Chimay, Ardennes

[The Other PaulG]

Me and my 6 mates are off to Chimay this summer and when not watching the racing want to ride some of the reputedly excellent roads of the Ardennes.

The no brainer solution would seem to be to connect with the route Waps kindly listed for other lazy people with 6 mates.

Is there anything else in this locale that we should take in? Any must-do roads between Chimay and the Ardennes routes?

Thread 'GPX - Ardennes tourist office - The great Ardennes loop - two days'

Apr 28, 2024

Whilst they now hide motorcycling away and boost bicycling and ‘wellness’ instead, the tourist office has not forgotten us entirely, quite yet.

The great Ardennes loop - Day 1 - ADT des Ardennes

In the Ardennes, each outing feels like a trip. Following the road as the landscapes pass by is always a majestic escape: from forests to

www.ardennes.com

I downloaded the two routes from the tourist office’s website, a while ago. Unfortunately, the download was corrupted, with the routes obscured by a mass of straight lines. With a bit of patience, I have cleaned them up and got them into a useable form.

They are not bad suggestions at all.

Day 1 - 150 miles



Day 2 - 102 miles

...

• Wapping
• Replies: 14
• Forum: Benelux

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[Wapping]

Depending on how long you and your six mates have got to hoon around in, anything inside roughly this area should do you:

 

[scooter paul]

When not watching the racing we’ve just bimbled around the local area of Chimay. It depends what sort of riding you like. From the Chimay Brewery visitor attraction ( shop and restaurant) we found some forest roads that were rideable on bigger bikes and had no obvious prohibition signs.

 

[Wapping]

Is there anything else in this locale that we should take in?

Plenty.

Any must-do roads between Chimay and the Ardennes routes?

I guess you mean between Chimay and say Charleville-Mézières, which is less than 50 miles?

How about:

Have a look at this, perhaps, jumping to post #41:

Thread 'GPX - 200 mile round trip based on Chimay - Courtesy of the Wallonia tourist office'

Apr 21, 2018

This post and thread is expanded on in posts #23 and #41 by Wapping and post #24, courtesy of Jockser.

Parts of it have become out of date, simply as some of the websites it linked to have died. I have though managed to save and / or retrieve the key bits, bringing the tourist office’s original route (or close to) back to life in post #41.

With a bit of reading between the lines and imagination, I have...

• Wapping
• Replies: 40
• Forum: Benelux

• 

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[The Other PaulG]

A biker's guide created by the tourist board... not in a million years can I imagine a region of the UK generating anything like that.

 

[Wapping]

A biker's guide created by the tourist board... not in a million years can I imagine a region of the UK generating anything like that.

When tourist boards in the UK do create routes, bods here moan about them.

On the other hand, a lot of Continental regions, tourist associations and hotels used to publish ‘Biker routes’. Over the last few years there has been a big fall off, with many now concentrating on ‘Green’ activies, such as walking and bicycling. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with these two activities.

 

[snelly]

When tourist boards in the UK do create routes, bods here moan about them.

On the other hand, a lot of Continental regions, tourist associations and hotels used to publish ‘Biker routes’. Over the last few years there has been a big fall off, with many now concentrating on ‘Green’ activies, such as walking and bicycling. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with these two activities.

Apart from those participating believing it's all for just them; if here is anything to go on.

 

[Orinoco]

Plenty.

I guess you mean between Chimay and say Charleville-Mézières, which is less than 50 miles?

I rode those wiggly bits north of Charleville-Mézières along the river last year, fabulous, at least it was on the mighty Himalayan, lots of bendy b its and lovely scenery, enjoy

 

[Ectopic]

Charleville-Mezieres is on the edge of the Ardennes but not bad as a base.

Montherme, on the sticky-up bit of France into the Ardennes, is a decent little town too, and very pretty on a bend in the Meuse. There is a very solid Logis Hotel (the Franco-Belge) with a decent restaurant too.

One of my favourite rides in the area is heading east from Montherme along the river Semois/Semoy. It's very pretty following the road along the river through Haoutes-Rivieres, Bohn and Vresse-sur-Semois. Then head North to Gedinne and Givet, drop down to Fumay, and then west back to Chimay.

A lovely 2 or 3 hours ride!

Chimay is not far from Dinant, which is a busier and slightly more touristy town, but if you have some time to kill the Citadel is entertaining and has great views.

Gedinne, as I recall, hosts a bike road racing week too. I haven't seen the racing there. But I once got the mpg on my car down to 15 on a particularly spirited half-hour drive (a car that averaged nearly 50mpg on the weekend trip!).