# Any comments on this route in France?



## Bigtallfatbloke (23 Jan 2008)

Not knowing France at all I have simply plotted this route on bikeroutetoaster.com. The idea is to cross France at a reasonable pace (IRO 70-100km a day approx) and to go along coastal regions if possible. I tied to stay off the bigger roads as well. So id this a good route? Is it too hilly? Are there better places to go? Clearly I cant do everything, so i thought this was as good a route as any, but I am open to suggestions from all, especially if you've been over there on a touring bike yourself. Bikeroute toaster could not save this route in IE so i took screen shots. I will do the next route in Mozilla firefox which is able to save the route.

Many thanks.


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## rich p (23 Jan 2008)

Whilst not saying that your route wouldn't be interesting, I personally wouldn't be that concerned with the coastal bits either after Le Havre or the west coast. It's not always the most interesting countryside, can be a bit samey and often the roads even if they're on the actual coast are busy.
i'd take a slightly more direct line south definitely picking a route through the Creuse region north of Limoges, the Auvergne, Cevennes and Ardeches. Great countryside, quiet roads and rural cuisine and life but it depends what you like.
Then wiggle across to Mont Ventoux in Provence and finish with a flourish! ( But leave the panniers at the bottom!)


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## Cathryn (23 Jan 2008)

I think it looks blissful! 

I agree with Rich that I'd cut further inland for Normandy and Brittany but don't know if you're a coast lover and want to stay by the seaside. Personally, I'd cut through the Loire and see a couple of Chateaux, and then cut SW to the coast. Lots of your route post Toulouse/Carcassonne mirrors my plans for the summer as well, so I clearly think that's a great idea. I also love Rich P's Ventoux idea...always good to finish somewhere proper, if that makes sense.

Bring on the summer!!!


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## Bigtallfatbloke (23 Jan 2008)

Thankyou both very much. Like this you mean??





Any chance you could post up a map of your rough ideas? No probs if not, it's just i am clueless about these areas..


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## Cathryn (23 Jan 2008)

Personally, i'd do this. Lots of places I've not visited, so not an expert.

Le Havre. Visit Honfleur cuz it's nice and you get to cycle over the Pont de Normandie but be careful not to go on the motorway instead like we did!! 

Cycle east to Rouen passing by Les Andelys and la suisse normande. Nice area.

South to Tours. Don't really know the area. Spend a few days on the Loire a Velo bike route visiting castles...Chenenceaux being the one I really want to visit.

Head South to Limoges. Again, don't know the area much.

Spend some time in the Dordogne/Lot area drinking wine, visiting beautiful towns such as Bergerac and doing some climbing.

Follow my planned route for the summer...
Toulouse/Carcassonne/Beziers/Montpellier/Arles/Aix en Provence. Spend some time in Aix because it's gorgeous.

North to Sault for Ventoux. 

If you have time, I'd also go and play in the Vercors and end in Grenoble.

The stage from Toulouse to Grenoble is all part of this summer's plan (tibia permitting). I'm biased but I think it would be an amazing ride.

But it's YOUR trip!!!

ps...you could always head further east from Aix en Provence and do the Gorge du Verdon and finish in Nice area.


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## Abitrary (23 Jan 2008)

Think it looks great BTFB. Still think you're going to need 6 weeks off work to do that though.


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## Tony (23 Jan 2008)

Your route doesn't say whether you are crossing the Garonne, at the scale I can see it. There is a ferry at the river mouth.
Bordeaux to Toulouse can be a bit boring; there is the Canal Lateral to follow, which meets up with the Canal du Midi in Toulouse. There is a quieter road "Via Aquitania" which takes you from Toulouse via Castelnaudary to Carcassonne. From Carc, there is a quietr road via Homps, where you can go to either Beziers or Narbonne. From either, there are quiet back roads that take you round to Agde.
At Agde, you have the choice of an undulating road round the back of the Bassin de Thau, or a ten mile time trial up the narrow, busy coast road to Sete. I normally stop overnight in Marseillan and then sprint the road in early morning.
From Sete, take the first bridge over to Frontignan. Cycle path network, quiet roads, over Rhone-Sete canal into Villeneuve lez Maguelone. Follow signs to the Ile Maguelone, and there is a footbridge (level) back over the canal. Brings you round the isle and onto short gravel track into Palavas.
Where are you intending to finish?


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## Cathryn (23 Jan 2008)

Has anyone biked the canal du midi? I love the idea but have heard mixed reports on the the surfacing. Having cycled the Leeds - Liverpool canal one weekend this summer, I've had enough of bumps etc! Does anyone know the good stretches?


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## Pete (23 Jan 2008)

I've just discovered, you've got this whole series of threads on your proposed French trip BTFB, which I missed, sorry . When are you planning to do this? And - if it can be arranged, and if your trip coincides with one of our visits there, would you be interested in calling round at our place? Would be a slight detour north of your planned route Bordeaux-Toulouse. Nice cycling country, some hills but not over-demanding. Are you on your own or with companions?


