Aachen to Liège – a foodie ride

The last ride started immediately with the climb to the highest point in the Netherlands and the three-country point. In total we have been barely 5 km in the Netherlands. To drive to Liège, we again chose the Ravel, which is more winding and steep than the Vennbahn. Again we escaped rain. And after Herve or about 30 km it was only downhill. At 1500 we were already on the train home.

Shortly after 11 a.m. we set off from Aachen main station, first to the highest mountain in the Netherlands and then on the Ligne 38 through northern Wallonia to Liège. The nice thing about the route is that it feels like it's almost always downhill, especially the last loops before Liège, and you wonder where you got all that up. We missed the second e-bike a little. We took the train to Namur, the beautiful capital of Wallonia, to spend the night.

Here we go. Today my wife and I started our extensive tour of Belgium. Day 1 leisurely from Aachen to Liège. It was a wonderful section of the route that followed mostly on the Eurovelo 3. Then the cult tour through Liège. I summarize everything again in a collection that I will add to every day.

L39 = NEW from Gemmenich to Montzen / Hombourg L38 = from Hombourg to Liège, now tarred throughout, not just from Battice/Herve

The route Ravel 39 and 38 is really great! 👍 Smoothly tarred all the way! 😉 Up to Herve also super scenic. After that, the industrial past of the Liège area cannot be overlooked 😉 Downtown is nice too, we'll explore further now!

Cycling along the railway line instead of taking the train: in Liège we hung onto the RAVeL Ligne 38/39 and rode through the beautiful Herver Land. To top it all off, to the border triangle, and then roll to the train station in Aachen.

Unfortunately, Wine77's bike breaks down with a broken spoke. Since no one can be found to repair it quickly, we part ways today for the final leg. Fortunately, Aachen, where we want to end our trip, is easily accessible by train from Liège. So I'm tackling our final leg by bike alone. The route starts in Liège with steep and sweaty climbs. However, as soon as I reach the RAVeL Line 38, the trail is wonderful and easy to cycle. The long descents and the magnificent views of the landscape make up for any previous exertion. Up to the border triangle and the highest point in the Netherlands, there's another steep climb before the final descent carries me almost effortlessly to my accommodation. And so, after more than 730 km, our journey ends back in Aachen, where we started almost three weeks ago.

We took the train to Aachen, and from there we headed toward Bordeaux. Right from the start, there were quite a few elevation gains to the border triangle, the highest point in the Netherlands. So, on the first day, we crossed three countries. But I'm not exactly fit. Progress was pretty slow at times. We'll see how the next few days go. Unfortunately, only half of the track is there. From the shopping stop, we're missing 50km. 😕