A summer trip along the rivers

The plan

Planning the route is part of the fun! Looking at the EuroVelo map, it seemed obvious that I would follow EuroVelo 6, as my starting point is near Briare and I had decided to head east.

East, yes, but how far?

Bratislava seemed like an ambitious but reasonable destination. That would be my eastern goal. It is a EuroVelo crossroads: I will turn off onto EuroVelo 13 to begin my return journey and join EuroVelo 4 in Cheb, thus crossing Germany along the Main. Then, EuroVelo 15 will allow me to follow the Rhine from Mainz. Finally, I will retrace my steps along EuroVelo 6 from Mulhouse.

In short, 4,400 km between France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Czechia:

• 1,835 km from Briare to Bratislava on EuroVelo 6 – Atlantic-Black Sea
• 905 km from Bratislava to Cheb on EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail
• 617 km from Cheb to Mainz on EuroVelo 4 – Central Europe Route
• 412 km from Mainz to Mulhouse on EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route
• 645 km from Mulhouse to Briare on EuroVelo 6

The Loire

The path is very well marked and pleasant along the canal latéral de la Loire. It's a fairly quiet introduction, apart from the cats that may come and ask you for some brioche! It was also on this section that I encountered the most cycle tourists: a quick wave as we passed each other gave me a sense of belonging to this very special community.

The canal bridges of Briare, Cuffy and Digoin are impressive. The numerous barges moored at the quayside and tourist boats on the water invite you to slow down and enjoy the change of scenery: take your time and appreciate every view that catches your eye.

The Canal du Centre, the Doubs and the Rhône-Rhine Canal

Cycling early in the morning offers memorable views of the rivers in the mist and the sunrise over the canal. I really appreciated the cycling facilities along the Canal du Centre: repair points, rest areas and a well-marked route.

When you reach the Chalon-sur-Saône region, you really feel the hills in your calves: the Loire is now far behind! However, charming villages such as Verdun-Ciel make you appreciate every stage of the journey (and give you the opportunity to sample the local pastries).

The Doubs welcomes you with its geologically striking cliffs: we are now in the Jura. Surprisingly, EuroVelo 6 takes you through the tunnel under the citadel of Besançon.

This first part of the journey, which took me from Briare to Mulhouse, allowed me to discover a France I didn't know. There is an obvious satisfaction in the idea of having made it this far on two wheels, pedals and a tent. However, as I spent the night in Mulhouse and thought about what lay ahead, doubts and a certain fear began to creep in. I felt like I was at the tipping point of a roller coaster: starting tomorrow, I would be cycling alone through several countries I know next to nothing about (also my German is very poor).

The Danube

From Mulhouse and then Basel, EuroVelo 6 crosses part of Baden-Württemberg to reach the Danube at Tuttlingen. This section, which sometimes runs alongside Switzerland, passes by the impressive Rhine Falls at Neuhausen am Rheinfall.

Day after day, the Danube becomes a true travelling companion. It is a compass, a familiar face among these unknown lands and cities.

Apart from Passau and Vienna, I unfortunately did not take the time to properly visit the cities along the river: Ulm, Ingolstadt, Regensburg and Linz. Maybe next time? I had a strange moment in Zwentendorf, where I had planned to stop at a quiet campsite and ended up in the middle of an electronic music festival (Shutdown Festival) that was taking place that day.

In addition to the change of scenery offered by the countryside along the Danube and these magnificent cities, it should be noted that EuroVelo 6 plans to cross the river several times, which is a cute experience every time.

Bratislava and the Czech hills, on the Iron Curtain

Located not far from Vienna, the capital of Slovakia boasts equally majestic architecture. Once again, my stop here was far too short: it's a city I'll be delighted to rediscover.

As I leave Bratislava, I am suddenly struck by a feeling of melancholy: I am leaving the Danube, which has accompanied me for a great part of the journey, and on the banks of which I have slept many nights, sometimes to the sound of cruise ships where tourists wave friendly greetings. I also bid farewell to EuroVelo 6, whose signs guided me to my dream destination and which, according to the comments I have read here and there, is one of the best signposted EuroVelo routes. What will happen next?

The Czech border was the most beautiful stage of the journey, but also the most difficult. The Sumava region in particular, which borders the Bayerischer Wald National Park on the German side, is well known to skiers in winter and mountain bikers in summer. I wasn't really equipped or prepared for the steep gravel climbs, which I regularly ended up tackling on foot.

That said, I don't regret for a single second the landscapes and experiences of this section of EuroVelo 13: Znojmo and its incredible elevation changes, the fields littered with old bunkers in the Iron Curtain no man's land, the rustic campsites with their zen atmosphere, the brightly coloured houses, Lake Černé Jezero, the marshes and forest paths on the hillsides of Sumava.

The Main

It is with a certain bitterness that I say goodbye to the forest on the Czech-German border, which has offered me such beautiful views. I know that I am leaving this familiar natural environment behind to return to a more urban setting, which is certainly more suited to my bike.

That bitterness faded away as EuroVelo 4 led to the Main via Bayreuth and its splendid architecture, then Lichtenfels and its magnificent lake.

After that, EuroVelo 4 sometimes runs alongside roads or railways, which isn't always exciting but is always well laid out.

On the other hand, you will regularly come across beautiful little towns hidden by the cliffs along the river, such as Miltenberg, known as the ‘Pearl of the Main’, or Aschaffenburg with its monuments. Finally, the most urban part of the trip was undoubtedly the crossing of Frankfurt: the suburban area stretches for dozens of kilometres.

The Rhine

In Mainz – whose urban area borders that of Frankfurt – it's time to return to the Rhine, which I crossed almost a month ago. So I'm on EuroVelo 15, heading towards Mulhouse.

EuroVelo 15 is very well maintained, it's a real pleasure to ride on it and the many cycle tourists I see seem to confirm this.

The only slight downside to this idyll is the crossing of Mannheim, which is an extremely industrialised city (the cradle of plastic production in Europe). However, this passage was a discovery and remains an interesting place to visit.

The last ferry of the journey was at Kollersee to cross to the west side of the Rhine and reach Speyer, where I was able to visit a huge museum of technology (automotive and aerospace). I returned to France via Munchhausen and other well-kept, decorated villages. I now understand why Alsace has so many villages listed as the most beautiful in France.

On arriving in Mulhouse, a phrase is displayed on the canal: “La roue tourne, refonde-toi.” (‘The wheel turns, recast yourself’). Although I am an atheist and a rationalist, it is difficult not to see this as a sign - or at least a coincidence that made me laugh.

Thoughts at the end of the trip

Back on EuroVelo 6, the momentum of the trip is not quite the same on this return path that I have already travelled. With the discovery aspect gone, I have time to think about what I have just experienced. It was my first bike trip and I enjoyed every step. I was lucky not to have any nasty surprises or significant accidents. The few difficult moments (slopes, weather or lack of supplies) allowed me to put everyday problems into perspective. On the last night of the trip, day 48, I slept at the same campsite where I had made my first stop on day 1. Amidst the whirlwind of emotions this stirred up, one thing was certain: I would set off again as soon as I could.

About the author

Without much gear or preparation, Joseph Lark went onto a two-month round trip in Central Europe. Since, he's planning for his future summer and winter adventures with Koko the Koga bike and practicing travel friendly cooking!