Bidon cycling route

Start in Geraardsbergen, home of the 'mattentaart'. Your start and ending point is the MattentaartAtelier. Stock up here to keep you going on the way, or end your ride with a mattentaart with a coffee or tea at the adjoining house De Erfzonde. The culinary pride of Geraardsbergen - a combination of milk, puff pastry and almonds - has been recognised as a European regional product thanks to its unique preparation method. Every first Sunday of August, Geraardsbergen still celebrates the 'Day of the Mattentaart'.

On the meandering Dender in Overboelare, you will find Het Bruggenhuis, a cozy traditional café where you can also catch exhibitions and (jazz) concerts. On the sunny terrace you can enjoy quality beers and delicious snacks, as well as a full meal with dessert at reasonable prices. Hearty Flemish fayre alternates with culinary surprises here. Nearby, visit the Hôpital Notre-Dame à la Rose, the oldest preserved hospital in Belgium.

The 'famous past' of three generations has been preserved as much as possible in this café. The result is a traditional 'staminee' serving as the backdrop to cozy chats over a fresh Belgian-style beer, or a delicious meal in the shade of the trees on the garden terrace.

High atop a hill in Nederbrakel, next to Top Bronnen, proudly stands the Toep Chapel, also known as the 'chapel of peace'. It dates from 1924 and was erected by the villagers out of gratitude, as Brakel was spared the horrors of the First World War. Climb the steep pilgrim's staircase for a moment and enjoy the expansive views from this wonderful spot.

This hill - gradient 12%! - is one of those punishing climbs for which the Tour of Flanders is so famous. At the Veldeman-Kiekenstraat crossroads, you will be rewarded with a magnificent panorama.

As a village, Elst is a culinary topper thanks to its geutelingen, a kind of puffed oven cake, but with a pinch of cinnamon. According to tradition, the cakes are baked in an oven with a wood fire on both sides. From mid-January to the end of February, you can see how it's all done at the Geutelingen Museum. Also a little further away, in Michelbeke, ovens are fired up at this time of year, in honour of Saint Appollonia.

This coffee roastery is a household name in Flanders. If the name doesn't immediately ring a bell, we'll give you another clue: Panamarenko. That's right, owner Eveline Hoorens is the widow of the internationally acclaimed artist who passed away in 2019. Get off your bike for a while and pop in to stock up on artisanally roasted coffee at Koffie Hoorens!

At the heart of this - once again - gorgeous village are the remains of the former 14th-century Carthusian priory of Sint-Maartens-Bosse. Under the motto "Ora et labore"("Pray and work"), the monks dedicated themselves to their spiritual duties, while the lay brothers brewed beer and took care of the domestic work. Today, café De Kartuizer at the church still serves the Carthusian beer in stone jugs with three ears.