Dunkerke-aachen-luxembourg-dunkerke

[toppikey]

Hi,
I'm going on our first european tour at the end of May with my children aged 12 and 13.
We are hoping to free camp or occasional campsite.
We are all keen cyclist and I would like a bit of practical advise on;
Leave the car at Dover or Dunkerke
Mileage per day
Camping or youth hostel
kit required
Route suggestions
Any advise welcomed
Regards
TP

[JJF]

You may want to compare the cost of taking one car with the cost of a number of cyclists.
However, in my view cycling on to the ferry is part of the adventure not to be missed.

Dover docks look a fairly complicated place. Route finding for cyclists is made easy by following a red line painted on the road from the entrance gate to the check-in point.

When I crossed to Dunkirk the cyclists (two of us) were first off the ship. This seems to be an advantage. However, for the first mile or so we were continually overtaken by a procession of trucks. This was a bit intimidating. Another poster on these boards suggested that it may be preferable to stand aside for a short time to let them go. Then you'll have the road to yourself. After that first couple of miles you can choose your route on typically quiet French roads.
JJF

[York Commuter]

TP

just a few thoughts:

1) A British plated car, parked up for any length of time in Europe can be too attractive for some of the local ne'er-do-wells (yes they have them too) possibly better to park up in Britain

2) Belgium and Luxemburg do not take kindly to "free camping", there are plentiful sights in both cuntries, luxemburg, being so small, used to produce a country wide touring map - approach the national tourist board for this one.

3) The few YH I have used in this area were fine.

4) The Ardennes are beautiful! But hillier than I anticipated.

Enjoy these lovely parts of Europe - Bon Voyage

Stephen

[toppikey]

Thanks for that,I think I'll leave the car at Dover(is it free to park at the docks?)
I've got a good idea about the route we are taking so should i buy the maps when we arrive or buy them online now.(any map reccomendations)
Regards
TP

[simon153]

I used Relyon parking in Dover.It is 2 to 3 miles from the docks but it's all downhill on the way in.The cycle route through teh docks is signed, but not fantastic. Norfolk line check in is at a building on this route in, easy enough to find. On a bike you will be first on and first off and are very helpful. I would eho what the previous writer said about letting the trucks go.Like most industrial port areas, the single carriageway to the outside world is a bit hairy with trucks and other vehicles passing at speed and once out of the immediate port area the surface is poor.
However, once out of the port and through the ring of small suburban villages you are rewarded with French country roads which are quieter.Head for the town of Bergues , which is a beautiful moated and walled town for a coffee and croissant stop.There is also a camping municipale here.
Ypres is only another 40 k from here and once you've crossed the border into Belgian Flanders you are rewarded with cycle paths at the side of main roads which are mostly fit for purpose and some beautiful small roads through the mostly flat or rolling hills. Ypres has camping and hostels.
There are a myriad of cycle paths which criss cross the area nd will take you on from here. There are also lots of campsites and most have camping cabins which you can book in advance if you are not going in the highest season. I wouldnt count on wild camping because there are very few non cultivated areas and I don't think its part of the culture.Cycling is though and I am sure you will enjoy it.

[pal]

Agree with earlier posters that cycling on/off the Norfolk Line ferry is a treat (though they sometimes don't let you ride the ramp if it's raining -- spoil-sports...). One way to avoid the lorries on the road out of the port at Dunkirk is to leave the main road at the first roundabout as you come out of the port: there's a little road (called the 'Route des dunes') which looks like it should be a dead end, but in fact allows you to to sneak through to Dunkirk, or down to Loon Plage, while avoiding the worst of the traffic. (I have a vague memory that if you're leaving the port then that road is one-way -- the wrong way -- for about the first 50 metres, but it reverts to both-way traffic once you get past that little stretch.)

[toppikey]

Thanks for all the replies,
Planning on leaving the car at Dover,using the cycle paths as much as possible.
Camping two to three hours from Dunkerke on the first day and depending on the terrain will determine the distance we cover each day.
Regards,
Toppikey

[fietslogies]

Well as a Belgian, I'm not so fond of the cycle paths located at the side of our main roads. Sometimes there's a good and safe separation between the road for cars and the cycle path just next to it. But while cyling, you will notice that half of the paths are only separated from the main road with white stripes or something like that. Rather go for our recreational cycling infrastructure. Or get inspired by the towpaths and old railway tracks, available 'everywhere' in Belgium.
For example : Bergues (Fr.)-Veurne-Oostende-Brugge-Gent + Gent-Aalst-Mons-La Louvière-Charleroi-Namur-Liège-Aachen =
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Be ... em-Eeklo-G
+ http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ge ... Lessines-A
Shortcuts are possible in combination with my other suggestions.
Regards,
Fietslogies