We still argue over whose idea it was initially, but the plan was clear, to cycle from London to Paris along the Avenue Verte. Inspiration gained from Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s (formerly Sustrans) guide book, here’s the story of our journey, details of our route and places we stayed if you get inspired to try it too!
Watch our Avenue Verte Bikepacking Adventure video on YouTube
Day 1 – London to Crawley
Bikes loaded, tyres pumped, off to Coventry Train Station!
The start of Iona’s BIG adventure, her longest cycle tour yet, living up to her credentials as one of Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling!
We are cycling from London to Paris along the Avenue Verte, starting from St Paul’s. So first it was a cycle to Coventry station with support from Ewan, an Avanti West Coast down to Euston, then a couple of miles to cycle to the steps of St Paul’s. We grabbed a start line selfie and we’re off, threading our way through the London traffic down to Wimbledon, where a serendipitous contact through LinkedIn joined us for lunch and talk about tech (not sure Iona was so impressed with the geek talk, but she did enjoy the pint of Coke and fries!)
Then on through greenways and back roads to our campsite for the night, right by Gatwick airport, with a couple of good climbs along the way, which Iona smashed her way up!
Bowl of the obligatory Aldi Tortelloni for tea and now as the sun sets, it’s time to sleep, ready for Tilgate parkrun in the morning and then another day’s cycling to take us nearer to Newhaven, where we catch our ferry over to France.
Day 2 – Crawley to Hailsham
- Avenue Verte Day Two – Route on Komoot
- Campsite: Arlington Pop Up Campsite, Hailsham (not available all year)
Woken by the sound of jet engines roaring, an early start as parkrun was on the agenda to start the day, five miles to ride to the start of Tilgate parkrun.
Tent quickly struck, panniers loaded, we wove our way through the back alleys of Crawley to be greeted by Jim Vidler and George at the start, where Iona also got a shout from the RD about her adventure. After a gentle run-walk round a beautiful park it was time for some serious fuelling up for the day ahead, the Walled Garden cafe delivered! Great breakfast and a much-needed coffee (or two!)
Back to cycling, a steady start as we headed to East Grinstead, where we gained an extra member of our crew, “Chloe the Corgi” our adventure mascot! A delicious lunch at the Mad Dog Coffee Lounge, followed by a gentle descent out of East Grinstead on the Forest Way.
As we reached the end of the Forest Way, “fun” began, with some tough climbs as we headed to Rotherfield. Frequent rest and snack stops were needed and, as we arrived in Rotherfield, the pub beckoned for a nice cold drink while we reviewed our remaining route and opted for a busy but flatter A-road rather than facing another steep climb.
Reaching Heatherfield we encountered one of the best sections of the ride so far, the “Cuckoo Way” which, for us, was a ten-mile gradual descent all the way to Hailsham, the home of our campsite for tonight – Arlington Pop Up Campsite. As we arrived, we were greeted by Jim and George who’d were staying locally. It was lovely to chat to friends as we set camp for the night. The campsite owners also made us very welcome and we chatted to a fellow camper from the Netherlands with whom we swapped stories of cycle-touring there!
Cooking up Aldi pasta again, but with a twist! I’d been gifted a courgette after parkrun, had an onion and herbs aid brought with me and bought a jar of tomato puree, so whipped up a nice sauce to accompany it, a definite improvement!
Day 3 – Hailsham to Newhaven and over the sea to Dieppe
- Avenue Verte Day Three – Route on Komoot – To Ferry at Newhaven
- Avenue Verte Day Three – Route on Komoot – Dieppe to Campsite
- Campsite: Camping des 2 Rivières
A very relaxed start today to recover from yesterday’s exertions. The hens at the campsite provided eggs and the little shop there provided bacon and rolls so I was able to do us a bacon and egg batches for breakfast, washed down with a mug of Monsoon Estates Coffee, before signing the shed wall at Arlington Pop Up Campsite, their version of a guest book!
It had actually just tipped into the afternoon as we pedalled off the site but we had just 21 miles to ride to the ferry port in Newhaven with only one tough climb which Iona smashed, followed by a gentle ride along the sea front from Seaford to Newhaven.
A cheeky McDs before we queued up for the ferry, where a major stumbling block was hit, despite selecting “all passengers have bikes” on the booking with DFDS France it had only reserved one bike space each way so I had to dash to the reservations office and shell out £51 for a last-minute bike space each way, not happy!
A smooth ferry crossing, which actually left early, leaving the white cliffs of England behind, enjoying tea from the restaurant and watching the white cliffs of Normandy loom into view as the evening gloom descended.
