The week of cycling flew by, but strangely, it also feels like I started while ago. Maybe it was the flat, repetitive landscape—or maybe it’s just some kind of time warp.
On paper, riding along the canals sounded like a great idea. In reality, it was a bit underwhelming. That’s especially true for the Canal de Bourgogne—the scenery was uninspiring, and aside from Dijon, there wasn’t much in the way of sights or interesting stops.
The ride along the Canal du Rhône au Rhin, from Dole to Mulhouse, was more enjoyable. The path was pleasant, and towns like Besançon and Montbéliard were worth a visit.
People often say the journey matters more than the destination—but in this case, I’m not so sure. I’ve been considering the Canal des Deux Mers for a future trip, but after this experience, I’m having second thoughts. I’ve heard the route isn’t as well maintained as the one I just did, which makes me even more hesitant.
Still, I did it. I checked it off my list. Some people chase adrenaline—I chase new experiences. So now, I’m already looking into where to go next.
Channeling Tour in numbers:
684 km — distance cycled
~4,000 km — of man-made canals in France, roughly half of its navigable waterways
~100 — major canals in France
4 — canals alongside of which I cycled