France Belgium Paris to Bruges Bike Tour 2018 Guided Two itineraries based on barge preference 15 days / 14 nights

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1 France Belgium Paris to Bruges Bike Tour 2018 Guided Two itineraries based on barge preference 15 days / 14 nights Frenchmonuments.eu During this trip through northern France and Flanders, from Paris to Bruges, you will cycle through attractive landscapes, over gently forested undulations and across open farm land, along the rivers Seine, Oise and Somme, Scarpe and Scheldt, where the watershed appears to be the actual border. You will walk through interesting cities; for example a visit to Paris and its exceptional parks is on the program, but also to small art-deco towns such as Ham and Ronse. You will pass through Oudenaarde and Ghent with their historically renowned production of tapestries and sheets, past the impressive cathedrals and ancient bishoprics such as Noyon, Cambrai and Tournai. We ll visit the lively Creil, the imperial city of Compiegne and the tourist town of Péronne; and inspiration for painters such as Van Eyck in Bruges, Corot in Arleux, Van Gogh in Auvers and Permeke in St. Martens-Lathem. You will get to see imposing remains of the abbeys at Royaumont and Our-champs, of Marchiennes and St. Amand, view the palaces of Chantilly, Compiegne and Blérancourt and admire the castles in Pierrefonds and Péronne. There are many reminders of the First World War such as in the Armistice and Péronne museums and the farmer s craft traditions in Hertsberge.

2 MS Zwaantje Day 1: Embarkation: Paris Embarking takes place from 16:00 on board the barge MS Zwaantje in Paris from the Port d Austerlitz, close to the eponymous station. In the evening you can walk to Ile Saint Louis, a distance of around 3 kilometers. Day 2: Paris: City Center During breakfast a cruise on the river Seine through the center of Paris. At around 10:30 you will be able to go ashore to visit the city at your leisure or you can go on a city walk of around 5 kilometers through the beautiful green areas of Parc de la Vilette, Buttes Chaumont and Belleville. The ship sails on and mores close to the outer area of the city. You can reach the berth using public transport (day tickets not included, around 3) and will be able to board at around for dinner. Day 3: Saint Germain and Laye, Conflens and Auvers sur Oise 40 km After breakfast you will cycle along quiet towpaths along the river Seine to the higher situated St. Germain, the gardens of Le Nôtre provide a magnificent view across Paris. Next you will go through the woods to Conflans for a picnic on the pier amongst the terraces. After a short stop at the Pontoise Bridge, you cycle further across the picturesque Chemin des Monts to the church of Auvers, famous for Van Gogh s paintings. We will visit his grave during the evening walk. Day 4: Beaumont sur Oise, Royaumont, Chantilly, Creil 50 km After a short stop in Beaumont we will have a picnic at the Royaumont abbey; one of the best preserved abbeys from the 13th century. During the afternoon we will visit the splendid Chantilly; a luxurious castle with an impressive art collection and horse dressage. After dinner there will be a stroll through the lively provincial town of Creil. Day 5: Pont St.Maxence, Pierrefonds, Compiegne 55 km During breakfast the MS Zwaantje will take us to Pont Saint Maxence. From there you will cycle through little towns and have a short stop in Verberie and then through the forest to Castle Pierrefonds; the leading restoration project by Viollet le Duc. In the evening we will be exploring the historical center with its medieval market and many alleyways.

3 Day 6: La Clairière, Tracy, Ourschamps or Blérancourt, Noyon km First we ll go to l Armistice de la Clairière to the forest clearing and the carriage where the First World War armistice was signed. Then through Tracy and the Ourchamps abbey with its charming ruin then on through rolling woodlands to Noyon and its imposing cathedral. You can extend the route by cycling to Blérancourt, where there is a lovely town hall from the 17th Century and a charming palace with flower gardens to be admired. Day 7: Through Ham to Péronne 65 km Today we will embarking on a long bike ride leaving at 8:30 for a ride through gently rolling, open countryside, the art deco town of Ham and along the river Somme and the picturesque villages. Day 8: Day in Péronne The MS Zwaantje will be moored just outside this charming town with its intimate square and church as well as a castle and the fascinating Grande Guerre museum. Dinner in town in a restaurant of your choice (not included, recommendations available on board). Day 9: Bapaume, Ruyaulcourt 45 km We will continue cycling along the river Somme and then through the sparsely populated open and rolling landscape to Bapaume which was rebuilt after the First World War. We will then go on to Canal du Nord in Ruyaulcourt, here the MS Zwaantje will pass through the divide between the rivers Somme and the Scheldt through a tunnel; the original border between Flanders and France. Mooring is in an outer area. Day 10: Cambrai and Arleux 45 km Today we will visit Cambrai, a lively provincial town with historic monuments and a beautiful park to picnic in and then past the marshlands of Chantraine on to rural Arleux. Panoramio.com Day 11: Lewarde, Montigny, Marchiennes, Saint Amand les Eaux, Tournai 65 km A long day of cycling through former mining towns with beautifully preserved heritage from around 1900, and past the Scarpe river, through Marchiennes and St. Amand where there are monumental remains of baroque abbeys. Just across the border with Belgium lies Tournai, where we will take an evening walk through its historic center.

