Yet another disused railway line voie vert. La fluvia (1 Viewer)

[suavecarve]

For some reason we hadn't got all excited about this one.
We have parked at the immaculate free Aire at Raucoules about 1km from the path at montfaucon and went to Yssingeaux. About 25 Kms.
A little up and down but it is completely paved. Only one hard gradient and that was short.
Started off with truly magnificent views of 20+ Kms of the volcano peaks with buzzards and kites and then a buffalo farm with honesty shop so cherry yogurts purchased.
Some forest and gorges but mainly the long views and smooth tarmac made this ride lovely. If we were to do it again we wouldn't go up the hill to Yssingeaux. Not much to get excited about but they have a TdF finish in a fortnight.
Special thanks to Cleve who is no longer taggable for his thread about the steam trains around here and jumartoo who has been around here as well and may recognise the last photo.
The beer was at Lapte which has a free aire at the bottom of the hill with nice church.
Unfortunately the photos dont do justice to lovely scenery

 

[suavecarve]

Did a bit more research over this trail this morning. It starts the other side (west) of Yssingeaux at la voulte Sur Loire and at the moment is split into 4 sections totalling 100 Kms. To the East it goes as far as Annonay at the moment but the intention is join the Rhone and Loire together by this bike route at Serrieres which will either include a very long tunnel or they will build a cycle on top of a forest.
We are off to Riotard this morning from Raucoules which is supposed to a sedate 15 Kms passing through what we think is an ardeche village of character Dunieres.
The Aire at Raucoules and the sunset (photo of outside thread)

 

[DumfriesDik]

That looks great.

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[jongood]

We came across one a few days ago we re going to have a think about

La voie verte du Marsan et de l'Armagnac - Piste cyclable à MONT-DE-MARSAN | Equipements & Loisirs

La voie verte du Marsan et de l'Armagnac à MONT-DE-MARSAN : retrouvez toutes les infos nécessaires sur le site officiel du Tourisme dans les Landes (40).

www.tourismelandes.com

The section I scouted was by La Bastide D'armagnac (think smaller and rawer version of Mirepoix) this was very grassy but gravel underneath, according to the blurb sections are tarmac though.

 

[suavecarve]

We came across one a few days ago we re going to have a think about

La voie verte du Marsan et de l'Armagnac - Piste cyclable à MONT-DE-MARSAN | Equipements & Loisirs

La voie verte du Marsan et de l'Armagnac à MONT-DE-MARSAN : retrouvez toutes les infos nécessaires sur le site officiel du Tourisme dans les Landes (40).

www.tourismelandes.com

The section I scouted was by La Bastide D'armagnac (think smaller and rawer version of Mirepoix) this was very grassy but gravel underneath, according to the blurb sections are tarmac though.

September holiday !

 

[jongood]

September holiday !

have you done any of the cyclepaths down the Atlantic Coast? also in the Landes? Not railway tracks but well surfaced and climbs tend to be moderate and then a great beach at the end of the day. You see people on them doing the Scandiberico

La Scandiberique: 1700 km of cycling route in France

La Scandiberique - EuroVelo 3: the largest cycling route in France with 1700 km to travel by bike.

www.scandiberique.com

If we werent already committed we could be very tempted to do some of the Ardeche routes this September - defo next year.

Edit, sorry wrong one

Home | La Vélodyssée

www.cycling-lavelodyssee.com

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[suavecarve]

have you done any of the cyclepaths down the Atlantic Coast? also in the Landes? Not railway tracks but well surfaced and climbs tend to be moderate and then a great beach at the end of the day. You see people on them doing the Scandiberico

La Scandiberique: 1700 km of cycling route in France

La Scandiberique - EuroVelo 3: the largest cycling route in France with 1700 km to travel by bike.

www.scandiberique.com

If we werent already committed we could be very tempted to do some of the Ardeche routes this September - defo next year.

We did the medoc earlier in the year but going south from Montalivet to Hourtin was hard work in the sun on roads
Have done by Arcachon in pre electric days and bits down to Biarritz which we found to be very well suited to us. Flat shady reasonable views and something at the end.
I misread where it was. We will be heading Mirepoix direction (we think)

 

[jongood]

We did the medoc earlier in the year but going south from Montalivet to Hourtin was hard work in the sun on roads
Have done by Arcachon in pre electric days and bits down to Biarritz which we found to be very well suited to us. Flat shady reasonable views and something at the end.
I misread where it was. We will be heading Mirepoix direction (we think)

Its not near Mirepoix but its a similar style with the galleried town square and the old buildings.

 

[suavecarve]

Did the 2nd section this morning from Raucoules to Riotard.
Mainly forested with good shade. When it wasn't great views.
The free Aire is at riotarde with a less exciting one in the town of dunieres.

We won't be back to finish both ends for about a year when I LL update but this is a cracking voie vert.

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[jannyman]

Cracking (though expensive!) thread suavecarve and jongood. Thank you!
Expensive? Partially inspired by the above Mrs jannyman has just bought a bike ££
So hopefully come September hope to be following in one or other of your tyre tracks!

 

[jumar]

Great information...thanks.

 

[suavecarve]

Cracking (though expensive!) thread suavecarve and jongood. Thank you!
Expensive? Partially inspired by the above Mrs jannyman has just bought a bike ££
So hopefully come September hope to be following in one or other of your tyre tracks!

