This 73km route drops you into the Chevreuse Valley briefly but gets you back home a bit earlier than other routes, hence the name. It provides a good amount of climbing, including both steep and sustained climbs. For both efficiency and to change things up, this route heads out of the city via the 15th. On weekend mornings, there is minimal traffic. Instead of climbing up the typical Clamart climb, this one opts for the steeper La Muerte. From there, you cut through Meudon a

If you are looking for a flat and fast ride, or even your first 100km, this eastern route is a great choice. 101 East is inspired by my Southeast Classic but removes all of the unpaved sections. While that route doesn’t require anything more than a road bike, it’s not ideal if it’s raining or has rained recently, so this is another great option when you want to get out east without worrying about muddy roads. The route starts like most rides to the south or east, with a class

The Normandy coast is stunning and rich in history, offering a variety of attractions and beautiful views. When many people think of Normandy, they think of the WWII beaches, which are an important part of its history, but there is also so much more. Visitors can enjoy breathtaking chalk cliffs, picturesque fishing villages, and sample from one of the largest cider-producing regions in France. Because of all of this, it made for the perfect backdrop for a piece for the New Yo

Self-supported means exactly that; whatever breaks, runs out, or gets left behind is your problem to solve, alone. If you've read the personal recount, you already know a few of the moments where this list either saved me or came up short. Here's everything I carried for four days across Norway, organized by where it actually lived on the bike. The Bike 2024 Cruz Expert SRAM Rival AXS SON 28 dynamo 45mm Pirelli Cinturato RH Tires PRO Missile aero bars Sinewave Beacon 2 Shiman

If you haven't read about what the Bright Midnight actually is and why it exists, start here it'll make a few of the decisions below make a lot more sense. This is the ride itself: four days, not a lot of sleep, and a route that kept finding new ways to test me right up until the final kilometers. Getting to Tolga Getting to the start line is never as simple as it sounds with these events. My route was a flight from Paris to Oslo, followed by a train into the city and then an

What is the Bright Midnight? An inside look at Norway's 1,100km unsupported ultra, its self-limiting design, and the push for more women at the start.

This route takes The Other Way to Versailles and extends it. It only adds about 15km, but a significant amount of climbing as well. This route covers a lot of the classics, but puts them together in an order you are probably not used to.

It feels like there are only a couple of options to get to Versailles, but I decided to try something different to change things up. The Other Way to Versailles takes the beginning of the Fairy Tale route to get out of the city and make your way west before cutting south towards Versailles.

After a few years of cycling in and around France, I've accumulated a mental rulebook that I wish someone had handed me on day one. Some of it is official, some of it is cultural, and some of it is just countless hours on the road making mistakes and watching others make them too. If you're planning to ride here in Paris, whether you're moving to France, visiting Paris, or heading out on a big tour, this guide is for you. There are more differences than you might expect, and

There are plenty of detailed resources out there for setting up and tuning shifting, but this is meant to be a quick high-level overview. The goal here is to help you do a quick tune-up, not a full installation. The concepts covered apply to both mechanical and electronic shifting. The main difference is how indexing is adjusted, but more on that later. There are three main adjustments involved in a quick derailleur tune: High limit screw Low limit screw Cable tension / barre

Whether you’re new to cycling or a seasoned rider, it’s always worth giving your bike a quick once-over before heading out. For many people this eventually becomes second nature, but here’s a simple checklist to help build that habit. A.B.C.D. (Air, Brakes, Chain, Damage) The first, and most likely, thing to need adjustment is your tire pressure. The ideal pressure depends on your setup, but make sure you have enough air before every ride. The tire sidewall will list the manu

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. While other islands like Mallorca or Tenerife are better known for cycling, Crete offers some fantastic, lesser-known riding, with a wide variety of landscapes and plenty of climbing. Why Crete? A friend of mine had met the owner of an amazing villa on the island, and ever since hearing about it we had been floating the idea of a trip. One day, on a chilly spring ride

For the final weekly route of the year, I wanted to share a classic: Mont-Saint-Michel in a day. While many riders would split this into multiple days, I’ve ridden it in one push several times. The original idea came from conversations about a three-day trip that Le Peloton Café did years ago, followed by the inevitable question of whether it would be “fun” to try it in a single ride. It sounds a bit crazy, and it probably is, but I’ve managed to convince plenty of people to

I love riding to both Fontainebleau and Provins, so combining them into a single route felt like an easy decision. The name “Double Feature” comes from the two headline destinations, but the ride also passes through several other towns and sections that rank among my favorites. The first 82 km overlap with a few of my Fontainebleau routes. You head out along the Marne, climb up through Sucy-en-Brie, and make your way to the Forêt de Sénart, choosing the fully paved option rat

The Barn is a classic destination, and I already have two routes that go there: a direct 107 km loop and a longer 100 mile option. I felt a third version was needed. The 100 mile ride is enjoyable, but it is a bit time consuming for a regular weekend outing, especially with a coffee and snack stop. This medium Barn route leaves Paris the same way most Gif rides do. You roll along the quai, climb through Clamart, and eventually drop into the Chevreuse valley. After passing thr

Dreux may not be high on your list of destinations, but it makes for a pleasant 100 km ride with a train back to Paris. The route heads out along the quai and takes the direct climb up through Sèvres. From there, you continue through Buc, descend to Châteaufort, and drop into the Chevreuse valley. The route cuts across the valley on the southern, more scenic road before heading farther south and climbing out toward Rambouillet. You pass right in front of the château, and the

This route is almost a typical Chevreuse ride but with a small twist. You still get the punchy Milon-la-Chapelle climb, but instead of dropping into the Chevreuse city center, you turn back toward Paris. You head out along the quai, skip the tunnel, and climb up through Clamart—pretty standard for rides in this direction. The route continues on familiar roads as you make your way south and eventually descend into the Chevreuse valley. You pass through Gif and then Saint-Rémy-

Another year brings another new Tour de France route through Paris. The 2025 edition introduced a major change with Montmartre being included in the finishing circuit. But, similar to the 2021 route I posted earlier, I cut out the dense city section to turn it into a practical everyday ride. Stage 21 officially started in Mantes-la-Jolie, though I decided to add a bit more distance—beyond just the ride to the start. The route begins like most rides toward Saint-Germain-en-Lay

Rivers and Canals delivers exactly what the name suggests. It’s a great option if you want to stay off main roads and get in around 80 km with minimal climbing. The route leaves Paris much like a Marne loop, but after about 11 km it cuts the loop short and goes across to stay on the Marne heading east. You follow the river until roughly 25 km, where a small climb takes you up to Champs-sur-Marne. From there, you parallel the river for a while before eventually rejoining it an

Maintenon is home to the Château de Maintenon, which has a long and colorful history. Originally built in the 13th century and expanded in the 16th, it’s best known as the residence of Françoise d’Aubigné, Madame de Maintenon, the secret wife of Louis XIV. The château is also one of the stops on 5 historic sites, 1 cycling route. This loop is similar in feel to the Paris–Chartres–Paris ride but a bit shorter and with a few reversed sections to keep things fresh. You head out