As winter is drawing closer we thought we’d cheer ourselves up a bit and take a look at some of the best cycle routes the world has to offer. In this article, we’re taking a look at the best trips in Europe. All the routes are there to be ridden in full, but they all can be equally scaled down and can be ridden in smaller parts.
The Pyrenees - Coast to Coast..and back!
Route Length – 1100 miles
Arguably one on the most fabulous places to bike, this Pyrenees route offers everything, and it’s no surprise the Tour de France usually has at least a couple of stages here every year. This over 1000 mile route starts in Biarritz and crosses the Pyranees foothills to the Mediterranean at Perpignan. But it’s not finished there, the route continues back towards the Atlantic coast traversing through the high mountain passes. You’ll be accumulating over 110,000 feet of elevation so its fair to say the route will require experience and fitness.
La Vélodyssée - France
Route Length – 750 miles
Billed as ‘The Atlantic Cycling Route’, La Vélodyssée runs from Roscoff in Brittany to Hendaye on the France/Spain border in the Pyrenees. The sea is never far away, and you’ll be able to discover the best each region has to offer along France’s longest waymarked cycle trail. With Roscoff easily reached from Plymouth by ferry, some cyclists have started their trip in England through the rolling hills of Devon before crossing the channel to the main route. None of the route is particularly challenging so you don’t need masses of experience to take it on, just a sense of adventure.
Danube Cycle Path
Route Length – 1800 Miles
The River Danube flows for 1800 miles through the heart of Europe, from its source in the Black Forest in Germany to the Black Sea. The fantastic Danube Cycle Path follows the Danube for much of its length through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.
It’s a great route for relatively inexperienced cyclists, those new to cycling and even families, with much of the route being on flat, paved paths. The most popular section for biking is in Austria, between Passau, Germany (on the Austrian border) and Vienna—a total distance of around 200 miles.
Camino de Santiago
Route Length – 860 miles
Known in English as the Way of St. James, this beautiful route through France and Spain follows the famous pilgrimage route in use for 1200 years. There are four branches of the Pilgrimage route in France leading from different parts in Europe. This particular route which starts from Le Puy-en-Velay, in ancient times serviced travellers from northern Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. Santiago de Compostela, near the western coast of Spain is the destination although many do the French section of the route only upto the border which is about half the total distance.
The route is best suited to more experienced cyclists.Much of the route is extremely hilly, with long, fairly steep climbs. However after the long physical effort to climb, you will be rewarded with some wonderful ridge rides and breathtaking, long and fast descents
