Channel to Med (France en Velo Route) St Malo to Nice

[Polite]

I have done the route, it was fantastic and my best ever tour so far. I even cycled up Mt Ventoux. I camped every night, municipals by just turning up, with the odd cheap B&B when the weather was poor. I also don't carry cooking equipment as you can eat so well, and cheaply, in France. Enjoy it!

 

[mikey951r]

I have done the route, it was fantastic and my best ever tour so far. I even cycled up Mt Ventoux. I camped every night, municipals by just turning up, with the odd cheap B&B when the weather was poor. I also don't carry cooking equipment as you can eat so well, and cheaply, in France. Enjoy it!

It's great to hear someone else has done it and enjoyed it so much. I'm sold on the trip now and am going to do it in spring/early summer 2016. I wonder if you would be so kind as to answer one or two questions:

1. How did you get back? I was planning on catching the train, but am not sure whether i'll need a bike bag?
2. What did you do about a map and using the guide book?. On LEJOG I printed out a series of strip maps and threw them away as I used them. For this I was planning on pulling out the relevant pages each evening and putting them in my map holder, again throwing them away as I use them. I can buy another copy of the book later.
3. How long did it take?
4. Roughly what was the cost? I was going to try and complete for around £500, which doesn't include the cost of food as I never include food costs as I have to eat wherever I am anyway.

Many thanks

Mike

 

[jay clock]

One of these will be ideal https://wordery.com/france-2015-atl...13JLmX3_RRt9XoLuxTPlKHsXKn_eKkLIpehoCQPHw_wcB
1:200k and you just take the pages you need

Re getting back I fly often and use one of these bags and have done a dozen or so trips. Weighs about 500g http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ctc-plastic-bike-bag/

 

[Polite]

It's great to hear someone else has done it and enjoyed it so much. I'm sold on the trip now and am going to do it in spring/early summer 2016. I wonder if you would be so kind as to answer one or two questions:

1. How did you get back? I was planning on catching the train, but am not sure whether i'll need a bike bag?
2. What did you do about a map and using the guide book?. On LEJOG I printed out a series of strip maps and threw them away as I used them. For this I was planning on pulling out the relevant pages each evening and putting them in my map holder, again throwing them away as I use them. I can buy another copy of the book later.
3. How long did it take?
4. Roughly what was the cost? I was going to try and complete for around £500, which doesn't include the cost of food as I never include food costs as I have to eat wherever I am anyway.

Many thanks

Mike

Hi Mike,
1. I flew with EasyJet.
2. While the book is excellent it is a bit of a tome. The directions were very specific so if you missed a turn off you could go wrong. I tended to plan it the night before at the campsite, a great feeling of seeing where you've been and where you're going, with the book and Michelin maps.
3. I don't think I paid more than 9Euros for a campsite! I have a great eye for eating well, plat du jour type meals or fresh local produce/fruit & veg so I'd guess 20Euros a day (average) over 2 and half weeks £350ish. Ferry was approx £65 and the flight quite a bit more at about £120 plus train fares £40 so I reckon max £600 all in. But it was one of my best ever holidays, I loved every minute. Even cycling up Mt Ventoux!
Hope it helps, feel free to ask anything else. Let me know how it goes.

 

[PaulSB]

Mikey just read your post re getting back. Originally I had planned to ride the whole route and so couriered my bike box to friends who live in Nice and fly home. That was cheap and easy.

After planning this my friends were insistent my wife flew down and we have a party to celebrate my 60th. For this reason I changed my trip to finish in Bordeaux and then took the train to Nice to have extra time with everyone.

I then flew home to Manchester with Ryanair. Bike box cost was £35 at most. All worked really well. As oversize luggage you are expected and directed to a different check in area. At Manchester the bike box was already unloaded by the time we reached baggage reclaim. My panniers went as cabin baggage and I've never been through arrivals so quickly.

For me it makes more sense than the train.

 

[Onyer]

Change of plan now. Looks like two of us will start on 20th September. A mate will join us halfway to complete the second half. We'll carry our clothes etc in panniers and stay at Chamber d'Hotes. We'll follow the route as outlined in the France en Velo book. If anyone wants to join us let me know. We plan to fly back from Nice

 

[PaulSB]

Onyer be aware outside of sizeable towns tracking down a Chambres d'Hotes can be tricky. I'd use the local tourist office to phone ahead and book if possible

 

[Onyer]

Onyer be aware outside of sizeable towns tracking down a Chambres d'Hotes can be tricky. I'd use the local tourist office to phone ahead and book if possible

Thanks for the advice. A planning meeting - down the pub - is scheduled for next week. I can see a few of those happening.