routes in Benelux & Germany

How about Diekirch? A reasonably large town, conveniently situated; so should give enough choice of hotels, bars (it's the home of the eponymous beer's brewery) restaurants and things to see and do, I guess.

https://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/ardennes/diekirch

https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-luxembourg/3/

I had one of my best evenings out ever in Diekirch many years ago. Some sort of festival on, full-on oompah band playing in town square, beer, wine, great steak...

If you want somewhere prettier but smaller in Luxebourg, Esch-sur-Sure is worth a look.
 
I had one of my best evenings out ever in Diekirch many years ago. Some sort of festival on, full-on oompah band playing in town square, beer, wine, great steak...

If you want somewhere prettier but smaller in Luxebourg, Esch-sur-Sure is worth a look.

Diekirch does not look pretty does it! The brewery is very industrial, typical Inbev.

I've looked at Esch, stopped for a rest on a day trip last year. I'd stay there myself but the hills would kill a few of the ducklings as Wapping calls them. I'd want to eat by the river but stay in the hotel on top of the hill.

Anyway, needing 4 rooms, availability has dictated as it seems September bookings are healthy, especially the last weekend in Sept. I have managed to find a hotel just off the Grotte Markt in Ieper for the first night where we will assemble on the first night. Hotel O Ieper. They will have to park in the street but the KTM owner will have 2 Triumphs to use as ground anchors. From there we will wiggle down through the Ardennes & Luxembourg to Trier. Hotel Constantin overlooking the Roman Bridge over the Mosel and just off the main centre.
Tempted to take the darlings to Reims on the way back. I have not visited GH Martel for a while and they can treat me on my birthday ... but will look at other options for the return leg, so keep making suggestions of somewhere to stay for a couple of nights returning from Trier to Coquelles.
 
You could have a lovely ride due west from Trier across Luxembourg, Belgium and the French Ardennes and the beautiful Semois/Semoy valley to Montherme, then on to Saint-Quentin on the Somme, which has a pleasant city square to eat in.
 
Nice thread, just what I am looking at in the coming month or so. I have a set time limit, dates tbc. I am aiming for a Friday 12:00 start from Calais after time adjustment etc. I need to be back in the UK By Thursday 13:00. So basically a short Friday ride and short Thursday return ride. I am thinking of either a loop around staying at hotels along the way or a base and doing rides out from there. I have looked through some of the posted routes i.e the ardennes green route Wapping posted And the other one re the starting from the west and travelling east which does sort of a Koblenz, Trier, Bonn thing. Once I have my base I'll cobble routes but need a jump off point guys.

I quite prefer the base thing as its less hassle but limits how far East towards the Eifell, or other suggested areas I can get to. Done the Metz thing and the Harz so other ideas in welcome. I have been to le roche en ardennes and that was quite an easy trip on day 1 and the roads seemed pretty decent. Is there enough in that area if i used it as a base or should I aim for further North like Malmedy? Probably only want to do about 230 miles on day 1 and last day so that limits me in terms of a base location. Obviously doing a loop means I can stop start where etc. Your thoughts please
 
You could have a lovely ride due west from Trier across Luxembourg, Belgium and the French Ardennes and the beautiful Semois/Semoy valley to Montherme, then on to Saint-Quentin on the Somme, which has a pleasant city square to eat in.

I know St Quentin - used it for overnight stops each way for a trip to Provence.

We also used it as a meeting place when travelling from different directions before going down to Beaulieu en Argonne. We had a row with a plastic plod on market day. Stalls were being disassembled on the motorcycle bays and he was adamant a couple of bikes could not park on the road for 10-15 mins until the site was clear. Fair spoiled lunch and I think my bunch might not want to return!

Anyway, I remembered and revisited an idea from the June trip that was cancelled. For June it failed as there were not enough rooms for 9 of us. We will travel from Trier northwards parallel with the Lux/German border and stay in Wiltz for 3 nights. Surrounded by great roads in 3 countries and the hotel is next to the Chateau which houses the Museum of Beer, complete with microbrewery. A 4 hour blast up the autoroute gets me back to the Tunnel and home before tea time.

The itinerary takes us into 4 countries with overnights in Belgium (Ieper), Germany (Trier) and Luxembourg (Wiltz) and short legs in France for the tunnel. Plenty of opportunity for off bike stuff if the weather is rubbish but also lots of nice roads in forests, valleys and mountains.

Thanks for the suggestions. There's another customer now, so keep them coming.
 
The quaint one has beaten me to it. I'd miss the Reims idea and return, exactly as you are thinking about. Not least you say you want one stop on the way back for two nights, which suggests you want something to do the next day.
 
Diekirch does not look pretty does it!

Its not, pretty grotty by Luxembourg standards, but still OK with a reasonable choice of bars and restuarants and Hotel du Parc is very nice, good value, close to centre (and brewery / WW2 Museum) with a car ark tucked right around the back of the Hotel away from the road. My favourite place in Luxembourg in Echternach, but since the wonderful Grand Hotel closed I have not found a good alternative.

