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Avenue Verte; Top Tips & Hints

January 1st, 2015

Top Tips for the Avenue Verte

Having completed the Avenue Verte route, we’ve put together a few hints & tips to consider for those planning a trip;

1. Don’t Rely on Signage Alone

Avenue Verte signage comes & goes throughout the route and, at best, can only be described as sporadic. Without a doubt, you will need to draw the route before you leave. Ideally map out your route and download to a Garmin.

2. Factor In Delays

It may not sound that far but 30 miles a day generally took us ALL DAY to complete! Factor in time for punctures, maintenance issues, food stops, toilet breaks, changes of clothing due to the weather, children stopping & going off course! Plus there is always something interesting to see & do along the route.

3. Choose Your Bike Wisely

The Avenue Verte is not advisable for a road bike although there are road based alternatives to some of the tracks.

4. Shops Are Shut

Remember rural supermarkets & shops are shut for lunch in France between around 12 & 3pm. For those on a complete budget break, plan ahead & carry lunch with you.

Pack Your Tools for Avenue Verte

5. Pack Your Tools

At the very least you will need to carry puncture repair kits, inner tubes, allen keys, chain key, chain link and a list of bike shops along the full length of the route, (there is a great one in Forges-Les-Eaux). The majority of the Avenue Verte route is located in rural areas so it is vital that you are prepared for all eventualities. Remember we had 7 punctures & a broken trailer in just one day!

6. Be Prepared

Unfortunately you can never depend upon the weather in England or France; you may have to cycle a full day in the rain or the hot sunshine and pack accordingly. Always carry snacks & liquids with you as there are large chunks of the route without sight on a single shop, vehicle or even another person!

7. Avenue Verte & Kids

Whilst the bulk of the Avenue Verte is on country lanes, cycle paths & rural routes, getting in & out of London & Paris is particularly difficult. You will need to consider quite how cycle savvy your children are before considering a family trip. The route does take you on main London & Paris roads in & out of the cities.

8. Carrying Your Stuff

We opted for a trailer attached to 2 of the bikes to carry all our belongings along the route. This gave us more space than paniers could provide but offered us a budget solution away from courier options. Whilst loaded, the trailers offered us ample space for all our belongings. Wouldn’t want to carry this myself on my bike but the guys in our party were happy enough.

Always worth securing the trailer properly to the bike each time you use it as this was our downfall with one of the trailers.