A real cracker of a route.
Following another portion of the long distance footpath, the GR2, (another of my films follows us taking this route all the way from the outskirts of Paris to the Arc de Triomphe….) we bikepack from Gaillon-Aubevoye (which lies just to the west of Rouen) and then cycle the footpath through Vernon, Giverny, Roche Guyon and Vetheuil to finish in Mantes.
Loads of fantastic biking, very rugged in places, with surprisingly steep climbs and drops. Great villages, cafes, restaurants and well placed bakeries. The route starts and finishes at stations connected to Paris.
Add Monet and the history of Impressionist painting into the mix and this is a very rich ride.
We cap things off with a quiet bivvy overlooking Vernon and Roche Guyon.
If you’re looking to spice up a cycle into Paris, or simply for a challenging bit of bikepacking, then this could be for you….
Notes:
If you see the squirrel, don’t worry I didn’t hit it! It turned on a sixpence and escaped.
I also know that Vetheuil wasn’t the church painted loads of times by Monet (although he did paint it), that was Rouen Cathedral, but I hadn’t slept well and clearly needed breakfast!
Enjoy.
https://www.gr-infos.com/gr-fr.htm