Québec is a Canadian province of about 9 million inhabitants and it just released an ambitious strategy for cycling tourism, spanning the period 2025-2030. Cycling tourism generated more than $700M expenditures a year (6% more than regular tourists) and 1,6 million overnights in Québec. A strategy was needed, and the collaborative creation process involved more than 500 stakeholders.

To learn more about it, EuroVelo Director Agathe Daudibon interviewed Jean-François Rheault, CEO of Vélo Québec, the organisation that coordinated the process. Vélo Québec is the ECF associated member in Canada.

What is the ambition of ‘La Grande Traversée’, the roadmap for cycling tourism in Québec 2025-2030?
Jean-François Rheault (JFR): Cycling tourism has a lot of potential for international and domestic visitors in Québec and brings positive impacts on communities, especially in the economic sphere. To unlock its potential, we needed a clear vision. That is why, in 2023, we initiated a large consultation to design a roadmap for cycling tourism development in Québec. More than 500 participants from 14 regions and six different sectors connected to cycling tourism took part. In January 2025, we released the results of the consultation and published a summary and the full report of ‘La Grande Traversée’, both available in French.

Why a new strategy on cycling tourism in Québec?
JFR: In Québec, we have lots of great cycling infrastructure. We have over 10,000 kilometres of cycle routes. Our most famous cycle route, La Route Verte, is 5,000 kilometres long and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. This cycle route network connects all the province, and I invite everyone to discover the cycling facilities of Québec. Moreover, our long-lasting experience is recognised worldwide – we are regularly asked to share our knowledge with international partners. In addition to this, the regional partners within Québec have been channelling a lot of energy to develop and invest in cycling tourism over the past years.

The regional tourism agencies started to work more and more on cycling offers and promotion, but we still lacked a global vision for cycling tourism at the provincial scale. This is why we felt the need to launch this consultation, define a strategy together, and get organised to implement it.

Read the full interview here.

Designed to cater to cyclists of all abilities with mostly flat terrain, the historic Göta Canal Trail is one of Sweden’s most picturesque and well-signposted national cycle routes stretching approximately 220 kilometres from Lake Vänern to the Baltic Sea.

This remarkable journey is divided into seven stages, making it easy for cyclists to plan shorter trips or complete the entire route at their own pace. Witness the Göta Canal locks in action and visit the Göta Canal Museum, where you can delve into the canal’s rich history, which celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2022.

Stay at the highly regarded Norrqvarn Hotell & Konferens in Lyrestad, which offers fantastic food and a range of hotel rooms to suit different budgets. Don’t miss the Lina cable ferry, Sweden’s tiniest regular ferry route, which transports passengers across the canal in a delightfully quaint crossing.

For an unforgettable adventure through one of Sweden’s most iconic landscapes the best time to cycle the Göta Canal is during the summer months, when the weather is warm, and the natural scenery is at its most vibrant.

Read more here.

As a result, Americans enjoyed hundreds of new places to ride in 2024. We collected some of the best bike projects built in the last year to celebrate how all kinds of communities are benefiting from safe, fun, and connected places to bike.

The Pershing Bikeway | San Diego, CA
San Diego’s new Pershing Bikeway connects the diverse North Park neighborhood to bike lanes near downtown through Balboa Park. The 2.3-mile project combines a two-way protected bike lane, a separate bike path, and one-way protected bike lanes to provide safe and comfortable bike routes for people of all ages and abilities. Key elements include a 75-foot bridge over Florida Canyon Creek, a new roundabout at a formerly dangerous intersection, and five new pedestrian intersections equipped with 70 path lights to improve visibility.

Napa Valley Vine Trail | Calistoga-St. Helena, CA
Officials cut the ribbon on a new 9-mile section of the Napa Valley Vine Trail in August. Residents and visitors can now travel between the small towns of Calistoga and St. Helena in the Napa Valley on a gorgeous new bike path alongside vineyards. Twenty nine of the 47 miles are now complete, and the other sections are in the final design stage.

Leeward Bikeway | Honolulu, HI
This dedicated bikeway uses a former railroad right-of-way to connect Philippine Sea Road in ‘Ewa to Waipahu Depot Street. After the construction of retaining walls, utility relocation, and the reconstruction of bridges at Waikele Stream and Kapakahi Stream, the Leeward Bikeway extends the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail, creating an 11-mile route from ʻAiea Bay State Recreation Area to the Hawaiian Railway Society in ‘Ewa Beach. After just a few more gap closures, people will be able to ride on a 24-mile car-free bikeway from the eastern suburbs of Honolulu all the way to Diamond Head, connecting with the airport, downtown, Waikiki, and more.

