London-Paris advice

[Dave 123]

I'm thinking of doing L-P next year, but I don't want to do a charity ride, they're quite expensive and I've never been comfortable with the "can you pay for my holiday" angle.
Does anyone know of a non charity company that will carry my bags, and find accomodation for me?

 

[oldfatfool]

I'm thinking of doing L-P next year, but I don't want to do a charity ride, they're quite expensive and I've never been comfortable with the "can you pay for my holiday" angle.
Does anyone know of a non charity company that will carry my bags, and find accomodation for me?

http://www.discoveradventure.com/Home.aspx

Give you the option of just paying for the event or fundraising, or both.

A bit cheaper: http://www.adventure-cafe.com/content/Foreignadventure/ForeignAdDetail.asp?aid=1184844557

 

[Ajay]

It's only a few hundred miles, you could pack what you need in a decent saddle bag.
Make your own arrangements and use the money saved to treat yourself in Paris!

 

[dellzeqq]

I'm thinking of doing L-P next year, but I don't want to do a charity ride, they're quite expensive and I've never been comfortable with the "can you pay for my holiday" angle.
Does anyone know of a non charity company that will carry my bags, and find accomodation for me?

cut down on the luggage and find your own accommodation - it's not difficult

your first decision is whether to go via Dover (not smart) or Newhaven (clever)

 

[perplexed]

I quite fancy London-Paris one day. I'd be nice to do it as part of a group, but I will probably do it on my own over a slightly longer period of time. I did the C2C in 3 days on a cross bike with one pannier (yeah, I know!) which held the bare minimum. The only luxury was a paperback. That wasn't easy, but was ok.

So if I do L-P at some point, I wouldn't be into making it difficult for myself and and unpleasant experience. To my mind, the achievement is to roll into Paris knowning you've done it under your own steam.

I may investigate this for next year!

By the way, Dellzeqq, what's the significance of the Dover/Newhaven thing?

 

[DiddlyDodds]

We are going with these chaps in September http://www.globaladventurechallenges.com/uk/london-to-paris-bike-ride-4-day/?international#cycle

They do the usual min fundraising etc , or a self funded option, as with most they are not cheap , works out around £800 quid but everything is in from start to finish and back on the train to London.

I looked into sorting it all out myself and worked out with one of the lads driving the van with the bags , hotels , food etc it would have been around the £500 each anyway.

Some will say you can do it for a hundred quid , yes you can but in tents or flea pits and carring your own bags, i prefer the Jeeves and Wooster aproach of having it all done for you.

 

[dellzeqq]

I quite fancy London-Paris one day. I'd be nice to do it as part of a group, but I will probably do it on my own over a slightly longer period of time. I did the C2C in 3 days on a cross bike with one pannier (yeah, I know!) which held the bare minimum. The only luxury was a paperback. That wasn't easy, but was ok.

So if I do L-P at some point, I wouldn't be into making it difficult for myself and and unpleasant experience. To my mind, the achievement is to roll into Paris knowning you've done it under your own steam.

I may investigate this for next year!

By the way, Dellzeqq, what's the significance of the Dover/Newhaven thing?

the London to Dover ride is longer, and trickier than the ride to Newhaven. The ride from Calais to Paris is longer and busier.than the ride from Dieppe. Newhaven isn't pretty, but it's nicer than Dover, and getting on the ferry is very simple. Dieppe is pretty, and Calais isn't - and getting off the ferry at Dieppe is simple. We're a mixed ability group, and we left London at midnight on Thursday and arrived in Paris early evening on Saturday. And, as far as I know, no charity ride leaves London at midnight, which is the smart thing to do.

Having organised two London to Paris rides, going in to Paris from two different directions, I did say when I came back that I wouldn't be doing it again. I think that my mistake was to finish in Paris late afternoon/early evening. If I relent and organise a third I'll set up an overnight stop in Cergy/Pontoise and go in to Paris very early in the morning.

 

[perplexed]

Thanks for that, useful info indeed!

 

[dellzeqq]

I looked into sorting it all out myself and worked out with one of the lads driving the van with the bags , hotels , food etc it would have been around the £500 each anyway.

Some will say you can do it for a hundred quid , yes you can but in tents or flea pits and carring your own bags, i prefer the Jeeves and Wooster aproach of having it all done for you.

ferry £23, lavish double room in Saint-Saens £70 for two, lavish double room in Paris £160 for two, return on Eurostar £75 + £30 for the bike. What you need a van for on a short trip I've no idea.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

. What you need a van for on a short trip I've no idea.[/quote]

Five of us , five bags , five bikes from Nr Leeds, there aint no way i would try and get that lot on our joke of a train service to London, so thats what we would use the van for.

Your costs i see are based on doing it in 2 days , and no food , but each to their own.

 

[martint235]

I've got London - Paris in one go pencilled in on my list of things to do before I give up cycling (other than commuting and the odd FNRttC). According to the SCOPE page, it's 280 miles which I reckon is easily do-able particularly if you use the ferry trip for some sleep (rather than beer drinking). I would use the Newhaven/Dieppe route cos as explained by Dell Dover is a bit of a dump and Calais isn't any better really.

A day, maybe 2 in Paris and then reverse the trip. It seems straightforward enough.

 

[bifferbob]

Me and a few mates are thinking of doin something similar to this but I argued why waste time leaving from London? It's not a particularly nice route so why not train into France and do 3 days of cycling somewhere really cycle friendly and out of the norm? Probably cheaper to stay overnight and a lot more scenic........ Could even do a TDF stage..!!