Now, if you thought cycling from London to Paris is crazy, how about running it? As we disembarked, we met two girls, Betsy and Taylor, who are running it to raise money for Heart Research UK and Canine Partners For Independence, wow! Though they were equally impressed by Iona’s exploits. You can donate to them here.
Back on the bikes and reminding ourselves to ride on the right, off we set, and promptly got off our bikes again to push up the rather steep hill out of Dieppe!
Once summited, it was a gentle downhill all the way to the campsite with the chirrup of crickets as we rode through the quiet darkness.
As promised, the campsite had left a back gate open straight off the Avenue Verte and a campsite right by where we came in. Tent pitched by torchlight (it’s now midnight), we explored the site to find the loos before tucking ourselves in for the night, a babbling brook to lull us to sleep.
Day 4 – Dieppe to Forges-les-Eaux
Perfection! That sums up our first experience of the Avenue Verte in France. 29 miles of traffic-free cycling on a very gradual (almost imperceptible) uphill disused rail line with wide smooth tarmac.
After our breakfast of pain-au-choc, and a ride round the lake at the centre of 2 Rivers Campsite we headed out of the campsite gate leading directly onto the Avenue Verte. We glided past fields, needle-like church towers and at our first Chateaux, Chateaux Mesnières, we took a quick diversion to explore our first French village, Mesnières-de-Bray, where we also enjoyed lunch.
Continuing on, we arrived at our campsite in Forges-les-Eaux mid afternoon which left plenty of time to pitch and enjoy a pre tea swim, the prefect recovery.
Tea… yes it was my signature dish again, thanks to a nearby Aldi but the sauce I’m now also cooking to accompany it definitely elevates the dish!
We also managed to do a bit of clothes washing, freshening up our cycle shorts and jerseys, just hoping they’re dry to put on in the morning!
Day 5 – Forges-les-Eaux to Dangu
Soggy – an accurate description of our state by the time we arrived at today’s campsite on day five of our Avenue Verte Cycle Tour from London to Paris…
The day started with a mist shrouding the campsite, but as we enjoyed our morning croissants and pain-au-chocs, it burnt away, leaving it cool but clear as we broke camp and headed out of the site.
A more undulating, road based days riding was in store than yesterday’s beautiful old railway route. Passing through countryside that felt very much like our home county of Warwickshire, with the ups and downs to match on quiet country lanes. One major difference was the respect motorists gave, always pulling right over when passing us leaving plenty of room before pulling back in.
As we started to talk about needing lunch, “Yellow Bike Cafe” appeared like an oasis – an oasis that served IrnBru – the owner was from Glasgow and a Scottish flag waved proudly in the breeze.
As we finished our toasties, the skies darkened. As we set off (after a little detour to inspect an automatic food dispenser in a cyclist’s rest stop) the rain started. Light at first to lull us into a false sense of security, then woosh, the heavens opened, within minutes we were soaked through, with the skies only clearing on the last couple of miles to our campsite in Dangu.
But at least that meant we could pitch camp in the dry, hang out our clothes (in a forlorn hope that they would dry a bit) and head into the village of Dangu to find something to eat. The boulangerie came up trumps, still open with pizzas, quiches and some delicious sweet options for dessert.
After a little exploration, it was back to the tent and for Iona to snuggle into my sleeping bag, leaving me with none! Hers had got a bit damp in her pannier during the day’s deluge. So for me it will be my sleeping bag liner and extra clothes for tonight’s sleep.
While Iona drifted off to sleep, I did some route tweaking to reduce miles and climbing and booked us some luxury, with an AirBnB much closer to the official route. A nice surprise for Iona in the morning, 500ft less climbing and 10 miles less to cycle, just 29 to ride tomorrow.
Day 6 – Dangu to Condecourt
“Closed”, the theme of day six of our Avenue Verte London to Paris Cycle Tour.
The plan was to start the day with fresh croissants and pain-de-choc from the nearby boulangerie, what I hadn’t spotted the night before is that it was closed on Wednesdays. And, as we discovered as we got underway, so are most things in this area of France on Wednesdays!
Our start was slightly delayed by a deluge, fortunately just after we’d struck camp and packed up. We dived for cover in a shack on the campsite and waited for the rain to pass. Our next delay was due to my errant navigation. I turned the wrong way on the Avenue Verte as we rejoined it, we almost ended up back in London without ever making it to Paris!
Once we righted our travel direction, we enjoyed 10 miles of gentle cruising along a disused railway with rolling fields and the occasional chateau as our view.
Arriving at Bray-et-Lû it we turned off the easy trail and started climbing … without sustenance, as yes, everything was closed! During our ride, we criss-crossed several times with new friends, also doing the Avenue Verte route with a brief stop to all have a go on a climbing wall we found in a little village.
