info on the "route des belges" in france, anyone?
 

Hi,

I was talking to a guy yesterday, when I told him I was heading up north from the centre of france to belgium, he said why don't you take the "route des belges" its a national road I think, very old and well it's name speaks for itself.

I'll be looking to take it right up into belgium, from Burgundy, anyone know what the road looks like, Nationale, or Departementale, I think it goes through Troyes, cant find any info on the net.

Thanks

ta-all-the-way

How's your French? I can find a bunch with Google but it doesn't seem like one clear route. There's something about it following an old train line (but that's just bicycles) and then something about it being from Reims to Hirson, and then various references to the "route des belges" going through different towns . The D209 through Savins for instance, which is an old roman road, and the former RN 36 at Chaumes en Brie.

I've put a thing on a French bikers' forum though and we'll see if it turns anything up. You might want to remind me in a few days or so, I'm very bad at remembering things.

Hi Alex, mon francais et parfait, mais le mec d'hier -- the guy from yesterday said I'd only find the road on a really old map. I should have asked him more, but it was bbq, and relaxed.

But I'm gonna look into what you've written. Transalp don't mind bike tracks he he, hope the rozza's don't mind either? lol.

Bonne journee, chere anglosaxon.

ta-all-the-way

I'd be interested in what you turn up as well. I'm heading down to the alps later in the month but a foot injury has restricted my biking this year so I'm taking a 60's classic car.

In the spirit of retro motoring I've been trying to find a more suitable route than the usual fast lane of the autoroute des anglais. I'm hoping the savings in tolls might go some distance towards paying for all the bits that fall off. So far I've shortlisted the Semois valley but not much more.

Not route de belges, but spotted your 40 year old bike link so thought I'd pop this in I found yesterday

Untitled Document

no idea what they're like and no connection with them either, but apparently all bikes are welcome and they'll even let you bring a car if you must.

Hi Alex

Interesting link to the campsite. Sadly the wrong side of France for me this trip and given that I'm trying to get to the alps in a 40yr old Lotus, a combination that is almost a definition of unreliability, it might be a side trip too far.:(

One thing did strike me though - looking through the website they don't seem to have separate areas for British and Japanese bikes. Five mins on any classic bike forum will show you that like the two teams on scrapyard challenge (did you get that in France?) keeping them apart might be a good idea. Adding a forge and a welder to the Brit workshop and an electronic repair shed for the Japs might reduce the long term residency rate.:rofl: