Amsterdam/Paris to Barcelona (via iconic cycling roads/climbs)

[digitaldog]

This is a really rough idea, so I'm just trying to get an idea of how feasible it is.

Entry and exit points would have cheap and easy to organise flights or ferries. Hence Amsterdam or Paris as a start point. Could be Calais, St Malo, etc. And Barcelona as an exit point.

The idea is to cycle from France, take in some iconic Alpine climbs like Ventoux and Alpe d'huez, then head south over the Pyrenees and into Barcelona.

If we're to take the idea further and start in the Netherlands or Belgium, would it also be possible to take in such things as the Kwaremont and Arenberg, and turn it into a real geek fest?

I'm sure all this is indeed possible. However my geography is rough, and my idea of cycle touring is not following the fastest roads from A to B. For the most part I would like to be sailing through nice country lanes, traffic free canal paths, out in the real countryside and over not too busy mountain passes.

And ideally I'd like to do it in 1.... 1.5 weeks. Somewhere in the region of 100 miles per day, roughly. Packing light as possible, but maybe camping...

Little bit of Googling doesn't reveal much on what seemed to me an obvious route choice for someone who enjoys watching pro cycling on the TV. Though granted, it may not be the best of ideas on a loaded touring bike.

I'd just like to know if anyone has any experience of similar and whether this rough idea is workable.

And if so, any tips or advice on planning would be appreciated.

Or should I just stick to a tried and tested touring route like the Loire valley or the Danube??

[m-gineering]

And ideally I'd like to do it in 1.... 1.5 weeks. Somewhere in the region of 100 miles per day, roughly. Packing light as possible, but maybe camping...

Little bit of Googling doesn't reveal much on what seemed to me an obvious route choice for someone who enjoys watching pro cycling on the TV. Though granted, it may not be the best of ideas on a loaded touring bike.

I'd just like to know if anyone has any experience of similar and whether this rough idea is workable.

And if so, any tips or advice on planning

Mark the spots you want to hit on a map, measure the distance and add 25%. Now you've got your first estimate, and it will nead some tweaking to get it below your 1600 kms

[MrsHJ]

Put your start and end point in on cycle.travel ie Amsterdam and Barcelona and then add your via points eg Paris, ventoux etc- the router should sort the via points into a sensible order and you can then see if the over all length looks doable or whether to cut some stuff out.

[passereau]

Hi,
in France, you should look at the IGN maps which also give indicate of altitude, the cols and features of the terrain and so on.
the web sites cycle.travel or (for France) Géovélo is a good start. The latter can show the IGN maps.
Then look at the profile of the route and compare the cumulated ascent with what you have experience with.

[willem jongman]

There is a very nice Dutch guidebook for a route from Holland to Barcelona: https://www.cyclingeurope.nl/routes/barcelona/index.php There is a gps track. We did a large part of it last summer and it is very nice. There are two alternatives for central France, and we opted for the harder but nicer one through the Massif Central.