Bike Tour in Picardy

 

 

We start in the town of Villers-Cotterêts, birthplace of writer Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo) and where Francis I built a château and signed a decree proclaiming French to be the official language of the kingdom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We move into the countryside and shortly after we stop in the village of Vez to view its impressive medieval keep. Just down the road we pass a picturesque abbey ruin and ride through several charming villages and some scenic countryside before arriving at the lovely village of Morienval, whose gothic church is noted for being among the first to use the ribbed vaulting technique and which displays several medieval and Renaissance statues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we'll visit some Roman ruins comprised of a small amphitheater, temple and bath complex. From the amphitheater we'll ride on designated scenic roads through the countryside and charming villages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

Our journey ends in Crépy-en-Valois. Crépy-en-Valois is a little gem of a medieval village with quaint streets, old buildings, gothic churches and a medieval castle and ramparts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

 

 

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• Tour Cost: €375 - This is the price for your group, not a per person cost.

 

• Additional Costs: Train Ticket – €27.60pp    Bike Rental – €30pp

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• Meeting time and train times: We will meet at the bike rental store at 7:45AM and take an 8:32AM train leaving Paris and arriving in Villers-Cotterêts at 9:22AM. We will take a train departing from Crépy-en-Valois at 4:32PM and arrive in Paris at 5:10PM.

 

• Total round trip train time: 1 hour 30 minutes

 

• Touring Time: 7 hours 10 minutes from train arrival in Villers-Cotterêts to train departure from Crépy-en-Valois

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• Distance round trip from bike store to train station: 3km / 2 miles

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• Touring Distance: 50km / 31 miles from train arrival in Villers-Cotterêts to train departure from Crépy-en-Valois

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• Total biking distance: 53km / 33 miles

 

• Level of Difficulty: Moderate. There are three or four small hills and a few steeper hills on this tour but most of the ride is on flat to gently rolling terrain. There is one steep hill with an ascent time of 5+ minutes and a distance of about 1km but the other smaller hills will also require some effort so you should be an experienced cyclist and fit to do this tour. This tour is best suited to those who cycle regularly and are fit.