france top to bottom

[berty bassett]

hi thinking of doing cherbourge down to sete down the left side just clipping the pyrenees roughly 750 miles carrying all the stuff i need thinking it would take 7 days if i do big days to start with just to bank the miles - question is - has anyone done this sort of route and how did you find it - and also does anyone fancy tagging along - it wont be till late summer - will say more if anyone replies thanks for your time

 

[psmiffy]

make it just under 900 "just clipping the Pyrenees" add 10% (because that how it always works out) and you are biting off quite a lot in 7 days

I did

Ferry to St Malo - Pontivy - Clorhars - Lorient - Vannes - St Nazaire - Croix DeVie - La Rochelle - Rochefort - Royan - Locarneu Ocean - Cap Ferrat - Pyla - Biscarrosse - St Paul Les Dax - Putoo - Pau - Lourdes - Argeles Gazost - Tormelet (2115m) - (Aspin 1487m) - Arreu - Borderes Louron - Peysourde (1569m) - Bagneres De Luchon (chicken out of going into Andorra) - Ares (569m) - Buret (599m) - Aspet(1069m) -St Girons - Rille (938m) - Crouzette(1241m) - Peguere(1375m) - Jouels (1247m) - Marrous (990m) - Foix - Lavelanel - Babourade (655m) - Portel (655m) - Quillan - Perpignan - Beziers - Montpeliar – Eurobike Expres to Home - 2036km

but that was 20 days

 

[Ajay]

I went from Ouisterham (Caen) to the med a few miles east of Sete last June. Took a "direct" straight-ish line route, just over 1000km. Loads of variety of terrain, Normandy, Loire, the great valleys of the Dordogne and Lot, the spectacular Tarn and Jonte gorges, over the Cevennes mountains.
I did it in 5 days - which was pushing it a bit, but 7 days should be no problem. I returned on the Bike Express after a detour up the Ventoux.
If you want more details let me know!

 

[andy_spacey]

i did it last year in 21 day from cherbourge into Spain and am doing it again in about 8 weeks.

 

[jay clock]

P Smiffy your route doesn't just clip the Pyrenees,it takes them full on!

I think 7 days even if you go down to Bordeaux then straight across past Toulouse is close to 700 miles once you add in wiggling around

 

[berty bassett]

i did check on bikeroutetoaster and it came up about 750 just as a rough route and there was a valley type cutting through the mountains where i thought i could just veer off and go up at some point just to " do a mountain "havent checked the route too exactly yet but done lejog last year through storms and high winds in 9 days and fancied treating myself to some sun - but guessing that sun would bring a whole lot of new problems just wanted some input on what people thought - thanks for replying i will check your route p smiffy but on first glance it does look like you found as many mountains as you could and i only want to play although might change my mind when i'm there . would like to hear more about the bike bus - is it reasonably priced and easy enough to book - not knowing ( or caring) exactly how long things will take do i have to book it up in advance or just turn up - thanks for any reply

 

[berty bassett]

I went from Ouisterham (Caen) to the med a few miles east of Sete last June. Took a "direct" straight-ish line route, just over 1000km. Loads of variety of terrain, Normandy, Loire, the great valleys of the Dordogne and Lot, the spectacular Tarn and Jonte gorges, over the Cevennes mountains.
I did it in 5 days - which was pushing it a bit, but 7 days should be no problem. I returned on the Bike Express after a detour up the Ventoux.
If you want more details let me know!

thanks for getting in touch -on your route was there anywhere that you wouldnt do again ? i would be keen to hear more especially about the bike express - did you sort it easy enough ?was it expensive ? easy to find ? where did it drop off and most of all was it enjoyable thanks in advance for any advice you could give

 

[ChrisBailey]

i would be keen to hear more especially about the bike express - did you sort it easy enough ?was it expensive ? easy to find ? where did it drop off and most of all was it enjoyable thanks in advance for any advice you could give

Last year I went Altantic to Med over the Pyrenees, starting off with the Bike Express.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/cb2011
I found the Bike Express a bit of a struggle, but many swear by it, not about it.http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/cb2011

The Pyraneen Raid is 4.5 hard days so you had better avoid the cols if you want to keep anywhere near your 7 days.

This year I'm planning on Bilbao to Cherbourg in September and think my 10 days is not overly gererous. But if you're happy to do 200k days as part of a holiday, it's not impossible. Let us know how it goes.

Chris

 

[berty bassett]

Last year I went Altantic to Med over the Pyrenees, starting off with the Bike Express.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/cb2011
I found the Bike Express a bit of a struggle, but many swear by it, not about it.

The Pyraneen Raid is 4.5 hard days so you had better avoid the cols if you want to keep anywhere near your 7 days.

This year I'm planning on Bilbao to Cherbourg in September and think my 10 days is not overly gererous. But if you're happy to do 200k days as part of a holiday, it's not impossible. Let us know how it goes.

