Join SEG for the Paris Roubaix
Southeast Gravel is offering a fully catered and supported 7 days of riding the famous cobbled climbs of Flanders, the iconic flat cobbles of Paris Roubaix, exploring some of the most famous Abbey breweries of the world, with world class support and food.
Camp Dates: April 6th - April 13th
Includes
Lodging
7 Days / 7 Nights lodging (double occupancy) in the beautiful Chalet du Mont in Kluisbergen
Local Transport
Transport to the sportive rides, restaurants, and home from the destination rides
Mechanic
On site mechanic to make sure your bike is running perfectly. Assembly of your bike after flight, packing up your bike for your flight home
Ride Leaders
No matter what your ability level, we will have a ride for you, ensuring you focus on having the most fun. GPS files for each day will also be provided.
Sportive Entry
The Camp includes entry to the Tour of Flanders Sportive on Saturday April 4th.
Food and drinks
Breakfast will be served each morning at the house. Destination rides will have lunch served at the finish of the rides.
NOT INCLUDED - Airfare to Brussels airport. Train ticket from Brussels airport to Kortrijk. Car rental if you decide you want to rent a car. Any meals of drinks beyond what is included with the camp. Souvenirs, gifts, or any bike rentals if you prefer not to fly with a bike.
Iconic Rides
Cobbles, Bergs, Beer
Belgium is a cyclist's dreamland. The Flanders region features some of the most iconic roads in the world that have seen the greatest cyclists battle each other.
The SEG Paris Roubaix experience will have you riding those same roads, entering the Paris Roubaix Challenge on Saturday April 11th, where you can watch the women's professional race finish. Then on Sunday April 12th you will watch the Men's professional races on both the Forest of Arenberg and the Carrefour de l'Arbre.
Your Home for the Week
Chalet du Mont
Situated on the border of Flanders and Wallonia, the Chalet du Mont is situated on the famous "Eddy Merckx" cycling loop. Just 5km from the famous Kwaremont climb, the house is located in the heart of the Flanders.
The Chalet du Mont is a 13 bedroom estate with a commercial kitchen, plenty of seating, and a bike shop only 650 meters from the house in case you find yourself needing any supplies for the week.
World Famous Belgian Beer
Destination Rides
The Paris Roubaix experience is a dream cycling trip and one of the most famous things of the Flanders region is the beer culture. Brewed for centuries in Abbeys by Monks the beer makes for a great way to finish a ride. Just be careful, some of those Tripels and Quads can pack a punch!
Beer not your thing? The food at each destination is also prepared fresh, on site, and each meal will be the most favorite meal you've ever had.
The Tour of Flanders experience has destination rides planned to Chimay, St. Bernardus (where a very cool tour of the brewery is also available), and the highlight. . .Westvleteren. Westvleteren is widely considered the best beer in the world, but is not commercially sold. The only place you can buy it is at the "Brouwerij".
Paris Roubaix Challenge
The ride you'll never forget
The day of the women's profession race, join 6,000 of your closest friends for your choice of an 70km or 145km route on the course of the Paris Roubaix. The 70km route has 8 sections of cobbles, including Carrefour de l'Arbre. The 145km route features 19 cobbled sections including the Forest of Arenberg. Finish in the Roubaix Velodrome and watch the professional women finish!
Sunday April 6th - Leave the USA, fly overnight to the Brussels airport
Monday April 7th - Land at Brussels airport in the morning. Take the train from Brussels airport to Kortrijk (1 hour 36 minutes). Southeast Gravel will pick you up in Kortrijk (Greenville, SC's sister city). The mechanic will help assemble your bicycle and make sure you are good to ride. Monday afternoon we will go for an easy spin to help get your legs moving. Dinner at the house.
