EuroVelo 6 – Atlantic to Black Sea (The Rivers Route): bikepacking plan & riding days
EuroVelo 6 follows the Loire, a short stretch of the Rhine and nearly the whole Danube from France's Atlantic coast to Romania's Black Sea coast. It is mostly flat, popular, and crosses ten countries.
Estimate from BikepackPilot's model: base pace 110 km/day on asphalt, adjusted per 50 km segment for surface, wind and rain. Rest days not included. Your own numbers will differ – that's what the app is for.
Route map
Route line from OpenStreetMap, simplified – for planning, not navigation. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Map style: CyclOSM.
Key facts
| Distance | about 4,700 km per the official EuroVelo site (Wikipedia lists 3,653 km; other sources say roughly 3,600–4,450 km) |
|---|---|
| Start | Nantes / Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, France (Atlantic coast) |
| Finish | Constanța, Romania (Black Sea) |
| Countries | France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania |
| Surface | 70% asphalt, 25% gravel, 5% technical gravel (estimated mix for this plan) |
About the route
- The official EuroVelo site describes EV6 as 4,700 km long, with 11 UNESCO sites, 6 European rivers and 10 countries.
- The route passes through France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.
- It follows the Loire, a short section of the upper Rhine and almost the entire Danube, with the Saône valley and Rhône–Rhine Canal linking them.
- Distance figures differ by source: Wikipedia gives 3,653 km, while other guides quote about 3,600 km or 4,450 km, depending on start point and route version.
- The western start is variously given as Nantes or Saint-Brevin-les-Pins at the Loire mouth; the route ends at Constanța on the Black Sea.
Planning notes
- Signage is strong in France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, where EV6 overlaps national routes. In much of Bulgaria and Romania signposts are lacking, so carry GPS navigation for the lower Danube.
- The route is generally described as easy to moderate and mostly flat, following river valleys, so it suits relaxed touring.
- The official download includes sections still under development or at the planning stage, so check your chosen section before you commit, especially in the Balkans.
Plan your own EuroVelo 6 Rivers Route plan in minutes
Enter your real distance, set surface, heat, wind and rain for each 50 km segment and get realistic riding days – plus a gear list that adapts to your conditions, water and food nearby and a safety check-in. Works offline, in English, Polish, German and Spanish.
The route in 50 km segments
Show all 94 segments
| Segment | Surface | Days (good) | Days (tough) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–50 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 50–100 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 100–150 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 150–200 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 200–250 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 250–300 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 300–350 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 350–400 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 400–450 km | Technical gravel | 0.65 | 1.14 |
| 450–500 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 500–550 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 550–600 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 600–650 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 650–700 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 700–750 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 750–800 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 800–850 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 850–900 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 900–950 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 950–1,000 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,000–1,050 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,050–1,100 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 1,100–1,150 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,150–1,200 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,200–1,250 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,250–1,300 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 1,300–1,350 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,350–1,400 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,400–1,450 km | Technical gravel | 0.65 | 1.14 |
| 1,450–1,500 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,500–1,550 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 1,550–1,600 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,600–1,650 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,650–1,700 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,700–1,750 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 1,750–1,800 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,800–1,850 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,850–1,900 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 1,900–1,950 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 1,950–2,000 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,000–2,050 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,050–2,100 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 2,100–2,150 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,150–2,200 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,200–2,250 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,250–2,300 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 2,300–2,350 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,350–2,400 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,400–2,450 km | Technical gravel | 0.65 | 1.14 |
| 2,450–2,500 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,500–2,550 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 2,550–2,600 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,600–2,650 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,650–2,700 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,700–2,750 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 2,750–2,800 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,800–2,850 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,850–2,900 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 2,900–2,950 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 2,950–3,000 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,000–3,050 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,050–3,100 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 3,100–3,150 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,150–3,200 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,200–3,250 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,250–3,300 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 3,300–3,350 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,350–3,400 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,400–3,450 km | Technical gravel | 0.65 | 1.14 |
| 3,450–3,500 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,500–3,550 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 3,550–3,600 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,600–3,650 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,650–3,700 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,700–3,750 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 3,750–3,800 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,800–3,850 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,850–3,900 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 3,900–3,950 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 3,950–4,000 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,000–4,050 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,050–4,100 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 4,100–4,150 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,150–4,200 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,200–4,250 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,250–4,300 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 4,300–4,350 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,350–4,400 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,400–4,450 km | Technical gravel | 0.65 | 1.14 |
| 4,450–4,500 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,500–4,550 km | Gravel | 0.55 | 0.87 |
| 4,550–4,600 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,600–4,650 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
| 4,650–4,700 km | Asphalt | 0.45 | 0.65 |
FAQ
How many days does it take to bikepack EuroVelo 6 Rivers Route?
With BikepackPilot's default pace of 110 km per day on asphalt, the 4,700 km route takes about 45.9 riding days in good conditions and about 68.5 days with moderate headwind and light rain, using the surface mix shown on this page. Rest days are not included.
How long is EuroVelo 6 Rivers Route?
about 4,700 km per the official EuroVelo site (Wikipedia lists 3,653 km; other sources say roughly 3,600–4,450 km), from Nantes / Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, France (Atlantic coast) to Constanța, Romania (Black Sea).
What surface is EuroVelo 6 Rivers Route?
For this plan we assume 70% asphalt, 25% gravel, 5% technical gravel (estimated mix for this plan). In BikepackPilot you set the surface for each 50 km segment yourself.
Sources
- EuroVelo 6 – Atlantic–Black Sea (official EuroVelo site)
- EV6 The Rivers Route (Wikipedia)
- EuroVelo 6 Map: Atlantic to Black Sea Route (VeloPlanner)
- EuroVelo 6: The Rivers Route (VeloPlanner)
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