The Maas cycle route leads from Le Châtelet sur Meuse above Verdun, Namur and Maastricht to Rotterdam
Route profile
- Length: approx. 1000 km (according to website 1152 km)
- Signposting: in Belgium and France with the uniform logo according to the type of country, in Holland with sparse intermediate signposts with the designation LF3b or LF12.
- Slopes: in the French part partly low mountain range conditions. From Verdun at the latest, the route has little incline, and from around Dinant the route is flat.
- Path condition: in Belgium mostly good paved bike paths, in France the route is usually paved.
- Traffic load: from Remilly-Aillicourt largely separated from car traffic, previously almost only country roads. Many local roads in Holland.
- Suitable bike: in France better with 7 gears
- Family suitability: conditional: Participants should be roadworthy. In the Belgian and Dutch sections, it is possible to switch to the railways.
- Inline suitability rather not because of the proximity to the river
background
In Wallonia the project started in 2014 to establish a Meuse à Vélo (Meuse à Vélo) cycle path. If you want, you can now follow the Meuse in Belgium by bike. In Holland there have been two Maas routes that complement each other for a long time. In France, which normally doesn't like river cycle routes, people have bent over and a Véloroute has been established. The Meuse offers plenty of beautiful rock formations and some historic towns. The city is very big Maastrichtthat has the river in its name. The Meuse is already widely developed and canalized in France. There are numerous locks. The canal character delights the cyclist with barely noticeable inclines. The flow finally goes in Rhine-Meuse Delta on, which is why it has no fixed mouth. The "old Meuse" flows into the North Sea near Rotterdam.
Maasradweg.eu has the now fixed route with tracks. [NEW-2017]
In France the Meuse is called Meuse (say: Mös).
French section of the route: 425 km.
Belgian section of the route: 141 km.
Dutch section of the route: 430 km.
Similar to the Rhine Cycle Route, the Maas route has also been a EuroVelo route since 2019, namely the 19th.
preparation
getting there
They are particularly suitable as entry points Commercy, Sedan, Dinant and Maastricht.
Arriving by train
Upper course
- Pagny-sur-Meuse or Commercy can be reached within 3 hours from Saarbrücken. Train Express Regional 35666, 37636, 23816
- Neufchateau, is out Toul reachable. Further stations are Frouard or Nancy. A connection to Pagny is only possible via Toul.
Connection to other cycling routes
Pagny sur Meuse
- Connection to the Moselle and the Moselle cycle path in Toul
Namur
- EuroVelo 3 - junction in the direction of the valley of the Sambre Charleroiwhere a canal (cycle path) also leads to Brussels.
- EuroVelo 5 - junction to the northwest direction Brussels
Liege
Roermond
Arnhem
Rotterdam
Route description with sights
The route starts on the western slope of the Vosges, runs through the French and Belgian parts of the Ardennes, in the Liege Basin and finally in the southern one Netherlands.
Le Châtelet sur Meuse - Bourmont
The source of the Maas has been called since 1973 Le Châtelet-sur-Meuse and is on the side of a local road. The Meuse flows only once in the ditch. This is followed by the Bassigny, a rather lonely, agricultural hilly landscape with a large bird sanctuary.
- Section in the department Haute-Marne, approx. 43 km
- Le Châtelet sur Meuse, district of Pouilly-en-Bassigny
- Bassincourt
- Bourmont - a village of 500 souls
- There are no train stops on the route.
Bourmont - Vaucouleurs
- Section in the department Haute-Marne approx. 66 km
- Neufchâteau, after 29 km, is the best accessible city by train on the upper reaches of the Meuse. Nevertheless, it is not yet possible to switch to the train because the travel times to other Maas neighboring areas are still quite long (e.g. Verdun 6 hours)
- Moncel-sur-Vair (not really on the route) - from here to Sauvigny there is an unpaved railroad path, the quality of which is not entirely clear. You save a 13% incline and a few kilometers.
