Crossing the Channel: Cycling from Paris to London and Back

Cycling between London and Paris is very well known and on a lot of people's bucket lists. After moving to France it also had been added to my bucket list but the changes to the Eurostar after covid added some complexities and I was not sure when I was going to do it. I have several friends in London and one reached out a couple summers ago to see if I wanted to come over for a get together and I figured it was as good of a time as any to cross this ride off the list.

There are several organized events every year and many different route options to take. There is even an official route that has marker signs along most of the route. Since it is so popular there are a lot of resources out there already so I will primarily focus on sharing what I did, which unsurprisingly was not the typical option as well as a few tips that I think will help you out. I will throw in a more traditional option for the way to London as well that I have done on separate rides since my particular route was a fair bit longer than it needed to be.

One of the things that made my trip unique was that I cycled Paris to London, then London to Paris, instead of taking the train back. At the time, Eurostar wasn’t accepting bikes at all — and to be honest, I was craving a bit more adventure anyway. The other difference was the additional mileage I put on the way to London.

Paris to Dunkirk: Via Saint-Valery-sur-Somme

If you are looking for the shortest route you can go from Paris to Dieppe and then ferry over to Newhaven, this is traditionally the official route. I had done the ride to Dieppe a few times before and decided I wanted to change it up and see some new places, so instead I opted to take the ferry from Dunkirk. To get to Dunkirk I broke it up into 2 days since it is quite far, plus you have to time it with the ferry crossing.

I started mapping things out and looking for a place to stay roughly halfway. With Strava open on one tab and booking.com on another, I found Saint-Valery-sur-Somme which was 200km from Paris. I had not heard anything about this town, simply found it on a map and decided to give it a shot.

The route after exiting Paris was mostly quiet backroads through farmland. While the route avoided cities for calmer more empty roads it did leave long stretches without any resupply. The route would go through villages with names on the map, but there were no stores or even a tabac to purchase anything. In France, Google Maps can lead you astray with saying things are there and open when they are not, this happened a few times. If you take this route I suggest you plan ahead and also take what you can get when you can, there may not be another option for a while.

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The other thing that I wish was different was out of my control. Unfortunately, the dates I chose to go I had a lovely 20-30km headwind. While headwind is a part of cycling, 200km of it in open fields while solo can get quite frustrating. This type of trip is usually planned well in advance so there is not anything you can do other than hope the winds are in your favor.

Despite the headwinds, I made it, and it was a great little town. These cycling adventures put you in places you would likely never go otherwise which is one of the biggest draws for me, and Saint-Valery-sur-Somme is a great example. There are many well-known coastal towns in Normandy, a few I have been to, but this was not on my radar. It sits on an estuary with a long boardwalk across from a large tidal wetland on the other side. The history in the village dates back well over a thousand years and has medieval remnants including a stone tower where Jone of Arc was held before her execution

I found an apartment to rent on booking.com. Funny story, the stairs up had such a low ceiling I had to take off both wheels in order to get my bike up it! Another note that applies to most all rentals like this or Airbnb, they do not often supply shampoo. I did know this but did not think about it as my other nights were at a hotel. So after a nice shower with dish soap… I found a restaurant and got some well-deserved food and beer.

Saint-Valery-sur-Somme to Dunkirk

The next day to Dunkirk was a bit shorter distance at 167km but I still wanted to get an early start as I knew I would have to continue to battle the headwinds all day. I started out with a beautiful sunrise over the estuary as I set off. The route from there to Calais was really nice and was a welcome change from the farmland the day before. The route snakes along the coast featuring some beach towns and some cool sand dunes.

As you approach Calais there is a short climb that was featured in the 2022 Tour de France just a few months before so it still had spray paint on the road from the fans. While my effort with a fully loaded bike at 6:13 was far from the 1:37 KMO set by Wout, it was still great to ride the same roads as the pros and you can’t help but get excited seeing the road markings.

After Calais comes the main part of this trip that I would likely change if I were to do it again. There were 2 main reasons I chose Dunkirk as my ferry port, firstly I was looking to do 100 miles per day, and secondly I wanted to see the town for its WWII history. Next time I would just stop in Calais and take the ferry from there.

