avenue verte London-Paris Route map for tour operators Linking two of Europe’s most beautiful capital cities by bike 406 km - Normandy variation – 10 days/9 nights 472 km - Picardy variation – 15 days/14 nights THE ROUTE The Avenue Verte London-Paris® is a cycle route which will encourage you to spend time exploring charming hidden corners of France and Great Britain, with the added pleasure of unexpected encounters along the way. It’s a journey which gives you the chance to immerse yourself in the urban environment just as much as in the natural world – many of the landscapes you traverse offer their local flavours with the colourful spectacle of fields, forests, lakes and coastal scenery. Two variations are available on your route from Paris to London, either via the banks of the Oise river (Picardy – 472km / 295miles) or following the Epte valley (Normandy – 406km / 254 miles). On the French side, you will recognise the landscapes in the valley of the Seine which inspired the Impressionist painters, you will pass through the protected natural landscape of the Regional Natural Park of French Vexin, you will discover the manor houses, chateaux and abbeys of the Epte and Oise valleys, you will savour the gastronomic delights of the Bray region and admire the impressive cliffs along the Alabaster Coast. On the English side, you will travel through the southern counties praised by the poets before reaching the tumult of London and the Thames. 1 PARIS AMIENS 46km 2 MAISONS-LAFFITTE 4-hour crossing approximately 51km 27km DIEPPE NORMANDy variation PICARDy variation 3 CHAUSSY 3 AUVERS-SUR-OISE 63km 33km NEUFCHÂTEL-EN-BRAY 4 GISORS 4 CHANTILLY 58km 28km 5 FORGES-LES-EAUX 5 PONT-STE-MAXENCE 472km FORGES-LES-EAUX 406km LE HAVRE 49km 25km ROUEN ST-GERMAIN DE FLY PICARDy variation 6 DIEPPE 6 AGNETZ GOURNAY-EN-BRAY 28km AGNETZ 7 BEAUVAIS 43km 31km HEATHFIELD NORMANDy variation BEAUVAIS 7 8 GOURNAY-EN-BRAY 51km PONT-STE-MAXENCE 46km CRAWLEY GISORS 8 9 NEUFCHATEL-EN-BRAY 65km 40km DIEPPE 9 LONDON DIEPPE CHAUSSY 10 CHANTILLY VERNON AUVERS-SUR-OISE 35km GIVERNY MAISONS-LAFFITTE 11 HAILSHAM PARIS 41km 12 FOREST ROW 38km greenways and cycle paths 13 REDHILL shared roads 65km 14 LONDON Difficulty of the route Crossing the Channel by ferry and road surfaces The crossing between Dieppe and Newhaven is run by Transmanche General Information The Avenue verte London-Paris® is accessible to almost everybody, Ferries. Both their ferries ‘Le Côte and particularly to families. The route is generally flat and over 50% d’Albâtre’ and the ‘Seven Sisters’ are of it is on greenways (often on old railway lines). There are occasional fitted with stabilisers to make your This brochure gives a description of each inclines particularly in Vexin and the department of Eure in France. journey more comfortable. There is stage with the main places to visit, a selection plenty of seating so that you can enjoy of establishments chosen for the quality All terrain road bikes are the most suitable for the route, which a sea view during the 4-hour crossing. of their services for cyclists: addresses of has varied surfaces (tarmac, sand or compacted gravel on the You will also find a bar on board, as well accommodation, restaurants, bicycle renters greenways, etc.) as food, games for children and adults, and repairers, and all sorts of other useful a shop and lounges where you can information such as distances, gradients, and relax, and even cabins for those who road surfaces. feel tired and want to sleep. These information sheets are aimed primarily TRAIN + BIKE Booking at :w at a clientele from commercial operators: ww.dfdsseaways.fr or www. individuals looking for a break of a week to 10 transmancheferries.com days, combining cycling with the discovery of cultural, historical or gastronomic heritage. The The train is a practical and fast option if you want to skip stages in list of service providers given is not exhaustive the route. Departing from Paris, the RER line A or D (Chantilly, and can be supplemented simply by emailing Creil) and many suburban transilien and TER lines (Paris St- [email protected] Lazare and Gare du Nord stations), offer free parking for bikes and serve several stations along the route: Saint-Denis, Chatou, Saint- Germain-en-Laye, Maisons-Laffitte, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Cergy-Pontoise, Vernon-Giverny, Serqueux, Dieppe. In England the route also passes several station along its way: Brighton, Newhaven, Guide reference books Eastbourne (via Polegate), Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead, Crawley, Gatwick Airport, Wimbledon, and various stations in London. INTRODUCING There are two reference guide books « Accueil vélo » in French on the Avenue Verte London Paris®: Paris à Londres à vélo “Accueil Vélo” is a sign guaranteeing a quality welcome Chamina édition - 2012 - Price : 15,50€ and