London to Paris by bike.
The Avenue Verte, under sail.
The most beautiful route between two capitals, ridden either way. The sailing variant swaps the car ferry for SailLink and adds the Opal Coast.
Read in either direction
Cycle London to Paris, or Paris to London. Everything converges at Dover and Boulogne.
If you are in London, NCN1 takes you south through Kent to Dover Marina. If you are in Paris, the Avenue Verte takes you north through Normandy to Dieppe, then the Vélomaritime follows the Opal Coast cliffs to Boulogne Marina. Both journeys end at the same place: the boat. SailLink is the only sailing ferry between England and France, and the only Channel crossing where the 4h30 under sail is the highlight of the trip, not just the transit in the middle of it. This journey can be done independently or handed over to DolceVia, our official partner who organises the full itinerary with SailLink built in.
The standard Avenue Verte crosses the Channel on the Newhaven to Dieppe car ferry. This sailing variant replaces it with a far more memorable crossing and the Opal Coast on the French side. No car deck. No terminal queues. No lorries. Your loaded bike rolls aboard at the marina. 12 passengers, open water, White Cliffs growing on the horizon or disappearing behind you. Four legendary routes, one unique crossing, and a journey between two capitals that no other route can match.
Longer, because the Opal Coast is worth every extra kilometre. The table above reads London to Paris. For Paris to London, simply reverse it.
© @wheremywheelsgo
London to Paris, or Paris to London. The adventure is the same.
The SailLink crossing and the routes on both sides are equally beautiful ridden in either direction. The only difference is the order of the landscapes and the direction of the Channel wind.
London to Paris via the White Cliffs.
Leave London on NCN1, south through Kent to Canterbury and then Dover. At Dover Marina, board SailLink. 4h30 under sail to Boulogne. Join the Vélomaritime and ride south along the Opal Coast cliffs to Dieppe. Then the Avenue Verte carries you through Normandy and back into Paris.
Paris to London via the Opal Coast.
Leave Paris heading north on the Avenue Verte, through the Norman countryside to Dieppe. Join the Vélomaritime at the coast and ride north along the cliffs through Eu, Le Tréport, Cayeux, the Baie de Somme, Boulogne. At Boulogne Marina, board SailLink. 4h30 later, you are in Dover. NCN1 takes you to Canterbury, then London.
Dover
Whether you arrive by bike from London via NCN1 or by sail from Boulogne, Dover Marina is your pivot. The White Cliffs are 20 minutes on foot. Canterbury is 27 km by bike. London is 1 hour by High Speed train. Sleep here the night before or after the crossing. Cullins Yard is 5 minutes from the berth.
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Whether you arrive by sail from Dover or by bike from the south, Boulogne Marina is where everything happens. France's largest fishing port, a medieval Old Town 20 minutes on foot, and Hôtel Monsieur Georges 3 minutes from the berth. Sleep here the night before or after the crossing. Place Dalton market runs Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
The Avenue Verte, re-routed under sail.
Each segment is a complete route in its own right. Together they form the most varied and spectacular cycling journey between two capitals in Europe. Shown here London to Paris; reverse it for Paris to London.
London to Dover via Canterbury
National Cycle Network Route 1 leaves London south through the Garden of England towards Rochester, then the Kent Downs to Canterbury, one of England's great pilgrimage cities, 27 km from Dover. The route ends at Dover Marina gate, where SailLink waits. Tower Bridge is the traditional London start.
Official route: Sustrans NCN1 ↗2-3 days
© Oriane Adventures
Dover Marina to Boulogne Marina, under sail.
This is the moment no other London to Paris cycling route can offer. Your loaded bike rolls on board at Dover Marina. No dismantling, no car deck, no terminal queues. 12 passengers, open water, the cliffs softening behind you. Around 4h30 under sail. You roll off in Boulogne, directly into the city.
4h30 under sail
© SailLink
© Emmanuel Berthier / La Vélomaritime
Boulogne to Dieppe along the Opal Coast
From Boulogne, ride EuroVelo 4 south along the Côte d'Opale and then the Côte d'Albâtre. The Grand Site des Deux-Caps, Cap Gris-Nez and Cap Blanc-Nez with England visible on the horizon, then the Baie de Somme down to Dieppe. Where the standard Avenue Verte never touches the sea, this stretch is the whole reason for the detour.
Official route: lavelomaritime.fr ↗2 days
© C. Ledoux / Avenue Verte London Paris
Dieppe to Paris
The Avenue Verte, a former railway line converted into a dedicated cycle path, runs from the coast at Dieppe through the Norman countryside and the Oise valley into Paris. Villages, forests, apple orchards and market towns. A quiet, largely flat corridor that ends at the bronze zero-point plaque in front of Notre-Dame.
Official route: avenueverte.org ↗4-5 days
London to Paris GPX files, ready for your GPS.
This is the SailLink route, not the standard Avenue Verte. Two GPX tracks: NCN1 on the UK side, and the Avenue Verte joined to the Vélomaritime (EV4) on the French side. Load them into Komoot, Garmin or Wahoo. Both start and finish at the SailLink berths in Dover and Boulogne.
Two tracks, one per side of the Channel. The 4h30 SailLink crossing between Dover and Boulogne is the link no other London to Paris route has, which is why it is not in a single file. Download both, and let the sail join them.
