Audax Perm French Sea to Sea

[Ajay]

I'm fancying having a go at this route (Caen - Montpellier) next summer.
Does anyone have any experience of riding it in the 5 day version?

 

[steveindenmark]

Here is a link:


http://diagonales.homelinux.net/adf/?page=3&menu=1

Steve

 

[Tynan]

that's quite a long way in 5 days isn't it? and finishing at the wrong end

I'd fancy that mind, not sure about the 5 days

 

[Ajay]

Here is a link:


http://diagonales.ho.../?page=3&menu=1

Steve

Thanks Steve,
yeh, the official French diagonals - these are not as generous with the time allowed so would probably mean nightime riding even in june, which isn't really my thing!

 

[Ajay]

that's quite a long way in 5 days isn't it? and finishing at the wrong end

I'd fancy that mind, not sure about the 5 days

Hi Tynan,
yep, it'll take a bit of pedalling to finish inside the 120hrs allowed, but I'd get a little medal (1000km Randonee) if I did it, that must be worth a little pain !?!
Plan is to take overnight Portsmouth - Caen ferry on a friday, down to the Med for Weds, then over to Carpentras for a pootle up le Ventoux and Gorges de la Nesque before picking up the bike bus at Orange for a long long sleep . What a week!
I've done multi day rides before so have a fair idea of what's involved.
Cheers
Ajay

 

[Tynan]

I saw those times and thought no way were they limits, yikes, mind you all done in week has it's plus point I suppose

medal?

where are you planning to sleep?

 

[Ajay]

I'm planning to stay in either small hotels en route or camp.
I'll see how my fitness is easter/early May and make a decision then. The thought of lugging the tent 130miles a day is a bit scary at the moment!
Motivation enough for me to lose the moobs and belly over the winter!

 

[vorsprung]

I am doing PBP next year, this seems a bit more "obvious" than a 1000km perm...

Alternatively, there is http://lemilledusud.blogspot.com/
"Le 1000 du Sud" in September which looks amazing

 

[akaAndrew]

The thought of lugging the tent 130miles a day is a bit scary at the moment!

It's a big ask with tent and associated luggage.

I have it in my mind to ride the diagonales at some point but no firm plans as yet.

 

[Ajay]

I am doing PBP next year, this seems a bit more "obvious" than a 1000km perm...

Alternatively, there is http://lemilledusud.blogspot.com/
"Le 1000 du Sud" in September which looks amazing

"Obviously" PBP is a well known classic, but to me is much more a pure endurance test, the "there and back" route, size of field and night riding make it not for me. (maybe I'll have changed my mind for 2015)

I've chosen this route for lots of reasons
It works logistically in my 1 week time frame
Its a Sea to Sea route
Loads of variety of landscape/culture/food
The route literally passes the front door of my house near Montpellier
Its a stiff challenge for me without being bonkers hard
Its actually a "holiday", the Audax timescale is a goal to work towards and not the be all and end all.

"Enjoy" the PBP

 

[Merve]

Hi guys, I'm new to this site, so not sure I'm using it properly yet, but I thought you might be interested in this Audax tour in Corsica. It's meant to be amazing...


[url="http://www.cycling-corsica.com/gb/_search/cycling-tour-corsica-audax/"]Audax Corsica[/url]

 

[frank9755]

It sounds like a great challenge!

I did Dieppe to Montpellier last year in about 9 days. I did a fairly hilly route with full camping load and up to 100 miles per day, so a bit more leisurely than you are planning (but I'm fitter now, and would take a lot less gear, so it sounds tough but achievable). Only problem I can see is that the the days might be a bit too long for camping.

I don't expect I can tell you anything you don't know - enjoy the ride and keep posting!

 

[bof]

A pace of 200k is quite doable. I have done a ride of similar length in that sort of time and not needed any overnight riding. However the days are long and I think camping would add so much faffing to the effort that you'll probably enjoy it less at that sort of pace.

The rhythym was basically get up, breakfast, ride all daywith only food breaks, check in, shower and wash clothes, eat dinner, two beers, check cycling clothes drying, sleep, get up, breakfast.... a hotel with a restaurant each night doesn't half help.

 

[yello]

A pace of 200k is quite doable. I have done a ride of similar length in that sort of time and not needed any overnight riding.

I take it you didn't camp and so weren't carrying camping gear? That's a significant difference.

I agree that 200km a day is definitely do-able... if you're unladen! It's do-able even when loaded BUT it's much much more of a task and, imho at least, it'd be more of an endurance event than a holiday.

I am certainly not wishing to discourage Ajay, far from it, but I'll not hide from saying that I think it'll be hard going.

 

[Tynan]

hotel with restaurant every night sounds groovey

so essentially a Dunwich a day but in daylight and in France

what's not to like?