Food and Wine

Normandy 

Agneaux de pré salé (Meadow-salted lamb) comes from the Bay of the Mont Saint-Michel and is a great dish to start off the mouth-watering treats you will encounter in Normandy. Normandy is known for its abundant seafood on its Western edge as well as fish from the Somme River which flows through it. No matter what type of meat you eat though, it will most likely be accompanied by a luscious type of dairy;  “A la Normande” refers to a sauce, something which is usually very rich in butter or cream. Marmite Dieppoise is a must try here - a delicious seafood dish cooked in a creamy broth of butter, cider and crème fraîche. The quality of dairy farmland is the basis for such acclaimed cheeses - Pont-l’Évêque, Livarot, Neufchâtel and of course - Camembert, which needs no explanation!

As well as seafood and dairy, Normandy produces apples which are famous throughout the world. You mustn’t pass through here without trying a Tart de Pommes a la Normande (apple tart) for dessert or an apple cider to accompany your meal. Normandy is almost famous for its lack of wine production, but makes up for it by producing excellent cider, a beautifully refreshing treat after a day's ride, though sometimes too easy to drink!

Picardy

Picardy is known for much more basic food, but no less delicious as so many vegetables are grown right there, like carrots, watercress, endive, rhubarb and apples. This northern region of France boasts more country dishes like Le pâté de canard (duck pâté) from Amiens and a leek pie called Flamiche.

As for dessert, you cannot go past the Macaroons d’Amiens. You will want to stuff them in your back pockets for pedalling snacks ahead! Picardy’s main wine is the Champagne; a part of Picardy’s vineyards being allowed to produce this outstanding wine. But again, this area is more famous for its great beer and cider.

Flanders

Belgium is best known for its chocolate, waffles, fries and beer. That covers all areas doesn’t it?! Mosselen-Friet (mussels and chips) is a classic Belgian dish to eat here. The most common way mussels are served in Belgium is steamed in white wine, in big black mussel pots. In addition to wine, they can also be served with shallots, parsley, butter, cream, beer, or even mustard sauce. Any which way is delicious and the fries just go so incredibly well with them! As to what to wash them down with, some of the world’s most famous beers are brewed in Flanders, including Stella Artois, Leffe and Duvel. But Flanders has so much more to offer than just its mass-produced beers - they are famed for many varieties of typical regional beers, whose popularity continues to grow,  including Geuze, Kriek (made from cherries) and Lambik, Trappist and Abbey beers. However, white cold climate wines are making a comeback here - chardonnay grapes making up 90% of their produce.

Ardennes

Luxembourg's cuisine is international, due to its sandwiching between so many influential foodie nations. Probably its most popular dish is Judd mat Gaardebounen, a hefty heart-warming dish of smoked and salted pork with broad beans. Good fuel for pedaling legs, and certainly you have to have an appetite, as they are often huge helpings! Jardon de Ardennes is a cured ham which is lovely and for a snack along the way, you can’t go past their Gromperekichelcher, grated and fried veggie fritters that are scrumptious that you will find at markets and fairs everywhere. For our sweet teeth, tart aux quetsches (plum tart) or Les biscuits roses de Reims – these little pink biscuits are designed to be dipped in a glass of champagne - what better way to eat dessert!

Cider is again a favourite here, although a little more acidic than from Normandy, but just as thirst quenching. The Champagne-Ardenne region is known the world over for the quality of its vineyards and wine cellars, which cover an area greater than 30,000 hectares, and employ the talents of several thousand wine-growers. Producing more than 300 million bottles each year, the Champagne-Ardenne region has certainly proved its aptitude for making wine and of course its famous bubbly beverage!

Moselle Valley and the Rhineland

The state of Rhineland-Palatinate is more known for growing wine - two-thirds of the wine produced in Germany come from this region alone! Its food takes a back seat, but is very hearty and substantial, mainly because the recipes were developed by the physically hard-working population or in times of poverty. Nearly all meals are served with potatoes in some form - mashed, in pancakes, or balls. You won’t escape them but neither will you want to, they really do them well! Their most famous way to deliver potatoes is their Himmel und Erde (Heaven and Earth) which is mashed potatoes (from earth) with an apple sauce (from heaven). Rhineland-Palatinate is Germany's number one wine-producing region. Its mild, sunny climate and nutrient-rich soils are perfectly suited for growing grapes. The vineyards are planted along the river Rhine and its tributaries, with the oldest plantations going back to the Roman era, making for spectacular cycling along the Rhine’s banks.

When we cycle up the Moselle river, Friture de la Moselle is a must - small fish from the river, fried and eaten with one’s fingers! And of course we must not pass up the chance to imbibe the world-loved Moselle wines at its source.