4 Day 12: Kluisbergen, Ronse, Oudenaarde 50 km North of Tournai we will cycle across flat farmland with a few hills to the wooded Kluisberg, known for its cycling tours. The church in Ronse has a beautiful crypt from the 13th century and art deco villas and a crypt from the 11th Century. In Oudenaarde you will find the splendid town hall with a magnificent collection from the 16th and 17th century as well as the Tour of Flanders Centre. After dinner you can enjoy a Belgian beer at the atmospheric Market place. Day 14: Bellem, Hertsberge, Moerbrugge, Bruges 50 km During breakfast the MS Zwaantje will take us to Aalter where will get on our bikes and cycle through wooded areas and fields, past quiet villages and castles to the Hertsberge estate where there is an interesting agricultural museum to visit. Timely arrival in Bruges, the most picturesque city in Flanders and from the 14th to the 16th century renowned as one of Europe s most important centers of banking and art, and during the romantic period rediscovered for time travel in the middle ages. Day 15: Disembarkation: Bruges After breakfast you will leave the ship. Disembarkation till Day 13: Through Nazareth, Ooidonk, Sint-Martens-Lathem, Afsnee 50 km or directly to Ghent 35 km First we will cycle along the river Scheldt then on through the idyllic Ooidonk landscape, the artists village of St.Martens-Lathem, the small ferry of Afsnee and the bustling Gent South. There is the option of cycling directly along the river Scheldt to Ghent to spend an afternoon in this lively university town. Of Romanian origin and situated at the merging point of the rivers Scheldt and Leie, Ghent was, between the 14th and 16th century, a wealthy trade and textile city, evidence of which lies in the cloth hall, cathedral and town hall. In the evenings the town center is a very atmospheric place to be. There is the option of joining a canal tour to the center and returning to the ship by taxi (not included).

5 Barge Fleur Day 1: Paris Bougival Embarkation at 14:00 h. You find the Fleur in Port d Arsenal right in the middle of Paris, next to the Place de la Bastille. 14:30 h Welcome speech and crew introduction. 15:00 h Departure with the barge. Sail right across the center of Paris, along famous points of interest like the Louvre, the Musée d Orsay and the Eiffel tower. 17:00 h Safety Lecture 18:15 h Welcome drink 18:30 h Sailing dinner to Bougival. Day 4: Creil Pont-st-Maxence Pont-st-Maxence - Compiegne 35/55 km During breakfast we sail to Pont-st-Maxence. Here our bike ride starts. This town owes its name to the fact that in very olden times there already was a bridge over the Oise and so Pont-St-Maxence became the place to stay the night for kings and merchants who were on their way to Flanders. From here our biking tour starts. Not far from here we pass the abbey of Moncel, which in 1309 was founded by King Philips de Schone. Before we reach Compiegne, where we will spend the night, we cycle through the forest south of the city. This beautiful town owes its architectural wealth to the proximity of Paris and the enormous woods in which the French kings loved to wander. The gardens of the Chateau de Compiègne are most worthy of your visit. Day 5: Compiegne Chauny 38/60 km Today we leave the river Oise to continue our trip by way of the canal system connecting France and Belgium. The cycling goes through the forest of Compiegne where we visit the Clairière de l Armistice, the place where the French and German generals signed for the end of WWI. We can visit the small but interesting museum over there. Later we cross the river Aisne and cycle through the forest of Ourscamp. We will meet the Fleur again in Chauny. Day 2: Paris (Bougival) Auvers-sur-Oise 36 / 48 km The biking starts shortly after breakfast to St.Germain-en-Laye. There you climb to the palace and from the palace garden you have a splendid view over Paris. Later we pass Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, where the Oise and the Seine merge. From the 19th century Conflans has been an important center of navigation in Northern France. Our final destination is Auvers-sur-Oise, where Vincent van Gogh spent the last days of his life and where he and his brother are buried in the local cemetery. This region was loved by many Impressionist painters. After dinner an evening walk to the van Gogh cemetery. Day 3: Auvers-sur-Oise Beaumont Beaumont - Creil 35/55 km Sailing breakfast to Beaumont. Starting in Beaumont, we follow the Oise upstream. On our bikes we pass the abbey of Royaumont and soon thereafter we arrive in Chantilly, with its famous castle. The castle is also well known for the horse-racing circuit and royal stables. Today s destination is Creil, a country town, which in the 19th century was famous for its fine pottery.