Chris

thanks for the reply it has gave me something to thik about - maybe it would be better to start at the bottom and work up then i havent got to worry about getting home when tired as i will be coasting towards it . looked up the pyaneen raid and not wanting to sound like a wimp but i really only want to play on the mountains not attack the bloody lot of them think i have seen a route through almost a valley where i could veer off up one or two then come back down to normal hills although havent checked it exactly only on a contour map - it maybe too busy that way but will check it soon
bilbao to cherbourg looks good as well are you spending time up mountains or coast hugging - do you ride supported or carrying own stuff ,that must make a big difference - is there a group of you ? how do you get on on the wrong side of the road as ive not tried that - that is half the reason i wouldnt have minded company but all my mates havent got the time to put in training for big runs - good luck anyway if i decide to go other way might bump into you

 

[ChrisBailey]

bilbao to cherbourg looks good as well are you spending time up mountains or coast hugging - do you ride supported or carrying own stuff ,that must make a big difference - is there a group of you ? how do you get on on the wrong side of the road

Solo, coastal, with camping but not cooking gear is the plan.

Cycling on the 'wrong' side of the road is never an issue, I acclimatise within a few minutes, just stick to the right and you'll be fine. It shouldn't make your top 10 concerns.

 

[berty bassett]

10 CONCERNS !! just what aint you telling me even if i count legs as 2 i can only think of 3 including my arse . we might well meet at some point as the more i think of bussing down and just getting back the more i like the idea

 

[doog]

Have you considered flying down and cycling back. I flew to Northern Spain and cycled back (although I am fortunate to have Ryanair flying from my small local airport to Girona and now Carcassonne.) I am also fortunate to have a channel port on my doorstep.(for the return)

If you flew or bussed to say Barcelona or Girona you would only have a day or two in Spain, could scale the Pyrenees and at least say you have done some serious mountains before cycling back through France.

The advantage of transporting out and cycling back is that when things get tough, you know that every pedal stroke is a wheel turn closer home.

Take some camping kit, a stove etc and have a great adventure- im hooked on it.

 

[berty bassett]

Have you considered flying down and cycling back. I flew to Northern Spain and cycled back (although I am fortunate to have Ryanair flying from my small local airport to Girona and now Carcassonne.) I am also fortunate to have a channel port on my doorstep.(for the return)

If you flew or bussed to say Barcelona or Girona you would only have a day or two in Spain, could scale the Pyrenees and at least say you have done some serious mountains before cycling back through France.

The advantage of transporting out and cycling back is that when things get tough, you know that every pedal stroke is a wheel turn closer home.

Take some camping kit, a stove etc and have a great adventure- im hooked on it.

trouble with getting airports involved is i live slap bang in the middle of nowhere so any airport is about 50 mile and i dont really know what i am doing on the airport / bike luggage front and it seems daunting . i really enjoy biking and being left to my own devices but that seems like getting too many things involved even though i know everyone will say its so easy i think my choices really are either train ( could be too dear ) bus ( yet to find out about ) set holiday with guide ( not an option - way too dear ) or if anyone else comes up with idea i havent thought of . right now i think it will be bus to montpelier then bike to coast and start the clock then heading towards boarder of spain veering off before too deep in mountains and north all the way - easy peasy

 

[jjb]

I did the North-south from St Malo, detouring west on the Loire, for the castles, then back to the coast, veering inward for the Tourmalet + Aubisque, up to visit Toulouse, veering back south to Carcassonne and the coast around Narbonne then onto Augues Morte. Then train to Nice and chuck the bike on the plane (strap on bits of volvic bottle, cardboard, flip flops, then into two 4 euro Nice airport poly bags) back to rainy Scotland.

Somehow this all took 28 days. You lot must've been flying along to do it in 5 days or whatever. Mind you, my unplanned route was very zig zaggy!

Advantage of North south is that you hit the hills when you're fitter and you can use planes w/o so much bike safety worry (but w/o so much ability to use a big cardboard box).

I really enjoyed the ferry and might detour for the Santander / Bilbao ferry home sometime. I'd consider a straighter line from top left to bottom right followed by gorges and mountains along to Santander and a relaxing 36 hours on the boat home, feet up all the way.Not as cheap as the plane though.

I like heading south so that any spare day at the end is warmer.

 

[berty bassett]

I did the North-south from St Malo, detouring west on the Loire, for the castles, then back to the coast, veering inward for the Tourmalet + Aubisque, up to visit Toulouse, veering back south to Carcassonne and the coast around Narbonne then onto Augues Morte. Then train to Nice and chuck the bike on the plane (strap on bits of volvic bottle, cardboard, flip flops, then into two 4 euro Nice airport poly bags) back to rainy Scotland.

Somehow this all took 28 days. You lot must've been flying along to do it in 5 days or whatever. Mind you, my unplanned route was very zig zaggy!

Advantage of North south is that you hit the hills when you're fitter and you can use planes w/o so much bike safety worry (but w/o so much ability to use a big cardboard box).

I really enjoyed the ferry and might detour for the Santander / Bilbao ferry home sometime. I'd consider a straighter line from top left to bottom right followed by gorges and mountains along to Santander and a relaxing 36 hours on the boat home, feet up all the way.Not as cheap as the plane though.

I like heading south so that any spare day at the end is warmer.

oh no more to thionk about and there was me thinking that i had made my mind up - i like the idea of the weather getting better the further you went and hardest day being the finale but i also like the idea of once you have got all the dirty travelling done what needs organising then there could be a relaxed approach with no deadlines - theres only one way to find out - FIGHT !