Get on your bike in Champagne-Ardenne

Get on your bike

Explore Champagne-Ardenne by bike, using the 450 kilometres of green ways in the region. The routes will take cyclists along towpaths which run alongside canals and rivers, or on disused railway lines. Cycling along these green ways is a relaxing way of discovering the ever-changing landscape of this enchanting region. And this core network is complemented by a wide range of looped circuits, marked and unmarked, which make use of the regions quiet back roads.

Silence, wide open spaces, clean air – the calming sensations of Haute-Marne. The varied wildlife in the département is a great starting point for many outdoor activities;  watching cranes take flight, listening to the call of the deer, discovering wild orchids around a bend in the path…

GREEN WAY AROUND THE LAC DU DER
The Lac du Der Tour will take the visitor along the dikes overlooking the lake, which is surrounded by the vast oak woodlands of the Forêt du Der. During this peaceful tour, you can pause to take a dip in the lake on one of the many beaches, or observe the rich local wildlife. Following the Marne intake canal also allows you to discover the town of Saint-Dizier.


GREEN WAY OF THE PAYS DE LANGRES AND THE FOUR LAKES
The green way uses the disused track of the Langres-Beneuve railway, which ran between 1883 to 1963. This quiet route runs along the ramparts of the town of Langres, then continues to Saints-Geosmes and then on to the countryside of the Plateau de Langres. Several smaller cycle tour loops of 16 to 20 kilometres run off the green way, allowing cyclists to plan their route according to their level.


THE TOWPATH
The Marne-Saône Champagne to Burgundy Canal begins in the Marne, runs through the Meuse and the Haute-Marne into the Saône in the Côte-d’Or. This gentle cycle tour runs along the tarred towpath for a good stretch from Peigney (Langres) to Joinville, allowing the rider to discover the Marne valley countryside. A second section of approximately 10 kilometres is open to the west of Saint-Dizier, towards Vitry-le-François.


SPECIAL PACKAGE
CYCLING NEAR THE SOURCES OF THE MEUSE
Stay in a peaceful area where the source of the Meuse is located. Loops of between 55 and 64 kilometres will lead you across green undulating landscapes. From your hotel at Montigny-le-Roi, you can visit the fortified city of Langres, the cutlery-making town of Nogent and the spa in Bourbonne-les-Bains.



Hotel Arcombelle ** Logis
2 days/2 nights: €123 (from April till October)
www.hotel-arcombelle.com

For further information:
Tourist Board Haute-Marne
Cours Marcel Baron
BP 2048
52902 Chaumont Cedex 9 (France)
Tel: (Fr) 3 25 30 39 00  Fax: (Fr) 3 25 30 39 09
Email: cdt@tourisme-hautemarne.com
Web: www.tourisme-hautemarne.com




 
The Trans-Ardennes running from Charleville-Mézières to Givet offers the opportunity to  peacefully discover the charms and richness of the Meuse valley without being disturbed by cars or other motor vehicles. There are now more than 80 kilometres of clearly marked and secure pathways available to all walkers, skaters and even horse-riders.
 
As you travel along the Trans-Ardennes, discover the forest, scene of wonderful and mysterious legends of the Ardennes region, such as the four sons of Aymon and the ladies of the Meuse…

A free guide is available in every Tourist Office and at the French Ardennes Tourist Board in Charleville-Mézières. It is also downloadable from www.ardennes.com and www.voiesvertes.com. All along the Trans-Ardennes green way, there is a variety of accommodation where you can stop off.
 
By 2012 the route will be extended to Mouzon and the Meuse département, creating a real backbone through the Ardennes. When this last section is complete it will be possible to travel around the Ardennes on a single route, without motor vehicles for a distance of about 150 kilometres.
 
For information visit: www.voiesvertes.com/htm/departement08_GB.htm