Know of a great bike project planned for 2025 that should be on our radar for next year’s list? Make sure it’s included in our National Bike Project Tracker! To learn how to add planned projects to the list, check out our FAQ page.

Discover the complete list of new U.S. Bikeways here.

Raising the bar for quality cycle routes for all and everywhere 
This year the deployment of the European Certification Standard (ECS), a methodology created by ECF to assess the quality of cycle routes, has shifted into high gear.

ECS surveys were undertaken in eleven countries in 2024. In countries like France, Austria, Croatia, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark, the ECS methodology was used to gather knowledge about cycling infrastructure, cycling-friendly services, and route promotion, leading to a better understanding of what is needed for a higher-quality cycle route network both nationally and on a European level. The growing interest in ECS reflects the strength of the methodology and increased emphasis on quality from various stakeholders.  

One new route stretch can be proud of its EuroVelo Certification: The French section of EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route, nationally branded as ‘La Velodyssee’. This 1,300 km route following the coast of France from Roscoff in Brittany to Hendaye in the Basque Country is the second EuroVelo route to reach the level of development required for EuroVelo Certification after EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route, certified since 2015.

The EuroVelo Certification can be awarded to entire EuroVelo routes or continuous stretches of at least 300 km that meet the criteria set by ECS. The growing interest in ECS was also reflected in the record-breaking number of new EuroVelo Route Inspectors trained, including a bespoke course in Slovenia. Registrations for the 2025 training session are open.

Read more here.

The Norway Trail E-Xplorer
with Martin Söderström and Scotty Laughland

What makes a dream mountain bike trip? The place? The trails? The people? The culture? The landscapes? What if I told you, this one, had it all.

I started planning this out at the turn of the year, studying routes, trying to find local recommendations and watching videos to see if I could find the best trails in Norway’s southern circle. It turned out there wasn’t much on it and from mapping stuff, I quickly realised that to properly explore you’d need months if not years but we’d have just 7 days to take in and ride as much as we could and I’d say we did a pretty good job of it.

Joining me was none other than Martin Söderström – in my own words, he’s a renowned freeride athlete and a bit of a legend. I’d never met him before and I was unsure how much experience he had with this style of riding and travelling. Post trip and if I only had one sentence to describe him, I’d say; he’s a happy puppy who has the appetite of a labrador and is generally up for pretty much anything as long as he has had at least one ‘Skolebrod’ per day.

We met and started the trip at our most northern point of Oppdal. The drive up had been long but beautiful and for hours I’d gone without seeing any real infrastructure – the town itself was fairly modern and after a good night’s rest we found the best coffee shop and bakery before hitting the trails. I shared the news of what I’d planned and what our week would look like. It generally consisted of driving in the morning to our location followed by riding in the afternoon and into the evening with the hope of getting some sort of a sunset.

Our first trail of the trip would be Gullstein which translates to ‘the Golden Trail’ and it didn’t disappoint. A fairly easy to access but long climb led to some hike-a-biking similar to that of scrambling in search of the narrow overgrown marked path. Eventually, it took us up to a viewpoint that looked down on the valley of Oppdal – it was beautiful. Dropping into the trail, it was open for the majority, we’d ride on huge sections of rock slab and follow a narrow ribbon of single trail flowing over rocks, last minute braking for tight turns and trying hard not to ignore the impressive view. As we entered the woods, the dirt was loose, malchy and there were a few jumps. I followed Martin and watched him pop off of every opportunity and land into nothing. A quick refuel back in the village and we headed up to Rauhovdin for sunset but I’m going to let the photo do the talking – it was Norway on a postcard!

Day 2 would see us start with a 4 hour drive, our next location was Valldal and to get there we’d drive through the Troll Wall. Along it were some of the most inspiring views you’ve ever seen… it was jaw dropping and I think the drive ended up being more like 6 hours! Arriving in Valldal, it was just as incredible. Towering pillars of rocks from as high as you could see entered the Fjords – it was almost unfathomable that we’d ride our bikes here. Setting off, we started on a tarmac road which quickly became dirt and then narrowed into singletrail. Arriving at our high point, I felt like I’d stepped into a Lord of the Rings set – it was unbelievable, so raw, rugged and inhospitable. I led the way this time and dropped into a section of trail perched on the edge of a clifftop. Conditions were perfect and a mix of dirt and rock led us down the mountain side, it was technical and we had to work the bikes to find flow and maintain composure. I don’t think Martin had experienced many rides like this and I could tell he was loving it in his own way. The trail felt like it went on forever but eventually the open mountain top entered the trees and we were racing the sun set. There was still over 500m of elevation to go and we raced through the forest and arrived back into Valldal as it got dark just in time to discover some local craft ales and devour a tin of pringles for tea.

