By bike, how to get away from Paris in one day

BICLOU, EPISODE 19 - "We hear the birds, we can no longer hear any car."

We're really far, there, ”rejoices Julie Decourbe, perched on her red touring bike.

This cycling enthusiast escapes almost every weekend in search of new panoramas.

With her, we will spin about fifty kilometers from the capital, before returning by train the same evening.

Direction Auvers-sur-Oise (95), village of Van Gogh perched north of Pontoise (95).

A short day trip, without constraints or heavy logistics.

The outing is within the reach of all those who have a bike in good condition and a dose of desire elsewhere.

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"We can arrive very quickly, in the middle of nature"

Far from the atmosphere of sporting outings, cycle tourism allows you to take the time to contemplate each landscape without imperative of performance.

“The difference between a Sunday race and a hike is that we do the same thing with saddlebags and much more slowly,” explains Julie Decourbe.

To travel a hundred kilometers, no need to take an overly ambitious outfit: two cans of fresh water, a repair kit and a bag with a lunch are enough.

The legs, they adapt to the curiosity of the gaze.

“There we must be at 15 km / h, which must be a classic average in hiking when we walk”, continues this enthusiast.

After a few less picturesque urban cables on the outskirts of Saint-Denis and Gennevilliers, it takes us to the forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (78), a green lung of 3,500 ha accessible in less than two hours from the capital.

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A row of gravel begins to crunch as his mount passes by.

The horns and motors of the first sections are only a distant memory.

"We are only 20 km from Paris, it is not very, very far, we can arrive very quickly, in the middle of nature, in peace", slips Julie Decourbe.

"We often have good surprises like that when we go for a bike ride"

At the exit of the forest, another surprise, nestled after a few cables of fine sand which sticks to the tires.

The pond of Corra (78) appears with its cloud of butterflies, dragonflies and bathers come to bask in this quiet corner.

“We often have good surprises like that when we go for a bike ride, I love it”, rejoices our guide, colorful cap screwed on his head.

In Île-de-France, lovers of gentle cycling excursions are spoiled for choice when it comes to getting away from it all: “[The region] lends itself fairly well to cycle tourism, there must be, come on, la gros ladle, a hundred circuits completely feasible by bicycle ”.

To identify them as well as possible, the interactive map of the AF3V association will be of great help to you.

It carefully lists the cycle routes and greenways scattered throughout the territory.

"Cycling is contemplative"

Here again, each route can be adapted to the desires and calves of each hiker: “In terms of distance, it's always within 50 or 60 km.

But we don't have to do everything ”, advises Julie Decourbe,“ At the start, I think 20 km is more than enough.

And eventually, do the rest, go back to Paris by train ”.

Good news: the Ile-de-France Transilien trains have spaces dedicated to cycling.

The only limitation: avoid peak hours on weekdays.

After 7 hours of driving, including 3h40 to pedal, we embark on our return train.

The capital takes shape again behind the windows.

A return to asphalt with a lighter mind: “Cycling is contemplative.

It really makes you drop out.

It does a lot of good for the head.

I have the impression that my legs evacuate all the worries I have in my head and leave them on the side of the road ”, enthuses our road partner.

VIDEO.

By bike, how to get away from Paris in one day

Watch the other episodes of the Biclou series