If you want to cover distances on a handbike or sturdy wheelchair in Belgium, the RAVeL network in Wallonia is without doubt your finest option. RAVeL — Réseau Autonome de Voies Lentes — is the Walloon cycle-path network that has been converting former railway embankments into wide, flat routes for slow traffic since the 1990s. Today it comprises more than 1,500 km of paved paths, mostly on former railway lines, which means: almost always flat, wide, and often more than 30 km without interruption.
For handbike riders and experienced wheelchair users, RAVeL is by far the best Belgian network for planning longer rides. Here are our 8 favourite RAVeL routes, with the practical info you need before you set off.
What exactly is RAVeL?
The RAVeL network consists of former railway embankments (often the most beautiful paths), towpaths along canals and rivers, and smaller roads for slow traffic. The inclines are limited — railway beds were designed for trains that could not climb steeply. The paths are typically 3 to 4 metres wide, with flat asphalt or fine gravel surfacing.
What makes this unique for our audience: you can ride for hours without struggling. No cars, no junctions, no unsuitable cycle paths as is often the case in Flanders.
1. RAVeL Meuse Valley: Dinant – Namur – Andenne
The RAVeL route along the Meuse is the iconic stretch. Flat paved paths, dramatic limestone cliffs on both banks, and continuous river views. From Dinant to Namur is around 30 km, from Namur to Andenne another 25 km. There are more than enough practical coffee stops along the way.
- Length: 30-55 km (one-way)
- Profile: flat, asphalt
- Suitable for: handbike, sturdy wheelchair
- Start: Citadelle Dinant (adapted lift) or Namur station
- Tip: ride as far as Anhée for a half-day outing with the wind at your back
2. RAVeL East Limbourg: Ourthe – Esneux – Liège
The RAVeL route along the Ourthe links the centre of Liège with the foothills of the Ardennes. Mainly flat along a railway embankment, with green banks and industrial heritage alternating. An ideal first handbike tour for anyone living in the east of the country.
- Length: 20-30 km one-way
- Profile: flat, asphalt
- Suitable for: handbike, sturdy wheelchair
- Start: Liège-Guillemins station (accessible via adapted lift)
- Tip: combine with a Liège city break on the way back
3. RAVeL Sambre: Charleroi – Thuin
The RAVeL route along the Sambre through industrial Charleroi towards Thuin offers a unique contrast between post-industrial heritage (the Bois du Cazier, a former mining site) and green riverbanks. Completely flat and paved.
- Length: 25-35 km one-way
- Profile: flat, asphalt
- Suitable for: handbike, sturdy wheelchair
- Start: Charleroi-Sud (station)
- Tip: combine with a visit to the Foto Museum Charleroi — the largest in Europe
4. RAVeL 1 East: Le Pont d'Oye – Arlon
The RAVeL 1, also known as the 'Vennbahn' in its German-speaking variant, runs through the Belgian Ardennes on a former railway line. The Belgian section between Le Pont d'Oye and Arlon is about 50 km along gently rolling forests — almost entirely paved and pleasant to cover.
- Length: 30-50 km one-way
- Profile: flat to gently undulating, asphalt
- Suitable for: handbike with electric assistance
- Start: Arlon station or Bastogne
- Tip: in summer the shade of the trees is welcome; plan generous drink stops
5. RAVeL Vesdre: Verviers – Eupen
The RAVeL Vesdre route links Verviers with the German-speaking town of Eupen. Completely flat along a railway embankment, with a unique Vesdre valley and the transition from the French- to German-speaking community along the way.
- Length: 20-30 km one-way
- Profile: flat, asphalt
- Suitable for: handbike, sturdy wheelchair
- Start: Verviers-Central
- Tip: stop in Eupen for a German-speaking coffee and a fine historic centre
6. RAVeL Senne: Halle – Tubize – Soignies
The RAVeL Senne route runs through gentle agricultural landscape between Flemish and Walloon Brabant. For anyone wanting to do a half-day handbike ride from Brussels without travelling far.
- Length: 25-35 km one-way
- Profile: flat, asphalt
- Suitable for: handbike, sturdy wheelchair
- Start: Halle station (accessible)
- Tip: after Tubize the route becomes quieter and more rural — ideal for those wanting to escape the bustle around Brussels
7. RAVeL Pré-Métro: Tournai – Mouscron
The RAVeL route in West Hainaut around Tournai offers a pleasant flat ride along the Scheldt tributaries. Combinable with Tournai sightseeing. A handy option for those living near the West-Flemish border.
- Length: 15-25 km loop
- Profile: flat, asphalt
- Suitable for: handbike, sturdy wheelchair
- Start: Tournai station
- Tip: combine with a wheelchair tour through Tournai's UNESCO heritage (Our Lady's Cathedral, belfry)
8. RAVeL Bouillon: Bouillon – Florenville
The RAVeL route in the Gaume is a quieter ride in southern Wallonia. Completely flat along a railway embankment and towpath, through forests and meadows. For those planning a two-day trip further from home.
- Length: 25-40 km one-way
- Profile: flat, asphalt-gravel mix
- Suitable for: handbike with grip tyres
- Start: Bouillon
- Tip: combine with an overnight stay in Bouillon and a visit to the castle there (partly accessible via lift)
Practical tips for a RAVeL ride
Plan your toilet stops in advance. RAVeL routes are long and adapted sanitary facilities are scarce along the way. Our blog Train stations Belgium wheelchair accessible helps you for the start and end stations.
Travel by train to the starting point. Belgian Railways assistance helps you and your handbike or wheelchair board and alight — reserve 3 hours before your trip.
Bear in mind seasonal effects. RAVeL paths along former railway embankments can be temporarily muddy on gravel sections after rain. Asphalt sections always remain easy to ride.
Combine with a Bike Republic test ride. For those who do not yet have a handbike but want to plan a RAVeL tour: see our guide to buying or hiring adapted bicycles.
Plan coffee stops in advance using the RAVeL map. Wallonia has 'Points-RAVeL' on most RAVeL routes — communal rest spots with benches, fountains or food and drink within walking distance.
Top 3 for your first RAVeL tour
- RAVeL Meuse Valley Dinant → Anhée — about 15 km flat along the Meuse, coffee stops along the way, dramatic cliffs
- RAVeL Ourthe Liège → Esneux — about 20 km flat along a railway embankment, ideal for handbike beginners
- RAVeL Sambre Charleroi → Thuin — about 25 km flat, post-industrial landscape and green riverbanks
To finish
The RAVeL network is by far the best Belgian cycle infrastructure for handbike and wheelchair — flat, continuous, safe and well maintained. What in Flanders often amounts to scattered shorter sections is, in Wallonia, a coherent network with routes of 50 km and more without descent or climb. For those wanting to build up their cycling stamina or plan a multi-day holiday, there is no better Belgian alternative.
Have you ridden a specific RAVeL route not listed here? Or did you find one of our assessments inaccurate? Let us know — first-hand info on RAVeL routes is particularly valuable.