Next up, another 4 hour drive after 2 ferry crossings, 1 coffee stop and a Skolebrod each, we arrived in Sogndal. The plan of attack was to take on Molden. An open summit that led down to the Fjords below. It started off with a fairly manageable climb that was in places technical before a short hike-a-bike that took us to the top. Maybe we’d become all too blase with the views as we got straight into the riding but this was just as stunning as the days before. The trail looked endless as it undulated and made its way into the horizon. Martin dropped first and he read the trail completely differently to how I would have and his flow and stance on the bike made ease of the bigger impacts and he took every opportunity he could to pop off of everything or pull a manual.

We had a second day in Sogndal and after an easier morning of discovering its coffee scene we headed out to explore around Kaupanger. We rode in what Martin described as a very typical Scandinavian Wood and on our way up, the descent teased us as we kept passing it on every switchback. Looking down, it was again loamy with loose dirt amongst sections of rock and this trail might actually have been one of my favourites of the trip. We navigated through the trees, carved the turns and bounced through the rock gardens. I let Martin go first and he was ripping, loam was flying off of his back wheel. We were laughing, shouting and having the best time… it was the purest hero dirt mixed with trail perfection and we both felt like we were surfing!

Another ferry and Fjord crossing and we arrived at Hemsedal. Tonight, we’d be camping and I’d be cooking. There’s something incredible about sleeping and cooking as a crew in the wild – everyone has to do their own bit and there’s no distractions. The bikes were put on charge, Martin built out the camp area, I lit the BBQ and prepped a Salmon Fillet to be baked. Whilst it was cooking, we cracked open a couple of Beers and sat back and reflected on what had been an epic trip realising we’d only just passed the halfway point.

Hemsedal would be the first and only Ski town we’d visit. Our plan was to explore some of the trails outside of the bike park and we’d fittingly take on the ‘Forgotten Trail.’ Starting above the Hemsedal, the landscape had changed again, it was still highland terrain but the surrounding mountains were less jagged, more rounded and dare I say it – sections between were even flat. Autumn felt like it had set in early, the colours were changing and we navigated sections of rock before dropping into a Birch Forest laden with roots, thankfully there were catch berms in just the right places and it made it easy to flow back down to the valley floor. In the afternoon and in typical fashion we missed the last chairlift. At least we had the assistance of the Voltages and we had literally just enough battery power left to climb back up and drop into Sentrumstien, a red graded flow trail! I let Martin lead me again and he was clearly back in his forte. He playfully hit the jumps, scrubbed the rollers, aired off of the side hits and carved the berms from top to bottom. We laughed our heads off and finished up at Fyri resort. Checked in and enjoyed the incredible facilities on offer which included a pool bar, after 5 days of continuous movement a bit of R and R was needed.

Our penultimate stop was Nesbyn and it was somewhere we’d both heard a lot of. Here, we met with Will from Any Excuse to Ride to guide us so we could make best use of the little time we had available. First tho, to the Bear House bakery for a yup, you guessed it! Norway’s baked goods were in a class of their own and they were fuelling the entirety of the team. Eventually, we’d head up and climb up to ride Beater – this was the one with all the hype and it lived up to those expectations! I almost can’t describe how well it flowed, there was a mix of natural and man made sections combined with long straight aways that had been created by timber merchants dragging wood from the forest by horse decades ago. I think this actually might have been one of the best we rode on the trip but it’s almost too hard to call as each had their own uniqueness! Will then took us back up for one last lap on a secret trail he’d been working on with no time for photos or video just purely for enjoyment and I can tell you that it was sensational. My bars dragged through the low lying vegetation as I pushed the Voltage into the berms and flowed out. Maybe I recorded the GPS of it but maybe I didn’t.

Finally, we arrived in Oslo and explored the small but fun trail area of Ramsas. I think we were both surprised by how good the trails so close to the city were. Techy, rooty, malchy and loamy were all words I’d use to describe them and it was almost like a summary of the trip to this point. It wasn’t the biggest network of trails but was a lot of fun to ride. We found some drops to session and took advantage of the power of the Voltage and the smaller hill to lap the variety of trails.

Over 7 days we’d gone from the remote wilderness of the Fjords taking on back country rides to being above the country’s capital. We’d eaten dozens of Skolebrod, cinnamon buns and drunk gallons of coffee and beer and shared experiences I don’t think either of us will forget anytime soon. For me, it was about sharing the journey with Martin, both of us being outwith our comfort zones and coming away from it as friends. We’re from two very different disciplines of mountain biking and usually we don’t get the chance to meet or share the trails. In this instance, the power of the Voltage had brought us together. So Marty, thanks for going along with my crazy plans and here’s to the next one even if it means I get schooled at the skatepark by you!

