Avenue Verte

Avenue Verte is a linked series of dedicated cycleways and minor roads that run from the square at the front of Notre Dame to Westminster Bridge. No-one so far as I am aware has yet  opted to use a pedalo on the permanently flooded section from Dieppe to Newhaven, but given how crazy long distance cyclists are it is probably only a matter of time.

We discovered the trail by accident in 2016 as it runs right past the Aire de camping car in Neufchatel-en-Bray which is one of our go to stop-offs in France as we head to or from Spain. 

Small river valleys are one of the the delights of France, the Avenue Vert  runs by the Bethune which wends its languid way through an undulating landscape of small fields and patches of woodland. The fields are full of cows, cheese production is big business locally, Neufchatel-en-Bray itself producing a camembert style product differentiated from its more famous neighbour by it's striking appearance, it is  heart shaped - a rare thing, a cheese for the love-struck.

We decided it would be interesting to explore more of the Avenue Verte. We found a small campsite about five kilometres inland from Dieppe. Camping Des 2 Rivières advertised direct access to the trail, people seemed delighted by the place, the reviews were positively glowing. Experience has taught us that promises on-line don't always materialise in reality. In this case however it did. We wondered if the place had been a former camping municipal, it had the simplicity, conviviality and  rural location found in 'Munis' but upgraded with modern plumbing and a few camping bungalows with a lakeside view.

We were only staying for a couple of nights so we're happy to take the first free pitch we happened upon, it overlooked the river and was convenient for the shower block. After a few minutes it became clear why the pitch was vacant, it was directly opposite the play park. You get lots of reviews from older campers moaning about being next to noisy kids, some places to stay in the UK market themselves as 'adult only'. They are not for us. I would much rather be in a place with a mixture of generations than some moribund plein aire home for the elderly. Anyway the play park was quite entertaining, the under tens playing out some imaginary game or other, bored teens alternating between checking each other out and checking TikTok.

The Avenue Verte itself is the best maintained and appointed cycle track we have ever come across. The London Paris link was first established in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics and on the section in Normandy no expense seems to have been spared in terms of the infrastructure and the conversion of the old stations into trackside cafés. Since we last used it in 2019 the whole stretch has been re-asphalted, smooth as a motorway.

 It does make a difference, we set out for a short trip and ended up covering over 18 miles. It made us realise just how much harder it was to pedal on the usual compacted grit surfaces found on most trails, even when pedelec assisted. 

The plan for the next few days is to head up to the Somme estuary and explore the cycle tracks there. Maybe we'll come back here before we catch the boat back next Wednesday. It's tranquil and unhurried hereabouts, and that's what we need right now.