Five miles of steady climbing completed, we appreciated wide open views, while the rumbles in our stomachs were quelled only by snack bars and salted peanuts.
Finally, after 4pm, we rolled into Vigny, where we found a tiny convenience store open, making a late afternoon snack possible consisting of a chicken sandwich, dried sausage and Oreo’s!
Just a few miles and we arrived at our AirBnB for the night, no tent to pitch … but guess what … also nowhere to eat or buy supplies, so leaving Iona to chill I rode another 4 miles to a nearby town where I was able to procure and McDs for Iona and a microwave meal for me. Living the dream!
Tomorrow, Paris! We’re heading to our final campsite, “Camping de Paris”, by the bank of the Seine. On Friday we will complete the final leg of our tour to finish at Notre Dame and then return to the same campsite for a day’s R&R before travelling home. So a few more days of adventure are yet to come.
Day 7 – Condecourt to Edge of Paris
- Avenue Verte Day Seven – Route on Komoot
- Campsite: Camping de Paris (this is where we stayed till our return home)
After a night of luxury and no tent to pack this morning, we set off refreshed from Condécourt, heading to Cergy, our first “big” town on our tour and a chance to grab a second breakfast of croissants and pains aux chocs. Sergy was built as a new town in the 1960s, it has a similar vibe to Milton Keynes (though without the grid system and straight lines of trees in the parks!) We took a slight detour to take in the “Pont Rouge” part of the “Axe Majeur” an amazing piece of public art stretching 3km that aligns with the Champ-de-Mars that radiates outwards from the Eiffel Tower. Definitely worth a visit.
From there we started to head steadily to the centre of Paris, in sweeping curves following the banks of the Seine, mostly in green avenues on gravel tracks, you would not have realised you were heading into France’s capital. This also came with challenges. Again we were left struggling to find anywhere to eat, the biggest challenge of the Avenue Verte is fuelling your body, there’s a distinct lack of cafes and shops along its route.
But as we cut off from the Seine towards our campsite, we spotted a boulangerie and grabbed almond pain aux chocs and a coffee for me, my first of the day at 4pm! Just a few more miles, UP then down, back to the bank of the Seine and our campsite, Campi
ng de Paris. But not before we’d caught a very exciting glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, definitely a photo-op!
“Camping de Paris” is brilliant, right on the Seine, near the city centre, but covered in trees, with great facilities, including a restaurant serving delicious pizzas! Perfect base for our Paris explorations over the next few days, it will be nice to travel “light” tomorrow, leaving our panniers and tent behind, as we cycle the final few miles.
Day 8 – Edge of Paris to Notre-Dame
Leaving the bulk of our belongings at the campsite, as our ride was circular, finishing the Avenue Verte to take us to the Notre-Dame, then cutting through the centre of Paris to take in the obligatory tourist 
views. Before we got on our bikes, it was a stop off at the campsite shop for fresh, still-warm pastries to fuel our ride.
Cutting back to the Seine, via an area that felt very similar to London’s Canary Wharf, we rejoined the Avenue Verte route for more riverside, tree-lined gravel riding. But slowly we turned in towards the city centre, through run-down suburbs, though with that charm that the older French buildings have of “shabby chic”. Following a canal into the centre, we passed the French stadium and other Olympic sites.
Lunch at a typical French cafe, Iona went for “safe” with a bowl of fries, I had a delicious fish steak with veg and salad, tasty! Continuing, Paris’ grandeur started becoming evident, buildings increased in height and ornamentation as we got closer to Notre-Dame. A stop off at the site of the Bastille, now a beautiful public square with mist fountains to play in.
There it was, despite being significantly shrouded in scaffolding where reparations from the fire continue, it wows, the ornateness of the carving on the frontage is just incredible, as were the queues waiting to go in (we didn’t bother!). We grabbed some selfies to prove we’d made it, with Chloe, our toy Corgi mascot, included, of course!
Ping! A message from Taylor and Betsy, whom we’d met as we left the Dieppe ferry, running to Paris. They’d arrived last night and were still around, so we cycled the mile over to join them for coffee and travel tale swapping. We will definitely be keeping in touch for future adventures (if we can match their intrepidness!)
On to snap sights – Louvre, Place-de-la-Concorde &, of course, the Eiffel Tower – just how many selfies and poses can you take?
Weary but happy, we headed back to the campsite, just a short ride from the Eiffel Tower, & a well-earned pizza. As Iona said, “it doesn’t seem real” but it is, we’ve done it!
Day 9 – leparcrun
And relax… or sort of!
