Bikes on French and Belgian trains?

Planning the annual long weekend bike tour to foreign parts. In the
past we've been to pretty much all the northern French and Belgian
ferry ports and the hinterland behind them and in recent years further
afield with bikes on planes. This year the carbon guilt thing is
causing us to look at exploring further into France (or maybe Belgium)
using ferry and train.

Any advice welcomed on possible train routes in these countries with
bikes (and avoiding Paris) - say a max of 3 hours from a port.

Many thanks, Reg

wrote:
Planning the annual long weekend bike tour to foreign parts. In the
past we've been to pretty much all the northern French and Belgian
ferry ports and the hinterland behind them and in recent years further
afield with bikes on planes. This year the carbon guilt thing is
causing us to look at exploring further into France (or maybe Belgium)
using ferry and train.

Any advice welcomed on possible train routes in these countries with
bikes (and avoiding Paris) - say a max of 3 hours from a port.

Many thanks, Reg

Most TER trains allow bikes on as luggage.
If you read French you can see details of Nord Pas de Calais as an
example on
http://www.ter-sncf.com/nord_pas_de_...658&selected=2

Using local trains there should be few problems.

Dan Gregory wrote:
wrote:
Planning the annual long weekend bike tour to foreign parts. In the
past we've been to pretty much all the northern French and Belgian
ferry ports and the hinterland behind them and in recent years
further afield with bikes on planes. This year the carbon guilt
thing is causing us to look at exploring further into France (or
maybe Belgium) using ferry and train.

Any advice welcomed on possible train routes in these countries with
bikes (and avoiding Paris) - say a max of 3 hours from a port.

Many thanks, Reg

Most TER trains allow bikes on as luggage.
If you read French you can see details of Nord Pas de Calais as an
example on
http://www.ter-sncf.com/nord_pas_de_...658&selected=2

Using local trains there should be few problems.

Hint for the various SNCF websites; use the French language versions (if
necessary use Google translator). There is more on the French stuff than the
English translations (not surprising when you consider how little UK train
information is in French!).

Hint for using TER services; remember they are very departmental based, so
a journey which borders two departments can sometimes be a bit convoluted as
you head into department-1's hub, before going to department-2's hub, and
finally on to your destination.

Areas in northern France; Normandy. I really enjoyed cycling there last
year, but you need to get into the area (Portsmouth Ferry might be easier
?).

Trip from channel ports; Calais down the coast towards Abberville, then
back slightly inland. Depends on your daily range as to how far you go.


Planning. Quite a few local tourist offices publish signed tourist cycle
routes. They will send leaflets for these free if you put your address into
an enquiry form on their website. In many cases, adjacent tourist offices
publish routes which touch or just overlap. Whilst these are quite short
(say 40km-80km), you can piece a number together to make decent long routes,
or use them for 90% of a day ride, and just link up the missing bits. They
have usually been selected to be sensible cycling off the major roads, and
often go past places of interest.




- Nigel


--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

I forgot
http://seat61.com/Europe.htm#Bicycles

wrote:

Any advice welcomed on possible train routes in these countries with
bikes (and avoiding Paris) - say a max of 3 hours from a port.


In Belgium you have to buy a ticket for the bike in advance and you
cannot take bikes on the fast international trains (eg Thalys). Other
than that it's quite easy - there's usually a guards van or large
luggage area - and cheap.

Belgian railways website in English:
http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/index.php

The countryside in northern Belgium is flat but rather dull. Much nicer
in the south, especially near Luxembourg.

Thanks very much for your helpful replies.

The St Malo - Rennes - Nantes route looks like it might fit the bill.
Anyone any experience with this?

Reg