6 Day 6: Chauny St Quentin 40/55 km Today we continue the cruise on the old canal of St. Quentin, a beautiful old canal with many locks. The canal still breathes peace and quiet and reminds of a rich shipping history. Coals from the mines needed to be transported to the south, so Napoleon decided to dig the canal in Here the Fleur feels at home and for the first time this tour the size of the locks are just right for her. The cycling goes through the Somme region, quiet country side with small villages. Our destination today is St. Quentin. St. Quentin arose in the 2nd century on a junction of roman roads. The lively provincial capital of the Aisne flourished as a destination for pilgrims around the grave of St. Quentin. The gothic basilica was built between 1230 and the 15th century and has a unique double transept. The Town Hall is a jewel from the 16th century, with a splendid façade in flamboyant Gothic style. Day 7: St. Quentin Today the Fleur stays in St. Quentin. If there is enough interest you can participate in a day excursion by bus to the battlefields of World War I in the Somme valley. But it is also possible to use the day for exploring the city of St. Quentin further and for shopping. Today there is no dinner on board. You can select one of the French restaurants of St. Quentin. Day 8: St. Quentin tunnel of Riqueval Honnecourt 40/65 km The Canal de St. Quentin was dug under the government of Napoleon. Because the differences in height were sometimes big, it was necessary to dig some tunnels. The longest one is the tunnel of Riqueval, which is 5670 meters long. Today we go through this tunnel with the Fleur. Like in former years, ships are still pulled through the tunnel in two hours by an electrically driven towboat. Above the tunnel there is the watershed between rivers Escaut (Schelde) and Somme. At the tunnel is a little museum. We spend the night in a little village called Honnecourt. Day 9: Honnecourt Cambrai Pont Malin 35/60 km Today we continue our trip over the old canal de St. Quentin. We start cycling to the ancient abbey of Vaucelles and later we continue to the city of Cambrai, once a roman provincial capital and an important destination for pilgrims. First in 1677 Cambrai became French. Worth seeing are the impressive restored buildings of the city fortress, built under Charles V. The old city gate dates from 1300, the so called Spanish house and the cathedral next to it. In the afternoon we leave the old canal de St. Quentin and we continue on the Canal du Grand Gabarit to Pont Malin, where we spend the night.

7 Day 10: Pont Malin Doornik 45 km Today we follow the canal du Grand Gabarit for a few hours passing through a former industrial area of France. Old mines and steel sites boarder the canal. We start our today s bike ride which follows the old pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela. The Fleur crosses the French frontier in Mortagne and a little later, in Bleharies, we cross the Belgium frontier. We sail through the so-called white land. The charming little fortress town Antoing lies at the heart of this region and since the Roman days limestone has been mined here. Our today s destination is Doornik (in French: Tournai), one of the oldest cities of Belgium. Here we are in Wallonia, where all towns and villages have both a French and a Flemish name. Up till the beginning of the 17th century Doornik was ruled by the French. Here, tapestry weaving gained in importance, while the cloth industry became less important. In the various museums of the town, excellent examples can be seen. In 1940 the entire city center was destroyed after a German air raid. However, the town has been renovated splendidly. Especially the cathedral the Notre Dame (12th and 13th century) is worth seeing, as well as the Belfort, which was built at about Day 11: Doornik (Tournai) Oudenaarde 45 km Now we sail downstream the river Schelde and crossing the language barrier we enter the Flemish region. From here onwards Flemish is the spoken language. Our target is Oudenaarde. In former days this little town was situated on the border of the French and German Empires and as a result it was involved in wars frequently. Since Oudenaarde was right in the firing line, there was always someone on the lookout. The statue of the most famous watchman, Hanske de Krijger, is on the splendid city hall. In the first half of the 16th century this city hall was built of sandstone in Brabantine late Gothic style and it is one of the most beautiful city halls of Flanders. Oudenaarde is also known as the town of the tapestry weavers. Their tapestry is famous all over the world. Day 12: Oudenaarde Ghent 35 km We continue sailing on the Schelde in the direction of Ghent, but before we arrive there we may visit an interesting archeological site (of an old Abbey) Ename which is located at the east-side of the river Scheldt. Ghent is a lively university town with a rich history. The town arose on the spot where in Roman days the rivers Leie and Schelde merged. This favourable location brought on quite some wealth with a peak in the late 13th and early 14th century. The cloth industry was a source of great riches. In the city many patrician residences have been preserved. In the Lakenhalle (1425) the cloth traders gathered. The most important church is St. Baafs cathedral, which was constructed in different centuries and in different styles. In the cathedral several masterpieces of mediaeval painting are to be found. The worship of the Lamb of God by Jan van Eyck is the most famous of all. You might want to take a city tour by boat or visit the old castle Gravensteen.

