Active Ideas
 

My husband and I hope to get away for a 7-10 day break in late April or late May. We would like to cycle, hike, or rollerblade. However, if we cycle I want a bike lane with no traffic. Any good suggestions for a European trip of this type. We want to go on our own, not with a tour.

Cycle your way along the towpath running next to the Canal Du Midi. Flat terrain, well-shaded, short distances between picturesque villages....Hang on! I'll come with you!

Tuscan coastline; Viareggio, Marina di Pietrasanta, Marina di Carrara...

Switzerland, tour of the Bienna Lake.

Visit the cycline web site and buy any of their massive range of maps for the major European routes

Uk has a sustrans web site

Holland has a whole country based on this principle and web sites abound.

Wow! Thanks for the great ideas. I'll do some research. If anyone knows of specific websites I'd appreciate the web addresses. We've thought a lot about France. We were interested in the Loire Valley but didn't find much about bike paths. We had not thought of the Canal Du Midi or Italy. Would any of these be day trips or would it be best to fine new lodging each night? We'll check out Holland and Switzerland too. Which would be best in late April or early May?

I posted a reply, but don't see it so will try again. I really appreciate all the great suggestions. If anyone has specific website addresses I'd really appreciate a posting. I'll do some research on all of your ideas. I read somewhere that you can bike along the Danube between Salzburg to Vienna. Anyone else heard of that?

The Danube does not flow between Salzburg and Vienna. It does flow between Vienna and Budapest. Could you possibly have seen something about that? (I don't know if there's biking in that location; probably yes, but no bike paths.)

A bike path follows the Danube from Passau, Germany, to Vienna. This website has one person's diary of the trip, with lots of useful "how-to_ information:

http://www.boblucky.com/Biking/Danube.htm

They booked a "self-guided" tour---meaning the arrangements were made by the tour company, but they biked on their own. You could order the Danube Cycling Guide from Cycline and do it on your own.

I have a similar guide for a path along the Mosel----but parts of that one are on roads (with bike lanes).