By bike: how to escape Paris in one day

“We hear birds, we don’t hear cars anymore. We are already very far away,” rejoices Julie Decourbe, sitting on her red touring bike.

This cycling enthusiast goes out almost every weekend in search of new panoramas. With her we will travel about fifty kilometers from the capital, and then return by train that same evening.

Direction Auvers-sur-Oise (95), Van Gogh’s village located north of Pontoise (95). A short day break without restrictions and heavy logistics. The walk is open to anyone with a bike in good condition and a desire for something more.

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“We can arrive very quickly, in the middle of nature”

Far from the atmosphere of a sport ride, a bike tour allows you to take time to contemplate each scenery without any demands on productivity. “The difference between a Sunday run and a hike is that we do the same thing with baskets, but much slower,” explains Julie Decourbe.

To cover one hundred kilometers, you don’t need to take an overly ambitious kit: two cans of fresh water, a repair kit and a bag with lunch are enough. The legs adapt to the curious gaze. “We should reach a speed of 15 km/h, which should be a classic walking average,” continues this enthusiast.

After some less picturesque city streets around Saint-Denis and Gennevilliers, we enter the forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (78), a 3,500-hectare green lung that can be reached in less than two hours from the capital.

A row of gravel begins to crunch as his steed passes. The sound signals and engines of the first sections remained only a distant memory. “We are only 20 km from Paris, it is not very, very far, we can arrive very quickly, surrounded by nature, in peace,” slips Julie Decourbe.

“When we go for a bike ride, we are often presented with such pleasant surprises.”

At the exit from the forest, another surprise: several cables of fine sand stuck to the tires. Korra Pond (78) appears with a flock of butterflies, dragonflies and swimmers who have come to relax in this peaceful corner. “We often have such pleasant surprises when we go on a bike ride, I love it,” our guide rejoices, putting a colorful cap on his head.

In the Ile-de-France, leisurely bikers are spoiled for choice when it comes to getting away from it all: ” [La région] quite suitable for cycling tourism, there must be about a hundred routes that can be covered entirely by bicycle.”

To better identify them, the interactive AF3V association map will help you. It carefully lists the bike routes and greenways scattered throughout the area.

“Cycling is contemplative”

And here each route can be adapted to the wishes and desires of each traveler: “As for the distance, it is always about 50 or 60 km. But we don’t have to do everything,” advises Julie Decourbe. “At first I think that 20 km will be more than enough. And in the end, do the rest and return to Paris by train.” Good news: Transilien Ile-de-France’s trains have bike-friendly seats. The only restriction is to avoid peak hours on weekdays.

After 7 hours of driving, including 3 hours 40 minutes of pedaling, we board the return train. The capital is again visible outside the windows. Returning to the pavement with relief: “Cycling is contemplative. It’s really confusing. This is very useful for the head. I feel like my legs are throwing all my worries out of my head and leaving them on the side of the road,” enthuses our travel partner.

VIDEO. By bike: how to escape Paris in one day

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