France and Belgium WWI battlefields

[happybuddha]

A mate and I are talking of doing a 2 week tour of the WWI battlefields of France and Belgium. He lives Kent, England and I live in Hong Kong. We would meet in the UK, ride to the coast, hop the train and take the Chunnel to Calais and then ride around France and Belgium...returning more or less the same way, though we may take the ferry back from Dunkerque.

Has anyone here done a similar trip, any comments? This is our first tour, so have a lot to learn and plans to make.

Any thoughts on camping vs. B&B/hostels for accomodation?

We are looking at this coming June as a possible time frame.

Thanks,
Drew

 

[limerickman]

A mate and I are talking of doing a 2 week tour of the WWI battlefields of France and Belgium. He lives Kent, England and I live in Hong Kong. We would meet in the UK, ride to the coast, hop the train and take the Chunnel to Calais and then ride around France and Belgium...returning more or less the same way, though we may take the ferry back from Dunkerque.

Has anyone here done a similar trip, any comments? This is our first tour, so have a lot to learn and plans to make.

Any thoughts on camping vs. B&B/hostels for accomodation?

We are looking at this coming June as a possible time frame.

Thanks,
Drew

Several years ago, we brought a few of our riders to Belgium to train.
Specifically we based ourselves just outside Charleroi (proximity to airport, ease of transfer).

Training spins brought us to places like Gembloux and Namur : these places have a lot of WW1 history.
In fact anywhere along the Meuse River Valley has plenty of sites and monuments from WW1.
Of course Namur is almost beside the location for the WW11 battle of the Bulge and the famous Ardennes campaign.

From what I can recollect, there were formal tours of those sites along the French/Belgian border for people interested in WW1 and WW11.
But you can do your own tours of those sites, if you choose.

In terms of accomodation, there is no shortage of accomodation along that specific route on the Belgian/French border and having travelled through south/west France too, I would guess that the region where you're going to would have plenty of accomodation too.

 

[Fietslogies]

Maybe some of my 46 Bikely tours can be of use. The main one is called : 'Cycling in remembrance of World War I, along canals, the river Ijzer and an old railway track.' It covers the deeply devestated war region of Ypres, Dixmude and Furnes. I added also some links to cities and momuments and other information.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Ieper-Diksmuide-Nieuwpoort-Diksmuide-Lo-Veurne-Nieuwpoort

In the same region of the Belgian province of West Flanders, I present 2 different tracks connecting Dixmude and Ypres :

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Diksmuide-Kortemark-Ijzer-Handzamevaart-railway-track

and

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Boezinge-Ieper-Langemark-Staden

By using, one or more of my other Bikely tracks, you can reach these bicycle tracks quite easily from Dunkirk and Calais :

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Bergues-Dunkerque-Veurne-Canal-de-Dunkerque-Canal-Dunkerque-Nieu

and / or

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Bergues-Veurne-Nieuwpoort-Oostende-Brugge-Damme-Maldegem-Eeklo-G

and / or

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Calais-Ardres-Watten-Canal-de-Calais-Aa

About accomodation in Flanders : 'Vrienden op de Fiets' is quite unique. Check their website at http://www.vriendenopdefiets.nl > Enlish Version


Have fun.
Fietslogies

 

[kdelong]

Thank you for the info. Now I have a reason to brush up on my limited French language skills. I'm definately going to have to tour France to take these rides.

 

[Fietslogies]

This map (4 languages) is a must :

http://www.wo1.be/ned/literatuur/boeken/andere/frontkaart.htm" with information (in dutch) how to buy it.

http://www.mapservice.be/frontkaart_14-18 is the digital version with superb zooming facilities.