Cherbourg to Santender April 2010

[Pop]

Hi, Any tips for going south in France. Camp sites? Easy route? Hope to take 16 to 20 days as I'm older than my first cycle tour in 1955!
Thanks Pop.

 

[John Ponting]

Hi Pop

my only real tip is "don't rely on your 1955 maps or notes". But I look forward to readng your ride report when you get back.

Good luck.

 

[Pop]

Cherbourg to Santender

Thanks John, Will write it up as and when, my maps and routes found firstly from Google [walking] routes and the French maps I have already.
Pop

 

[jay clock]

you either started aged 10 and are now 65 or you are into your seventies.... respect. My top advice would be to have a good look through www.crazyguyonabike.com - I have several journals on there www.crazyguyonabike.com/julian , and have done bits of the coast. There are fairly extensive bits of cycle track south of the Gironde estuary and these are very quiet - almost too quiet in places.

I am envious!

 

[jay clock]

on the map front, I would use the Michelin yellow ones, which are now 1:150k. I tend to use old atlases of the same maps and rip out the pages I need, but you can buy the individual maps with no problem in the UK eg here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Poitou-Char...s/dp/2067135295/ref=pd_ts_b_4?ie=UTF8&s=books

 

[dpiper]

If you head SW to La Rochelle you can pick up a cycle route that follows the coast (and is part of the historic pilgrimage route to Santiago). Have a look here:

www.tra-velo-gue.co.uk

and look under the French rides.

The Michellin maps mentioned above show the cycle routes, but dont expect the locals to even know they exist!

 

[CeeDee51]

Camp sites?? In April?? There wont be many open at that time of the year.

 

[andym]

Camp sites?? In April?? There wont be many open at that time of the year.

There do seem to be more places putting in cabins with a view to extending the season. Easter is at the beginning of April this year so there will be some open (but notmany - so definitely something to research). Hostels are of course a decent fallback.

 

[Pop]

Hello and many thanks to JayClock,dpipier,CeeDee51 and andym for the tips so far. I am making notes for my research and may delay my start date a little. Cheers from Pop.