Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France

The quickest cycle trip to the continent is to sail to Calais. Turn right off the ferry and you'll soon find yourself meandering along the dramatic white cliffs of the Côte d'Opal above stunnning sandy beaches. A leisurely three-day circular ride will take in fishing villages, local markets and historic sites in Calais and Boulogne. The ferry crossing costs from just £12 each way for you and your bike (0871 222 2500, seafrance.com) making this trip not only easy and green but cheap too.

· A good map can be found at viamichelin.com. Day 1: Dover-Calais-Wissant-Audresselles-Wimereux-Boulogne (stay at enclosdeleveche.com, doubles from €85 B&B). Day 2: Boulogne-Audenfort on minor roads (stay at lemoulindaudenfort.com, doubles from €48.50, excellent menu from €19). Day 3: Audenfort-Ardes-Oye-Plage-Calais.

Méribel, French Alps

In summer the ski slopes of Méribel in the Trois Vallées become the largest mountain bike course in the world, with 100km of trails to suit every level. If you're more into adrenalin than sweating, the gondolas are equipped to carry the bikes so you can enjoy super-long downhills and also link with neighbouring valleys. For hardcore cyclists, Méribel hosts one of the world's toughest mountain bike challenges, the annual VTT (July 5 and 6, es3vallees.com/3vtt). Unlike the rest of Europe accommodation prices in the Alps plummet in summer, so you can stay in a large six-berth chalet (meribelapartments.com for example) for as little as little as £300 per week.

· More accommodation options and general info at meribel.net. Bike hire and guided rides: meribike.com. Raileurope.co.uk to Moutiers Salins from £99 rtn. Taking your bike by train to Europe is complicated and expensive, especially if you have to change trains. The easiest way is to take off the wheels, handle bars and saddle, put it in a bike bag and carry it on board as luggage.

Western Loire, France

"Cyclopedia" claims to be the first GPS handheld guide for cyclists, holding a database of places of interest along the 65km trail from Gennes to Montjean-sur-Loire. The GPS is free and in English - to borrow one you have to leave a €250 deposit at one of seven local tourist offices on the Loire à Vélo route, clip the device to your bike and off you go. A series of Accueil Vélo hotels linked to the scheme offer high-energy breakfasts, secure bicycle parks and breakdown assistance: some of the best are in Angers, which is served by the high-speed TGV from Paris. There are 160km of marked bike routes in the area and ultimately an 800km trail will link Cuffy near Sancerre to St-Brévin-les-Pins on the Atlantic. In turn, this will form part of the highly ambitious European Rivers Cycle Route scheme, which will connect the Atlantic to Budapest and later the Black Sea, a 2,400km-long journey.

· Tourist offices offering Cyclopedia: Saumur (0033 2 41 40 20 60), Gennes (+2 41 51 84 14), St-Mathurin-sur-Loire (+2 41 57 01 82), Angers (+2 41 23 50 00), Bouchemaine (+2 41 77 11 04), Chalonnes-sur-Loire (+2 41 78 26 21) and Montjean-sur-Loire (+2 41 39 07 10). Loire-a-velo.fr has information on accommodation and bike hire. London-Angers from £79 rtn through Rail Europe (0844 848 4070, raileurope.co.uk).

Green Coast, Spain

Sandwiched between the Picos de Europa and the coast, España Verde is one of the most unspoilt and varied areas in Spain. An eight-day itinerary with Freewheel Holidays takes in medieval villages such as Santillana del Mar and the elegant town of San Vicente de la Barquera, climbing (or catching the local train) to Colombres before freewheeling down through the foothills to Llanes. You are then transported to the top of the San Roque pass for a leisurely ride down the valley of the River Miera and back to the coast and Santander. The 20-hour ferry ride from Plymouth to Santander (08705 360 360, brittanyferries.co.uk) costs from £80 rtn (includes reclining seat)for a foot passenger with a bike.

· 0845 3720 315, freewheelholidays.com. Tour from £549 inc all transfers (optional lift up steep ascents), cycle hire, host support and B&B in family-run hotels (travel from the UK not included).

On the level, Holland

They say there are more bicycles than residents in Holland. It is certainly one of the most cycle-friendly countries in the world, perfect for riders of all ages and abilities. Cycle off the Harwich-Hook of Holland ferry (stenaline.co.uk, from £29 one way for a bicycle and rider) and take your pick from the hundreds of cycle routes (15,000km of them in all) around the country. Meander along the canals of Rotterdam or Amsterdam or follow the Flower Bulb Route from Haarlem to Sassenheim, or Windmill Route where you'll come across 14 windmills in a row.

· For details of routes, local tourist offices, accommodation and to order maps visit holland.com (click special interests/cycling). 2 Wheel Treks (2wheeltreks.co.uk) offers a range of organised tours, from four to eight days throughout the Netherlands.