How would you cycle end to end in France?

[Dayvo]

I rode through and down France (from Belgium) en route to Spain, following the Rhone Valley heading to Montpelier and Perpignan.

Without looking at a map, I think I'd be inclined to start from the coastal Belgium/French border and follow the coast as closely as possible to the English Channel, Atlantic Ocean, across the Pyrenees and finally along the Mediterranean coast to the border with Italy.

Plenty of good food and drink on the way, too!

 

[srw]

Without looking at a map, I think I'd be inclined to start from the coastal Belgium/French border and follow the coast as closely as possible to the English Channel,

Having looked at a map (intently), the closer you stay to the Channel, the hillier your ride will be. You can't avoid hills entirely across northern France - it's an inevitable by-product of large river valleys going across the grain of where you want to go!

We've ended up planning a route that's quite a long way inland, eventually hitting the valleys when they start flowing west.

And the Garonne valley/Canal du midi look quite good for a flattish trip back to the Med.

We'll keep you posted at...

www.ffortissimo.org.uk

 

[lanternerouge]

I did Med to Manche last summer. I got a bit carried away col-bagging in a detour to the Alps, but enjoyed the rest of France I had along the route I did too.
Pretty detailed route maps here: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/marseilletothechannel

What did you use for your mapping? Your maps look really good! Did you gps it or add them in after?

 

[dragon72]

What did you use for your mapping? Your maps look really good! Did you gps it or add them in after?

Merci beaucoup.
I added them in afterwards, happily re-living each km as I mapped each day's route. When you edit a page in a journal on the Crazyguyonabike site, there's a route mapping facility. CGOABs fab!

 

[lanternerouge]

It certainly is D72 - I have just signed up, might do a diary of my first C2C ride

 

[lanternerouge]

Rather acely you can add gpx to it as well

 

[dpiper]

We rode south to north along the Atlantic coast last summer - at least 80% on cycle routes. Bliss

details here www.tra-velo-gue.co.uk (go to drop down box for France)

 

[frank9755]

I posted this in another thread, but probably would be better here.

Was trying to post my route up on Bikely / Mapmyride, but seemed to be going very slow. If I get it done will post a link.

I just got back yesterday!

I did Dieppe to Grau-du-Roi (near Montpellier). Took me 10 days and was a wonderful ride.

I've found Montpellier to be fine, but I've only ever cycled into it from the south, so it may be tricky from the north.

My approach was light on planning. I only decided to go two days beforehand, made a list of a dozen or so places as the outline of my route, and tore out pages from a road atlas to link them up. I then planned the detailed route for the following day each evening.

This worked fine as virtually every town where I needed there to be a campsite had one. Only on one evening did I have a problem with a couple of sites being closed, which led to an extra hour of riding. The site at Grande Motte (on the coast by Montpellier) was more expensive than the others (€15 as opposed to €3-8 elsewhere) but was clean and quiet, with no golf buggy patrols! If I were staying in hotels, I'd adopt a similar approach - just knock on the door of one I fancied when I was ready to stop.

Happy to give more details if useful.

 

[Simon_m]

Hi there, Just doing a search for this type of trip using google and came across this thread. Did you do it? Does anyone have any more info? I think it would be a lovely ride to do, after a little bit of research it seems that 2weeks is ok, but 3weeks would be nice as you can stop off and smell the roses a bit more. Could be doing the ride in 2015. Any help or ideas are welcome. Thanks

 

[ianrauk]

Hi there, Just doing a search for this type of trip using google and came across this thread. Did you do it? Does anyone have any more info? I think it would be a lovely ride to do, after a little bit of research it seems that 2weeks is ok, but 3weeks would be nice as you can stop off and smell the roses a bit more. Could be doing the ride in 2015. Any help or ideas are welcome. Thanks

Catherine the original poster hasn't visited the forum since May last year. She moved to San Francisco.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

i've cycled down to montpellier mate...you'll love it...no ozarks lol!

 

[Simon_m]

did she cycle? lol

haha yes I've been reading some blogs about how hard the hills are. Hills for one day, or flat terrain for one day lol. I think it would be pretty easy, well, enjoyable anyway. I have found 5 different routes, all very similar. This is the best so far:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=6496&v=C8

What was your route, how did you plan it and were they back roads like we had in the US? Its not far, only 6-700 miles, I was thinking of taking it easy over 3 weeks, days off to visit places, or a nice 3-4 days at the end, not sure yet. Ideas very welcome

 

[srw]

That file link I provided earlier in the thread (gosh, it seems a long time ago) still works but has a load of newer stuff in it. The permanent link is the one in my signature.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

did she cycle? lol

haha yes I've been reading some blogs about how hard the hills are. Hills for one day, or flat terrain for one day lol. I think it would be pretty easy, well, enjoyable anyway. I have found 5 different routes, all very similar. This is the best so far:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=6496&v=C8

What was your route, how did you plan it and were they back roads like we had in the US? Its not far, only 6-700 miles, I was thinking of taking it easy over 3 weeks, days off to visit places, or a nice 3-4 days at the end, not sure yet. Ideas very welcome

Bsically just a straight line down mate...around to the east of Paris >Lyon>Arles>Montpellier...The roads are really good surfaces and not much traffic , I camped in municipal campsites and on a football pitch! I think Vernon did a very similar route as well.

Album here:
http://www.cyclechat.net/useralbums/le-french-tour-de-boab.212/view

 

[Simon_m]

That file link I provided earlier in the thread (gosh, it seems a long time ago) still works but has a load of newer stuff in it. The permanent link is the one in my signature.

Thanks, I will go back and check again, think I book marked it.