I’m leaving the Somme Delta, planning to rejoin my original route through the Ardennes. The road leads through miles of farmland over stretched-out hills in northwestern France—a real challenge in the heat. But the journey was also full of surprises. I had never heard of Béthune, a hidden gem in the north of France. And no insult intended, but I didn’t even stop for a coffee in Lille. Then again, Tournai in Belgium and the ride along the canals were charming—yet bumpy and wet.
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0:00 Day 10: Woignarue – Bethune
4:44 Day 11: Béthune – Lille – Hautrage
About Atlantic & Back (Spoiler Alert!)
The idea was to ride from Basel via Paris to Cherbourg. Take the ferry to Portsmouth, ride the south coast to Dover, take the ferry to Calais, and ride through Belgium and the Ardennes back to Basel.
But when I arrived at the Atlantic, the weather took a turn. Lying under my tarp in the rain, consulting weather apps, I decided to shorten the trip and head north through the Somme Delta to Lille, and back through the Ardennes. I slept outside under a tarp or tent—except for three hotel stays just to charge my gear. Even though I learned how to keep my important gear dry, my electronics (USB-C) gave up more and more.
And sadly, there were no breaks for the rider. I had planned a rest day at the Atlantic, but since the weather was bad, I just kept riding. 14 days without a single day off. In the middle of the Ardennes, my Garmin ran out of power and my cellphone was down to 20%. I reached a hotel near Luxembourg at the very last minute. I dried out the electronics, but it wasn’t until 4 o’clock in the morning that my phone finally started to charge—and that’s when I booked the train home.
I’m a 56-year-old cyclist. I want to show the beauty out there (and it really is out there), but sometimes life on or off the road can be super hard. Bouncing back from that, only to enjoy five minutes of sunshine—that’s resilience, that’s life. These mood changes show the true nature of bikepacking. For all of that, you need a sound mind, a sound body, and a bit of optimism. And if someone 55+ can do it—YOU can do it…
And Britain, wipe that grin off your face—I’m still coming for you! 😉
1 Comment
You've made it – applause! The four videos have shown me that, yes, I can, too 🙂 . (Which means much to me.) You give an encouraging example to many out there 55+ who are dreaming of cycling through France. Keep going and sharing, please.