Tuesday April 8th - Destination ride to St. Bernardus brewery. The first 50km are flat, but them you are greeted with famous climbs of Gent-Wevelgem (the Kemmelberg and Scherpenbergweg). After that we will divert down into France where you will climb to the Abbaye Saint-Marie du Mont-des-Cats. This Abbey represents the high point of the day, so you can celebrate with a beer if you would like. From there it's an 8km mostly downhill ride to Saint Bernardus. The Flemish stew is highly recommended on their 360 degreed rooftop bar and restaurant. A short one hour drive after lunch will have you back at the house.
Wednesday April 9th - Ride to Chimay! Situated at Abbaye Natre-Dame de Scourmont, Chimay is widely considered one of the best beers in the world. This will be the longest ride at 80 miles, with a stop for a "pre-lunch" along the way.
Thursday April 10th - Tour of Flanders Day! With the house being right at the heart of the Tour of Flanders, this day will leave from the house and tackle a loop that has all the most infamous iconic climbs like the Kwaremont, Paterberg, and the Koppenberg.
Friday April 4th - Westvleteren! This will be the "easiest" of the days with a start very similar to Tuesday's ride. After the climb of the Scherpenbergweg you will make a loop around Poperinge and then finish at what might be the greatest meal (and beer of your life). Remember though, you have to ride all those cobbled climbs the next morning. That afternoon you will pick up your race number for the Sportive.
Saturday April 5th - The Paris Roubaix Challenge. We will take you to the start in Roubaix and have the best ride of your life with thousands of other cyclists. This day you will be responsible for riding, following the course, and riding at whatever pace you desire. The format for the Paris Roubaix Challenge is that you can start when you would like and they start smaller groups throughout the morning (not a mass start event). There is transportation included from the house and returning to the house (about half an hour each direction).
Sunday April 6th - We watch the Paris Roubaix. We will do this in two separate places which involves some strategic parking, driving the wrong way down one way streets, and a few vans. With this, we will be in the vans on not on the bikes. The first stop will be the Forest of Arenberg, where we will arrive plenty early so you can partake with the fans casually day-drinking Belgian Tripels. As soon as the race goes through Arenberg, we will hop in the vans and drive to the Carrefour de L'Arbre. Once the riders go through this section we will remain there as they have giant screens to watch the conclusion of the race. It's a quick 20 minute drive from there back to the house.
Monday April 7th - We will transport you to the train station in Kortrijk to get to the Brussels airport. It's recommended to arrive at the Brussels airport 3 hours before your flight (personal experience), so plan that return flight accordingly (no 8am flight).
Bring a gravel bike! Yes, you may see the professional riders on 30mm tires and road bikes. However, they also have spare bikes, team cars, and they don't pay for their own equipment. We will be riding on a combination of paved roads, gravel roads, cobblestones, and maybe even a bit of singletrack. A gravel bike with 40mm+ tires is going to be the fastest option on all the cobbles.
Don't bring your CO2 cartridges! We will have them available for you and then you won't find yourself on the "no fly" list.
Bring lots of padding for your bike bag. Chances are you will want to grab some souvenir beer glasses and the best place to pack them is in the middle of your bike bag.
Make sure your Garmin, Wahoo, or GPS computer has the European roads downloaded on it. We can help you with this
The Chalet du Mont has 13 total bedrooms available. With staff planning for 3 bedrooms, there are 10 bedrooms available. Each bedroom has 2 twin beds available. If you are booking with a friend or partner let us know so we can put you in the same room.
If you are booking this with a non-riding spouse and will be renting a car, please let us know. There is plenty of parking available.
There are 12 bathrooms available
There is a bike storage room with tools and a cleaning station.
Cost: $5,000 per person
Deposit: $350 plus 5 payments of $930
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$350 down secures your spot
Our convenient payment plan helps spread out our payments with no interest. All that's needed is a $350 down payment to secure your spot for the trip of a lifetime!
Ready to embark on a journey of a lifetime?
This will be the week you look back on in 20 years and recall it as the most fun you've ever had on a bike.