The Tour of Flanders is one of the greatest bike races in the world. Every spring, the Ronde van Vlaanderen sends the world’s best riders through the cobbled climbs and rolling roads of the Flemish Ardennes before finishing right here in Oudenaarde. If you are a cycling fan looking for a hotel near the Tour of Flanders, the answer is straightforward. Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde is five minutes on foot from the Tour of Flanders Centre, in the heart of the town where the race ends. Here is everything you need to know about making Oudenaarde your base.
The Finishing Town of the Ronde van Vlaanderen
Oudenaarde has a special place in the cycling world. The Grand Market Square and the streets surrounding it fill with tens of thousands of fans on race day, creating an atmosphere that is genuinely unlike anything else in sport. Even outside of race weekend, the town carries that cycling heritage in everything from the roads that pass through it to the conversations in the local cafes. Staying here puts you at the centre of it all.
The Tour of Flanders Centre, known as the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen, is a five-minute walk from Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde and is an essential visit for any cycling fan making the trip. The exhibits, films, and interactive displays bring the history of the race to life in vivid detail, covering everything from the early editions of the race to the greatest victories of recent decades. It is a brilliant way to spend a morning before heading out to ride the roads yourself.
The Climbs That Define the Race
The Koppenberg
The Koppenberg is one of the most notorious climbs in professional cycling and it is less than ten kilometres from Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde. The narrow cobbled ascent is steep, relentless, and utterly unforgiving, with gradients that have brought riders to a standstill even at professional level. Riding it yourself, however you manage it, is a moment that stays with you. The descent on the other side gives you a moment to collect yourself before the road opens up again into the Flemish countryside.
The Paterberg
The Paterberg sits close to the Koppenberg and is, if anything, even steeper over its short distance. The combination of sharp gradient and rough cobbles makes it one of the hardest short climbs in the race, and the crowds that line it on race day are among the most passionate in cycling. Riding it during your stay is an absolute must.
The Oude Kwaremont
The Oude Kwaremont is the longest of the three great Flemish climbs and one of the most iconic roads in the race. The combination of length, cobbles, and exposed position on the ridge makes it a real test, and riding it gives you a genuine sense of what the professionals face when the race reaches its decisive phase. The views from the top on a clear spring day are outstanding.
Linking the Climbs
One of the great pleasures of staying in Oudenaarde is the ability to link the climbs together into your own route. The roads between the Koppenberg, the Paterberg, and the Oude Kwaremont are well signposted and easy to navigate, and riding a circuit that takes in all three in a single outing is something that every cycling fan visiting the area should do at least once. The rolling Flemish Ardennes countryside in between is a reward in itself.
Coming for Race Weekend
Race weekend in Oudenaarde is an experience that cycling fans talk about for years. The town comes alive from the Friday onwards, with the Fan Park, the team presentations, and the general atmosphere of a community that genuinely loves its race building steadily towards Sunday. The Grand Market Square is the place to be on race day as the riders come through in the final kilometres, and the finish line is right in the heart of the town.
Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde books up extremely quickly for race weekend. If you are planning to come for the Ronde van Vlaanderen, booking as far ahead as possible is strongly recommended. Our team is experienced at welcoming cycling guests and can help with advice on where to watch, how to get to the climbs, and what to do across the full weekend.
What Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde Offers Cycling Guests
We understand what cyclists need. Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde has secure underground bike storage, a dedicated bike washing area, a charging station for electric bikes, and space for basic maintenance between rides. After a long day in the saddle, your bike is looked after and ready to go again in the morning.
The hotel is right in the centre of Oudenaarde, a short walk from the Tour of Flanders Centre, the Grand Market Square, and the start of all the best riding routes. Our Starbucks Coffee Corner is the perfect way to fuel up before heading out, and the Be Twisted brasserie is a great spot to unwind with a local beer and a well-earned meal when you get back.
The Closest Hotel to the Tour of Flanders
If you are searching for a hotel near the Tour of Flanders that puts you right in the middle of the action, Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde is the natural choice. Five minutes from the Tour of Flanders Centre, within riding distance of the Koppenberg, the Paterberg, and the Oude Kwaremont, and in the finishing town of one of the greatest one-day races in the world. It does not get any closer than this.
Book your stay today and come and experience the Ronde van Vlaanderen the way it was meant to be experienced.
