Ardennes cycling trip advice.

SomeFool

Hello all, planning on going to the Ardenne region in september to do a bit of cycling, I was wondering if anyone had any tips or advice on where to stay and what routes are best to cycle etc. Looking to base ourselves in one place and cover as much from the classics as we can. Normally go to the alps for a week so just looking to do something different. Cheers!

SomeFool

Anyone? Looking at either Bastogne, la Roche en Ardenne or a little further away in Valkenburg or Luxemburg. Anyone have experience of cycling in these areas?

NamelessPhil

I rode Liege-Bastogne-Liege as a sportive this year. You can find the route here. Other than that one day and watching the pros ride the courses over the last few years I don't have much to say.

The hills are plentiful either long and draggy or short and steep. La Roche en Ardenne seemed very scenic and pretty when we went through it. Transport links are good and you can take bikes on some trains. Liege is a post-industrial mining town of little beauty, there's a cathedral and Palais but not that much to see. From the Ardennes you could easily reach Luxembourg and north to Maastricht and the route of the Amstel Gold.

I did see plenty of signs for gites to rent in the area and once outside of the large towns the landscape is pretty rural. The area around Bastogne is famous for the "Battle of the Bulge" during World War II and there is a war museum near the town.

It's good country for cycling, there's not much flat though. I remember seeing one sign on the roadside that read, "Welcome to the Hardennes" and it was true. Belgians don't do hairpins on climbs, the road tends to go straight up the escarpment with some brutal gradients in places.

It looks like an interesting area to cycle in and what's not to like about a country that can help you refuel with chocolate, beer and frites!