service to cyclists all along French cycle routes. De Paris à Londres à vélo Be they providers of accommodation, bicycle renters par les voies vertes or repairers, managers of tourist attractions, or tourist Editions Ouest-France - 2015 - Price : 14,90€ offices, they are all located within 5 km of the l’Avenue Verte London-Paris® route and have been trained to adapt their reception to the needs of cycle tourists, whether they are passing through or staying in the area. Reference guide books in other languages: Note: ‘Accueil Vélo’ accommodation can sometimes Avenue Verte - London to Paris By bike transfer luggage to your next place of stay as well as Edition Sustrans - 2015 - Price : 12,95£ prepare packed lunches. Parigi- Londra in bicicleta ‘Accueil Vélo’ tourist offices have a basic repair kit Edition Edicicloeditore - 2014 - Price : 16€ available Your return journey can be arranged from Saint-Pancras station in London (Eurostar). To reserve bicycle accommodation aboard: www.eurostar.com/fr-fr/voyage/preparez-votre-voyage/bagages/velos Notre-Dame cathedral and the Saint-Martin canal / Paris STAGE Notre-Dame cathedral on the city isle marks the historic heart of the capital. Apart from its breath-taking nave, its magnificent stained-glass windows and its gargoyles and chimeras, Notre-Dame is a living spiritual place, which is much frequented. Close PARIS by, the Saint-Martin canal is ideal for a stroll along its shady banks or a browse in the plethora of colourful shops along the quayside. Welcome to Paris, city of light! Here there are more places to visit than 1 you have fingers on both hands… the Seine, its banks and bridges, the Eiffel Tower, the Trocadero, Notre-Dame cathedral, the Champs-Elysées, The Saint-Denis canal and Street Art Avenue / Saint-Denis Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur, the Louvre and the royal palace, Saint- Seine Saint-Denis and the North east of Paris are places full of creativity, especially Germain and the Latin quarter… so many iconic places which you can as far as urban art is concerned. Many internationally renowned artists embellish the explore at your own pace during this first day either strolling around on foot walls of the Plaine Commune area with their works of street art. Realising this, the idea came of creating Street Art Avenue along the Saint-Denis canal, from the Porte or using ‘Vélib’ – Paris’ bike rental scheme. THE HIGHLIGHTS de la Villette to Saint-Denis railway station. www.tourisme-plainecommune-paris.com/decouvrir/destination-creative/street-art The flea market of Paris Saint-Ouen With 170 stallholders spread over 7 hectares (17 acres), Saint-Ouen flea market is the premier antiques market in the world. Furniture, art objects, decorative items, books, discs, jewellery, vintage clothes and much else besides are to be found in this bargain hunters’ paradise. ALONG ADDITIONAL THE WAY INFORMATION ACCOMMODATION RESTAURANTS BYCICLE RENTAL Grand Hôtel de Turin *** Beaucoup Vélib’ 6 Rue Victor Massé - Paris 7 rue Froissart – Paris 3 For just 1.70€ per day, rent a bike to explore Paris, Saint- +33 (0)1 48 78 45 26 +33 (0) 1 42 77 38 47 Ouen or even Saint-Denis. Lots of rental and drop-off points www.hoteldeturin.com www.beaucoup-resto.com within Paris and its environs. Hôtel Campanile Paris www.velib.paris - +33 (0)1 30 79 79 30 La Villette *** Daroco 147-151 avenue de Flandre - Paris 6 rue Vivienne – Paris 2 +33 (0)1 44 72 46 46 +33 (0)1 42 21 93 71 TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE www.campanile-paris-19-la-villette.fr www.daroco.fr Congrès de Paris Tourist Information Office Hôtel relais Bergson ** Le café-caché (104) +33 (0)1 49 52 42 63 124 Avenue Simon Bolivar - Paris 5 Rue Curial – Paris 19 www.parisinfo.com +33 (0)1 42 08 31 17 www.cafecache.fr wwww.hotelrelaisbergson.com Plaine Commune Grand Paris Tourist Information Ibis Budget ** Que Du Bon Office 53-61 rue de la commune de Paris - 22 rue du Plateau +33 (0)1 55 870 870 Aubervilliers Paris 19 [email protected] +33 (0)8 92 68 32 61 +33 (0)1 42 38 18 65 www.plainecommunetourisme-paris.com The information sheet for this first stage is an www.ibis.com www.restaurantquedubon.fr Tourist information point Basilique invitation to spend some time looking around Hôtel B&B Paris Tourist information point Saint-Denis Stade de France Paris and its surrounding area before you Saint Denis Pleyel ** L’Auberge Saint-Roch Tourist information point Puces Paris Saint-Ouen 33 rue Saint Roch leave for London. Here we give details of some 36 boulevard de la Libération MARKETS Saint Denis Paris 1 +33 (0)1 42 61 40 83 Saint-Denis : The biggest market in Ile-de-France with 250 specially selected places in the French capital + 33 (0)8 92 70 22 16 traders, a veritable “world market”: Tuesdays, Fridays and where you can have a good time, spend the www.hotelbb.com Sunday mornings - Place Jean Jaurès.