Overview
Spend two weeks on an aqua adventure, travelling from Paris to Bruges by bike and boat, between two iconic cities, with plenty of cultural and natural gems along the way. You can take this tour in either direction but, whichever one you choose, you will be following waterways such as the Seine, Oise and Somme Rivers, followed by the Scheldt, which takes you through Flanders and many historic parts of Belgium, including the city of Ghent, a city that has revitalised itself from a little bit sleepy classical to contemporary cool. Spend each night on board a riverboat, with ensuite outward-facing cabins and all meals included. So all you have to do is sail, cycle and sleep.
- Paris
- Château de Chantilly
- Oudenaarde
- Ghent
- Bruges
Itinerary
Day 1: Paris – Bougival
Spend the morning visiting the sights of Paris before boarding the riverboat at 13.00, ready for a 14.00 departure, setting sail along the River Seine through the heart of the city. the riverboat moors in a suburb of Paris for the night, offering further opportunities to explore the capital, although we recommend booking an additional night in Paris before the tour to experience the city to its fullest.
- Meals included: dinner
Day 2: Bougival – Auvers-sur-Oise | 42-46km
Today’s cycle follows quiet towpaths along the River Seine towards Saint-Germain-en-Laye to visit its gardens, designed by André Le Nôtre, the landscape architect who also designed the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. From here, the route heads through a forested area before pausing in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine for a picnic on the pier. Continue through Chemin des Monts to the church at Auvers, best known for its depiction in Van Gogh’s painting of the same name. After dinner, there is an opportunity to visit Van Gogh’s grave at the local cemetery during a short evening walk.
- Cycling for the day: 42-46km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3: Auvers-sur-Oise – Pont-Sainte-Maxence | 43km
Begin the morning on board, sailing to Beaumont before hopping on your bike to follow the Oise River upstream towards Royaumont Abbey, founded in 1228 by the young Louis IX. After lunch, the route continues to Château de Chantilly, a magnificent castle with an art gallery and Great Stables, the largest princely stables in Europe, which is also home to The Living Museum of the Horse. The cycling day comes to a close in Creil, where you re-embark for an evening journey to Pont-Sainte-Maxence.
- Cycling for the day: 43km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4: Pont-Sainte-Maxence – Compiègne | 44-54km
This morning’s cycle heads through Pont-Sainte-Maxence before passing Abbaye Royale du Moncel, founded in 1309 by King Philip le Bel. From here, the route heads through Forêt de Compiègne, where you can either head directly into Compiègne to join the riverboat or extend the route by cycling further through the forest to visit Château de Pierrefonds, an impressive castle and strategic stronghold which defended Paris from numerous invasions during the Hundred Years’ War. If heading straight to Compiègne, spend the rest of the afternoon visiting Château de Compiègne, a royal and imperial palace which, amongst its own history, also houses three museums.
- Cycling for the day: 44-54km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5: Compiègne – Pont l’Évêque | 42-51km
Today, the riverboat leaves the River Oise, entering the canal system which connects France and Belgium while you cycle into the northern part of the Forêt de Compiègne to visit Clairière de l’Armistice, where the Armistices for both World Wars were signed. From here, the route crosses the River Aisne, passing through Noyon, home to its own Notre-Dame Cathedral, before heading to Pont l’Évêque to re-embark the riverboat.
- Cycling for the day: 42-51km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6: Pont l’Évêque – Péronne | 47-56km
Begin the day sailing along Canal du Nord, built to replace the older and smaller Canal de Saint-Quentin that was constructed by Napoleon in 1801. Once in Haudival, cycle through open countryside and along the River Somme, through the Art Deco town of Ham and several other small villages before re-joining the riverboat in Péronne.
- Cycling for the day: 47-56km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7: Rest day in Péronne
Today’s rest day offers the opportunity to visit the Museum of the Great War or alternatively, spend the day relaxing aboard the riverboat or wandering around the town, visiting its shops and cafes. Dinner isn’t included today, so you can choose from one of the restaurants in the town.
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Day 8: Péronne – Mœuvres | 40-52km
Todays cycle heads through the valley of the Somme River towards Ruyaulcourt, a former frontline of the Battle of the Somme, now the site of Ruyaulcourt Military Cemetery. Once back onboard, the riverboat passes through Tunnel de Ruyaulcourt, the longest tunnel on Canal Du Nord at 4,350m before arriving at this evening’s mooring on the outskirts of Mœuvres.
- Cycling for the day: 40-52km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 9: Mœuvres – Pont Malin | 35-50km
Cycle towards Cambrai, a former Roman provincial capital and an important destination for pilgrims, home to the Citadel of Cambrai, built under King Charles V. From here, cycle through the Chantraine wetlands towards Arleux to re-board the riverboat , which then sails to Pont Malin Lock.
- Cycling for the day: 35-50km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 10: Pont Malin – Tournai | 47-51km
A leisurely morning on board the riverboat, sailing along Canal à Grand Gabarit to Denain to begin today’s cycle through open farmland and old mining towns towards the border with Belgium. Today’s destination is Tournai, one of the oldest cities in Belgium, which was under French rule until the beginning of the 17th century. Spend the rest of the afternoon visiting the UNESCO Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai, as well as the city’s other sights.
