In the end of May the first partnership meeting of the European project Eurovelo 5 – Via Romea Francigena, took place in Canterbury gathering eleven partners from five different European countries and focused on the development of the Via Romea Francigena by bike.

The project is in line with the increasing number of bikers along the Via Francigena. The project EV5-Via Romea Francigena was selected by the Executive Agency for small and medium sized enterprises (EASME) and co-funded by the European Programme COSME, aiming at supporting the diversification of cultural tourist products in Europe.

THE EV5-VRF is coordinated by the University of Lancashire in partnership with organizations in charge of national cycle routes networks, municipalities, departments, European networks and specialized tourism enterprises. It started on 1st April and will last 18 months. The European Association of the Via Francigena will coordinate the Work Package 2, devoted to the product development. The EAVF will carry out its task in cooperation with the European Cyclist Federation – which will transfer the methodology related to the Eurovelo label certification standards –as well as all partners which will map the Via Francigena by bike in their respective territories and outline local action plans and a transnational action plan. Joint promotion and communication will be also developed.

The first partnership meeting held on 18 May,  set the methodology, the managing tools and the activity calendar. EAVF was represented by Velia Coffey, EAVF Vice President and Deputy Chief Executive of Canterbury City Council and Silvia Lecci, EAVF project manager.

The European cultural route of the Via Francigena will contribute at increasing cultural attractiveness of the concerned territories, while taking advantage of sustainable tourism practices, such as bike tourism which according to a European Parliament study generates every year about 40 billions of Euros, in the countries of the European Union.

Project partners: 

• University of Central Lancashire (United Kingdom) Lead partner
• Saddle Skedaddle (UK)
• Verde Natura (Italy)
• Regione Puglia (Italy)
• European Cyclists´ Federation (Belgium)
• Brussels Mobility, Brussels Region (Belgium)
• Luxembourg Cycling Initiative (Luxembourg)
• Conseil General du Bas-Rhin (France)
• Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta (Italy)
• Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene (Italy)
• ItinerAria (Italy)

Associated partners:

• SwitzerlandMobility Foundation (Switzerland)
• Regione Puglia (Italy)
• DIRECCTE Alsace (France)
• Toerisme Vlaanderen (Belgium)
• Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali e del Turismo (Italy)
• Tourism South East (UK)
• Visit England (UK)
• Ministère de l’Economie (Luxembourg)
• Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo –ENIT (Italy)