On our route between Kassel, Germany and Puth, Netherlands we decided on a stop in Dusseldorf, Germany.

We managed to find a free place to stop just outside the city on a cycle path that ran along the river straight in to the centre of the old town. Fortunately, this parking spot also meant that we avoided needing an emissions/environmental sticker for our motorhome which was good news as we had no idea how to source one of these to be able to use it immediately.

We quickly debunked the bikes from the van, jumped on and followed everyone else on the dedicated cycle way. The route was incredibly flat, well surfaced and pretty being next to the river. We were amazed at how quickly we arrived in the central part of the city and were greeted by the sights, smells and buzz of a French market lining the river bank. This included stalls selling cheese, wine, art… my idea of heaven. There were lines of tables bustling with locals laughing and enjoying the sunshine. At the end of the market there were some lovely old French cars on display, one being similar to one that Sarah’s family had previously owned.

Citroen DS on display in Dusseldorf, Germany

We located somewhere to lock the bikes safely and then strolled around the city for a few hours absorbing the atmosphere. Weirdly, we took very few photos during our visit, but it is somewhere that I would like to return to explore the cycle trail that ran next to the river.

After we returned to the van, I decided to go and explore and did a further 10 miles along the river bank. It was warm, pretty, reasonably quiet and ran past fields of flowers so the colours and aromas were tremendous.

All too soon, it was time to get back on the road continuing west towards home.