When I discovered we were only 10mins cycle from leparcrun there was only one thing to do on Saturday morning: go and run 5k in a park. While not official (due to all the rigmarole with doctor’s certificates and insurance) it does have the bonus of amazing croissants at the cafe after and a beautiful lake and park to run round. So we did!
Post parkrun we found a Darty shop to get a power adaptor to replace the one I’d left at the Airbnb, then headed back to the campsite via a playground for a bit of post leparcrun playground faff time for Iona.
Time to chill, catch up on some admin, do some clothes washing and just not have to cycle 30+ miles! But by mid-afternoon we had itchy feet, so headed back to the Eiffel Tower to get some gifts for Iona’s friends, take a few more photos from different vantage points and explore some more of the area. As we headed back to the campsite, we discovered the Grande Cascade de 
Boulogne, an artificial waterfall created at the request of Napoleon II in the 1850s using rocks from the Fontainebleau forest. You can walk down behind the waterfall, and the knarly rocks have an amazing sculptural look to them.
Live blues music as we enjoyed our evening meal at the campsite restaurant, followed by more playground faff time for Iona with a friend she’d made on the site, while I chatted to the parents who live not far from Coventry.
It’s been nice to relax today and not cycle miles with no particular agenda to fulfil. Tomorrow, the plan is to visit the Arc de Triomphe and, most importantly, source our train tickets for our return to Dieppe on Monday morning. But, I think a lie-in is on the cards for Iona and of course, some fresh croissants and pain-aux-chocs from the campsite cafe.
Day 10 – Exploring Paris
Today was the last chance to explore. Top of my list of destinations as yet unvisited was the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées, as an avid watcher of the Tour de France, this is the normal iconic finish location of this amazing race.
So after a lazy morning at the campsite with the obligatory fresh warm croissants for breakfast from the campsite shop, we headed through the beautiful woodlands of the Bois de Boulogne towards the Arc de Triomphe, and wow, it’s amazing. It’s not till you see it up close and personal that you realise the scale, but also the beauty, the carvings are incredibly detailed and the eternal flame for those who’ve been lost in wars, poignant.
Then there’s the L’Étoile, while there is solemnity to the Arc itself, around it is bedlam as cars jostle for position on the twelve-lane roundabout. We manoeuvred our way back and forth across it before heading down the Champs-Élysées, trying to imagine ourselves battling the sprinters in the final stage of le tour to get that most coveted of stage wins.
Cutting off to the Gare Paris Saint-Lazare, I managed, through the use of a translation app, to book our train tickets for the return to Dieppe tomorrow, before we started our ride back to our campsite, stopping for a spot of late lunch in the beautiful Parc Monceau, home of the world’s first parachute jump from a balloon.
Back at the campsite, we enjoyed our final meal of their excellent pizzas. Paris, it’s been a joy!
Day 11 & 12 – Homeward bound
Starting last day in France with fresh pastries, striking tent, packing panniers & loading bikes. We headed down the Champs-Élysées to find out what the giant ball was we’d spotted behind the Place-de-la-Concorde. A stroll through Jardin des Tuileries took us to “The Paris 2024 Cauldron”. A 7m diameter ring suspended from a 30m tall helium-filled balloon, flames simulated by illuminated mist jets. It looked incredible.
Taking a last glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, we headed up to Gare Paris Saint-Lazare to catch our train. Bikes loaded on, we were off, all going well until a train ahead of us got cancelled & we ended up having to take all their passengers, making us a little crowded & delayed. But all was well, our connecting train to Dieppe was held, so we were able to continue our journey.
We’d not seen much of Dieppe on arrival in France, it being 11pm. So now, with a few hours before our ferry, we explored. Two magnificent but slightly dilapidated churches, a castle, playground & marinas and a final French meal at the Café des Tribunaux. As the light faded, rain started to fall as we queued for the ferry, chatting to other adventuring cyclists. Finally boarding at 11pm, we tried to make ourselves comfortable to sleep by wedging two chairs together. It cocooned Iona nicely, I was just a bit too long to fit! As the ferry left port, we managed a few broken hours sleep before we landed in Newhaven at 5 am, as dawn broke.
Back on UK soil and our bikes, with 10 miles to ride up out of Newhaven & along an undulating route to Brighton. Breakfast time at Hervés Cafe – a proper British breakfast sarnie to celebrate our return.
Train to London, a ride from Blackfriars to Euston (with a brief stop off at the FSB office to say goodbye to a leaving colleague), then Avanti whisked us back to Coventry. There, Ewan awaited us, taking Iona’s panniers on his bike to give Iona an easy final ride home, our French adventure over.
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