Avenue Verte - Advice

[robmank0572]

Hi.
Thinking of riding the Avenue Verte from Dieppe to Paris next year. Has anyone done this and can advise me on good places to stay, things to see etc? Hoping to take it fairly leisurely over about 3 days, which I guess is about 40 to 50 miles a day. I live near Eastbourne, so will be cycling to Newhaven to catch the Ferry to start the trip.
Thanks
Rob

[Daveyraveygravey]

You'll be able to use the new cycle path beside the A27 to start! It's fantastic, like it was designed by someone who rides a bike and understands what is great about it. The road itnto Newhaven from the A27 is less good, but it's only about 6-7 miles so depending on time of day won't be too bad.

I haven't done the Avenue Verte but I believe it's fairly easy terrain, smooth gravel rather than tarmac?

[robmank0572]

Thanks. I quite regularly ride the new path as I'm Polegate. I ride a combination of on and off road, so it opens up access onto the south downs for me. I'd probably route down to Newhaven via Alfriston and avoid the A26 with all the trucks that go down there to the port.

[leyorkie]

Just read an article in a special magazine “the complete guide to road cycling”
It’s an online edition so I’ve take a couple of screen shots for you.
Good article.

[robmank0572]

leyorkie said:

Just read an article in a special magazine “the complete guide to road cycling”
It’s an online edition so I’ve take a couple of screen shots for you.
Good article.

That's great, looks really interesting, but the image seems to have been compressed to a thumbnail, so struggling to read it. Any chance you could try uploading it again?

[leyorkie]

That’s only two pages I think the article was 8/10 pages in total detailing every day and every stay.
Screen shots are too big for PH to handle
I included the cover so you could identify the magazine in the shops

I got it via Reedly which includes most of the cycling magazines for less that £10 a month also lots of car mags and other things.
Think you can get a free trial for 3 months

Edited by leyorkie on Wednesday 19th July 18:32

[robmank0572]

leyorkie said:

That’s only two pages I think the article was 8/10 pages in total detailing every day and every stay.
Screen shots are too big for PH to handle
I included the cover so you could identify the magazine in the shops

I got it via Reedly which includes most of the cycling magazines for less that £10 a month also lots of car mags and other things.
Think you can get a free trial for 3 months

Edited by leyorkie on Wednesday 19th July 18:32

That's great. I'll try to track down a copy.

[tertius]

I’m doing it at the end of the month so will be able to report back then.

We are planning two days from Dieppe to Paris.

[Siao]

I'll be there too, taking the Ferry on the 29th, but doing a slightly different route. I'll stay until early Sept, so a lot of French bikepacking/cycling.

I'm sure you'll like it!

[kingb]

I’m on the 11pm ferry tonight with the bike - planning to ride to Paris in one hit tomorrow. We are taking road bikes so plan is to avoid the Avenue Verte entirely as I understand it’s quite gravelly in parts. Will follow it quite a lot on the roads and it’s a good line through the countryside!

[kingb]

Completed our weekend out and can confirm the first 50km of the Av Verte is completely tarmac and suitable for road bikes. We did the road on the way down and Ave on the way home. The road has more climbing and is slower but the Av is still a work out. Every 1km or so there is a road crossing, so you stop then have to get back upto speed.

Nice cycling in France - but take supplies - there was very little open for food / water!!

[robmank0572]

kingb said:

Completed our weekend out and can confirm the first 50km of the Av Verte is completely tarmac and suitable for road bikes. We did the road on the way down and Ave on the way home. The road has more climbing and is slower but the Av is still a work out. Every 1km or so there is a road crossing, so you stop then have to get back upto speed.

Nice cycling in France - but take supplies - there was very little open for food / water!!

That's really useful observations and advice. All helps with my plans for next summer. Our trip is going to be a more leisurely trip, expecting to Dieppe to Paris over 3 days with plenty of stops to see things along the route.

[anonymous-user]

Just wanted to say thankyou for the posts on here. It's something I'd never heard of until this thread and now something I've begun planning to do. It looks lovely.

[TheInternet]

I did this a few years ago. Somehow managed it in one day using a memorised route. Quite unfathomable now, feels like I need to use a GPX route to find my own arse sometimes.

I recall that initial stretch being especially pleasant as the sun came up, also hammering around the Hippodrome de Longchamp loop shouting "200km" at the other cyclists.

Did come a bit unstuck looking for supplies at one point but just asked anybody we could find. One couple happily took us in for water/snacks and showed us around their house.

[Johno]

Quick Q for those who have done this .... As there's 3 of us, one who lives in Paris and 2 of us in Hampshire, the intent was Parisian to head over here and then the 3 of us ride to Newhaven, then Dieppe to Paris.

The return is the bit that's causing the issues with it looking such a PIA to get the bikes onto the Eurostar.

Has anyone done it recently, got any experience of the process?

[TheInternet]

We rolled up and took our bikes on the regional service back to Dieppe. I think it was straightforward.

[robmank0572]

TheInternet said:

We rolled up and took our bikes on the regional service back to Dieppe. I think it was straightforward.

My plan had been to do the same as the rules on Eurostar about taking your bike apart and packing it looked unworkable.

https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-...

[tertius]

We are on our way now (currently in Dieppe).

My main advice is don’t do it this week - weather is truly atrocious has been pretty miserable so far and looking worse for the days ahead.

Re. The return our plan is as above - regional train to Dieppe and back over on the Newhaven ferry.

[dcb]

robmank0572 said:

My plan had been to do the same as the rules on Eurostar about taking your bike apart and packing it looked unworkable.

https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-...

Eurostar really need to buck their ideas up and provide a better solution.
I think they are the only rail operator that go through the Chunnel and take
passengers.

I am in planning for a Strasbourg to Cologne holiday and current plans are to car it
to Cologne, then train it to Strasbourg, then holiday it from there.

Inevitably, Deutsche Bahn are so much better organised for bikes than Eurostar.
I've used them, and they are very good.

[tertius]

tertius said:

We are on our way now (currently in Dieppe).

My main advice is don’t do it this week - weather is truly atrocious has been pretty miserable so far and looking worse for the days ahead.

Re. The return our plan is as above - regional train to Dieppe and back over on the Newhaven ferry.

Update after day 3:

Route summary:
Day 1. London (Wimbledon for convenience) to Lingfield - 73 km, 650m of ascent - straightforward, busy in London and slow going; nicer and quicker once you get out of London. Rather damp and quite a bit of off road/gravel. Very uncomfortable beds in the Star Inn Lingfield.
Day 2. Lingfield to Newhaven - 90 km, 853 m - rain all the way, hard going, lots of tough and hilly off road sections. Very nice stretch on the Cuckoo Trail - smooth tarmac surface lovely countryside. Newhaven ferry very bike friendly. Perfect cheap hotel in Dieppe (BnB Hotel Dieppe), 6 km from ferry - VERY steep hill!
Day 3. Dieppe to Gournay-en-Bray - 82 km, 540 m - lovely day, better weather, fantastic smooth tarmac off road for nearly 50km then deserted country lanes. Great cafe in Dampierre-en-Bray - Cafe Velo Jaune - highly recommended.

Tomorrow is day 4: 128 km to Paris (Donald Hirsch route); weather forecast very bad … potential for bail out to train very high!