than the Dover ferries which run frequently throughout the day and night, providing a turn-up-and-go service.
The Avenue Verte crosses the Channel using a ferry operated by DFDS between Newhaven and Dieppe. There are two or three sailings daily depending upon season, which take four hours. Reservations are not normally needed for cycles, although as prices vary between sailings advance booking may enable you to obtain the best price.
Intermediate access
There are international airports at Gatwick (Avenue Verte, Stage 2) and Beauvais (classic route, Stage 8). The English part of the classic route (Stages 1–3) and the first half of Avenue Verte as far as Three Bridges (Stages 1–2) are closely followed by railway lines, as are Stages 7 and 9 of the classic route (Abbeville–Amiens and Beauvais–Chantilly) in France. Stations en route are listed in the text. Between Serqueux–Gisors (Avenue Verte, Stages 5–6) a previously closed railway has been reinstated for freight trains and a limited passenger service has started, but only a few stations have reopened.
Getting home
High-speed Eurostar trains cover the distance from London to Paris in under two and a half hours
This book hopes to encourage you to cycle home by using a different route to that taken on your outward journey. However, if time is at a premium or you are too exhausted to cycle back, it is possible to return by public transport.
The easiest way to return home from Paris to London with your cycle is by train. Eurostar services that take under two and a half hours run approximately hourly throughout the day between Paris Gare du Nord–London St Pancras using the Channel Tunnel. Cycles booked in advance travel in dedicated cycle spaces in the baggage compartment of the same train as you. Bookings, which open six months in advance and cost £30 single, can be made through Eurodespatch (tel +44 344 822 5822) in London or Geoparts (tel +33 1 55 31 58 33) in Paris. Cycles must be checked in at Geoparts luggage office in Gare du Nord (follow path to L of platform 3) at least 60 minutes before departure. There are two dedicated places per train for fully assembled cycles and four more places for dis-assembled cycles packed in a special fibre-glass box. These boxes are provided by Eurostar at the despatch counter, along with tools and packing advice. Leave yourself plenty of time to dismantle and pack your bike. After arrival in St Pancras cycles can be collected from Eurodespatch Centre beside the bus drop-off point at the back of the station. More information can be found at www.eurostar.com.
By air, Paris’s three airports have flights to worldwide destinations, including frequent services to London’s six airports. These are operated by several airlines, the main ones being BA (Charles de Gaulle and Orly to Heathrow), Air France (Charles de Gaulle to Heathrow), EasyJet (Charles de Gaulle to Gatwick, Luton and Southend), Cityjet (Orly to City) and Flybe (Charles de Gaulle to City). These airlines, and Ryanair (who fly from Beauvais, classic route, Stage 8), also operate services to other UK airports. Airlines have different requirements regarding how cycles are presented and some, but not all, make a charge which you should pay when booking as it is usually greater at the airport. All require tyres partially deflated, handlebars turned and pedals removed (loosen pedals beforehand to make them easier to remove at the airport). Most will accept your cycle in a transparent polythene bike-bag, although some insist on use of a cardboard bike-box. These can be obtained from cycle shops, usually for free. You do, however, have the problem of how you get the box to the airport.
Navigation
Waymarking
In England, the classic route follows a series of local and national waymarked cycle trails. In France, the only waymarking is on parts of Stages 4, 7 and 8. Avenue Verte is waymarked throughout, often coinciding with other routes.
The British NCN waymark with AV symbol added; the French Avenue Verte waymark; the French yellow provisional waymark where the final route is still being considered;
Summary of cycle routes followed
| Classic route | ||
| CS4 | Cycle Superhighway 4 | Stage 1 (planned) |
| LCN18 | London Cycle Network 18 | Stage 1 |
| NCN1 | National Cycle Network 1 | Stage 1 |
| NCN177 | National Cycle Network 177 | Stage 1 |
| NCN17 | National Cycle Network 17 | Stage 2 |
| NCN2 | National Cycle Network 2 | Stage 3 |
| V30 | Somme Canalisée towpath | Stage 7 |
| CV | Coulée Verte | Stage 8 |
| N-S | N-S Véloroute | Stage 11 |
| Avenue Verte | ||
| AV | Avenue Verte | Stages 1–9 |
| CS7 | Cycle Superhighway 7 | Stage 1 |
| NCN20 | National Cycle Route 20 | Stages 1–2 |
| NCN21 | National Cycle Route 21 | Stages 1–3 |
| NCN2 | National Cycle Route 2 | Stage 3 |
| V33 | Stage 7 | |
| N-s | N-S Véloroute | Stage 9 |
Both routes in France often follow local roads. These are numbered as départemental roads (D roads). However, the numbering system can be confusing. Responsibility for roads in France has been devolved from national to local government with responsibility for many former routes nationales (N roads) being transferred to local départements. This has resulted in most being renumbered as D roads. As départements have different numbering systems, these D road numbers often change when crossing département boundaries.
Maps
While it is possible to cycle both routes using only the maps in this book (particularly the Avenue Verte which is waymarked throughout), larger scale maps with more detail are available, although these are not specifically cycle maps. Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 maps give excellent coverage of the English stages while either Michelin or IGN local maps are good for France. Street atlases might be useful for cycling in London and Paris.
| Classic route | Avenue Verte | |
| OS Landranger (1:50,000) | 177 East London | 176 West London |
| 178 Thames Estuary | 187 Dorking & Reigate | |
| 189 Ashford & Romney Marsh | 188 Maidstone & Royal Tunbridge Wells | |
|
179 Canterbury &
|