The Cycle tour along the Meuse

Your cycle tour along the Meuse starts in Maastricht in the Netherlands. Grab your bike and discover Maastricht. In Maastricht, visit the Bonnefantenmuseum with works of art from different eras or take a detour to the grottoes of St. Pieter.

Before you start your first stage to Liège, you have another opportunity to explore Maastricht. In Liège, you can go high up: climb the Montagne de Bueren, a 374-step staircase that connects the city center with the old citadel. You will be rewarded with a magnificent view over the city. A stone's throw from your destination of Liège is Seraing. In the crystal factory housed in a former abbey, you can look over the shoulders of the glassblowers as they produce vases, tableware or jewelry.

Today you continue through the glacial valley of the Meuse. A highlight of today's stage is the small town of Huy. On the Grand Place in the middle of the old town, you can gather your strength for the ascent to the fort above the town in one of the cafés. The fort is home to the Museum of the Resistance and Concentration Camps, which is well worth a visit. Your overnight stay in Namur is the capital of Wallonia. Namur's more than thousand-year-old history is reflected in the citadel towering high above the city and Saint-Aubain Cathedral.

You follow the meandering Meuse as far as Annevoie. A worthwhile place for a break. The water gardens surprise visitors with an extraordinary variety of contrasts. Today's stage destination is Dinant, the beautiful girl on the Meuse, as the writer Victor Hugo once described the town. From the citadel above the town, you can enjoy a beautiful view over the Meuse valley. It can be reached on foot and by cable car. Try one of the town's specialties, the Couque de Dinant. This sweet but very hard pastry is considered the forerunner of the Aachen Printen. Also an ideal souvenir!

You cycle along the banks of the Meuse on an old railroad line that has been converted into a cycle path. It's worth taking a break in Freyr. The Château de Freyr, which originated from a castle, and its lush gardens delight visitors with fountains, old orange trees and labyrinthine arcades. Towards the afternoon, you cross the French-Belgian border before reaching your destination for today, the French town of Haybes.

You cycle through the Parc naturel régional des Ardennes with almost no inclines. The densely wooded region with its many meadows, moors, watercourses and rugged cliffs will impress you. Enjoy the lush green nature of this varied landscape. You will reach Monthermé about halfway along the route. Take a detour to the Roche à 7 Heures viewpoint. The view of the Meuse valley will reward you for your efforts. Your overnight stop is Villers-Semeuse, located just outside Charleville Mézières. The capital of the Ardennes department is known for its regular international puppet festival. The Rimbaud Museum, housed in an old mill, tells its visitors about the work of the town's most famous son, the writer Arthur Rimbaud. If you are interested in the history and traditions of the Ardennes, the Musée de l'Ardenne on Place Ducale is the right place for you.

The final stage takes you along the meanders of the river, through small, pretty villages, until you reach your overnight stay in Sedan. Sedan is home to one of the largest fortifications in Europe. The imposing complex gives you an impression of the medieval life of princes and servants in a castle.

In the afternoon, you will start your return journey to Maastricht by coach. Your bikes and luggage will of course be transported with you. After arriving in Maastricht (approx. 5 p.m.), you will depart on your own. We are happy to extend your stay in Maastricht.