8 Day 13: Ghent Bruges 25/50 km Today our bike tour goes through the pleasant country side of Western Flanders to Bruges. Bruges, also called the Venice of the North, maybe is the most beautiful of all Flemish cities. Its old center, which dates from the Middle Ages, is almost completely intact. At the time Bruges was a metropole, center of trade and art, which we can still fully enjoy. Day 14: Bruges Today the Fleur stays in Bruges. Day 15: Bruges After breakfast you will leave the ship. Disembarkation till 9 am.

9 Route Technical Characteristics: Tour Profile: Relaxed. These holidays are appropriate for anyone with good physical condition and basic cycling skills. Distances up to 50 kilometers per day. You spend about 5 hours on your bicycle. Short slopes with heights up to 100 meters. Distance: 570 km Travel Dates: Barge Zwaantje: Paris Departures: June 9, 2018 Bruges Departures: May 12, 2018 Barge Fleur: Paris Departures: June 9 and September 29, 2018 Bruges Departures: May 26, 2018

10 Price per Person: Twin Cabin Zwaantje Single use of cabin Zwaantje Twin Cabin Fleur May 26/ June 9 Departure Twin Cabin Fleur September 29 Departure Single use of cabin Fleur all departures On request Reservation Fee (per reservation) Bike Rental 21 speed (Zwaantje) and 11 speed (Fleur), hand brakes, pannier bag, helmet and water bottle E-Bike Rental (limited number available, only on request) Helmet Included: Tour and accommodation on board in the booked category 15 days/14 nights Full board; 14x breakfast, 13x picnic lunch during bike tours, 13x three course dinner (1x dinner in Péronne (Zwaantje) of St. Quentin (Fleur) excluded) Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels daily possible, change of bed linen 1x) Daily cleaning service of the cabin Welcome drink, presentation of barge and crew and briefing on the first evening Tour leader (multilingual) for fully guided cycling tours, daily briefings of the bike tours; (from 18 guests 2 guides) Printed instructions and detailed maps for individual daily bike tours, 1 set/cabin Entrance Clairière de l Armistice Entrance Chateau Chantilly Entrance City hall Oudenaarde Printed instructions and detailed maps for individual daily bike tours, 1 set/cabin Not included: Transfer to/from the docking places Paris and Bruges Reservation fee Dinner in Péronne or St. Quentin Bike rental Parking fee Ticket public transport in Paris (Zwaantje) Entrance fees and excursions Drinks on board Personal insurances Gratuities (at your discretion) Special diets on request/surcharges may apply

11 MS Zwaantje The MS Zwaantje ( Little Swan ) is a fully converted passenger barge under Dutch flag and management with a length of 40 meters that can accommodate 24 passengers. On lower deck the barge has 12 sleeping cabins: 10 twin cabins with two single beds each and 2 cabins with a double (French) bed. All cabins have a small en-suite bathroom with toilet, shower and wash basin, a fixed window (both double cabins have larger windows that also open) and individual air conditioning. On the main deck you will find the nice and cozy salon with air conditioning and large panoramic windows, a restaurant area, lounge corner and a small bar. Depending on the quality of the network connection (mobile internet, limited data amount) the salon offers free Wi-Fi. The barge has a very spacious sun deck (90 square meters) with chairs and tables and a beautiful view, where you can relax or join the skipper in the wheel house. Bicycles will be stored in a separate area on the sun deck.

12 The Ship Fleur The Fleur started cruising in This tasteful passenger barge with its sleek lines was built to fit the smaller locks and canals in France and has been cruising the French waters ever since. Reint Dragt has been the owner for many years now. These years of experience and commitment are reflected in every detail and guarantee that your vacation will be a pleasant one. The Fleur can accommodate a maximum of 20 guests on her trips on the French waterways. The Fleur has two decks. On the top deck there is a lounge with large windows, a roomy sitting area, a cozy bar and a half-covered sun deck. The sundeck is the ideal place to drink a cup of coffee or an aperitif. In the lounge the Fleur offers free Wi-Fi. Please note that due to the mobile network connection, the quality is not always stable. The salon has central heating and air-conditioning. On the lower deck the Fleur has 10 comfortable guest cabins (8 m2, single beds). Each cabin has a private shower, toilet and basin. Also the cabins have central heating and air-conditioning. In each cabin you will find a small safe and hair dryer. Assisting people in realizing their touring dreams worldwide is our passion. THIS IS A PARTNER TOUR FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT OK Cycle & Adventure Tours Inc. 666 Kirkwood Ave - Suite B102 Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1Z 5X9 Toll Free Local TICO Ontario Registration No: