Ten days, close to a thousand kilometers, countless raindrops, and one increasingly muddy Brompton later I’ve wrapped up my July cycling loop through north-western France. It wasn’t the easiest trip. In fact, it might have been the most weather-beaten journey I’ve done yet. But looking back, there’s something oddly satisfying about it. What started as a neatly planned route—three legs blending La Seine à Vélo, La Véloscénie, and my own twist—quickly turned into a lesson in adaptability. Routes were improvised, shortcuts taken, expectations lowered (especially around dryness), but it all still worked.
The trip reminded me that even when things don’t go to plan, they still have a way of working out. And maybe, just maybe, the rain makes the sun that much sweeter—especially when it finally breaks through over Paris on your last day.
3 in 1 trip in numbers:
951 km – distance cycled
7 out of 10 — days I cycled under the rain
1 — kickstand lost
9 — French departments cycled through
3 338.8 km — total distance of Tour de France 2025
