Newbies cycling around france!

[Arch]

Vendée. Mostly flat particularly near the sea. Fautes-sur-mer was very badly flooded last year. Interesting wildlife.

Oh yes, good call. Lots of waterways too. And an interesting appraoch to naming towns, we rode through 3 places sur-Mer and never saw the sea once. (we found it eventually and paddled in the Atlantic and it was glorious).

It is very valuable to be able to speak French. A lot of people speak a little English but often this does not go very far. People are far more receptive and very much friendlier if you try to talk French.

Absolutely. Get one of these:

http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.publications.120

The European Lexicon of Cycling. The words for all sorts of bike stuff, in many languages! Or if all else fails, resort to mime. But just trying a little French will win you friends. Even better if you can convey a self deprecating "I'm not very good but I'm trying!" attitude. Work out how to say "We've come from X and are going to Y and have cycled Z kilometres today!" and you'll be able to do more than just buy stuff. I'm by no means fluent, but I find that as the days pass, I get more confident about just having a go at saying things.

I've had three touring holidays in France, all with the same friends, all well organised with B and Bs each night, and I love it. One day, I'd like to go and camp ad hoc, which is rather daring for me.

 

[Mawsley]

I'm glad I've joined a "fun and friendly online cycling community".

The sense of fun and friendliness is almost overwhelming.

 

[vernon]

If my bike can't be repaired until a following day then I'd spend the evening talking to locals in the nearest bar or pizza restaurant

That's the way to do it!

When my frame snapped in Chorley while cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats I was lucky enough to be six miles away from the house of a chap that I met in Bristol four days earlier. He took me to the home of Bill Nickson a bike shop owner who brazed my frame for me and I was back on the road within two hours of the breakage happening.

When my frame snapped in Orleans I got wasted and spent the following day sightseeing, eating and drinking fine beers until I decided to buy a new bike rather than repair the rather old Galaxy that I was riding.

- unless that too is misconstrued as showing off, in which case I would be at the edge of the town wringing my hands and wishing I'd carried my full Snap-on tool chest with me.

You are showing off now. If you can afford a full Snap-on tool chest you must be seriously rich.

 

[david1701]

I'm glad I've joined a "fun and friendly online cycling community".

The sense of fun and friendliness is almost overwhelming.

does funny to watch count?

 

[asterix]

It is very valuable to be able to speak French. A lot of people speak a little English but often this does not go very far. People are far more receptive and very much friendlier if you try to talk French.

Indeed, but there is a huge range of ability in 'being able to speak French' and the important thing is to give it a go without worrying if you sound like a character in 'Allo, allo'. I have never had a French person laugh at my French although it must sound most peculiar! Despite spending half the year in France for the last 5 years converting a barn I'm afraid my French is still very poor.

The other thing to remember is that French supermarkets stock a huge range of stuff and anything you don't have can probably be obtained somehow or other.

In the remote regions however, bike shops are sparse.

The Loire valley is an excellent spot for leisurely tours and beginners.

 

[TheDoctor]

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OK, let's not rip lumps out of each other.
Fun and friendly, mmmmkay?

As you were...

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