London to Aix-en-Provence (Easter 2016)

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Simon_m

Guru
Here is my story, it may help others who plan to do the same thing. Note that in the summer, Eurostar goes direct to the south of France from London (apparently).

So, I wanted to go somewhere warm/hot over Easter. Thursday morning through to Tuesday night. Flights were expensive due to airlines and holiday companies putting prices up for school holidays. No kids so it was even more of a pain.. So I tried to find the cheapest way by train to get to the South of France for some sun while taking the bike in a large rigid bike box.

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Thursday 24 March, Eurostar first train out at 05:40 - 09.17, returning on Tuesday 29 March 21.01 - 22.9 at a cost of £237 for two people. I booked the bike in to euro dispatch. That cost £30 each way, it's part of Eurostar. That is a booked guaranteed place on the train. You can just turn up and risk it if you want, which will work. As I was busy all week I dropped the bike off on the Monday morning. Easy. No problem at all. The bike was in Paris the same day. It could have traveled on my train but what's the point.

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The sncf TGV to Aix was a bit more problematic. I rang them up to check if I needed to book the bike on the train. They said I didn't and this was confirmed by the website too. So this cost £139 for two and the times were 10.37 - 13.44. If I booked earlier then 1st class would not have cost much more.

Thursday and Eurostar left on time but was 50 mins late getting in to Paris due to people on the track trying to get to England! This messed up the connection time, plus Paris rush hour was worse than normal due to security problems. At Paris Nord you have to go and pick the bike up from the holding are, which is kinda easy to get to but hard to find as no big signs saying where and what it is. The guy was confused that the box was not on our train but an earlier one in the week. No problem though. Euro dispatch London said you can leave it at their office for two weeks.

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Trying to get a taxi to get the box on was a nightmare and had to wait for ages too. So, once across Paris and at Lyon ,the sncf customer service were good. They put us on the next train at o extra cost. (When I made the initial booking there was enough time to get across Paris plus the next train cost more). Next problem, the train was full. Very busy! I thought maybe the box would go in the guards cabin but no. Dam. It had to go in general luggage. Full train, no room, no seats. Waited and bumbled our way in to first class. Only place with seats :smile:)) so, the box sat in the isle and we got some first class seats. Btw, earlier you book, you can get first class at not much more.

At Aix train station there is a cheap shuttle bus to the city bus station. Threw bags and box in back. Easy. Then we had to get a taxi to the apartment, again hard work trying to get the box in the back of the car.

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The rides were amazing, challenging but worth the hassle. Weather was fantastic except for Easter Sunday. Drizzle in the afternoon. So temps were high teens to low 20s. Great for riding. Lots of cyclists about but noticed that the local weekday guys were more friendly and would wave or say hello, compared to the weekend warriors. Looked like some proper fit pro or pro types out there too. The roads were not too bad although one route had trucks running pretty close by so I went off back on to the D roads. It was a bit windy though with the mistrial winds. Grrr. Great riding, lovely and warm while England had crappy weather.



Getting back to Paris, well again the train was busy. Booked seats but the luggage areas are small. Managed to beat the French and after some shuffling the bike box get a space. Phew. Taxi from station to station. Same problems as before with the size. Eurostar station was closed because of security alert but opened just as we got there. Perfect. Bike taken to depot.

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The French at Paris nord said that I could pick up the box on the London platform, but when I got there and tried, I was not allowed due to custums. I was not too bothered, glad it made it one piece. So had to go back to the office. Bike stand in area to use to reassemble bike which is good if you need to.

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On the new Eurostar trains there seems to be room for bike box in luggage rack.

Cost too much to get to Spain mainland or islands or lanzergrotty so getting to the south of France was the next best option. Do it again? Not on my own for sure. I would do it again if I could book a space on the sncf TGV. With Eurostar going all the way, and if you can still book a confirmed space, the. Yes!

Ride1:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1098293854

Ride 2:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1099385537

Ride 3, .fit file corrupt. anyone help?
 
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Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
sunny pics
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I am not jealous in the slightest :angry::evil::cursing: but it is a couple of years since I last sampled the delights of French roads and driver courtesy:wub:

Nice bike btw.
 
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Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
I am not jealous in the slightest :angry::evil::cursing: but it is a couple of years since I last sampled the delights of French roads and driver courtesy:wub:

Nice bike btw.

Hehe, well as you know it has been soo bad here weather wise I was going crazy. Had some cash set aside for holidays and thought lets use it now as not been away since September last year. Get up, work, go home, sleep. It was getting boring you know. Can you not escape yourself and get down to France again? Even for a long weekend in Normandy? Most drivers were good, only had a couple of idiots.

Forgot to add my garmin routes. One of the .fit files messed up, so looking for a way of "mending" it.

Thanks, new toy after the last one was run over Aug last year by a hit and run.
 
Can you not escape yourself and get down to France again?

