Advice on how to get to bordeaux

[Gabbyonpedalpower]

Hello I'm a newbie on this forum. I'd like to ask some advice on how to get to bordeaux for my first and long awaited bike tour.

I live near Portsmouth and my dream is to ride there and jump on a ferry. I'm trying to look at train's to bordeaux then just have a week pedalling about the wine region nothing too challenging in terms of speed a distance.

So far I've discovered a route to St Malo and had previously thought le harvre. Found a link to train line but not sure even after reading the stuff on the website how I can be sure I'll be able to take my own fully assembled bike on them using the search form. It seems quite complex working that out.

Please can any of you experienced tourers help?

I'm no stranger to planning solo ski trips on a limited budget but I've always wanted to take my bike away and just ride around exploring. I'm not out for a physical challenge, just some downtime at cruising pace enjoying the food and wine.

Absolutely any advice would be welcome. Thank you for reading and your suggestions.

 

[mjr]

http://seat61.com has a page about taking your bike on trains in various countries. Edit: https://seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm

Once in Bordeaux, the Piste Cyclable Roger Lapiebie or something like that will take you out into wine country. Château Crecy is a good cycle-friendly winegrowers to stay at, near that route

 

[Gabbyonpedalpower]

Thank you. I'll take a look at those links a bit later tonight. Mercie!

 

[fraefreuchie]

The short answer to your question of how to get to Bordeaux from St Malo is - "not easily"

Have a look at http://www.freewheelingfrance.com/planning-a-trip/bikes-and-french-trains.html

It looks as if it would be easier from Caen rather than St Malo.
Caen to Tours and Tours to Bordeaux.
Have you considered cycling there?

 

[srw]

Why not ride to Bordeaux?

 

[Ubert767]

We're off to Bordeaux next week and this'll be our second occasion using this method, worked a charm last time so hopefully all will go as well.

Poole to Cherbourg on Brittany Ferries
Overnight stay in Cherbourg then early TER train into Paris St Lazare station.
Cycle across Paris (Sunday morning so nice and quiet) to Monparnasse station.
Reserved cycle space on TGV train to Bordeaux.

Maybe a ferry from Pompey would avoid the overnight stay in Cherbourg be we count it as part of our holiday?

Rob

 

[Cycleops]

Usually on the middle shelf at Tesco .

 

[Toemul]

Captain train app is your friend can book bikes if train has bike carriage but a lot of trains have bike spaces that you can't book I think captain train tells you which ones.

 

[gizmo1994]

Why not use the new Velo Francette route from Caen to La Rochelle then pick up the Atlantic EV1 to Bordeaux.

A good report on the route here.

http://www.freewheelingfrance.com/where-to-go/la-velo-francette.html

 

[briantrumpet]

Captain train app is your friend can book bikes if train has bike carriage but a lot of trains have bike spaces that you can't book I think captain train tells you which ones.

It's now 'Trainline EU', but it's still a dream of an app - much much better than SNCF's own. Prices aren't as unpredictable as in the UK, but if you know when you're going to travel, it's worth buying from 3 months before the journey. 'Prem's' are cheap but non-refundable, and 'Loisirs' changeable/refundable up to the moment of departure (though with small penalties the closer you get to departure date).

 

[Brains]

EBE is the solution, either one way or return

http://www.bike-express.co.uk/Tour/Atlantic_A_Out_with_any_Return_Route_inc_Med