- Cycling for the day: 47-51km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 11: Tournai – Oudenaarde | 41-43km
Heading downstream along the River Scheldt, sail into Flanders before beginning today’s cycling route to Oudenaarde. In the past, this town was located on the border of the French and German Empires, meaning it was often involved in conflicts. Being a regular target, the town had many watchmen over the years, with a statue of one of the most famous watchmen, Hanske de Krijger, still keeping watch from the top of the town hall today. Oudenaarde is also known for its tapestry weavers and was one of the most important centres of the carpet industry during the 16th century, producing and exporting tapestries worldwide.
- Cycling for the day: 41-43km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 12: Oudenaarde – Ghent | 45km
Leaving Oudenaarde behind, today’s cycle itinerary pauses briefly to visit the ruins of the Benedictine Abbey of Ename before continuing onto Ghent, a UNESCO City of Music, which hosts many festivals and concerts and is home to several music institutions. It also has an impressive culinary scene. Classic sights include Gravensteen Castle, St Bavo’s Cathedral or the famous coffee bars and roasteries, Mokabon or De Draak.
- Cycling for the day: 45km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 13: Ghent – Bruges | 34-44km
Spend the morning sailing towards Aalterbrug before disembarking to cycle through the flat countryside of Western Flanders to reach Bruges. An outstanding example of a medieval settlement, Bruges has managed to maintain many of its historic features as it has evolved over the centuries, leading to its historic centre being classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend the rest of the day visiting one of Bruges’s many museums, chocalatiers or just enjoying its café life.
- Cycling for the day: 34-44km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 14: Bruges circular route | 22-38km
Today, the riverboat stays in Bruges while you follow an optional cycle route through the countryside that surrounds the city. Alternatively, today can be spent wandering around Bruges, taking in the city’s sights and shops.
- Cycling for the day: 22-38km
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 15: Departure
Departure after breakfast at 09.30.
- Meals included: breakfast
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in outward-facing twin cabins on a riverboat for the duration of the tour. Cabins on both riverboats have en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning, a TV and a hair dryer. For more details, see below.
Click to view default ships
- Zwaantje
- Fleur
Meals
This is a full board tour, which includes breakfast, packed lunch, coffee and tea on board and 12 dinner.s If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know at time of booking. Please note that there may be a supplement to be paid locally for certain dietary requests. We regret that our local partner cannot offer vegan meals.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated easy due to the routes following mostly flat terrain, with daily cycling distances between 22-52km. There is a guide for each day’s cycling, although you can also follow the routes independently if preferred and most days have shorter route options. Any cycling day can be skipped if you feel like having a rest day on the boat instead (read more about difficulty grades).
When to go
This tour is available from May-October on the following 2026 departure dates:
Paris to Bruges: 24 September and 15 October
Bruges to Paris: 10 September
2027 departure dates:
Paris to Bruges: 02 August and 27 September
Bruges to Paris: 08 May, 24 May and 13 September
Note that on select departure dates, this itinerary also runs in reverse from Bruges-Paris. For additional information, see ‘When to go’ section below.
Please note there is no single cabin availability on most 2026 departures.
Getting there
FCO up-to-date travel advice on France and Belgium.
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) or Paris-Orly Airport (ORY).
By train or bus
By train: If you are able to travel to France and Belgium without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with railway stations in both Paris and Bruges. For more details, see the national rail operators SNCF and SNCB in France and Belgium respectively.
From the UK, there is a direct train service with Eurostar from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord (4h).
Arrival: From Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, the RER B train departs every 10-20mins to the centre of Paris (30-35mins). From Paris-Orly Airport, there is a regular shuttle service departing every 10-20mins to Paris Place Denfert-Rochereau (30-45mins). For timetables and further information, please visit SNCF-Connect or use the Omio planner above.
Departure: From Bruges city centre, there are regular shuttle buses to Ostend-Bruges International Airport (40mins). From Bruges, there are also direct trains to Brussels Airport (1h 30mins). If returning to Paris, take a train from Bruges Gironde station back to Paris Montparnasse, changing at Bordeaux Saint-Jean. For timetables and further information, visit SNCF-Connect or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 14 nights in outward-facing cabins with private facilities
- Full board consisting of 14 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 12 dinners, with coffee and tea onboard
- Daily room cleaning
- Welcome drink
- Daily meeting for the cycle tours
- Cycling guide
- Printed instructions and detailed maps for daily cycling routes (one per cabin)
- Bicycle helmet
- GPS tracks
- Onboard tour guide
- Use of a waterproof pannier bag
- Canal trip through Ghent
- Entry to The Armistice Museum, Oudenaarde Town Hall and Château de Chantilly
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Travel insurance (required get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Dinner on day seven
- Drinks
- Entry fees not mentioned as included
- Parking fees
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
*March 2026 update: due to increased fuel and energy costs, a small fuel surcharge is payable locally upon arrival.
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a cabin of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of cabins and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own cabin. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share cabins with other solo travellers
- E-bike rental
Bike rental
Unfortunately it is not possible to bring your own bicycle on this tour, however e-bikes are available to rent, equipped with a lock and puncture-resistant tyres. Sample models listed below, note that the exact models may differ depending on availability, but the standard will be the same.
E-bikes
- Handbrakes
- Seven speeds
- 400Wh battery
- Three levels of power-assistance
- Gel seat
- Bike lock attached to frame
- Anti-puncture tyres
