A guidebook to the London to Paris bike ride through England and France. The classic route (490km, 304 miles) takes 9 days and the Avenue Verte (387km, 240 miles) 11 days to complete. Both routes are suitable for both first-time and experienced long-distance cyclists.

The classic route, via Dover/Calais, is described in 11 stages and the Avenue Verte, via Newhaven/Dieppe, in 9 stages, each between 13 and 63km (8?39 miles) in length. The routes are described north-south but a summary description is also provided for those wanting to cycle in the opposite direction.

• 1:100,000 maps and profiles included for each stage?
• GPX files available to download?
• Refreshment and accommodation information given for each stage
• Suitable for road bikes
• Information on cycle shops along the route

Mike Wells is an author of both walking and cycling guides. He has been walking long-distance footpaths for 25 years, after a holiday in New Zealand gave him the long-distance walking bug. Within a few years, he had walked the major British trails, enjoying their range of terrain from straightforward downland tracks through to upland paths and challenging mountain routes. He then ventured into France, walking sections of the Grande Randonnee network (including the GR5 through the Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean), and Italy to explore the Dolomites Alta Via routes. Further afield, he has walked in Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Norway and Patagonia. Mike has also been a keen cyclist for over 20 years. After completing various UK Sustrans routes, such as Lon Las Cymru in Wales and the C2C route across northern England, he then moved on to cycling long-distance routes in continental Europe and beyond. These include cycling both the Camino and Ruta de la Plata to Santiago de la Compostela, a traverse of Cuba from end to end, a circumnavigation of Iceland and a trip across Lapland to the North Cape. He has written a series of cycling guides for Cicerone following the great rivers of Europe.

This guidebook describes two cycle routes between London and Paris: the 490km 'classic route' and the 387km Avenue Verte. Passing through rolling chalk downland and characterful market towns, the trails link these two great cities with their grand buildings, famous museums and iconic monuments. Ideal both for cycle-touring holidays and charity challenges, both routes are well within the capabilities of cyclists of moderate fitness and will generally take between five days and a week - meaning that a round trip, including a few days sightseeing in Paris, can easily be accomplished in a fortnight. The routes are described in both directions, with the primary route description running from London to Paris. The classic route is presented in eleven stages; the Avenue Verte in nine, with clear step-by-step directions accompanied by mapping, elevation profiles and notes on local points of interest. A comprehensive introduction covers all the practicalities, such as Channel crossings, accommodation and what to take, and also offers a fascinating historical overview of southern England and northern France. A summary of facilities, useful contacts and an English-French glossary can be found in the appendices. The classic route crosses the Channel between Dover and Calais and makes use of quiet country roads, rural tracks and dedicated cycle paths, with a number of off-road sections. Developed to celebrate the 2012 London Olympics, the Avenue Verte is fully waymarked and makes maximum use of Sustrans off-road cycle tracks in England and voies vertes (rural cycle routes) in France: it uses the slightly longer Newhaven-Dieppe crossing. Cycling from London to Paris draws on the best of both worlds: England and France; the bright lights and vibrant attractions of the city and the delightful scenery of Kent, Sussex, Hauts-de-France and Normandy. The journey offers a wonderful cycling experience, as well as a unique insight into the cultures of both nations.

Map key Overview map Route summary tables Introduction Background The routes Natural environment Preparation Getting there and back Navigation Accommodation Food and drink Amenities and services What to take Safety and emergencies About this guide Classic route (via Dover-Calais) Stage 1 Tower of London to Rochester Stage 2 Rochester to Ashford Stage 3 Ashford to Dover Stage 4 Calais to Desvres Stage 5 Desvres to Hesdin Stage 6 Hesdin to Abbeville Stage 7 Abbeville to Amiens Stage 8 Amiens to Beauvais Stage 9 Beauvais to Chantilly Stage 10 Chantilly to St Denis market Stage 11 St Denis market to Eiffel Tower Avenue Verte (via Newhaven-Dieppe) Stage 1 London Eye to Redhill Stage 2 Redhill to Eridge Stage 3 Eridge to Newhaven Stage 4 Dieppe to Neufchâtel-en-Bray Stage 5 Neufchâtel-en-Bray to Gournay-en-Bray Stage 6 Gournay-en-Bray to Gisors Stage 7 Gisors to Neuville-sur-Oise Stage 8 Neuville-sur-Oise to St Denis station Stage 9 St Denis station to Notre Dame cathedral Appendix A Facilities summary tables Appendix B Tourist information offices Appendix C Youth hostels Appendix D Useful contacts Appendix E Language glossary