EuroVelo 19 - Meuse Cycle Route

EuroVelo 19, the Meuse Cycle Route, follows the river Meuse from its source at Pouilly-en-Bassigny on the Langres plateau in Haute-Marne to the North Sea at Hoek van Holland, the gateway to Rotterdam. Along the way it crosses three countries: France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The route runs on marked roads and paths, with towns and villages on both banks of the river and a steady change of scenery, from the fortified towns of Lorraine through the cliff-lined Belgian Meuse valley to the dikes and tidal waters of the Dutch delta.

The route operator describes it as a ride that welcomes cyclists of all levels, and the river does most of the navigating: where the Meuse goes, the route follows. Cultural heritage sits close to the path for the entire length, from Joan of Arc's birthplace to the citadels of Wallonia and the fortress city of 's-Hertogenbosch.

Where does EuroVelo 19 start and end

• Start: the source of the Meuse in Pouilly-en-Bassigny, on the Langres plateau in Haute-Marne, France
• End: Hoek van Holland on the North Sea coast, known as the gateway to Rotterdam
• Countries: France, Belgium, the Netherlands
• Signposting: waymarked in both directions
• Rider profile: promoted by the route operator as suitable for cyclists of all levels
• In the Netherlands the route follows the LF Maasroute

Route marking and navigation

EuroVelo 19 is signposted in both directions, so it can be ridden downstream from France or upstream from the Dutch coast. In the Netherlands the route runs as the LF Maasroute, and at Remilly-Aillicourt in the French Ardennes it connects with the Trans-Ardennes cycle route toward Sedan. Local roadworks can put temporary diversions in place, so check the current route status before setting off. The GPX track for the route is available directly in VeloPlanner.

How the route divides into stages

VeloPlanner shows EuroVelo 19 as one continuous route on the map, and you can split it into stages your own way in the planner. The description below follows a common way of breaking the ride down, based on the towns where the route's character changes.

Pouilly-en-Bassigny – Verdun. The ride begins at the source of the Meuse in a quiet village in Haute-Marne, near the fortified town of Langres. A short stretch leads into the Vosges department and Neufchâteau, with its rich architectural heritage. From there the route enters Joan of Arc territory: her birth house stands in Domremy-la-Pucelle, and Vaucouleurs is the town she left to meet her destiny. The approach to Verdun passes a string of fortifications at Troyon, Génicourt and La Falouse, and a rest day at the Verdun battlefield, one of the defining sites of the First World War, is a natural addition.

Verdun – Charleville-Mézières. Beyond Verdun the route follows the left bank of the river, mainly on quiet country roads. At Forges-sur-Meuse you can swap the saddle for the Vélo Rail, and the European Museum of Beer waits a little further downstream in Stenay. At Remilly-Aillicourt the Trans-Ardennes cycle route leads to Sedan, home to the largest fortified castle in Europe. From Sedan the route continues to Charleville-Mézières, the gateway to the Ardennes and home of the 17th-century Place Ducale, running along an old towpath with varied landscapes and no motorised traffic.

Charleville-Mézières – Givet. Here the route enters the Ardennes Massif proper, a schist massif through which the Meuse has cut its path. Between Monthermé and Givet the route crosses the wildest part of the French Ardennes, a valley of remarkable viewpoints and rock formations. Hierges, with its medieval château, sits just off the route, and the stage ends in Givet, the "gateway to France", a lively border town dominated by the Charlemont Citadel.

Givet – Namur. Across the Belgian border the route follows the meanders of the Meuse beneath a series of cliffs topped with castles and citadels: Freyr Castle with its renowned gardens, the Dinant Citadel perched above the town's onion-domed church, and finally the imposing fortifications of the Namur Citadel, where the Sambre meets the Meuse.

Namur – Maastricht. From Namur, the regional capital of Wallonia, the route heads for Liège, the region's largest city. On the way, the Ramioul Prehistomuseum ranks among the largest museums of prehistory in Europe, and the forts of Huy guard the valley. In Liège, the "Ville Ardente", a cycle-pedestrian bridge connects the Guillemins district, with its station designed by Santiago Calatrava, to the La Boverie museum. After Visé you can continue on the east bank or follow the west bank through Belgian Limburg, before entering the Netherlands at Maastricht.

