The Avenue Verte Paris-London

Tour type

Guided tour

Departures

SA 29.06, 6.07, 27.07, 3.08, 10.08.2019
Special departure dates out of season for at least 8 people (quotations on request)

Price per person
1040 € in double room, 3/4* hotels with one 2* hotel in Gisors

Included

• 7-nights hotel accommodation
• Breakfast buffet
• 5 dinners (beverages not included)
• Welcome briefing in English
• Guide on bike
• Luggage transportation
• Travel Guide, Maps, Raodbook
• Support van in the area
• Hotel taxes
• Hotline service

Ferry cruise Dieppe-Newhaven: following data have to be provided when booking the tour: full names (as written on the passport/ID card), passport/ID card number and expiry date, nationality, date of birth.
These details are compulsory in order to reserve the ferry transfer from Dieppe to Newhaven.

Not included
Train transfer on day 6 and 7
Everything not mentioned in the section “Included”

Supplements per person
490 € single room
85 € Girolibero bike
195 € E-bike
15 € helmet
 
Extra nights in double/single room with breakfast:
90/170 € in Paris

Reductions
150 € 3rd person in room

1. Bienvenue à Paris!
Those arriving in the early afternoon can make a first visit of the Ville Lumière.

2. Paris – Cergy (55 km)
Au revoir Paris! Starting from Notre Dame you can follow the Axe Historique from the Louvre with the Champs Elysées through the Arc de Triomphe till the new Défense district. After Nanterre, you will come to the islands and parks so dear to the impressionists, once a destination for Sunday trips, somewhere to spend the afternoon “en plein air” on a boat between the Seine and the Marne. Welcome to the Promenade Bleue in Paris!
 
3. Cergy – Gisors (60 km)
Your journey continues through the heart of the Vexin natural park, home to picturesque towns, castles and farmhouses. After Théméricourt and its spectacular Maison du Parc, you continue to Villarceaux and its eighteenth-century castle bearing the same name. After the small town of Bray-et-Lû you will proceed along the river Epte to Gisors and the fortress marking the historical Franco-Norman border.
 
4. Gisors – Forges-les- Eaux (65 km)
Departure from Gisors for Gournay-en-Bray and then on to Forges- les-Eaux, the renowned spa resort. Welcome to Normandy, or rather to Gourmandie, land of unique flavours!
 
5. Forges-les-Eaux – Newhaven (60 km by bike + ferry)
From Forges-les-Eaux you follow the brand new cycle path that will take you directly to the sea, through the wonderful countryside dotted with farms that supply their excellent products to the Norman and Parisian markets. Along the second half of the route the landscape is tinged with blue as you pass through the Arques estuary, overlooked by the castle of the same name and ancient sand caves that have become a refuge for marsh birds. Here you are in Dieppe, France’s leading seaside resort and a favourite place for many impressionist painters. Appointment on the quayside for the trip across the Channel. Overnight in Newhaven after the crossing.
 
6. Newhaven – East Grinstead (20 km by train + 55 km by bike)
From Newhaven take the train to Polegate where you start to pedal. Along the Cuckoo Valley and the old railway line, you will come to Heathfield. From here it gets more difficult but once in Groombridge it will be flat again. Following the Forest Way you arrive to the historic local market town of East Grinstead.
 
7. East Grinstead – London (45 km by bike + 25 km by train)
From East Grinstead you take the Worth Way, a cycle path through a wonderful wood to Crawley: an ultramodern city, this will get you ready for The Old Smoke itself, London. From here you take the train to Couldson, where you start cycling through green parks and quiet districts to the heart of London. Your finish line for the week will be Westminster.
 
8. London
After breakfast, goodbye and au revoir! 

Due to organisational reasons, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during the holiday.
Along the way you may find temporary deviations (for example road works) which cannot be foreseen; any changes to the route will be discussed and decided by the Tour Leader.

2019, The Year of Leonardo

Absolutely de rigueur is the Louvre Museum in the French capital, which is also presenting an exhibition on Leonardo. And a gargantuan one it is too, though alas not till the autumn!
Not all is lost, however: the Mona Lisa smiles year-round… as does The Virgin on the Rocks at the National Gallery in London.
Enjoy these treasures and more on the Avenue Verte!

