After rolling off the cross-Channel ferry in Calais, the route heads directly east into the flat, wind-swept plains of French Flanders. The track follows smooth seaside paths and quiet canal ways, passing the historic maritime fortifications of Gravelines and the dunes of Dunkirk. Soon after crossing into Belgium, the scenery shifts to wide-open polders and Flemish coastal dunes. Maritime heritage remains omnipresent, from the massive lock complexes of Nieuwpoort to the sandy stretches near Ostend. Turning away from the North Sea, the track cuts inland along historic canal pathways. The day concludes by rolling directly into the heart of Bruges, a medieval masterpiece woven with stone bridges and cobbled squares.