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## Bigtallfatbloke (24 Jan 2008)

at the moment the plan is to leave around the 10th of july. I am riding with a musician friend from Germany (who has 6 weeks ish off work so that is the time limit) but hopefully it can be done in less time. My thought was to fly home from Montpellier, but it depends on how things go...I may just keep going...I have no plans to come back until the cash runs out really.thankyou for the kind offer Pete..I may just take you up on it...only we still havent decided on a route yet....

..I am going to stay away from Ventoux though...sounds like one hill too far for me!

Tony..thanks for those comments/tips...I will try to track them down on a map..

..my problem right now is knowing where is nice etc...I could easily ride across France and see all the crappy parts knowing my luck..as I have no idea about the country.


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## Tony (24 Jan 2008)

Cathryn, I have ridden the C du M many times, and the towpath/cyclepath varies tremendously from aggregate/gravel in Toulouse, to smooth tarmac by Portiragnes, to tree-root dirt in other places. I usually ride on parallel roads.

And why not look at the European Bike Express?


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## rich p (24 Jan 2008)

BTFB, I'll have a closer squint at a map later and see if I can rough out a route through some of my fave areas.(No obligation for you to take any notice, of course!!)
I love France and as long as you keep away from main roads it's a delight. The only thing I find dull in any place I travel is flatlands and I cycled south east from Bordeaux once and found it flat, monotonous pine forests and straight roads until reaching the foothills of the Pyrenees.
I'm not sure whether a canal side ride might be a bit boring after a few days, Cathryn, although good for getting a few miles under your belt!


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## raybo (24 Jan 2008)

This page from www.biketouringtips.com has 36 links to bike touring in France. I think several of the links will be of interest to you.

Ray


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## Bigtallfatbloke (24 Jan 2008)

> BTFB, I'll have a closer squint at a map later and see if I can rough out a route through some of my fave areas



..that would really help me a lot...many thanks.

.Ray..that cycle tour site is very cool..ta...just the job as it has maps of the routes as well as distances, details on hills etc..thanks.


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## yello (24 Jan 2008)

I'd love to help... but I can't see the route(s)!

I live north of Limoges and can echo Rich P's remarks about the area. It is quiet and also, by French standards, the cycling is fairly easy going.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (24 Jan 2008)

> I'd love to help... but I can't see the route(s)!



I'd be very grateful for any help you could give. You should be ableto see a picture of a map and some route data...Have you ticked the box to allow pictures on this board in your profile options?...just a thought.


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## Abitrary (24 Jan 2008)

BTFB, how long are you planning for the complete trip?


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## vernon (24 Jan 2008)

Bigtallfatbloke said:


> ..I am going to stay away from Ventoux though...sounds like one hill too far for me!
> 
> ..my problem right now is knowing where is nice etc...I could easily ride across France and see all the crappy parts knowing my luck..as I have no idea about the country.



Avoiding Ventoux is a sound idea. I had every intention of 'doing it' until I saw it from afar. It's an evil looking peak and at some stage I will return to the area to take it on but I'm in no hurry.

There are crappy bits but you'd have to be extremely unlucky to ride through them all 

The major problem when seeking advice on such an epic journey is that you'll be very lucky to find a single person who's done your elected route and you end up with a subjective tapestry of what's good and what's not.

While I had some notion of the general lie of the land for my route I enjoyed the voyage of discovery that the ride turned out to be. 

I'm really jealous that you've got six weeks to play with. I wouldn't get planning permission for such a long tour


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## Bigtallfatbloke (24 Jan 2008)

> BTFB, how long are you planning for the complete trip?



probably about 3-4 weeks....but we could stretch to 6 maximum.


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## vernon (24 Jan 2008)

Tony said:


> And why not look at the European Bike Express?



It's worth looking at. Costs around £100 but no faffing about bagging up the bike atc. Just loosen the handlebar stem turn them through 90 degrees and thats the bike prep done. The pick up is at the SE side of the city with a MacDonalds adjacent to the pick up point so you can celebrate the end of your journey in a low key way.


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## Abitrary (24 Jan 2008)

Bigtallfatbloke said:


> probably about 3-4 weeks....but we could stretch to 6 maximum.



Yep, there's a lot of cycling there. You'll want a rest day every 3 or 4 days, or you'll get knackered and won't enjoy it. 

Also a few days for contingency... things going wrong, sometimes having to turn round because you might not make your destination before nightfall. 

I'd be inclined to work out a backup plan where you cherry pick the best bits and get a train if necessary.


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## Percy (25 Jan 2008)

I quite enjoyed the West coast and didn't find it too busy, but then again I was there in March. The Ile De Re, next to La Rochelle, is worth the ride over the bridge (http://www.johnnyjet.com/images/PicForNewsletterIrelandSept2005IldeReBridge.JPG) if you want a nice break - nice campsite just 1km from the centre of St Martin. I understand it gets very busy in summer months (particularly August) though.

Difficult to say whether the rest of your plan is 'too hilly' or interesting enough - depends what you like really! I liked the South West corner and the country inland as you head East - Verdon Gorge is a good spot to seek out. Villefranche de Rouergue is a great town too. I hit the coast at Agay - don't think you're going that far East are you? The whole ride from St Tropez to Italy - through Cannes, Nice, Monaco etc. is a good mixture of amazing scenery and typical French cote d'azur. Loads of people say it's hell and really dangerous but that wasn't my experience (in July).


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