Cycling the Meuse: Gentle Voie Verte Routes and Hill-Country Loops
The Meuse is one of the most under-rated cycling regions in France. The reasons are good: a smooth, traffic-free greenway along the river, quiet country lanes on the hills above, the EuroVelo 5 long-distance route passing through, and a road network so empty of cars on weekdays that you can ride for an hour and meet three vehicles. From Ferme Lafayette in Montfaucon-d'Argonne, four kinds of cycling are within easy reach: a flat day on the Voie Verte by the river, a half-day loop in the Argonne hills, a long Sunday on the EuroVelo 5, and a quick hour after breakfast on the lanes around the village. Here is how to do each of them well.
The Voie Verte: France's under-the-radar greenway
The Voie Verte de la Meuse runs roughly seventy-five kilometres along the river, mostly on disused railway lines and canal towpaths. Surface is a mix of asphalt and well-rolled compacted stone; gradients almost never exceed three percent. Largely traffic-free, well signposted, with picnic tables along the way and small villages every five or six kilometres. From Ferme Lafayette to the nearest access point on the Voie Verte is around twenty minutes by car with bikes on the rack, or thirty kilometres on country roads if you want to ride down to it. From there you can pedal in either direction at whatever pace suits you. Think of it as a French version of the better Sustrans routes in the UK, only longer and emptier.
Three loops from Montfaucon-d'Argonne
1. The 20-km morning loop. A flat-to-gentle warm-up through Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, past the American Cemetery and back via a different lane. Good for a couple of hours after breakfast, or a get-the-legs-moving start to a longer week. Almost no traffic; a few short rises but nothing serious.
2. The 45-km half-day loop. A more committed ride into the Argonne hills, taking in two or three small villages, the Butte de Vauquois on the way back, and lunch in Varennes-en-Argonne. About 600 metres of climbing in total — not flat, but spread out. Best in spring and autumn; July and August can be hot.
3. The 80-km full-day loop. Down to the Meuse at the nearest access point on the Voie Verte, twenty-five kilometres along the river, lunch in a riverside village, then back up to Montfaucon through the hills. About 900 metres of climbing, mostly on the return leg. A satisfying day for an experienced rider; nothing for a beginner.
The EuroVelo 5 (Via Romea Francigena)
The EuroVelo 5 runs from Canterbury to Brindisi, passing through Reims, Verdun and on into Switzerland. The section that crosses the Meuse passes within easy reach of Ferme Lafayette: about thirty kilometres south of here. If you are doing the EV5 as a multi-day tour, the Argonne is a worthwhile two-day detour from the marked route, with the option to stay over and rest the legs.
Where to rent a bike
Bike rental in the rural Meuse is patchy. The Meuse departmental tourism office maintains an up-to-date list of rental shops at tourisme-meuse.com; most are in Verdun, Saint-Mihiel or Bar-le-Duc, and several deliver to accommodation in the area. For an e-bike you can usually get a 24-hour rental for around 30 to 40 euros and a week for 130 to 180. If you book ahead Sandra and Christophe can call the closest rental for you and confirm the model and delivery time.
Cycling-friendly facilities at Ferme Lafayette
The property has a secure lockable shed for bikes (gates closed at 22:00), a drying space for kit when the weather has turned, a high-pressure pump on hand, and a small repair kit for the standard things — a puncture, a snapped chain. Breakfast is generous enough to ride on; the three-course dinner is a real meal at the end of a hard day.
What to pack
A helmet (required in France only for under-12s but strongly recommended for everyone), bright clothing for low-traffic country lanes, water bottles, energy snacks for the longer loops, a spare inner tube, basic tools, and a rain jacket — the Meuse can change weather in an hour. Hi-vis is a good idea on the road in autumn light.
Ferme Lafayette is a small chambre d'hôtes set up for cyclists — secure parking, a drying room, route maps at reception, and breakfast generous enough for a long day on the saddle. Sandra and Christophe can arrange rental delivery and recommend a good lunch stop at the right point on each loop. See room availability →