"Rolling onto a sailing boat in Boulogne with my fully loaded touring bike, and off again four hours later under the White Cliffs. That was the best day of the whole trip."
Want someone to handle the logistics?
SailLink has partnered with DolceVia, a specialist cycling travel agency, to offer a fully organised version of this route. They take care of accommodation, luggage transfers, route notes and the SailLink crossing. You take care of the pedalling.
London to Paris by Bike & Sail
Official Partner TourThe complete NCN1 + SailLink + Vélomaritime + Avenue Verte journey, fully organised by the team at DolceVia. Bike hire available, accommodation pre-booked along the route, luggage transferred daily, and the SailLink crossing integrated as the centrepiece of the trip.
Prefer to go self-guided?
The route is entirely rideable independently. All you need is a SailLink booking for the crossing, a map app with the Avenue Verte and Vélomaritime loaded (grab the GPX files above), and accommodation booked the night before the crossing. See our practical tips below for everything else.
Practical information
Book SailLink first
With only 12 passengers per crossing, SailLink fills fast. Book your crossing date first, then plan the rest of the route around it. Add your bike at booking (£10 standard, £15 large). No dismantling needed.
Download the GPX
Grab the Avenue Verte and Vélomaritime GPX files from the section above, or from lavelomaritime.fr and avenueverte.org. Komoot has both routes fully mapped with surface types and accommodation points.
Night before the crossing in Dover
Sleep near Dover Marina. Cullins Yard is the ideal pre-crossing dinner, 5 minutes from the berth. Dover Marina Hotel is steps from the boat. Check in early, walk the White Cliffs in the afternoon.
The Deux-Caps detour
From Boulogne, riding north to Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez before heading south is a 60 km loop worth every extra kilometre. England is visible from the clifftop on clear days. The Maison des Deux-Caps at Audinghen has GPX routes and bike hire.
Best time of year
SailLink operates April to October. Late May, June and early September offer reliable weather on both sides of the Channel, lighter traffic on the Avenue Verte, and the Opal Coast at its best.
Book SailLink first
With only 12 passengers per crossing, SailLink fills fast. Book your crossing date first, then plan the rest of the route around it. Add your bike at booking (£10 standard, £15 large). No dismantling needed.
Download the GPX
Grab the Avenue Verte and Vélomaritime GPX files from the section above, or from avenueverte.org and lavelomaritime.fr. Komoot also has both routes fully mapped with surface types and accommodation points.
Night before the crossing
Stay in Boulogne the night before. Place Dalton market runs Wednesday and Saturday mornings, 5 minutes from the marina. Wake up in France, cross to England by lunchtime. Hôtel Monsieur Georges is 3 minutes from the SailLink berth.
Getting to Paris by train
Eurostar carries bikes on selected departures between London and Paris. Bikes must be in a bag on certain services. Book as far in advance as possible. Spaces are extremely limited.
Best time of year
SailLink operates April to October. Late May, June and early September offer reliable weather on both sides of the Channel, lighter traffic on the Avenue Verte, and the Opal Coast at its best.
Cycling London to Paris, answered.
Is this the same as the Avenue Verte?
Not quite. The standard Avenue Verte crosses on the Newhaven to Dieppe car ferry. This is the SailLink variant: NCN1 from London to Dover, a sailing crossing to Boulogne, then the Vélomaritime up the Opal Coast before joining the Avenue Verte to Paris. Same two capitals, a more scenic French side, and the car ferry replaced by a crossing under sail.
How long does it take to cycle from London to Paris?
On the SailLink sailing variant, around 10 to 12 days at a comfortable touring pace. The full route is roughly 590 km plus the crossing: NCN1 from London to Dover, SailLink to Boulogne, the Vélomaritime up the Opal Coast, then the Avenue Verte to Paris. Fitter riders go faster; the standard Avenue Verte (387 km) can be done in five days to a week.
Can you cycle from London to Paris?
Yes. The Avenue Verte is a fully waymarked cycle route between the two capitals, mostly on quiet lanes, former railway lines and traffic-free paths. The SailLink variant follows the same idea but swaps the car ferry for a sailing crossing from Dover to Boulogne, adding the Opal Coast cliffs along the way.
How do you cross the Channel by bike between London and Paris?
The standard Avenue Verte uses the Newhaven to Dieppe car ferry. SailLink offers a sailing crossing between Dover Marina and Boulogne Marina instead: your loaded bike rolls on board, no dismantling, no car deck, no terminal queues. The crossing takes around 4h30 on average, depending on wind and tide.
How far is the London to Paris bike route?
The standard Avenue Verte is about 387 km and the classic Dover to Calais route about 490 km. The SailLink sailing variant is around 590 km, longer because it follows the Opal Coast through the Vélomaritime, widely considered the most scenic stretch of the whole journey.
Can you take a bike on the SailLink crossing?
Yes. SailLink is a sailing ferry built for cyclists, running between Dover and Boulogne-sur-Mer. Bikes travel inside the boat, protected from salt and spray, with no need to dismantle them. Add your bike at booking. Capacity is up to 12 passengers and bikes per crossing, so book early.
When can you ride the route and when does SailLink sail?
SailLink operates April to October. Late May, June and early September offer the most reliable weather on both sides of the Channel, lighter traffic on the Avenue Verte and the Opal Coast at its best. Book the crossing first, then plan the rest of the route around your sailing date.