The tour
You will cycle through hilly terrain and all kinds of mostly quiet roads
sometimes also
including traffic. Thus a tour for experienced bike riders with a
good physical condition.
Distances are limited to a maximum of 31 miles per
day but mostly shorter and there is lots off time to visit the little villages, places of
interest and other attractions we will encounter on this tour.However
this does not mean you have to be able to ride the tour de France.
Paris
Sunday 9 miles
Arrival on board the Elodie in Paris where the crew will welcome you with
a nice cup of coffee or tea. Introduction to the crew, explanation of the
rules on board, information on the program. After the introduction we will
make a short tour along the cycle-paths of Paris . Now you can get
comfortable with your bike and make the necessary adjustments. Paris of
course is a very busy city but you will be surprised that you can
experience a nice cycle trip without being bothered by the traffic so
much.
Paris - Lagny
sur Marne
Monday 24 miles
Through lanes and parks we will "meander" our way out of Paris to get to
the river Marne.Along the banks of the river we cycle towards Lagny sur
Marne. Along our route we will pass the "Nestle building" This company,
famous for producing excellent chocolate, has situated its headquarters in
an extraordinary building. Continuing our tour you can
admire the "outskirts" of Paris with its beautiful houses and green
surroundings. The night we will spend at Lagny sur Marne. A nice little
town on the river Marne.
Lagny sur Marne - Meaux
Tuesday 26 miles
A challenging cycling day, sometimes a bit of climbing towards the
reward of nice panoramic views.We will pay
a visit to the beautiful sculpture garden of Dhuys. These monuments are
made of the remains of the bridge over the Dhuys that was bombed during
the second world war.The city of Meaux has a nice atmosphere and is famous
for its cheese and mustard. Your chef will give you a taste of the culinary
highlights of this region. Meaux has a beautiful cathedral and it is worth
it to make a nice evening stroll along the river banks of the Marne.
Meaux - La Ferte sur Marne
Wednesday 28 miles
Today you will cycle right into the great vineyards that produce the most
fines champagnes in the world. There are Abbeys and Chateaux along the
road and one of them was built by Catherine the Medicis.The abbey of
Youarre with its 7th century crypt dedicated to St. Paul was also created
by this influential family. We will pay a visit to the ruins of Chateau
des Reines as well as to " La Ferme de la Valiere" to taste some of the
local products. The story goes that Louis the XVI on his deathbed
requested to have a final taste of the Brie the Meaux before he was to
close his eyes for ever.
La Ferte - Chateau Thiery
Thursday 28 miles
Another day of cycling through the grapevines of Champagne we will go to
the monument of Hill 204". This monument is a symbol of the gratitude the
French expressed to the Americans for their support in WWI. In the spring
of 1918 the Americans troop took part in the "second" battle of the
Marne" to stop the German troops from reaching Paris. They succeeded in
stopping them and the battle is now considered as one of the turning
points in the Great War. After our visit we will continue to cycle to
Chateau Thiery the city of the great French Poet Jean de la Fontaine. In
the evening we will make a walk around the ruins of the Castle Thiery.
Chateau Thiery (Dormans) - Cumiere
Friday 32 miles
Today we will visit a small Champagne farmer in the village of
Courcelles.The small scale on which the Champagne is produces will give
you a better insight of the production process of this extraordinary
drink.To fully understand the French culinary mind you will have to visit
the snail museum. As one of the very few countries in the world that
"discovered" the taste for snails they have dedicated this unique museum
to the snail and will give you the opportunity to have a taste of this
delicacy.
Cumiere - Epernay
Saturday 6 miles
The Elodie will stay in Cumiere for the day as you cycle to the town of
Epernay.We are now in the very hart of the Champagne region where the
great Champagne houses are situated. One of the most famous houses
produces "Dom Periginon".Underneath the building in the middle of the town
there are 16 miles ! of wine-cellars that contain thousands of bottles of
Champagne waiting to be consumed by its clients.You will have plenty of
time to visit this Champagne house or one of the other Champagne-houses
that are also present in this town. There is usually a market in the
morning a shopping area and plenty of restaurants to have a nice dinner in
the evening so you will have no trouble spending a large part of the day
here.
Cumiere
Sunday
Today we will take leave of you after
breakfast at 9.00 A.M.
