-Oise – Paris (Bougival/Rueil), approx. 42 km or 46 km
Since you arrived in Auvers late yesterday, you can first spend some time in Auvers to search for “the soul of Van Gogh”. Then, full of impressionist impressions, you will cycle in the direction of the Capital of Light. There is time for lunch at Conflans Sainte Honorine, where the Oise and Seine rivers merge. Conflans has been an important shipping center in Northern France since the 19th century. In the afternoon you will cycle up to the castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye from where you will have a splendid view over Paris. After that you will continue along the river to Bougival, where you will spend the night.
14th Day: Paris (Bougival/Rueil) – Paris
Today the barge finally cruises the Seine, upstream into Paris. It is not far in a straight line, but the Seine makes a number of large meanders here. You will cruise right through the center of Paris. You can spend the rest of the day as you like. You can explore the city by subway, or take a bus roundtrip that takes you along all major sights.
15th Day: Paris
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.
Important Information
The tour itinerary and route are subject to possible changes due to nautical, technical or meteorological reasons, or other unforeseen events.
Good to know
- Cycling route distances in the travel program are approximate.
- On some days you can choose between a longer and a shorter cycling route. Please note that on the shorter routes you may not be able to visit all the highlights mentioned.
- If you prefer not to cycle on a particular day, you’re welcome to stay on board and relax while the ship cruises to the next landing place.
- The tour itinerary and route are subject to possible changes due to nautical, technical or meteorological reasons, or other unforeseen events.
- On the arrival day, you can leave your luggage on board the ship from 11.00 am.
YOUR ACCOMMODATION:
ship FLEUR
The Fleur started cruising in 2002. This tasteful passenger barge with her sleek lines was built to fit the smaller locks, sluices and canals in France and has been cruising the French waters ever since. But don’t let her size fool you! The Fleur can accommodate a maximum of 20 guests in the 10 comfortable cabins on the lower deck, each with private sanitary facilities, central heating and air-conditioning. On the upper deck there is a lounge with large windows, a roomy sitting area and bar, and outside a half-covered sun deck. Wonderful for a cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of wine.
Cabins:
On the lower deck, the Fleur has ten comfortable guest cabins (9 m² – 97 sq.ft.) with two separate single beds. Each cabin has a private shower, toilet and basin, central heating and air-conditioning; windows are fixed for safety reasons. Furthermore, in each cabin you will find a mini safe and hair dryer.
ship ZWAANTJE
The Zwaantje (little Swan) is a smaller passenger barge. On the upper deck you will find the nice and cozy salon with heating, air conditioning, large panoramic windows, a restaurant area, lounge corner and a small bar. Wi-Fi is available. The Zwaantje also has a very spacious sun deck with chairs and tables where you can relax, enjoy the scenery while sailing or join the skipper in the wheel house.
Cabins:
On the lower deck, the Zwaantje has twelve comfortable guest cabins. Ten twins (7 m² – 75 sq.ft.) with two separate single beds and two doubles (6 m² – 65 sq.ft.) with one double bed. Each cabin has a private shower, toilet and basin. All cabins have ventilation, central heating, air-conditioning and a window; the windows in the doubles can be opened, the windows in the twins are fixed for safety reasons. Furthermore, in each cabin you will find a mini safe and hair dryer.
YOUR BICYCLES:
7-speed unisex
E-Bikes
- Velo de Vile or similar
- comfort-entrance unisex
- 28″ tires
- Shimano-circuit
- E-Bikes with 400 WH Bosch-engine
- luggage rack
- comfort-gel-saddle
- Handbreak
- lock-on-frame
Please note: Bringing own bikes is – depending on the ship, either against surcharge or due for reasons of space not possible.
ARRIVAL INFORMATION:
Parking
- public parking areas
Train station
- Station: Paris or Bruges
Flughafen
- Next Airport: Paris (CDG) , Bruges Ostende (OST)
- 14 nights incl. breakfast
- Packed lunches
- 13 x 3-course dinner
- Coffee and tea on board
- Welcome drink
- Use of bed linen and towels
- Daily cleaning of the cabin, 1x change of bed sheets
- Climate-controlled cabin
- Daily briefings
- Fully guided cycling tours (from 18 guest: 2 tour leaders, 2 groups)
- Some short walking tours
- Maps for cycling tours (1 set per cabin)
- GPS tracks
- Use of a helmet
- Use of a waterproof pannier bag
- Biodegradable water bottle
- Fees for ferries
- Canal trip through Ghent
- Visit museum Glade of the Armistice
- Entrance castle of Chantilly
- Visit town hall Oudenaarde
- Wi-Fi
- Carbon offset payment to the non-profit organization Justdiggit
Ships Fleur + Zwaantje | |
2-bed cabin | 3.199,- |
2-bed cabin for single use | 4.798,50,- |
Additional bookable
Rental bikes | ||
7-speed | 200,- | |
E-Bike | 500,- | |
Bringing own bike not possible | ||
Diet (upon request, payable on site) | 50,- |
Operator: BoatBikeTours
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