Cycling Paris-Roubaix-Holland 

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Why Cycle Bits of Europe? 

Well, we needed to get back to the UK from Japan. So decided we could fly into Paris (Charles De Gualle Airport) and make our way back through France, Belgium, Holland then jump on a ferry (we love a ferry!) back to the UK. 

And due to Charlie's interest in cycling events/history we thought we might be able to include some infamous Cobbles and a famous Velodrome! 

Our Journey

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After a long flight we landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport. 

We unpacked and built the bikes.
And then looked around to find a escape route..... There were none, it seemed! 

Seeing our very confused expressions.... 🥴🥴🤦🤦

A French guy came over to offer help, long story short, he tried to give us directions and then suddenly said "I will escort you to your hotel"  I said that's very kind and will we be ok going on a NO bike road, he said 'I'm a policeman, I can do what I want' - so follow me'!!

Above - Sebastian, (our policeman in shining armour) next to Molly and his fellow police officer. 

They were in a unmarked police car with 2 other police officers, so we followed the police, as instructed and his blue lights straight to our hotel!!

IT WAS AND STILL IS OUR MOST AMAZING 'ESCAPE' FROM AN AIRPORT EVER!! 

Below - the unmarked police car pulls up outside our hotel after 7 miles following BLUE LIGHTS/SIRENS!! And Molly 'laughing out loud' most of the way! 

Great ride out of Paris to Chateau Thierry ....some canal paths and climbing over fallen trees!
Also cycled through big champagne region.

First few days were a mix of sun and heavy showers.
The route ranged from busy main roads, riverside and cycle tracks. 

En route to Charleroi we cycled onto the route of a professional cycle race!!
We managed to pull over just before realising that the Peleton was heading our way!

We did wonder why the road seemed so quiet when we turned onto it a few miles back! 🤦🤦‍♀️

No-one seemed to mind. 

Charleroi was very run-down in parts - we stayed in what seemed a very rough area. 

On the way to Mons: Molly face-planted very hard off the bike, after riding over a slippy electric cable in the rain.
Nothing was injured but her pride 🤦‍♀️

The day got better when she found some excellent waterproof panniers at a local bike shop (ACID brand)👌
Finally! No more bin bag liners needed !

Heavy rain continued on to Rouvignies ☔️ 
It was so wet, we just stayed in that evening for a dinner of peanuts and beer !

Arenberg Forest.
The 2.3km cobbled road here is the roughest, toughest section of the Paris-Roubaix classic: one of cycling's oldest races, also known as "The Hell of the North"...

... as Merckx, Cartlidge and Shears will attest.

A veritable boneshaker, even at low speed. 
Tres slippery too.

How on earth do the pros manage to race this on skinny tyres ?! 🤷🏻‍♂️

All smiles now it's over !

And on to the finish line in Roubaix, on the Belgian border.

Above: Saint-Amand-les-Eaux

We pedalled to Roubaix's legendary velodrome on a grey Monday morning, expecting the gates to be locked.

It was deserted (aside from a couple of joggers), but open 🤗

Above & below: Taking those steep banks with heavy panniers was seriously bum-twitching, but had to be done !

Above: Charlie was thrilled to have ridden the same victory lap as so many cycling greats - as pictured in the café over the road (below).

Heading to Ghent, on a riverside cycle path.

Below: A quirky old hotel stay in Ghent - in the middle of being renovated, and we were the only guests !

Below: Antwerp. A beautiful but super-busy city centre

Dinteloord. Rotterdam. Train to Assen. Heading out to Drenthe, we were lucky enough to randomly catch some motorcycle and car racing at Assen TT course 👌

Bergum. Ijlst, near Sneek: watched pole-jumping ! Weidum. Almere. The Hague. Hook of Holland: ferry to Harwich. 

Finally, some glorious August sunshine pedalling through the UK ! Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire 👌