Agro booking bikes on French trains.

[vernon]

We-ell ... I ordered a bacon sandwich. What I got was two slices of plastic bread with two scrawny pieces of bacon inside. This is in France, FFS, where the hell do you even get plastic bread in France?!

He doesn't. He takes it out with him from Stokesley.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Wow! Why on earth would you take awful, rubbery bread from the UK to a country where you can't turn round in the street without bumping into a delicious bread? It's completely bonkers.

 

[bikepacker]

There's no need. Opinions are very subjective and one needs to know the character of the poster before evaluating their opinion.

Aren't forums about opinions? I have travelled with EBE many times and have seen the service deteriorate since John Robinson gave up running the company.

 

[vernon]

Aren't enough opinions being voice in this thread without creating another?

 

[john xyz]

Well, the upshot is…. its down to a non-TGV train back from Lyon to Paris and TGV between Calais and Paris (return). Price around £270 for the two of us with bikes, plus £32 for outward Le Shuttle transport (Norman), and £39 return on the ferry (Calais - Dover). Cant use the Shuttle bus back through the tunnel, as train times don't work out well.

 

[andym]

Well, the upshot is…. its down to a non-TGV train back from Lyon to Paris and TGV between Calais and Paris (return). Price around £270 for the two of us with bikes, plus £32 for outward Le Shuttle transport (Norman), and £39 return on the ferry (Calais - Dover). Cant use the Shuttle bus back through the tunnel, as train times don't work out well.

Do you live really close to Dover? Otherwise Eurostar might be simpler and even maybe cheaper.

 

[john xyz]

I checked. Its about 320 for two people return to Paris, plus 120 return for the bikes. Total being 460!

I'm doing the UK to Paris bit for about 260. Would have been nice on the Eurostar and saved lots of agro, but can't justify 200 extra. Thats almost the price of a Vaude Power Lizard tent I'm hoping to purchase for the trip!

 

[vt2]

As nomdeplume said you could try the TGV with the bikes bagged. Last September, there was no available bike spaces on any of the TGV's or TER's from Nimes to Toulouse for the day of our return when we tried the evening before. As we had a flight to catch we took the wheels off, partly dismantled the bikes and then bagged the bikes and wheels in dustbin sacks - see photo. We carried the lot onto the TGV as luggage and the many SNCF staff at the station did not bat an eyelid. We had no problems and reassembled the bikes at Toulouse in the station concourse. However, I could not guarantee this would work every time.

 

[srw]

It's un-green and tiring, but one-way car hire is possible and relatively cheap.

 

[andym]

I checked. Its about 320 for two people return to Paris, plus 120 return for the bikes. Total being 460!

I'm doing the UK to Paris bit for about 260. Would have been nice on the Eurostar and saved lots of agro, but can't justify 200 extra. Thats almost the price of a Vaude Power Lizard tent I'm hoping to purchase for the trip!

I usually pay £40 each way plus £30 for the bike, but that's booking four months ahead and travelling mid-week. So not much help if you're travelling some time soon.

And while I'm not being very helpful, I think this is the new benchmark ultralight tent:

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/shelters-1/WF112.html

(I say this as someone who spent about 7 months sleeping almost every night in a Vaude Power Lizard).

 

[john xyz]

Nice ideas… hire car would need to be a van to get 2 bikes on board, probably. The cost would then be the same with fuel. Bagging the bikes up looks like fun!

Think we'll book next years trains this summer - may get a good deal. Lyon to Cannes is the tour for next year. That'll be Calais to Cannes in 3 weeks, over 3 years.

Talking of tents - these ultralight 2 man tents look good, but don't appear to be able to fit 2 x 55cm sleeping mats side by side. This included the 2 man power lizard. FOr 2 people - i reckon the 3 man Power Lizard, at 1300g, look very good...

 

[mcr]

Nice ideas… hire car would need to be a van to get 2 bikes on board, probably. The cost would then be the same with fuel. Bagging the bikes up looks like fun!

Think we'll book next years trains this summer - may get a good deal. Lyon to Cannes is the tour for next year. That'll be Calais to Cannes in 3 weeks, over 3 years.

Talking of tents - these ultralight 2 man tents look good, but don't appear to be able to fit 2 x 55cm sleeping mats side by side. This included the 2 man power lizard. FOr 2 people - i reckon the 3 man Power Lizard, at 1300g, look very good...

You ought to be able to get two bikes in the back of the average hatchback by only removing the front wheels, especially if it's only two of you travelling with cycle luggage (just make sure the bikes are well padded from each other with bubble-wrap etc).

And IIRC French TGVs, like Eurostar, can only be booked a set number of months in advance (3? 4?) - test it out on the SNCF website, where they often do great advance-booking deals like crossing the whole country for €29.

 

[oldleggs]

Went by train only this week to Lyon,no trouble what so ever......but that was from Mezt! 5weeks now into my French tour, French infrastructure has certainly worsened since l was here last. The state of the roads leave a lot to be desired.

 

[john xyz]

You ought to be able to get two bikes in the back of the average hatchback by only removing the front wheels, especially if it's only two of you travelling with cycle luggage (just make sure the bikes are well padded from each other with bubble-wrap etc).

And IIRC French TGVs, like Eurostar, can only be booked a set number of months in advance (3? 4?) - test it out on the SNCF website, where they often do great advance-booking deals like crossing the whole country for €29.

I may look into the Lyon to Paris stretch by car hire - the TER train we've booked can be cancelled - it was £120...

 

[john xyz]

Went by train only this week to Lyon,no trouble what so ever......but that was from Mezt! 5weeks now into my French tour, French infrastructure has certainly worsened since l was here last. The state of the roads leave a lot to be desired.

Whats your itinerary?