London to Paris Cycle – a guide and overview
London to Paris Cycle has become increasingly popular in recent years, and with good reason. Cycling between two of the most iconic capital cities in the world is just one of the pulls of this journey. If chosen correctly, the route and standard of cycling roads can be an absolute joy too. In this blog post, we look at some of the different routes from the UK to France.
London to Paris Routes
The most popular route by far is from London to Dover, get the ferry over to Calais, then cycle due south via the towns of Arras and Compiegne to Paris. If cycled over four days, the average mileage for this is around 75 miles per day and the towns of Arras and Compiegne are delightful stopovers en route.
A variation of this route is to take the ferry to Calais, then cycle down the coast, passing through the town of Abbeville and Beauvais. This is another lovely route but the ride from Calais to Abbeville can be quite exposed and windy due to the sea.
Getting the ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre is another option but the ferry journey is longer and far more expensive. There are two departures daily with Brittany Ferries, the best of which leaves late in the evening and arrives at around 08:30 the following day. From Le Havre, the route then can be done comfortably in a further three days riding.
The final option is getting the ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe. This is most popular with riders attempting the London to Paris 24 hour challenge due to the timings involved and the reduced cycling mileage required. The ferry times are awkward to say the least, the best option being leaving in the morning from Newhaven and arriving into Dieppe mid-afternoon, leaving only half a day’s ride for your first day in France. It is then however a shorter distance from Dieppe to Paris which can comfortably done in a couple of days.
Once in Paris the easiest and most efficient way to get back is on the Eurostar. Bicycles can be transported on this service for an extra charge and takes a couple of hours for you to get back to St Pancras station in central London. Another option is to fly back with your bicycle and luggage. The advantage if you’re from outside of London is that flights from Charles de Gaulle airport fly to destinations throughout the UK, which could mean a shorter journey for you on the return leg.
London to Paris Bike Ride
If you’d like to find out more about London to Paris Cycle, please get in touch with us or check out this video from one of our organized trips:
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