Paris to Bruges Bike and Barge

5.0Based on

Carbon neutral

15 daysDuration

Group TourJoin a group of travelers

24 peopleMaximum group size

18 - 99 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Moderate

Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.

Starts

Paris, France

Ends

Bruges, Belgium

Highlights

Enjoying the hospitality on board your comfortable barge

Discovering the charming cities of Paris and Bruges

Cycling through scenery that has inspired many famous painters

Exploring the diverse regions of northern France and Flanders in Belgium

Itinerary

Looking for a truly immersive European journey? The "Paris to Bruges Bike and Barge" tour is a 15-day guided cycling adventure designed for those who crave both history and camaraderie. Start in the fairy-tale city of Bruges and wind your way to the romantic streets of Paris, exploring the storied region between France and Belgium by bike and barge.

Along the route, you’ll visit art-deco gems like Ham and Ronse, trace the inspirations of masters such as Van Gogh, and reflect at significant World War I sites, including the Armistic and Peronne museums. Marvel at cathedrals, chateaus, and palaces while cycling riverside trails and farmlands. Each evening, return to your comfortable floating hotel for delicious onboard meals and good company.

The unique selling point of this tour package is its harmonious fusion of cultural depth, scenic cycling, and the conviviality of shared barge life—an ideal option for travelers eager to connect with both the landscape and fellow adventurers.

day 1 - Embarkation in Bruges mid afternoon, warm up ride (22km/13mi)

Embarkation in Bruges is at 2:00pm on board the barge. After a welcome briefing, there will be a bike handover and time for a short warm up ride in the surrounding area. After dinner, the tour guide will lead a walk through the centre of town.

We recommend coming to Bruges before the trip if possible, so you have plenty of time to explore. Bruges is known as the "Pearl of Flanders" and many say it is the most beautiful Flemish city. Its old centre, which dates from the Middle Ages, is almost completely intact. At that time Bruges was a metropolis, a centre of trade and art, and after Paris the second largest city of Europe.

If you arrive early you can leave your luggage on board from 11.00 am.

Meals:Dinner

day 2 - Cycle to Aalterbrug, by barge to Ghent (34 or 44km, 21 or 28mi)

After breakfast we will begin cycling, weaving through charming woodlands and pastures of Western Flanders. In Aalterbrug, the halfway point along the canal between Bruges and Ghent, we will board the barge and cruise to Ghent. Ghent is a lively university town with a rich history, that arose in Roman days on the confluence of the rivers Scheldt and Leie. Its favourable location brought great wealth as it became a trade and textile city, with a peak in the late 13th and early 14th Century. The cloth industry was a source of great richness in the Middle Ages, and the cloth traders used to gather in the "Lakenhal" (Cloth Hall, built 1425). In the city many patrician residences have been preserved. The most important church is St Bavo's cathedral, constructed in different centuries and in different styles. Here you can find several masterpiece paintings from the Middle Ages, the most famous of which is the "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by Jan van Eyck. In the evenings the city centre is very atmospheric. There is the option of joining a canal tour to the centre (included).