Currently, the East Coast Greenway features 1,100 traffic-free miles connected by the interim route on roadways. Whenever possible, the interim route is located on low-traffic roadways; however, high-stress segments do exist.

Eleven new segments, totaling more than 15 miles in five states, have earned East Coast Greenway designation thus far in 2024 – with further segments expected in December.

Check out the newest East Coast Greenway segments (from north to south) here.

Welcome to take a look – and if we haven’t answered any of your questions (and you can’t find the answer in the FAQ page), please write to us. Winter is the perfect time to plan new adventures.

Watch the Webinar chat here.

When In The Land Of Elephants, Play By The Elephant’s Rules
As the Cape to Kili expedition transitioned from Namibia to Botswana, we moved from the ‘Mountains & Dunes’ section to ‘The Elephant Highway.’ Crossing the border was like stepping into a new world: the landscape shifted from rolling dunes to flat bushland, gravel roads turned into smooth tarmac, and our roadside attractions transformed into animals.

Once we crossed into Botswana, we found ourselves in the land of elephants – a new and awe-inspiring territory. It quickly became apparent that we were visitors in their domain. Elephants are the largest living land animals so in order to navigate this unique environment safely, TDA has established strict rules to follow.

As our tour leader Yanez explains, “Elephants are complicated creatures. They have complex relationships with humans, and each one is extremely intelligent.” One of the most crucial rules is to always give way to elephants. If you encounter one, remember – they have the right of way.

Read the full story here.

“From our music to our makers, Tennessee is a state full of storytellers and our beauty is unmatched,” said Commissioner Mark Ezell, TDTD. “As travelers increasingly seek sustainable and authentic experiences, we invite them to explore our scenic routes and discover the charm of our small towns. We are pleased to partner with Ride with GPS and showcase the hidden gems and breathtaking landscapes that define our state.”

Tennessee has been named an Ambassador for popular cycling app Ride with GPS, making all 52 routes easily accessible across the platform. Each Bike Tennessee route was meticulously mapped, ensuring cyclists have access to detailed navigation and route information. Ride descriptions provide valuable information about the terrain, waypoints and hidden gems along the way, as well as modifications to tailor each ride to the individual.

The routes were created in collaboration with professional cycling guide Shannon Burke of Velo View Bike Tours, who brings more than a decade of experience leading cycling tours. Routes were selected with safety and scenery in mind, with 1,739 miles of routes mapped and 53 Tennessee counties included in the Bike Tennessee program. They offer seasoned cyclists mostly rural, low-traffic experiences in some of Tennessee’s most scenic and historic landscapes, including 14 routes in Tennessee State Parks.

“Tennessee has all the right ingredients to be one of the premier cycling destinations in the country—low-traffic backroads, welcoming communities and stunning scenery,” said Shannon Burke. “It’s an amazing place to ride!”

The outdoor recreation economy generates $11.9 billion for Tennessee, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. Bike Tennessee aims to leverage the growing cycling community to increase visitation and economic impact throughout Tennessee.

Cyclists can learn more about Bike Tennessee and explore the available road cycling routes by visiting here. Join the conversation on social media using hashtag #BikeTN.

About Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD) is dedicated to driving economic growth and tourism in all 95 counties. TDTD’s global marketing efforts increase visitation to Tennessee, which boosts tax revenue, creates jobs and attracts new investment across the state. Tennessee is a global destination of choice offering visitors world-class music, live entertainment, family-friendly experiences, charming communities, innovative and classic culinary creations, renowned scenic beauty and outdoor adventure—all centered at the crossroads of rich history and unrivaled hospitality. Vacations “sound perfect” in Tennessee. Visit TNvacation.com and follow @TNvacation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for travel inspiration.

Experience one of the best single-day rides in the world on the Celia Sanchez Tribute route along the coastal road where the Sierra Maestra falls to the sea.

Or try the 12-day Guantanamo Mango cycling adventure where you can discover Fidel Castro’s birthplace along with a dedicated ride to Cuba’s highest waterfall.

Ciclo Temba is a superb and fully supported end-to-end bike ride across Cuba where you can enjoy the spectacular Cuban countryside at a leisurely pace and savour the local culture from a traditional Cuban barbecue to a diver’s paradise – ask about their e-bike rentals.

Read more about Bicycle Breeze here.
Order a copy of Best Cycling Great Escapes with a feature on Cuba and many other great spots here.