London to Paris Cycle Ride

An early start allows us to avoid the morning traffic as we pass through the outskirts of London onto quieter roads. 

It is not long before we are among the rolling fields and villages of rural Kent, passing orchards and traditional oast houses where hops are stored. We follow country roads across the hills of the North Downs to Dover and the coast. Taking the ferry to Calais, we have dinner on board and cycle the short distance (approx 5 miles) to our hotel. Night hotel. (Dinner on ferry not included) 

Cycle approx. 136km (85 miles) 

After a hearty breakfast we head south through beautiful rural landscapes. We ride through ancient Desvres, pedalling quiet winding roads running parallel to the coast. After lunch we reach the valleys of the Canche River and head further south towards Crécy-en-Ponthieu – site of the 14th-century Battle of Crécy. Continuing south, our final leg brings us to Abbeville, on the River Somme. Abbeville suffered badly from WW2 air raids, but its beautiful Flemish-style architecture is still in evidence and its Gothic church has been largely restored to its former glory. Night hotel. 

Cycle approx. 114km (71 miles) 

Leaving Abbeville behind us we follow the River Somme east out of the town in the direction of Amiens. These lands are renowned for the terrible battles of the First World War and are scattered with cemeteries and other poignant reminders of the thousands of men who died here. Our route soon turns south and we follow shady beech-tree-lined avenues so typically French, into meandering valleys and traditional farming hamlets. The cycling is mostly flat and through agricultural lands. Our day ends at Beauvais, a town renowned for its large gothic cathedral. Night hotel. 

Cycle approx. 104km (65 miles) 

After breakfast you are free to explore the famous sights of Paris.  You are responsible for getting yourself and your bags to the Gare du Nord in time for your evening Eurostar train back to St Pancras, where you will be reunited with your bike. (Lunch & Dinner not included)

Your trip will be led by experienced Discover Adventure crew – selected for their knowledge and experience, friendliness and approachability, sense of humour and ability to safely and effectively deal with any situation that arises; they are also trained in first aid. The crew will have mobile phones and/or radios where appropriate, medical kit and other safety apparatus where necessary. 

The number of crew and support vehicles looking after you will depend on the final size of your group, but the team will be looking after every aspect of your trip whether that’s transporting your luggage, ensuring your route is clear, making you lunch and sorting out any mechanical problems. Support vehicles are with the group all of the time, and carry all luggage and spares. 

Your safety, and that of the rest of the group, is our highest priority. Our trips are designed and planned with safety in mind. Your crew will be equipped with communication devices (eg phones, radios and/or emergency satellite phones), medical kit and other safety apparatus appropriate to the destination. Our leaders always have access to our 24-hour emergency UK back-up. They are responsible for safety on the trip and will make any changes to the itinerary they deem necessary, should local conditions dictate. Pre-trip administration – such as medical questionnaires and travel insurance as appropriate – is all done with your safety in mind. 

We usually stay in hotels or lodges of a 2-3* standard or equivalent. Standards may vary between the hotels but they are generally comfortable and convenient for our route. Hotels are often on the outskirts of towns to minimise unnecessary extra mileage and avoid traffic. 

Our trips are sold on a shared accommodation basis, usually twin-share, in hotels convenient to our route. You can tell us if you are travelling with someone else on the trip when you book or within your passenger portal, and we will do all we can to accommodate this request. It is important that both people complete the room share request on their bookings. For customers booking and travelling together, including same-sex couples, a double bed can be requested if available. 

If you’re not familiar with anyone in the group, rest assured, we always pair you with someone of the same gender (as per the information you provided when booking, or passport markers), and a similar age where possible. We’re actively working to improve our system’s gender restrictions to be more inclusive, and we’ve recently made significant strides in this area. If you identify differently from the gender marker on your passport and would like to discuss this before booking, please feel free to reach out to us. 

This is designed to be a challenge, and it is vital that you train sufficiently for it. We will supply you with a thorough training guide once you have registered. We expect all participants to train hard in advance, but we respect everyone’s limits and do not expect everyone to maintain the same pace. Inadequate training is likely to have an impact not just on your chances of completing the challenge, but enjoying it too – and we want you to have the time of your life! 

Our challenges attract people of all levels of experience, fitness and ability as well as all ages and backgrounds. We design our challenges so that everyone can go at their own pace: this is not a race. If you have concerns about your fitness or if you have reduced mobility please do contact us for a confidential chat about whether this challenge is appropriate for you. 

For logistical and safety reasons we sometimes need to re-group, so the front-runners may find themselves waiting for the slower ones. Please relax, and remember that this is a team effort that enables people to achieve their personal goals and earn sponsorship. 

Included: 

• All transport from London to Paris return (by ferry and Eurostar) 

• 4 nights hotel accommodation on a twin share basis 

• All meals except where specified 

• Discover Adventure crew (number dependant on group size) 

• Vehicle support throughout the trip 

• Route information 

• Standard bike return for your collection at St Pancras following group Eurostar 

• We offset 100% of the carbon emissions from your trip 

Excluded: 

• Travel insurance 

• Any meals specified ‘not included’ in the itinerary 

• Bicycle, cycle helmet (compulsory) and water bottles 

• Optional Discover Adventure bike courier return to home service 
• Personal spending money, souvenirs and drinks 
• Any applicable surcharges as per Terms and Conditions 

Download the full challenge document here.

Download the FAQs here.

Discover Adventure specialises in worldwide cycling and trekking, with fundraising at its heart. Behind their challenging, fun and often life-changing trips is a dedicated team of friendly staff and experienced leaders, who take pride in every participant’s achievements. With over 30 years of experience, their core passions and goals remain the same: to operate safe, fun, adventurous trips which offer extraordinary challenges to ordinary people, while providing a fundraising platform to positively change the lives of others. They have enabled thousands of people to experience unforgettable achievements, while collectively raising over £100 million for worthwhile causes.