The lightest cycling holiday, covering largely flat terrain, suitable for everyone and people of all ages; with distances to 45 kilometers. You spend about 4 hours on your bicycle. Thinking about champagne you can already hear the sparkling. Perhaps you never thought of combining a visit to this region with a bike and barge trip but here it is, a bike and barge tour from Paris to Epernay, the true capital of the Champagne region.
You ride out of Paris via the Marne and its parallel, the Marne-Rhine canal. Next is a visit to the rural countryside of the Meaux region, famous for its Brie cheese. From this region known for cheese you ride into the vineyards of the Champagne Region. This is a region fought over heavily in WW1 and you will visit several monuments commemorating the men that fought here over years ago. At the final destination, Epernay you are in the middle of the Champagne industry. A very French tour centered around good wine and good cheese!
Arrival between 12 and 2 p. In the evening the guide can take you on a guided city walk. The canal was built by order of Emperor Napoleon and provided the city with water. It also played an important role in the transportation of goods to and from the city. Later the canal joins the Marne river and on the banks of the Marne you will find your destination of today, Lagny-sur-Marne. From Lagny-sur-Marne you first ride mainly along the Marne river and its parallel canal. Later on it becomes a bit hilly, as you have to leave the valley of the Marne.
In the morning you stay in the valley of the river with a ride through Trilport and Lizy-sur-Ourcq. Later you will have to climb a few challenging hills, leaving the valley in the direction of Jouarre. Jouarre, is a center of Brie making and you will be able to find a place where you can enjoy a tasting of the famous Brie de Meaux and Brie noir cheeses. At first the cycling track leads you along the Marne river.
Later you will take a side valley and follow country roads through various small villages. Still riding uphill you finally reach the plateau above the northern part of the Marne valley. This is an area with woods in the valleys and fields with wheat and other crops on the hills.