• Total length: 340 km
• Total vertical up: 1850 m
• Terrain: 90% tarmac, 10% unpaved
• Train connection among the overnight stays: every day
• Possibility to shorten the itinerary by taking the train: day 2, 4, 6 and 7

The route follows the Avenue Verte along dedicated cycle paths, road shoulder cycle lanes and quiet country roads. The route is mainly in the lowlands when it follows the main rivers, and then becomes slightly more difficult in the countryside areas, especially in England. The whole route from Paris to London is marked by the tourist cycle signage Avenue Verte.

Easy to Moderate: some days flat, others with some hills. Suitable for everyone with some cycling experience and a few physical condition.

Paris is connected with the following airports:
Paris Charles de Gaulle 20 km, Paris Orly km 20 and Paris Beauvais 80 km.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN PARIS
Maps and infos about public transport in Paris at: www.ratp.fr.

We personally choose all the hotels mindful of your comfort as well as the proximity to cycling paths and any relevant local sites.

You will be accommodated in 3/4* hotels, with one 2* hotel in Gisors.

4 hotels have a swimming pool, and 2 of them have also a wellness area. All rooms have en suite facilities.

When you book the tour please specify the type of room requested:
- double room is a room with one double bed
- twin room is usually a room with one double bed and a single bed or a rollaway
- triple room is usually a room with one double bed and a single bed or a rollaway.

Girolibero’s City bikes are available in various sizes in unisex/women’s or men’s models. At the moment of booking, you can choose from the following bikes: 
- City bike 27-gear Shimano Deore
- E-bike

Features:
- aluminium frame
- mudguard
- rear rack
- comfort gel saddle
- anti-puncture Schwalbe tyres
- ergonomic bicycle grips
- Speed Lifter system

Accessories
All rented adult bikes are equipped with:
1 cycle computer  
1 Ortlieb one-sided saddlebag
1 water bottle (0.75 l)
1 combination bike lock

At the moment of booking you can also rent helmets suitable for head circumferences from 54 to 61. All our helmets have a certification mark according to the DIN EN 1078 (CE) European norm.

The Information Pack (one per room) includes:

- final hotel list
- luggage labels to be fixed at each piece of baggage, which has to be carried

Girolibero Greens booklets:
1) Travel guide with valuable information about the history, artistic heritage, landscapes and natural treasures of the areas visited on the tour. Plus: local events, some great anecdotes, suggestions on how to make the best of an extended break along the route, and tips on local wining and dining.
2) Detailed Maps of the itinerary: in colour and scaled 1:75.000/50.000, an altitude profile chart and maps of any historic city centres you would visit.
3) Roadbook describing the cycling route, stage by stage. Great on its own or in conjunction with the maps.

Welcome briefing
In Paris you will meet your tour leader who:
- will present you the tour
- will deliver you the bikes
- will be at your disposal (about 30 minutes) for any questions you may have.

The exact time and place of the meeting will be specified in the Final Tour Details. We kindly ask you to advise if you cannot attend the meeting.

Tour leader
Our tour leaders are carefully selected and rigourously trained by Girolibero. They are all multi-lingual, and speak at least English and German. Smart, entertaining, caring and endlessly enthusiastic, they have a true passion for sharing their love of the outdoors, people, culture and local food. Thanks to a deep knowledge of the territory, they can give you useful hints and help you appreciate the place you are visiting. Of course they love cycling and will be happy to give you some advice about how to correctly use the bicycle gears and whenever necessary they can fix your flat tyre. As we like to say, our tour leaders are CDO (Controlled Designation of Origin), a real traveller’s ticket to discover the land with ease and to live an unforgettable active travel experience.

Staff support
For the whole duration of your bike tour, you can contact us:
- office +39 0444 1278430 from Monday to Friday 8:30-13:00 and 15:00-18:30
- emergency phone number every day 8:00-20:00. The number will be specified in the Final Tour Details.

For this tour we offer you MAXI assistance. This means that you can count on the support of a vehicle travelling nearby, which allows you to enjoy a worry-free cycling holiday. For instance, in case of mechanical problems with the bikes, the tour leader can call directly the supporting van to receive the assistance needed.