TBH I can't really justify the time and expense to swmbo since we got a holiday home in the dales, having said that when the sun is out (rare I know) some of the riding in that area is comparable :bicycle:
 
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Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
know what you mean, it was a real fight to get this trip. Lovely having a second home, i don't realll know the area, but isn't it really hilly?! Must be great when it is nice like you say
 
Yeh, we are based just bellow one of the three peaks, close to Hawes and the TdeF route. Some awsome riding apart from some of the back roads are a little agricultural and descending unknown roads can be fraught due to gates and cattle grids strategically placed round corners at the base of 15% + gradients :laugh:
 

andym

Über Member
Note that in the summer, Eurostar goes direct to the south of France from London (apparently).
[..]
On the new Eurostar trains there seems to be room for bike box in luggage rack.
[...]
With Eurostar going all the way, and if you can still book a confirmed space, the. Yes!
[...]

I wish.

According to the page Travelling with you bike on eurostar trains on eurostar's website:

Our Lyon-South of France route
We’re not able to accept non-folding bikes or those over 85cm long on Eurostar trains between London or Ashford and Lyon, Avignon and Marseille, but we can arrange for your bike to be picked up and delivered at your destination with our partner First Luggage. As a Eurostar traveller, you’ll get an exclusive discount.

I hope they'll change this, but even if they do I'd be pretty sure you will have to use the registered bag service and not carry your bike in the carriage.

And while I'm giving the bad news, the official SNCF rules for bikes on trains is 90 by 120 cms. I don't know how strictly this is enforced (and I've certainly people do seem to have got away with it), but it is a risk. Your box looks pretty compact and being able to get your bike on the luggage rack would definitely help - but bear in mind that the TGVs can get crowded.

Sorry, I hate being negative. Usually it's me that's plugging going by train!
 
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Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
Thats a shame about not taking bikes all the way. If they are using the new trains then there is plenty of room in the luggage racks for a case like mine, so a bike in a soft bag would be fine too. Is First Luggage the same as EuroDispatch, if so then that is great as I had no problems with them. I guess the train direct to the South will be busy so maybe that is the reason why they are giving these rules on size.

Maybe it depends on the time of year too, our TGV was full both ways, but still managed to get the box in, a fold up bike would be ok too I would think. Defo could not take it on as a whole bike. Not all doom and gloom. Flights are defo easier but cost a lot more, RyanAir wanted £60 each way for the bike box.
 

andym

Über Member
It is a shame, and you'd think it wouldn't be that hard to organise to have people at the stations at the other end to unload the bikes and bags.

I think First Luggage are completely separate from EuroDespatch. The eurostar trains direct to the South of France have the reputation for getting booked up almost as soon as the tickets go on release (hopefully if there are more trains then things might get a bit easier).

I forgot to say that another option is to change at Lille Europe. There are a few trains each day that go direct to Marseille, so you can avoid changing trains in Paris. It took me five hours from Marseille to London the last time I did it (a few years ago).

I'm not sure about planes being easier.
 
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Simon_m

Simon_m

Guru
It is a shame, and you'd think it wouldn't be that hard to organise to have people at the stations at the other end to unload the bikes and bags.

I think First Luggage are completely separate from EuroDespatch. The eurostar trains direct to the South of France have the reputation for getting booked up almost as soon as the tickets go on release (hopefully if there are more trains then things might get a bit easier).

I forgot to say that another option is to change at Lille Europe. There are a few trains each day that go direct to Marseille, so you can avoid changing trains in Paris. It took me five hours from Marseille to London the last time I did it (a few years ago).

I'm not sure about planes being easier.

The unloading is a great idea, but I tried to get eh box off the guy at Kings cross, but it had to go through customs first. Not sure if that includes and x-ray. It did on the way out.

I bet they do, everyone wants to get down there. Shows how popular it is :smile:

Thats a good idea, not thought of that. Are you the man in the know about bikes and trains? Paris is a nightmare. Thanks for that tip!

The plane and Eurodispatch, easy enough but comparing plane to SNCF when one is unable to book a place, its more of a pain. Only flown twice with the bike and that was the first time on the train. I had booked a train down to somerset and reserved a space for the bike in the guards cabin, that was easy. Had to cancel due to being run over.
 

andym

Über Member
The plane and Eurodispatch, easy enough but comparing plane to SNCF when one is unable to book a place, its more of a pain. Only flown twice with the bike and that was the first time on the train.

You can book bike places on French trains (OK at least the trains where there are bike places and where you have to reserve a place). the best bet is to go to captaintrain.com.

But yes travelling by train does usually mean booking with eurostar, booking with eurodispatch, and then booking the French leg of the journey. The eurostar and SNCF booking windows can differ, so if you want the cheapest tickets you often have to book the legs of the journey separately.

I had booked a train down to somerset and reserved a space for the bike in the guards cabin, that was easy. Had to cancel due to being run over.

Which would have put a bit of a dampener on things.
 
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