Maastricht to Paris

Day 1: Maastricht, 9 mi. (14 km)
Day 2: Maastricht - Liege, 20 mi. (32 km)
Day 3: Liege -Huy - Namur, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 4: Namur - Charleroi, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 5: Charleroi - Strepy, 32 mi. (51 km)
Day 6: Strepy - Mons, 18 mi. (29 km)
Day 7: Mons - Tournai, 34 mi. (54 km)
Day 8: Tournai - Arleux, 26 mi. (42 km)
Day 9: Arleux - Peronne, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 10: Peronne
Day 11: Peronne - Pont l'eveque, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 12: Pont l'eveque - Compiegne, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 13: Compiegne - Creil, 26 mi. (42 km)
Day 14: Creil - Auvers-sur-Oise, 26 mi. (42 km)
Day 15: Auvers-sur-Oise - Bougival, 26 mi. (42 km)
Day 16: Bougival - Versailles - Paris, 24 mi. (38 km)
Day 17: Paris
Day 18: Paris

*All distances are approximate. The itinerary is subject to change sometimes without prior notice.  Some waterways may be subject to occasional closures due to drought, storms, floods, canal or lock repairs, or other unforeseen circumstances that make navigation unsafe or impossible. The captain reserves the right to make any changes deemed necessary.

Day 1: Maastricht, 9 mi. (14 km)
Arrival onboard the Elodie in Maastricht where the crew will welcome you. After the introduction to the crew and all the necessary information has been provided you will take a short bike ride to get comfortable with your bike and make the necessary adjustments.

Day 2: Maastricht - Liege, 20 mi. (32 km)
Today you will pass the Belgium/Dutch border on your way to your first stop at Fort Eben-Emael. This fort was built around 1932 as a part of 17 underground connected bunkers for the defense of Liege. About 200 feet from the fort there is a sculpture garden with modern art for those of you who are interested. After Eben Emael you will visit the locks of Lanayen. An impressive complex that overcomes 36 feet and forms the start of the Albert Canal and the continuation of the river Maas through Belgium. Leaving Lanayen, you continue your way to Liege where the Elodie lies moored. After dinner, you will explore this historical city and visit the famous Café Chantant Les Jardin des Ollivette.

Day 3: Liege - Huy - Namur, 22 mi. (35 km)
You will start the day early in the morning with a river cruise that will bring you to the locks of Ampsin. This is the starting point of the bike route to Namur Along this tour you can enjoy the numerous beautiful views of the countryside and various little towns along the river. One of these towns is Huy where there will be time to visit the Cathedral and Citadel. The tour will end in the city of Namur, an enchanting city center with an impressive Citadel overlooking the city. After dinner, you can visit the Citadel to enjoy a wonderful view over the city where the Rivers Maas and Sambre meet and discover the small streets with many terraces of Namur.

Day 4: Namur - Charleroi, 31 mi. (50 km)
The route leads away from the riverbanks of the Maas and follows the river Sambre. Today's bike tour highlights Pont de Loup and Charleroi. Your first stop will be the Famous Abby and Brewery Floreffe, a beautiful Abby that produces a beautiful beer and interesting artisanal products. In the landscape that you pass today, you'll see the vestiges of the once-booming mining and steel industry for which the region was famous for centuries.

Day 5: Charleroi - Strepy, 32 mi. (51 km)
Today you will visit four of UNESCO's protected ship elevators that were built in 1888, impressive structures of craftsmanship and engineering that are still in working order. After this visit, you will meet the modern equivalent of the old elevators where the Elodie will be waiting for you. A gigantic elevator that overcomes the 200 feet altitude difference in one single descent that use to take four elevators. You can enjoy the panoramic view from this interesting place and visit the tremendous engine room of the elevator and museum.

Day 6: Strepy - Mons, 18 mi. (29 km)
From the ship's elevator to Mons it is a short distance. The only challenge is to avoid traffic because there are is no “easy way” to get into Mons without biking some extra miles. Of course you can join the Elodie for a short boat ride. to avoid contact with traffic. Mons has an old historical town center with a beautiful town hall, belfry, and Cathedral. You will have plenty of time to spend here. There are lovely shops and nice terraces to enjoy a coffee.

Day 7: Mons - Tournai, 34 mi. (54 km)
Following canals and passing through old villages, the route leads to Antoing. Antoing is an old skippers' village on the banks of the  Upper Schelde river. With its characteristic castle that can be seen from far, it is the center of the old Chalk industry. Right along the river as you cycle to Tournai you can see the old ovens that look like fortresses and were used to make chalk and cement. A visit is on the agenda. Tournai is the oldest city in Belgium with a lot of history. After dinner, enjoy an evening walk through the center of Tournai.

Day 8: Tournai - Arleux, 26 mi. (42 km)
Straight through the national park, you bike towards Denaing. The park was created in an old coal mine area. Cycling through this park it is hard to realize that after WWI this was a black and desolated country with not one tree left. You pass the famous cycle race tracks of Paris, Roubaix and the notorious Wallers – Arenberg trench. This tour is called “the hell of the north” because of the extremely bad conditions of the road the race was held on. You cycle just a bit on the route of this famous race, but you will not follow the paths that gave the name to this tour. A little bit further down the river at Arleux, the Elodie will be waiting.