Maastricht – Roermond. South Limburg opens the Dutch part of the ride: historical cities such as Maastricht and Sittard, and hamlets set between farmland and hills. Traditional ferries cross the river here, so you can cycle from the Netherlands into Belgium and back in an afternoon.

Roermond – 's-Hertogenbosch. From the historical centre of Roermond the route crosses Northern Limburg and its dune landscape, passing Beesel, the dragon's village, where the legend of St. George and the dragon is performed every 7 years. After Grave the route enters an area that was once deliberately flooded when the Maas ran high, to keep the residents of nearby cities dry. The stage ends in 's-Hertogenbosch, a fortress city full of monuments, host to nationally known cultural events, and the place to try a Bossche Bol, the local chocolate-coated pastry.

's-Hertogenbosch – Hoek van Holland. The final leg leads through the fortified town of Woudrichem and Biesbosch National Park, the biggest freshwater tidal area in Europe, to Dordrecht. Dikes carry the route across the Hoeksche Waard and on through Voorne-Putten, past the historic towns of Heenvliet and Geervliet and the fortified town of Brielle. Riding into the Port of Rotterdam, you cross the water and pass Vlaardingen and Maassluis before reaching Hoek van Holland on the North Sea.

What to see along EuroVelo 19

The Meuse valley concentrates an unusual amount of European history along one river. The highlights below follow the route from south to north.

Historical sites:

• Domremy-la-Pucelle: birth house of Joan of Arc; Vaucouleurs, her point of departure
• Verdun battlefield, site of the First World War battle
• Fortifications of Troyon, Génicourt and La Falouse
• Sedan: the largest fortified castle in Europe
• Charleville-Mézières: the elegant 17th-century Place Ducale
• Hierges and its medieval château
• Charlemont Citadel above Givet
• Freyr Castle and gardens, Dinant Citadel, Namur Citadel, forts of Huy
• Fortified towns of the Dutch delta: Woudrichem, Brielle, plus Heenvliet and Geervliet

Museums and culture:

• European Museum of Beer in Stenay
• Ramioul Prehistomuseum, one of the largest prehistory museums in Europe
• La Boverie museum in Liège, reached by a cycle-pedestrian bridge from the Guillemins district
• Liège-Guillemins station, designed by Santiago Calatrava
• Vélo Rail in Forges-sur-Meuse, rail-cycling on a former line
• The dragon play of Beesel, staged every 7 years

Landscapes and nature:

• The Ardennes Massif between Monthermé and Givet, with viewpoints and rock formations above the valley
• Biesbosch National Park, the biggest freshwater tidal area in Europe
• Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site with 19 authentic 18th-century windmills, reachable on the water link between Dordrecht and Rotterdam

Getting there and around by public transport

Trains in Belgium

The Belgian national railway company SNCB sells two bike tickets: a bike card for a single journey and a day pass valid for a whole day across the entire country. Both cover a bicycle or a tandem, optionally with a child's bike trailer. SNCB strongly discourages taking bikes on trains during rush hours. The number of bikes allowed on board varies from train to train, so inquire in advance if you travel in a group; bikes ride in a dedicated carriage, and the simplest way to find it is to approach the conductor with your bike at your side.

Trains in the Netherlands

Bikes are allowed on Dutch trains, with the exception of Thalys and Fyra services, outside weekday peak hours in the morning and late afternoon. The peak-hour restriction does not apply in July and August.

Buses

On TEC buses in Wallonia, only folding bikes are carried.

By boat

Between Dordrecht and Rotterdam you can take a bus boat instead of riding, a route that makes it easy to visit the windmills of Kinderdijk on the way.

Final tips

EuroVelo 19 works as well in pieces as it does whole: a family weekend along the traffic-free towpath sections in the French Ardennes, a citadel-hopping week through Wallonia, or the full source-to-sea ride. Open the route in VeloPlanner to split it into stages at your own pace, and use the river's ferries in South Limburg to build cross-border loops.

Whichever direction you ride, the Meuse sets the rhythm: fortresses first and tidal flats last, or the other way around. The signs point both ways.