Even in the dead of winter, when the sun set hours ago, and rain is coming down steadily, Paname Gravel Ride (PGR) goes on. Every Wednesday evening, Paris-based gravel enthusiasts take the train out from the city, escaping crowds, irritated bike commuters, and traffic, returning via singletrack trails, unmaintained farm roads, and all sorts of unpaved terrain. Gravel is a loose description around Paris, and some of these routes involve more mountain bike tracks and untamed fields than the smooth white gravel of Strade Bianche, but that only appears to stoke people’s enthusiasm. The “no-drop” weekly group rides offer a warm community atmosphere, if you’re willing to rally after work and return home around 11, perhaps even after a beer or two.⁠ ⁠ When I joined one Wednesday, we took the train to Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, west of Paris, and cruised 50 kilometres back to the city, weaving through winding singletrack trails in the forest, chunky dirt roads, and canal paths. People stopped f...