The ride from Calais to Dunkirk was far from inspirational with mostly a mix of farmland and industrial operations. In addition to the uninspiring route, the ferry terminal is actually 17km before the main town and beach meaning you have to double back on yourself to catch the ferry and it’s a slightly longer ferry ride as well.

After making it to Dunkirk I headed to the beach to take it in and pay my respects for the incredible piece of history that took place there. While it was powerful to see the beach and imagine what it would have been like, if you didn’t know the history you could easily spend the weekend there and never know. There are a few small monuments and plaques as well as a museum but I was a bit surprised.

I think this was in part due to the success of the Christopher Nolan movie that shed so much light on to this one particular story that took place during the war. I do not regret going because I still enjoyed seeing it, but I think it would be better on a different trip which includes traveling a bit further up the coast to see more remnants of the sea wall and bunkers that are still around.

For the hotel in Dunkirk I stayed at a cheep Ibis, which was fine for the few hours I needed it and the cheaper chains normal do not care if you carry your bike in to the room. With nicer hotels I have put but bike in my train bag and carried it as luggage to avoid any issues. In general in France it has not been too much of a problem to bring in bikes especially if they are not filthy and I usually cary them rather than roll them when I am in sight of the front desk.

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Dunkirk to Dover

I checked out of the hotel and made my way to the ferry terminal. The one in Dunkirk is a pretty massive operation and is geared towards semi-trucks, buses, and cars, so it’s a bit intimidating getting around. That said it was easy enough to get figured out and I had arrived early enough that I did not need to wait in line with the cars to get my pass and go through passport control. Boarding the ferry is really an experience, it’s insane to see a line of buses and trucks just drive right on to the ship. You will have to walk your bike up the ramp and on to the ship so I suggest changing out of your clipless shoes while you are waiting to load.

The crew will tell you where to put your bike and you will likely be with others cyclists who have done It before. There was a small bike rack and some ropes to tie down your bike in case of rough seas. I had brought a small hiplock and did put it on my bike since I had it handy, but in reality where was it going to go? I would say half the people locked their bikes the others didn’t.

Once the bike was safely parked I went upstairs and found the cafeteria. I got a full English breakfast with coffee and orange juice, I thought it was quite good, but after 385km I might have been biased. The ferry ride is actually pretty quick at just 2 hrs when going from Dunkirk to Dover and only cost 25 euros at the time.

As we approached Dover they made the announcement to head to your vehicles and prepare to unload. I headed back to my bike and loaded my bags for the next leg of the journey. Unloading was really quick, as soon as the ramp was down they allowed the cyclists off, walking past the line of cars and buses. Similarly to Dunkirk, Dover terminal was quite large and geared towards freight, so finding our way by foot took some trial and error but eventually figured it out.

And now to bike on the “wrong” side of the road!

Dover to London

Dover to London is not the typical option since most people take the ferry from Dieppe which drops you in Newhaven, but sometimes it’s fun to break away from the norm. The first half of the route was really nice and a lot of English countryside. The roads are very narrow and feel like they should be one way but at least the beginning of the ride is pretty quiet and you get a chance to acclimate.

The route takes you through Canterbury, which is famous for its cathedral. Although I had read that you cannot really see much of the cathedral without taking the time and money to enter the gates and I wanted to make it to London before it got dark so I did not stop. There is a more southern route that does not go through Canterbury that may have been better but overall I was happy with the first half of the route.

There is no real way around it but the second half of the ride is not the most scenic. The route keeps you on bike paths which is nice for safety from traffic but bad for average speed. There were some long stretches where the bike path was right beside the motorway, which was technically efficient but a stark contrast to the previous 400km of countryside. London is a big city and sprawls a long way out so it feels like a bit of a drag but there is the motivation that you are coming to the end of a bucket list ride and that helps to push through. This was my first time riding in the UK so while I studied heat maps and komoot routes, there certainly could be better alternatives particularly for the second half.

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I made it to the Airbnb close enough to schedule and just as the sun was setting. Anna arrived shortly after on the much faster Eurostar and we headed out for a massive meal of delicious Indian food, a must-do in London. The next day was a “rest day” and by that I mean a day of drinking and staying out far too late in the clubs. The next morning I was moving a little slow but managed to pack up and head to my friends for brunch before the final leg of the journey.