- Vaucouleurs, after 66 km, known by the French national saint Jeanne d’Arc (in German also Virgin of orleans) who was born nearby in Domremy-le-Pucelle. A bike route that branches off to the west is named after her.
Vaucouleurs - Commercy
- Section in the department Meuse approx. 28 km
- Commercy - here it is Commercy Castle and just under 6000 inhabitants as well as a train stop
Commercy - Verdun
Pagny-sur-Meuse, which is only 16 km from Toul on the Moselle is no longer a station. However, a possible starting point for the tour still appears. This section is accompanied by the regional train.
- Section in the department Meuse, Lorraine, 57 km
- after Commercy you drive about 10 km along the Canal de l'Est bis
- Pont-sur Meuse
- Saint-Mihiel, 23 km
- Verdun, 63 km, city contested in 1916, where the German troops were stopped and fail. 700,000 dead are to be lamented, graves adorn the landscape. The places northwest of Verdun were defended until 1918.
Verdun - Mouzon
- Section largely in the department Meuse, Lorraine, approx. 85 km
The railway line has been closed and there are vague hopes for a railway cycle path. At the moment, the country road is popular for bike travelers.
- Brieulles-sur-Meuse - 33 km - the tiny village, which apparently never grew, was called Briodurum in the time of the Romans.
- Doulcon - 38 km - directly on the Maas is the connected neighboring village of Dun-sur-Meuse, where there is a German military cemetery and overnight accommodation.
- Mouzon - With 2000 inhabitants it has a few sights to offer, including a former abbey and its gardens. Just like in Belfort (on the border with Alsace) there is a Burgundian gate, which in this case is a building (part of a kind of city wall).
Mouzon - Charleville-Mezieres
- Section in the department Ardennes, approx. 44 km.
This is where the formally begins Voie Verte Trans-Ardennes, a well-developed, naturally paved towpath along the Maas with signs. The name tells us that we are now the French Ardennes cross. In fact, the Mouzon - Remilly-Aillicourt section is not (yet?) Developed.
- Remilly-Aillicourt - from here the river or canal accompanying the cycle path (developed former towpath)
- → Connection to the Voie Verte de l’Ennemane (10 km railway cycle path to discover)
- Sedan - has a TGV station, almost 18,000 inhabitants and one medieval fortresswhich extends over seven floors and is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. A trip to the city is recommended.
- Vrigne-Meuse - this is where the Bataille de Vrigne-Meuse took place in November 1918, the last battle of the First World War.
- → Connection to the Voie Verte de Ardennes du Sud to Reims. The towpath is currently not signposted as a cycle path. Sometimes it is also interrupted.
- Charleville-Mezieres - with the Place Ducale, which is easily reached by crossing the Meuse on the railway bridge. After the ravine turn right and then straight on. However, you have to go straight to the train station.
Charleville-Mézières - Petit-Doische
- Section in the department Ardennes, 90 km. A regional train runs in the valley.
The destination Doische was chosen to separate France and Belgium. However, it is best to stay overnight in a beautiful givet.
- Charleville-Mezieres (0 km) - almost 50,000 inhabitants and corresponding infrastructure. The river flows here in a rather pronounced loop and parts of the city are practically on a peninsula. During the First World War, the place was temporarily the seat of the Great Headquarters of His Majesty the Emperor and King Wilhelm II.
- Monthermé (24 km) - here flows the Semoy, whose valley also has a 14 km long railway cycle path.
- Fumay (51 km)
- Givet (88 km) - Old town on the river with numerous bistros
- Petit-Doische (92 km) - border village
Petit-Doische - Andenne
- Section in the province Namur. 66 km. Here, too, the Meuse flows in a valley. Use of the railway is possible.
- In Givet you should go up the mountain Petit-Doische cycle to continue the tour on the RAVeL 2. The railway cycle path leads back down into the Meuse valley. and continues with gaps along the Meuse. "La Meuse à Vélo" is the name of the first official Maas cycle route. About 10 km before Dinant you have to take the national road (see photo), which you leave to the right 5 km before the village. The river is crossed. This is worth seeing here Freÿr Castle on the left next to the national road.