Day 9: Arleux - Peronne, 25 mi. (40 km)
Early in the morning, the Elodie will start heading for the locks and as you are enjoying your breakfast, the first locks will be passed. The small and narrow locks at the "canal du Nord" are a special experience. Today the boat will pass 12 locks and a 3.5-mile tunnel to get to Peronne. Each lock will take the Elodie about 11 meters higher. At one of the locks, you will cycle away from the river and head for Peronne the town where you will spend an entire day.

Day 10: Peronne
Today is the perfect day to make your own plan as the Elodie will stay moored at the town of Peronne. Peronne has a lovely town center, a big park, and a very interesting museum. Situated in a 21th century castle you will find the museum of the Great War right in the middle of town. Together with cities like Albert en Bapaume, Peronne formed the triangle in which the battle of the Somme took place. Peronne and its museum have therefore been appointed by the French government as a historical monument in the military history of France. On this day there will be no dinner on board so there is no need to go back to the Elodie. So plan on staying a little bit longer in town and enjoy a French meal in one of the local restaurants.

Day 11: Peronne - Pont l'eveque, 31 mi. (50 km)
Today you will enjoy the route along the canal du Nord and the countryside towards Noyon, the French capital of the red fruit. You will follow the valley and the towpaths as the country around you gets more hilly. Noyon is also been the birthplace of Calvijn, a clergyman that has been of great influence particularly in Holland. Picardie was the cradle for Gothic art and architecture. In Noyon you can find a beautiful example of this period in the form of a Gothic Cathedral that can be admired and visited.

Day 12: Pont l'eveque - Compiegne, 25 mi. (40 km)
Through the forest of Dom Dourscam and dom de Laigue, you will continue through more hilly terrain. The first stop is the railway carriage where the first world war was ended and Nazi Germany forced France into an armistice treaty during the second world war. The Armistice site was demolished by the Germans on Hitler's orders and the carriage was taken to Berlin and destroyed by SS troops. A replica of the carriage can be seen together with the restored site. From here it is not very far to the second and final goal for this day, the interesting town of Compiegne. This town is famous for its horse races and its castle, a preferred summer residence for French monarchs, built for Louis XV, and restored by Napoleon. 

Day 13: Compiegne - Creil, 26 mi. (42 km)
Through the park regions Pays de France, you continue onto Creil. This park belongs to a “community” of 45 parks all over France. The parks are a mixture of natural and cultural sites combined with local community life. This way you will not be clearly entering a park in the traditional way but more so a green inhabited region that is particularly beautiful and pleasant to pass through. Thus forests, hills small towns and rivers will accompany your trip this day.

Day 14: Creil - Auvers-sur-Oise, 26 mi. (42 km)
“A hilly day” lies ahead of you but the reward will be great. Chateau de Chantilly is one of the most beautiful castles that you will visit. The castle as well as its surrounding terrains are very scenic and sometimes even breathtaking. You will spend some time here so you will be able to admire the Castle from the inside and possibly visit the museum de Conde. You will spend the night in Auvers-sur-Oise. Throughout the 19th century, a number of painters lived and worked in Auvers-sur-Oise, including Paul Cézanne, Charles-François Daubigny, Camille Pissarro, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and of course, Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh made a number of his famous paintings here and spent the last days of his life in this town. Upon his death, he was buried in the local graveyard, which you may visit.

Day 15: Auvers-sur-Oise - Bougival, 26 mi. (42 km)
Today you will ride through the banlieux of Paris. Unexpectedly close to Paris you will find a “green” path that will lead to the next stop in Bougival. Along the way, you will pass St Germain en Laye, the birthplace of the famous composer, Debussy. A glimpse of the great city that lies ahead of you can be seen from a terrace near the chateaux de St Germain en Laye (the national museum of archeology) A nice panoramic view over Paris with its remarkable Eiffel tower before you get back to the river and the little town of Bougival.

Day 16: Bougival - Versailles - Paris, 24 mi. (38 km)
On your last cycling day, before you reach the center of Paris, you will stop at  Versailles. You will cycle uphill to one of the biggest palaces in the world. This unbelievable Palace, once inhabited by French kings, is now a museum. Although it can be very busy, you may be able to spend enough time here to visit the palace. If you do not want to go inside you can visit the magnificent garden and admire the palace from there. After Versailles, the route descends to the river Seine to embark on the Elodie for a boat tour through the center of Paris an absolute highlight of the tour.

Day 17: Paris
Today is a free day in Paris!

Day 18: Paris
End of tour. Departure

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• Elodie

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  The Elodie was built in 1931 and has been completely refurbished into a comfortable boat for biking and boating. Everyone who has been on board says the same thing. There is just something special about this boat. Perhaps because it simply feels like home. It is nothing flashy but oh so comfortable. The common area of the Elodie is beautifully finished with various types of wood, has a number of small tables, a large reading table, and a comfortable sofa where everyone gathers before breakfast… Read More