You may want to do some searching on MHF as I think I have done another 5 of these disused railway line threads.

Try searching under my name for "disused "
There is one form Bordeaux heading east
One from uzes to pont du Gard
One from carpentras.
The via ardeche
The Dolca via
La via fluvia.

I was planning to put links for all of them together in one thread and create a "disused railway line voie vert" information thread where if someone finds one they create a thread and link it into the new one.

I might get laptop out today or tomorrow and do that (can't on phone)

Edit. And La dolce de la payee

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[Orion]

Excellent thread - thanks for posting.

Having completed La Vélodyssée in two leisurely parts as summer holidays, we have EuroVelo6 - Atlantic to The Black Sea on our bucket list. Not sure how to approach it though, either in sections over time or as one big hit, but it’s tempting! Putin permitting of course!

 

[Chickie]

Great thread so much information look forward to your 'disused railway line Voir vert,' it's a brilliant idea. We will certainly ride some of them thanks suavecarve.

 

[Lenny HB]

Not been to the Ardeche for years probably getting on for 20. You have inspired me to give it another go thanks John.

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[suavecarve]

You need to recheck new threads or look for this one

The disused railway line and voie vert thread

As will be seen below we have found a number of Disused railway lines and voie verts (traffic free cycling routes) in France and the links are all below so you can go directly to one which fancy having a look at. It would be great if others added their routes and a link so there was just a one...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Great thread so much information look forward to your 'disused railway line Voir vert,' it's a brilliant idea. We will certainly ride some of them thanks suavecarve.

 

[Lenny HB]

You need to recheck new threads or look for this one

The disused railway line and voie vert thread

As will be seen below we have found a number of Disused railway lines and voie verts (traffic free cycling routes) in France and the links are all below so you can go directly to one which fancy having a look at. It would be great if others added their routes and a link so there was just a one...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Bookmarked, thanks.

 

[PrettyandFluffy]

Thank you for sharing this, I hadn't heard of "voies verts" before and would like to explore some of them. Had a quick Google and loads of guides and maps came up; can you recommend the best or official guide/website please?

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[suavecarve]

https://en.francevelotourisme.com/cycle-route
Is the one I use.
I also use an app which used to be called windymaps but has been taken over and is now downloadable for free and works without WiFi and called Mapy.cz
I also have the voie vertes map

I also keep an eye on travel threads of some funsters.

 

[PrettyandFluffy]

https://en.francevelotourisme.com/cycle-route
Is the one I use.
I also use an app which used to be called windymaps but has been taken over and is now downloadable for free and works without WiFi and called Mapy.cz
I also have the voie vertes map View attachment 636197View attachment 636198
I also keep an eye on travel threads of some funsters.

Thank you!

 

[cyberyacht]

I like disused railway routes. No strenuous inclines.

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[Landy Andy]

Next holiday can we have river routes please.

 

[Just smiffy]

I was planning to put links for all of them together in one thread and create a "disused railway line voie vert" information thread where if someone finds one they create a thread and link it into the new one.

I’ve been keeping all your old railway rides as when I eventually get a van I’m going to do a special trip and ride all the ones I can find on my electric tike which on these type of tracks can do over 25miles, I have two batteries so that’s 25 there and 25 back… so would appreciate and look forward to any thread dedicated to these rides…

 

[Landy Andy]

There are a couple of motorhome books with bike routes in for those that are interested.

Books | Mysite, motorhome, aires

6 motorhome guides are available covering tours in France, best aires, best places to visit by motorhome & the most beautiful villages & towns in France

www.motorhomingfrance.co.uk

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[suavecarve]

Next holiday can we have river routes please.

Started planning that this morning

 

[15edward]

We recently stayed overnight at Pont Farcy municipal campsite just off A84. I think we’ll be back to have a look not only the Vire voie verte but also kayaking from there.
lovely little campsite

 

[DMartin]

September holiday !

Did you get to do it?
And (though I may be totally barking) it seems to me that Mont de Marsan to Gabaret is just a small section of the 'Scandiberique'.
See: https://www.scandiberique.fr/itineraire/escalans-mont-de-marsan
Many thanks for your inspiration, we intend to have a go at some of this before too long.

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[suavecarve]

Did you get to do it?
And (though I may be totally barking) it seems to me that Mont de Marsan to Gabaret is just a small section of the 'Scandiberique'.
See: https://www.scandiberique.fr/itineraire/escalans-mont-de-marsan
Many thanks for your inspiration, we intend to have a go at some of this before too long.

No we didnt get down that far in September but the intention is to go through here in March this year, but I have a little matter of an MRI scan tomorrow night for prolapsed disc causing sciatica and numbness in one leg. Hoping they can get me in for an op soon as I havent been able to walk for 2 months or so (managed to work 5 weeks on it) but the recovery appears to be quite good. Then it will be via verdes in Spain for a month

 

[Roger S]

Good luck with that

 

[DMartin]

No we didnt get down that far in September but the intention is to go through here in March this year, but I have a little matter of an MRI scan tomorrow night for prolapsed disc causing sciatica and numbness in one leg. Hoping they can get me in for an op soon as I havent been able to walk for 2 months or so (managed to work 5 weeks on it) but the recovery appears to be quite good. Then it will be via verdes in Spain for a month

Good luck too.
For various reasons (mainly 2024 hols all spoken for) we are targetting 2025 for that part of the world. I just hope saying that isn't going to jinx ...

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