Europe 2025

[Aquila]

I have the North Shields - Ijmuiden ferry booked in late August with 12 cycling day's......nee idea where I'm going yet but I will probably jump on a train somewhere and cycle back to Ijmuiden.

[bohrsatom]

Currently researching a loop around the Dordogne and Lot with the view of getting the tent out of retirement (last used in 2022). Finding the least faffy way of getting there is proving to be a challenge though. If I owned a car I'd probably drive down but otherwise the Portsmouth-Caen ferry is looking like the best option. Can't find a way using Dover-Calais that wouldn't take two full days to travel there and another two full days to return. Not ideal.

Ferry booked - overnight Portsmouth to Caen then a leisurely day of train travel to Angoulême via Tours.

The plan so far is a 400-ish mile loop heading south east to Figeac then back via the Lot: https://cycle.travel/map/journey/699991

I've bought the French edition of the Lonely Planet Dordogne and Lot guidebook. These have way more detail than any English language guidebook and its easy to translate the pages on my phone.

[roubaixtuesday]

Currently researching a loop around the Dordogne and Lot with the view of getting the tent out of retirement (last used in 2022). Finding the least faffy way of getting there is proving to be a challenge though. If I owned a car I'd probably drive down but otherwise the Portsmouth-Caen ferry is looking like the best option. Can't find a way using Dover-Calais that wouldn't take two full days to travel there and another two full days to return. Not ideal.

Ferry booked - overnight Portsmouth to Caen then a leisurely day of train travel to Angoulême via Tours.

The plan so far is a 400-ish mile loop heading south east to Figeac then back via the Lot: https://cycle.travel/map/journey/699991

I've bought the French edition of the Lonely Planet Dordogne and Lot guidebook. These have way more detail than any English language guidebook and its easy to translate the pages on my phone.

Looks brilliant.


Would strongly recommend visiting the Grotte de Peche Merle cave paintings, you need to book ahead.

One of the most astonishing places I've ever been.

[scragend]

Three trips booked for me.

Netherlands solo in April, cycling the bulb fields, and the Linge route for the fruit trees.

Kattegattleden in Sweden solo in July.

Back to the Netherlands in September with a friend in the Dordrecht/Biesbosch national park area.

[Thehairs1970]

Brittany in May for a week and the Alps in the summer for two.

[POIDH]

....

[scragend]

10th of April for me, similar route to yours by the sounds of things. Tulips and blossom, beer, cheese, coffee and bikes. Fingers crossed for the weather.

I don't drink coffee but the rest of it is definitely in the plan

Whenever I've been in the Netherlands in April before the weather has been decent but I know it can be variable, so yes definitely fingers crossed!

[bohrsatom]

Would strongly recommend visiting the Grotte de Peche Merle cave paintings, you need to book ahead.

One of the most astonishing places I've ever been.

Do you know how far ahead you have to book? I'd love to see some caves but not sure if I'll be able to plan something more than a couple of days ahead

[roubaixtuesday]

Would strongly recommend visiting the Grotte de Peche Merle cave paintings, you need to book ahead.

One of the most astonishing places I've ever been.

Do you know how far ahead you have to book? I'd love to see some caves but not sure if I'll be able to plan something more than a couple of days ahead

No idea, would guess it depends on time of year and time of day. We were there late April, I think we booked a couple of days ahead, no problem for French language tours but English ones were full (a couple a day only iirc).

It's compulsory to book ahead, you can't just rock up and also it's a fair climb on a bike.

[Slowroad]

Three trips booked for me.

Netherlands solo in April, cycling the bulb fields, and the Linge route for the fruit trees.

Kattegattleden in Sweden solo in July.

Back to the Netherlands in September with a friend in the Dordrecht/Biesbosch national park area.

Sounds great! I've cycled in the Dordrecht/Biesbosch area and loads of the Netherlands, always a great country to visit. I did a car trip in Sweden in 2002 as part of a 6 month Europe trip, always wanted to return to Skåne and nearby areas. Let us know how you get on!

[simonhill]

Word on the web is that EES will now be implemented in November (2025 presumably).

No mention of ETIAS.

This should mean you can travel to the EU this summer much as your forbears did.

[st599_uk]

Word on the web is that EES will now be implemented in November (2025 presumably).

No mention of ETIAS.

This should mean you can travel to the EU this summer much as your forbears did.

The UK is implementing a version of ETIAS in April for EU citizens, so I expect they'll follow suit as it's easier than EES.

I also sail, and whilst the EU system is a bit annoying as it limits where you can enter, it's far easier than the UK system where you get a form, an 84 page manual and have to do Border Forces job for them. I'm expecting the ETIAS and EES system to be thoroughly tested in comparison.

[brianleach]

All very confusing. Looks like watch this space and see what happens in April.

[scragend]

All very confusing. Looks like watch this space and see what happens in April.

Nothing will happen in April in terms of ETIAS for UK citizens entering the EU.

From the horse's mouth:

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en

ETIAS is currently not in operation and will not start in the first half of 2025.
No action is required from travellers at this point.
The European Union will inform about the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch.

If it will not start in the first half of 2025, I can't see it starting early in the second half either, i.e. July or August.

Some time around November is most likely I think.

[simonhill]

EU's ETIAS was always scheduled to start after the EES.

The UK ETIAS has nothing to do with it. Signs already up in UK airports warning (foreign) travellers about it. Will not affect UK passport holders.