First Tour

[Little Neil]

Hi

The wife has given me the all clear to attempt my first touring expedition around 20 september for about a week.At present this is a solo trip unless anyone else is remotely interested planning on crossing to France possibly Caen and then travelling to St Malo in around about way.Can anyone offer any good campsite tips or route advice? I am happy to ride minimum 50 miles per day thanx

 

[vernon]

Hi

The wife has given me the all clear to attempt my first touring expedition around 20 september for about a week.At present this is a solo trip unless anyone else is remotely interested planning on crossing to France possibly Caen and then travelling to St Malo in around about way.Can anyone offer any good campsite tips or route advice? I am happy to ride minimum 50 miles per day thanx

Look for municipal camp sites - they are usually a lot cheaper than the rest. I cycled soth through Brittany from St Malo and along the Loire valley and the cheapest municipal camp site was €7 for three people and the most expensive non municipal site was €12 for just me.

I can't suggest a route based on vagueness I'm afraid

However do look out for artisan patisseries - their cakes are of the highest quality.

Breton cider is very tasty.

 

[rich p]

http://www.campingfrance.com/index.jsp?lg=uk
This may be of some use.

I can trump Vernon's cheapest with 3.4 euros at Nogent le Retrou.

Some other municipal sites I can recall which may or may not be in your area were Falaise and Gace. I can recommend them for quality and economy.

 

[vernon]

http://www.campingfrance.com/index.jsp?lg=uk
This may be of some use.

I can trump Vernon's cheapest with 3.4 euros at Nogent le Retrou.

Some other municipal sites I can recall which may or may not be in your area were Falaise and Gace. I can recommend them for quality and economy.

My cheapest worked out at €2.33 per head - now that takes some beating.

 

[rich p]

My cheapest worked out at €2.33 per head - now that takes some beating.

Well, Vernon my dear fellow, my 3.4 euros was for me and Mrs rich p which works out at 1.7 euros pp pn!

 

[rich p]

I've just checked my blog -
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3Tzut&page_id=86844&v=1S
and must confess that it was actually 3.70 which works out at 1.85 pp pn

 

[vernon]

I've just checked my blog -
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=3Tzut&page_id=86844&v=1S
and must confess that it was actually 3.70 which works out at 1.85 pp pn

I surrender!

 

[rich p]

I surrender!

Accepted! They are a crazy price though, arent they? The most we paid was 14 Euros between the two of us, and well maintained too, by and large.

When I consider the prices I just paid in both Italy and Slovenia (18 -31 Euros ) for facilities which were often inferior it makes France a very attractive place to tour.

Do you have any experience of municipal sites in the southern half of France? I have only done the north with a bike and a tent.

 

[vernon]

Accepted! They are a crazy price though, arent they? The most we paid was 14 Euros between the two of us, and well maintained too, by and large.

When I consider the prices I just paid in both Italy and Slovenia (18 -31 Euros ) for facilities which were often inferior it makes France a very attractive place to tour.

Do you have any experience of municipal sites in the southern half of France? I have only done the north with a bike and a tent.

Chalon-Sur-Soanne was around €12 for one if I recall but it didn't have the air of a municipal site. It was reached through an industrial estate and had a small bar and snack emporium.

Autun - close-ish to Beaune was around €8 and had a decent restaurant and a small shop with reasonably priced beer.

I can not remember the prices for Provence and The Carmargue but they were noticeably higher than northern France.

I think that I was stung for €20 for a pitch at Orange (non municipal) but the site owner then gave me a bottle of wine to drink at Montpellier when he discovered that I was doing a Channel to Med ride.