Often use Bouillon on the way out (Hotel de la Poste is fantastic) but prefer somewhere a bit closer to close to home for easier last day - Durbury is a good choice, very nice for a late afternoon stroll around the boutique shops with the Mrs and a good choice of evening eateries and nice little bar in the corner of the square.

Ypres is another last night favourite (Villa Vanilla B&B is very good value if you don't mind a 5 minute cycle / 15 minute walk to town - they provide the cycles FOC)

Used Reims a lot as well, Hotel au Tambour has a small pool to cool off in and a garage for ecuring your bikes, inexpensive too.
 
Nice thread, just what I am looking at in the coming month or so. I have a set time limit, dates tbc. I am aiming for a Friday 12:00 start from Calais after time adjustment etc. I need to be back in the UK By Thursday 13:00. So basically a short Friday ride and short Thursday return ride. I am thinking of either a loop around staying at hotels along the way or a base and doing rides out from there. I have looked through some of the posted routes i.e the ardennes green route Wapping posted And the other one re the starting from the west and travelling east which does sort of a Koblenz, Trier, Bonn thing. Once I have my base I'll cobble routes but need a jump off point guys.

I quite prefer the base thing as its less hassle but limits how far East towards the Eifell, or other suggested areas I can get to. Done the Metz thing and the Harz so other ideas in welcome. I have been to le roche en ardennes and that was quite an easy trip on day 1 and the roads seemed pretty decent. Is there enough in that area if i used it as a base or should I aim for further North like Malmedy? Probably only want to do about 230 miles on day 1 and last day so that limits me in terms of a base location. Obviously doing a loop means I can stop start where etc. Your thoughts please

what about Sankt Vith as Wapping suggested as base...
 
Hello there I have travelled to and transited through Belgium a little in the past on a number of trips, as I have a passing interest in Military history. In the past I sometimes carried a tent and other times staying in accommodation. A limiting factor in the past has been the limited availability of budget sleeping options camping, hostels or cheap B+B etc, due to economics in the future this is going to become further limiting, so especially in the Flanders area, with not so many campsites( except the horrible overpriced stuff on the coast) or hostels and other accommodation relatively expensive, it does not help that I am generally solo and winging it day to day without booking, so used to being flexible and not even needing a square bit of grass to park my tent so the Ardennes and lesser intensive agri regions are less of an issue if you know what I mean. Gone are the days of just keeping your eyes peeled for Zimmer Frei sadly to some degree, so besides the obvious anyone with any clues for finding budget accommodation specifically in Belgium on the odd rainy miserable day there. I do know of the excellent Camping Jeugdstadion Ypres and have stayed there a few times. Perhaps independent camping/ b+b/ hostels lists websites or similar, not had much luck myself. I am not an expert but I do have some basic info for Military stuff in Belgium on GPX if anyone might need it, ping me. Thanks.
 
We stopped for a few days in Monschau a couple of years ago and it was a lovely spot to use as a base for exploring the Eifel region not hurt in the slightest by having a brewery in the town :beerjug:

We used it as a stopover before a weekend at Spa watching the Bikers Classic and it’s close enough to travel each day if you don’t fancy stopping at the circuit :okay

I like the idea of Monschau and wonder if you just rode out from there or did any specific routes, if so could you share as might get there mid September as have ferry booked and BSB Assen cancelled

thanks

Graham
 
I like the idea of Monschau and wonder if you just rode out from there or did any specific routes, if so could you share as might get there mid September as have ferry booked and BSB Assen cancelled

thanks

Graham

Starting from where?

If it's Calais, there is a fast rote, via Bruxelles or I'd suggest, 'scenic' via Camrai, then roughly along the axis, Chimay, Givet, Malmedy, Monschau.
 
Starting from where?

If it's Calais, there is a fast rote, via Bruxelles or I'd suggest, 'scenic' via Camrai, then roughly along the axis, Chimay, Givet, Malmedy, Monschau.

I have stolen a few routes from the ride magazine today. One is something like Calais to Montherme. Then another from their Ardennes section and edited /split that to continue eastwards. I think I may stay the first and last night around the Dinan range (but probably not Dinan as been there). Ideas?

Then spend days 2 - 5 probably in the sankt vinth area or just a smidge further across. Don't fancy a long trek to beat a chunnel on the way back. My base will probably be some where around that area, depending on the amount of routes I can pilfer in a close enough compass from a start point so as to ride 4 good days without travelling too far to start it. Once I have the routes in BC I'' start looking for a central point.
 
What a timely thread. 2 of us are looking at doing exactly this kind of 4 day trip in 5 weeks time .

Leaving the midlands late afternoon on Thursday we plan to take Le Shuttle and get to somewhere around Chimay on Thursday night as a base for 4 nights, 3 day trips out around Belgium & the French border region rather than the German side. Then back to Calais for a late afternoon crossing to get home by 9pm.

Did a similar trip 5 yrs ago going via Ypres / Menin Gate etc we stayed at a fab little B&B hotel close to the Spa circuit as a base and did quite a bit of southern Belgium and into Luxembourg, Vianden etc

Will keep an eye on this thread for suggestion.

Is that a current issue of Ride Magazine Don?
 


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