London to Paris:Overnight Ferry & One Big Ride

The London to Paris route is much closer to a traditional route but of course I had to add my own element so I had tentatively decided to do it all in one go. Looking at the ferry timings I would be able to take the ferry overnight and arrive in Dieppe at 4:30am. Because of the ferry timing, I didn’t need to leave London until 3pm which gave me some more time with friends and to see Anna off to the train for the quicker return option.

I headed out of London due south. The route was better than the route into the city, but it still has a lot of slower bike paths and it takes a while to get out of the city. Many routes do not go through Brighton but I wanted to see another city and get some more miles along the coast so I opted for this alternative which was slightly longer. Once again I just used Strava heat maps and komoot suggestions since I am not familiar with the area but I was happy with the route. It did have some very minor gravel but it was not a problem on 28mm road tires for me. In general, a lot of the route options for Paris to or from London will include some gravel so I would not run road racing tires and opt for a 30mm+ all-season option for comfort.

I arrived in Brighton as the sun was setting and pulled out my lights for a nice nighttime cruise along the coast for the final 17km to Newhaven where the ferry terminal is located. This port is way smaller and less intimidating than some of the others. After going through customs there is a little waiting area with some vending machines and in my case a handful of other fellow cyclists. It was fun to chat with everyone about their specific journeys. Everyone had their own unique route and adventure. There was a woman mid multi-thousand adventure as well as a guy who rode just 50km to the ferry and was going to do a few hundred along Normandy over multiple weeks.

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Overnight Ferry

This ferry trip was a bit of a different experience with it being overnight. All of us cyclists stuck together and tried to find the best place to catch a bit of sleep during the journey. We found a relatively dark room with rows of seats that we set up in. One of the guys pulled out a sleeping pad and bag to properly set up for a real sleep on the floor while the rest of us curled up on the chairs and tried to get some sleep. There was a bar open with a few snacks but not the full spread there was on the previous ferry.

I don’t think I got much sleep but it felt good to close my eyes and relax. We arrived at 4:30am in the morning to Dieppe and got off the ship without any issues. I had told Anna that depending on how I felt I would either hang out in town until the first TER back to Paris, or I would just start riding and see how it goes. I knew my plan all along but just wanted to keep the option open. I set off back to Paris at 4:45am. I had done the oposite route, Paris to Dieppe, multiple times but it was a different experience in reverse as well as starting off in the dark for the first few hours.

Dieppe to Paris

I had discussed with friends this idea for doing London to Paris all in one shot before and I was happy I did it. You will be very tired for sure but you can get some rest on the ferry and when the sun rises your body’s natural cycles make you feel awake and help power you through the day. As the sun was rising I took one of my favorite selfies of myself. You can see that I am completely exhausted but also just so happy to be riding my bike and taking in a beautiful sunrise in the fields of Normandy.

The first 50km are on a great bike path, Avenue Verte. While there are road crossings and some gates that slow you down, it’s still great to be fully off the road and enjoy the secluded vibes through the Normandy countryside. The route continues on through countless small villages and fields as you snake your way back to Paris. Similar to the route to London you can hit longer stretches without resupplies as the region is less densely populated, that said I did not have any issues.

For this trip I ended up following more of the official route which led to some unnecessary gravel sections. While it was ok and I will share that route here, I have since created a much better return route from Dieppe that is a similar length but is much better and includes some great roads and scenery along the way.

This updated route brings you past La-Roche-Guyon and the unique chateau there as well as provides a smoother ride into Paris. Not surprisingly as you approach Paris the route becomes less interesting but I think it is a decent option and gets you there as quickly as possible while still being safe and seeing a few sights along the way. As you approach the outskirts of Paris you will cut through Saint Germain-en-Laye right past the Chateau there with over 900 years of history.

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From there it’s a straight shot towards Paris through Nanterre and Bois de Boulogne. The route takes you right past the Arc De Triomphe as it makes for an iconic picture to culminate a proper London to Paris route.

Final Thoughts

No matter which direction, which route, or how many days you take, cycling between Paris and London is a ride worth adding to your bucket list — and even more satisfying to cross off.