Mini Tour in Aug

[felstedrider]

Hi

Having not left the country since getting home from PBP in 2019 I have plotted a small tour to get over any anxiety about leaving the country.   I have booked ferries a week apart and scheduled the first and last 2 days.   These are all 200k which I hope to register as audax perms :-

Sat - Home-Newhaven (night sailing)
Sun - Dieppe-Dreux
Mon - Dreux - ?
Tue - ?
Wed - ? - Liege
Thu - Liege to Breda
Fri - Breda to Hook of Holland via Middelberg (night sailing)
Sat am - ride home

It's roughly 450k from Dreux to Liege so I could do 2*200k days and an easy day or 3 shorter days.   I could also extend to make it 3 * 200k days.   I think routing South of Paris is probably preferable and could consider heading towards Reims and then through the Ardennes, but it's bits of France and Belgium that I don't know terribly well.   Any advice gratefully received.   Thanks.

[psyclist]

Jiberjaber has done some touring in that area, so would be a good person to speak to.

As an aside, I'm using the Newhaven-Dieppe night crossing in 2 weeks on my way to Switzerland. An advantage of that crossing is the early start you get in Dieppe, so your first 200km should be a nice relaxed day.

[Lightning Phil]

You’re likely not wanting to go this Far East, but the area south west of Metz is lovely to cycle in.

[felstedrider]

You’re likely not wanting to go this Far East, but the area south west of Metz is lovely to cycle in.

Possible Metz to Liege is a bit over 200k so could make day 5.  Would also mean riding through Luxembourg which would be new.

[felstedrider]

This has all now fallen into place.   All days almost bang on 200k apart from days 5 & 7 which are about 220k.   Day 5 seems to be the lumpiest.   Setting off Saturday morning.

Sat - Home-Newhaven (night sailing)
Sun - Dieppe-Dreux
Mon - Dreux - Chateau Thierry
Tue - Chateau Thierry - Verdun
Wed - Verdun - Liege
Thu - Liege to Breda
Fri - Breda to Hook of Holland via Middelberg (night sailing)
Sat am - ride home

[JellyLegs]

Have a great week.  I hope the weather is kind to you.

[felstedrider]

Sat - Home-Newhaven (night sailing) - Nice ride South on some old roads for me.  Drinks with some old friends before boarding.  Nice meal on ferry but bugger all sleep.
Sun - Dieppe-Dreux - 5am start down the avenue verte.  Breakfast at a boulangerie in Forges Les Eaux.  More old railway close to Dreux but at hotel mid-afternoon to wash kit.   Dinner at you can eat oriental buffet oppsite the Campanile.
Mon - Dreux - Chateau Thierry - Quiet roads to begin with but then quite suburban.   Nicer towards CT.   400ft climb from the town to the Campanile.   Restaurant shut but boulangerie still open for an audax dinner.   Turns out to be heart of champagne country.
Tue - Chateau Thierry - Verdun - flat early run alongside river and then a long stretch on a canal side path stopping at Chalons en Champagne.   Turning East into very quiet and hot countryside.   Out of water 20k from hotel but saved by a water fountain in a village - 35 degrees.   Basic hotel but decent restaurant 200m away.
Wed - Verdun - Liege - Hot forecast so off early (or tried).   Ardennes lovely - rolling and through forest.   Lack of shops in France but Belgium better.   35 degrees in the valley near Hotton and unbearable by Liege.   Nicest hotel and location on the route but stayed in hotel to benefit from the air con.   
Thu - Liege to Breda - Flat.   Enjoyable heading North along the canal from Liege and into NL.   First pancake of the trip having failed to find an open creperie in France.   Lovely to be back on cycle paths but a bit tired and tetchy with all the stop/start into Breda - temps down to 28/29.   Uninspiring dinner in the Campanile which had seen better days.
Fri - Breda to Hook of Holland via Middelberg (night sailing) - Long day so early start.   Rode straight through to Middelburg on quiet paths and through villages.   Town very pretty but had to press on.   Run up the coast very enjoyable - last time I rode through there was the 2012 Dutch Capitals 1400k.   Loads of cyclists and holiday makers enjoying the coast.   Run towards Rotterdam and then to the Rozenburg/Maasluis ferry (5k detour due to closed bridge).   Easy run to Hook of Holland where I had dinner before boarding the ferry.

Sat am - ride home.   Boat had several LEL riders decamping and heading to the start.   First off and through customs by 6:45.   First hour ridden with a Dutch rider on his way to Loughton, parting company just before Colchester.   Early enough to meet Mrs FR for a post Parkrun coffee.   

Must do something like this again but it did feel a little rushed so maybe take more stops or build in the odd rest day.

[humankeith]

Sounds like a fantastic few days! I've got to take advantage of the ferries for a tour some day.

[Pedal Castro]

I'm riding Breda to Hook of Holland on Sunday but more direct including watching stage 2 of the Vuelta.