Top EuroVelo stories of 2020

Monday, December 14, 2020

The end of the year is fast approaching, which provides a good opportunity to look back over what has been a difficult but successful year for EuroVelo. The adoption of the new long-term EuroVelo Strategy, cycle tourism reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic and a brand new route joining the EuroVelo network were some of the highlights but read on to see EuroVelo’s year in review.

Adoption of the new EuroVelo Governance and EuroVelo Strategy 2030

Marking the start of the new decade, the ECF Board has adopted a EuroVelo Strategy 2030 and new EuroVelo Governance. The Strategy is one of the core sub-strategies of the overarching ECF Strategy 2030. It presents an ambitious plan for the continuing development of EuroVelo during the 2020s. The Governance meanwhile supports the delivery of the Strategy and describes how EuroVelo activities on the European level are steered, managed and influenced by its different stakeholders. Both documents were prepared in collaboration with the ECF Board, the EuroVelo Council, the ECF Management, the EuroVelo Management Team and the National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators (NECC/Cs).

#Restartcycletourism campaign – cycling tourism in 2020

For apparent reasons, 2020 will be a year to remember. As we wrote in our summer campaign to #RestartCycleTourism after the first lockdown in Europe in spring, now is the time to start being the change we want to see! Our holidays were a good place to start. This summer, we let the car rest and forgot the plane and instead opted for a bike-cation close to home or, by combining our cycle trip with a train journey, further away. We put together some tips for your next cycling holiday and also some stories of our own staycations.

#RestartCyclingTourism banner.jpg — #RestartCycleTourism

Read more about the new features on EuroVelo.com here and about the professional website here.

The newest addition to the EuroVelo network: EuroVelo 14 – Waters of Central Europe

Crossing Austria and Hungary, EuroVelo 14 – Waters of Central Europe joined the EuroVelo network in June 2020 providing an important east–west link and connecting several existing EuroVelo routes. The route’s name refers to the fact that it connects several important waterways – rivers, lakes and spas – located in central Europe. Indeed, the theme is arguably stronger when experienced on the route as it becomes apparent just how much of the itinerary is located close to water. Find out more about the route here.

Successful conclusion of the MEDCYCLETOUR (EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route) and Atlantic on Bike (EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route) Interreg projects

After a collaboration of over three years as part of the Interreg Med Programme, the MEDCYCLETOUR project partners parted ways in August 2020 but this is not the end of the story: the development of EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route will continue through a Long-Term Management Agreement in which most of the partners are taking part. Many achievements marked the last year of this project, such as the signing of a Charter for Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in the MED Area, the collection of 15 good practices on cycling tourism and the publication of an Impact Assessment Report. The AtlanticOnBike project, funded by the EU Atlantic Area Interreg programme, concluded with an online final project meeting and seminar on 28-29 October 2020, gathering over 70 participants. This project allowed for surveying and monitoring major sections of the longest EuroVelo route, developing a touristic website and creating other communication materials. A Long-Term Management Agreement is also under preparation to ensure further collaboration on EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route.

Parenzana Route along the Slovenian coast

New EuroVelo Overview Map

The new EuroVelo Overview Maps arrived in March 2020 fully packed with useful information on the EuroVelo network. All EuroVelo cycle routes are illustrated on a scale of 1:5,000,000 with accurate tracks based on the GPX data from our National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators (NECC/Cs). On the back of the map is a short introduction to each route, highlighting the theme and main attractions. You will also find here the contact details of the NECC/Cs in order to find more detailed information on the national level. You can receive your own copy of the map by donating to EuroVelo.

Of course there were lots of other news that we could have included here and we are aware that there have been many improvements that have made to individual sections of the EuroVelo network over the past twelve months. We thank you for your continuing support on the national, regional and local levels.

From everyone in ECF’s EuroVelo Team here in Brussels, we wish you an excellent end of the year and we look forward to catching up with many of you in 2021!

Author(s): Florence Grégoire, Jonathan Hirschhäuser, Ed Lancaster