3 day bikepacking suitable for road bikes in the Pas de Calais region.
Accessible by train from Belgium for people used to cycling.
Incl camping stops, as stealth-camping is not advised near Calais.
Start: at Oostende train station.
Day 1: ride next to the BE/FR coast, a long flat stretch to catch the difference between both countries, as you cross the border you will notice the transition to the more industrial Nord de France. Gravellines is a good stop, a cosy village in between the more industrial Dunkirk and Calais.
The ride is flat and easy, until after Calais when the Cap Blanc Nez crosses your path. The day ends at Wissant, a cosy village in the Opal Coast. Camping best to reserve in high season.
Day 2: exploring the opal coast, starting with many sightseeing stops (Cap Griz Nez, Ambleteuse, ...) and plenty of stops for a café/bakery. After the route turns inland, following the smooth hills and pastures. At the end you cross the city of St Omer and a family camping.
Day 3 continues inland, with hills getting smaller, yet rarely any real flat parts. You pass a few cosy villages, with nice bakeries (at km 17). Right before the border, three more serious hills cross your path. The last of the three, the Kemmelberg, being the most notorious (and possible to skip if you do not want to climb 20% cobbled slopes with all your gear). After, you follow the waterway to Kortrijk train station to close the trip.