- Dinant (30 km) - another change of river side. Dinant is easily accessible by train from cities on the Meuse below Dinant (maximum 3 hours travel time). The path is unpaved for 2 km behind the village. This is followed by promenade paths with different surfaces (asphalt, gravel, concrete, cobblestone and exposed aggregate concrete). However, the route is free of traffic (RAVeL 2).
- → 3 km behind the town on the left, the RAVeL Ligne 153 railway cycle path to Maredret, Bambois and finally Sambreville an der Sambre
- Profondeville - Gardens of Annevoie Castle
- Wepion - The suburb has a Carrefour supermarket and restaurant. Later you can see the casino on the left. The citadel on the top left of the mountain
- Namur - the most important city in this section, 30 km below Dinant. From here we use the original RAVeL cycle path (on maps RAVeL 1) first on the left, then on the right bank. The flowing Sambre is also crossed on a bridge. The ceiling is either asphalt or concrete.
- Andenne - if you want to go to the city center, you have to turn off.
Andenne - Visé
- Section in the province Liege, 62 km, use of the railway is possible on this section.
- Huy
- Largest city in the region is Liege, 42 km below Andenne. The RAVeL cycle path then leads along the Canal Albert (GermanAlbert Canal), which runs a little west of the Meuse. One uses the paths of the gigantic new port Trilogiport.
- Visé - the northernmost city in Wallonia on the right bank. The town center is not part of the route.
Visé - Roermond
- This is followed by the section in Netherlands including the estuary delta, 250 km to Arnhem, 425 km to Hoek, 84 km to Roermond, rail connections enable the transition to the train and the return to the starting point.
The Meuse forms the state border with Belgium over a length of 5 km. We're staying on the RAVeL in Belgium.
- In front Maastricht the left-hand route reaches Dutch territory, 12 km below Visé. Directly at the border, the Meuse section of Landelijke Fietsroute 3 welcomes us, which according to the Dutch representation after 250 km in Arnhem ends. In fact, you leave the LF3b (there is also a) but earlier. The Fietsroute goes up the mountain to the left and is cumbersome. But you can also follow the Meuse and use the Hohe Brücke with your own will. A city map is useful.
- Maasbracht - 66 km
- Roermond - 84 km - here the German river Rur joins
Roermond - Hook of Holland
The course of the Maas is integrated into the Rhine-Maas delta and is therefore subject to subjective assessment. When the water level is high, the water tends to flow more northerly, and when the water level is low, it flows southwest. The official southward relocation of the Meuse in 1904 gave the river its own confluence with the North Sea.
- Venlo - 33.5 km - you touch the national park De Maasduinen ("The Meuse Dunes"), one of currently 20 national parks in the Netherlands.
- Vierlingsbeek
- Gennep - 96 km - confluence with the Niers. The city has a medieval center with a city wall.
- Detour → Nijmegen - on the Waal, a river into which the Meuse flowed before 1904. There is still a connection channel.
- Detour → Arnhem - the LF3 meets the Rhine here.
Shortly before Cuijk you come to junction 28. Here you orientate yourself in the direction of junction 44, which is already on the LF12. It's only about 3 kilometers.
- Cuijk - 113 km - from here you only cycle on Landelijke Fietsroute 12, which is also called the "Meuse and fortress route".
- Grave - 211 km
- Ravenstein aan de Maas
- ’S-Hertogenbosch
- Woudrichem - old fortress town on an island in the river Mervede, lower reaches of the Waal. The Afgedamde Maas flows here. The place is connected to the neighboring municipality of Gorinchem and Loevestein Castle by a ferry.
- → Connection to the Rhine cycle route
- Werkendam - The route then passes the Biesbosch National Park. A ferry follows
- Dordrecht
- Rotterdam - a little off the route.
- Hook of Holland
