Tour de Picardie

Prologue: Calais docks to town centre, 3 km, flat!

​Meet the Glaudax brothers (aka Richard & Tony) on Sunday morning outside the Dover Central Premier Inn where we will stow your luggage on our van before boarding the 12:55 DFDS ferry to Calais. A British territory for over 200 years (1347 to 1558) before it became part of Northern France, Calais is a town divided into old and new parts. Calais-Nord, the old town, is an artificial island bordered by canals and harbours; the newer part, known as St-Pierre, lies to the south. On a clear day the white cliffs of Dover can easily be seen from Calais’s superb golden beach which stretches over 5 km and features hundreds of beach huts dating back to the 1940s.

Night 1: Hotel Metropole

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Stage 1, Monday: Calais to Le Touquet

distance 81 km; climb 790 m, 11% unpaved

We start our day with a welcome to Glaudax breakfast, a quick briefing and le grand départ! You will be following our GPS-mapped and recommended coast-hugging route heading south using the spectacular EuroVelo 4 cycle route via Wissant (coffee), Boulogne (lunch) and Etaples (beer) to the fabulous iconic seaside resort of Le Touquet, also known as Paris-Plage.

Created at the start of the 20th century as a resort for artists, writers and high society, Le Touquet is set between wide sandy beaches and a vast pine forest. At low tide, it becomes a playground for long walks, land sailing and simply enjoying the space, light and sea air that define the coast here. Anglo-Norman villas, Art Deco buildings and elegant seaside hotels give the town its distinctive character. Strolling through residential streets reveals an architectural heritage closely linked to the resort’s golden age.

Night 2: Red Fox hotel

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Stage 2, Tuesday: Le Touquet to Dieppe

distance 124/131 km; climb 700 m, 3% unpaved

Today is the first of two days exceeding 120 km, and there is also a 7 km optional detour into the beach resort of Fort Mahon for an early coffee at 35 km. We’ve sampled and can recommend a boulangerie stop in Le Crotoy (50 km) to top up the calorie levels before the climbing starts some 15 km later, setting the pattern for a scenic afternoon of yo-yoing between clifftops and fishing ports where you’ll find plenty of choice for lunch.

Shortly after Mers-les-Bains (voted France’s 2nd favourite village in 2024!) we arrive at Le Tréport (92 km), the exit from which delivers the day’s toughest test: a challenging hairpin haul back up onto the cliffs averaging 7% over 1.5 km. Happily any riders not feeling up to it can take the free funicular railway instead, bikes welcome!

Dieppe established itself as France’s first seaside resort some 200 years ago. A dynamic, lively port and popular destination for cross-channel visitors, it has retained its beautiful seafront promenade and is officially listed as a town of art and history. Fine seafood dining is guaranteed along with a chance to lose all your money at the famous casino.

Night 3: Hotel Aguado

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Stage 3, Wednesday: Dieppe to Amiens

distance 122 km; climb 790 m, 1% unpaved

We leave Dieppe and the coast to join the Avenue Verte London-Paris cycle route for 42 km of gloriously car-free and carefree pedalling on a velvet-smooth cycle track, passing through Neufchâtel-en-Bray (36 km), a great place to stop for coffee and croissants. The middle of the day is spent on quiet undulating lanes, passing through three small towns with colourful bistros offering tempting lunch menus to lure you off your bike. At Picquigny (106 km) we descend sharply down onto the Somme Valley cycle route which leads us into the heart of Amiens, ‘Venice of the North’.

The city is known for its impressive Gothic cathedral, les Hortillonnages floating gardens in the centre of town, and as the home of Jules Verne who said “upon the wish of my wife, I settled in Amiens, a wise, civilised and even-tempered place where the society is cordial and literate. We are close to Paris, close enough to reflect on it without the noisy hustle and bustle.”

Night 4: Hotel Le Prieuré

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Stage 4, Thursday: Amiens to Arras

distance 86 km; climb 580 m, 9% unpaved

We rejoin the Somme Valley cycle route heading east out of town for 20 km to Corbie – an early opportunity to top up the caffeine levels. Then we bear north on the véloroute de la mémoire passing through the Somme battlefields of world war one. The Thiepval Franco-British memorial (49 km) is well worth a visit and has a very handily placed cafe/restaurant.

Arras contains two of the most famous and lively Flemish baroque style squares in the Hauts-de-France region: La Grand-Place and La Place des Héros, the latter overlooked by the town’s most celebrated landmark – a 16th century 75-metre belfry. Included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005, it’s open to visitors during Tourist Office opening times 9:30 am–12:30 pm and 2–6 pm for the princely sum of €3.50. Last ascent 30 minutes before closing time.

Night 5: Hotel les 3 Luppars

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Stage 5, Friday: Arras to Saint-Omer

distance 94 km; climb 450 m, 3% unpaved

We head north out of town and are soon back into the rolling hills of the WW1 battlefields, passing the Canadian memorial & cemetery at 17 km. Shortly after that we pass through Lens where we recommend a sit-in boulangerie with coffee, then at 38 km we take a cycle path by the Canal d'Aire which soon links into Eurovelo 5, a 3,250 km continent-spanning route from Canterbury to Brindisi!

We remain on EV5 for the rest of the day via Robecq (55 km) and St Venant (60 km) where you can find lunch in either a boulangerie or bistro.

Saint-Omer is a charming small town with a magnificent cathedral, a railway station that looks more like a château, and many other monuments worth a visit if you can arrive in time. Restaurants offer local specialities such as carbonnade or welsch, delicious produce from local market gardens, and artisanal beers from regional brewers. The town is surrounded by the Marais Audomarois – a 3,700 hectare wetland of international importance.

Night 6: Hôtel Restaurant Les Frangins (the brothers!)

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Stage 6, Saturday: Saint-Omer to Calais

distance 53 km; climb 280 m, 2% unpaved

Our final day is the shortest of the week to allow time for a decent lunch (naturellement!) before our afternoon ferry back to Blighty and Adieu. Just over half-way (31 km) we pass through the charming small town of Ardres where vital coffee and cake supplies can be found.

We rendezvous at the restaurant du port, a stone’s throw from the ferry terminal and great value self-service eatery. Here you will have access to your main bags and can change into your civvies before the ferry crossing should you so wish.

 

​​Congratulations, you've completed Glaudax Internationale!

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We acknowledge https://www.hautsdefrancetourism.com/ and https://www.normandie-tourisme.fr/ for some of the information above.

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