Newby. Just wanted to say Hello

[Andy Wright]

Hi, me and my wife havent done much cycling and we have just signed up to cycling from London to Paris. Any tips, all will be welcome!!

Cheers

Andy

 

[addictfreak]

Hi Andy and welcome

Start training now!

 

[NormanD]

Welcome to the mad mouse Andy (hello Mrs Andy too)

 

[Andy Wright]

Cheers guys starting tomorrow in the gym until a find a good bike!! Nice to meet you both. Missus says hello!

 

[Peteaud]

 

[Welsh Deano]

Hi Mr & Mrs Andy! Great to hear you're doing the London to Paris trip! I've done it twice... two years ago with a friend and last year with 5 others, but on both occasions we sorted everything (ferry / hotel / route etc). Great times... so much that my wife is joining me this year to do it again.
Are you going it 'alone' or are you on an organised trip? If going it alone, let me know and I'll give you some pointers that might help.
Hope to hear from you.
Dean

 

[Blue]

 

[Part time cyclist]

Me and team Watson was interested in taking part in the London to Paris but the cost proved to be prohibitive :0(

 

[Haffers]

Dean, I am going it alone (well not an organised trip) and appreciate any pointers. Seen a few on here but glad for all info I can glean :-)
Where have you done this via - Newhaven??
Jim

 

[Welsh Deano]

Dean, I am going it alone (well not an organised trip) and appreciate any pointers. Seen a few on here but glad for all info I can glean :-)
Where have you done this via - Newhaven??
Jim

Hi Jim,
I'd love to give you any tips based on my experiences doing the London Paris thing. Let me know if there's anything in particular... for example where we stayed, ferries, costs, the best bits, etc.
In brief, we cycled from Tower Bridge to Brighton then along the coast to Newhaven. The first day in my view is the worst as the traffic's heavy, the roads busy and bumpy and hills towards the end.
Ferry times from Newhaven are 'poo'... leaving at 10 pm'ish and getting into Dieppe in the middle of the night. I've stayed in a Dieppe hotel until about 10am, breakfast / brunch in Dieppes pretty harbour then onto the Avenue Verte for a leisurely 2nd day arriving in Gourney-En-Bray via Forges-les-Eaux (pretty village for a coffee and pastry!) late afternoon... beers, restaurant, night at 'Le Cygne' hotel and chill Alternatively, I've done the same without the Dieppe hotel and huddled with friends in a Supermarket trolley shelter until the sun came up enough to find the Avenue Verte. I prefer the hotel option!
Final day to Paris is also a wonderful time, and arriving under the Tower (along with loads of other cyclists) is fantastic. Hotel, shower / shave and then out for food and drink in the trendy alfresco Latin quarter makes all the effort worthwhile.
If you want proper details let me know and I'll dig them out from my diary.
Hope this whets your appetite a little?
Dean

 

[Haffers]

Certainly whets my appetite - I am quite interested in where people may have stayed and why they chose the routes they did.

I was looking at pretty much following the London2Brighton route which I have ridden and then hooking up towards Newhaven so if it gets better after that - bonus! So looking at where you may have stayed in Dieppe & Paris and if you recommend them.

Also, how about getting home? Was it the Eurostar option as I have heard that is convoluted with the bikes?
ta
Jim

 

[Welsh Deano]

Certainly whets my appetite - I am quite interested in where people may have stayed and why they chose the routes they did.

I was looking at pretty much following the London2Brighton route which I have ridden and then hooking up towards Newhaven so if it gets better after that - bonus! So looking at where you may have stayed in Dieppe & Paris and if you recommend them.

Also, how about getting home? Was it the Eurostar option as I have heard that is convoluted with the bikes?
ta
Jim

Hi Jim,
Glad my brief note got the juices flowing! I'm going to stay in the same places this year as last, except for Paris. I'll dig my diary out and send you the details, however, the Swan (Le Cygne) in Gournay seems to be THE place to stop halfway between Dieppe and Paris. It's inexpensive, very very clean, tonnes of baguette / jams / cereals / fruits / croissants / coffee at breakfast in the price (Fill your boots!), owned by a husband and wife. See their website and email them if you're interested (Brigitte is the wife who seems to call the tune and whilst their English isn't great, combined with my limited French we got there in the end). It was occupied with a few other cyclists on the occasions I stopped there and the kindred spirits and exchange of ideas and conversation is great.
I'll get back to you re the Dieppe hotel because I can't remember the details.
In Paris I stayed in a building now a hotel but previously the home of Sigmund Freud! Sounds great but was a bit grotty so I'll not pass on the details. It was, however in a fantastic location... right in the centre of the Latin Quarter, near the Sorbonne in the student area. A night out there is THE most cosmopolitan experience... bars and restaurants open to the narrow antiquated little streets. Wonderful!
You're right... Eurostar back from Gare du Nor to London is quick and comfortable. Getting the bikes on board is simple but requires a two hundred metre hike to the extemities of the station to deposit your bike with the right people. Otherwise, no problem. It does grate though that it costs so much to get home compared to the 22 quid and a lot of sweat required to get there in the first place!
I'll let you know re Dieppe hotel.
When are you going? Who knows, we might even share a beer if we're there at the same time!
Dean

 

[Haffers]

Looking at July at present though not concrete yet as may get rest of family over on ferry and travel south after Paris. The hotel I have been looking at in Dieppe is Etap Hotel - saw a CTC recommendation for it. But let me know which hotel you used for Dieppe and let me know when you are going as nice to share a drink with a kindred spirit.

I had a look at Le Cygne and like the look of it but need to refresh my French - was always great with the written in French but spoken was awful but I now have the incentive :-)

cheers
Jim

​

 

[slowmotion]

Welcome Andy. London-Paris sounds fun. You have just planted a tiny seed of an idea in my brain. Thank-you.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

welcome