24 hour cycle routes

Routes to cycle from London to Paris in less than 24 hours!
Cycling from London to Paris in 24 hours is a tough but achievable endurance challenge. This may not be for everyone but there is no doubting that an adventure like this would be an amazing and rewarding experience.

Cycling out from London and through the English hills to the coast, enjoying a well earned break as you make you way over to the continent by ferry and then rolling through the French countryside partly during the night before hitting the streets of Paris the next morning and all within 24 hours of leaving London.

One thing to be careful of is the ferry times. Different routes have varying timetables. To note, it is typically recommended by ferry companies that you arrive 1 hour before the planned departure time.

If you are unsure about doing this alone then you might want to consider an organised ride (see more below) but for those of you who are more confident with the idea then take a look at the following suggested itineraries which have been kindly submitted by our users after completing the ride.

Route 1

24 hour London to Paris bike ride route via Dover & Calais

This is the most extreme of the 24-hour London to Paris bike ride routes as the distance is long (107 miles more than route 2), the rest time short (just 90 mins on the ferry) and the average speed needed is high (15 Mph+). This is certainly not a route for the feint hearted, but and incredible challenge to accomplish.

The route in France takes you from Calais via Arras, which is flatter route than the 2-day route via Étaples.

Note: With the mileage of this route being so high, not all choose to reach Paris within 24 hours of leaving London but instead choose to instead target a total cycling time of 24 hours.

View Larger Map of the 24-hour Route 1

Route 2

24 hour London to Paris bike ride route via Newhaven & Dieppe

This is the most popular route for a 24-hour London to Paris cycling challenge. The route starts from Trafalgar Square in London, although some choose to start from Blackheath instead. Stage one then takes you out of London through the beautiful Surrey and East Sussex countryside, with the focus on getting to Newhaven in good time to catch the ferry to Dieppe.

The Newhaven to Dieppe Ferry ride gives cyclists a welcome 4 hour break to refuel, rest and recuperate (and for many, get some much needed sleep time). The second stage then starts as soon as you arrive in France around 4 am, before a well earned breakfast break around Forgexs-les-Eaux before the final big push to arrive in Paris late morning.

View Larger Map of the 24-hour Route 2

Organised 24-hour London to Paris bike rides

To complete this independently requires careful planning and training, and likely a support vehicle, to make sure you have all eventualities covered and real strength and determination are required to actually complete the ride. If you’ve not done any long-distance cycling before then this probably isn’t for you just yet, but certainly, one to work up to.

If you’re ready to take on the challenge of a 24 hour London to Paris bike ride but you aren’t comfortable doing this alone then you may want to consider taking part in an organised ride.

Scope, a well known UK charity, used to offer cyclists such a challenge every year, but sadly they’ve stopped offering these since 2016. What was great about this challenge was that you could choose to cycle the whole way yourself or team up with a partner and take it in turns to cycle – relay style. Perhaps the relay idea is something you and some friends can organise yourselves?

So, if you’d prefer to do the full route yourself and have everything arranged for you then one of the main organised 24-hour rides is the London to Paris 24hr Sportive. Each year Sophie Radcliffe and her team organise a group trip of up to 150 cyclists to take on the challenge together. The ride follows the route via Newhaven & Dieppe, and is fully supported throughout. Visit their site to find out more.

Otherwise, if you’d rather get a small group of friends together and do the route independently then we’ve got you covered here, with lots of helpful information to plan, train and organise your unforgettable London to Paris cycling challenge.

Essential L2P Kit

Here is a list of essential cycling equipment for any London to Paris bike ride (we assume you already have a bike):

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Bicycle friendly hotels

Need somewhere to stay?
We've listed recommended hotels which are cycle friendly for your London to Paris bike ride.
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Recommended cycling kit

What to take with you?
See recommended cycling equipment for your London to Paris cycle ride.

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Other helpful links

Some useful links for planning your very own London to Paris cycle ride:

Main image : Google Maps