One day in France

[xxmimixx]

Hi
I am going to France (crossing with bike) one day with a friend and would like to get some advice on a nice route from Calais.
We will arrive at 9am and need to be in Calais by 5pm.
Not sure whether to go south, east or west.

Advice greatly received :-)

Thanks

 

[Donger]

Hi
I am going to France (crossing with bike) one day with a friend and would like to get some advice on a nice route from Calais.
We will arrive at 9am and need to be in Calais by 5pm.
Not sure whether to go south, east or west.

Advice greatly received :-)

Thanks

This is one query I can definitely help with. I was over there at the end of April and stayed at Wimereux, just north of Boulogne. I rode up the coast to Cap Gris-nez and back, mostly on the quiet coast road, the D940, and it was superb. Great views across to the White Cliffs of Dover, and an interesting museum in one of the blockhouses of the Atlantic wall near Audinghen and lots of snack bars/friteries/cafes everywhere. Loved every minute of it.

We drove back to Calais the next day, and I made a mental note to do a day trip this way some time in the future. Near Escalles, the D940 has some lovely sweeping bends and a nice descent (Southwards) or climb (Northwards) that I really fancied the look of. Further South the road cuts through the sand dunes between Audreselles/Ambleteuse and Wimereux, with occasional views of the English coast all the way to Boulogne.

I think it is only about 35km from Calais to Boulogne, so it should be quite possible to easily get as far as Ambleteuse or Wimereux and back in a day. It will be worth the effort of picking your way across Calais from and back to the ferry port.

I have had quite a few daytrips over the Channel before, and quite like nipping across the Belgian border to La Panne and Ypres. Some of the French towns to the East and South (such as Cassel and Bergues) are quite nice too but, in my opinion, I wouldn't bother riding there by bike. Too many big roads to cross, Too many lorries using the minor roads as rat runs to the ports, and not enough scenery. (Very flat and quite industrial, with only slagheaps for hills). GO SOUTH WEST ON THE D940 COAST ROAD and you won't regret it.

 

[TheDoctor]

The coast road from Wimereux is well worth doing. I've often ridden it, and the climb from Escalles is somewhat character-building. The subsequent descent is very even if I've never quite hit 50 mph on it.
Now, the prevailing wind is along the coast, so I'd head inland towards Guines or Ardres, then aim for Wimereux, then up the D940 coast road with the wind behind you.

 

[velovoice]

A group of CycleChatters went over for one day in April. Our planned route was this (as recommended above by @TheDoctor , but due to incredibly strong SW winds, we cut back to the coast earlier than planned - end result:

Lovely country, though. You can stay along the coast where it's flat but going inland is very rewarding with rolling hills - yes, some ups but some of the best descents ever.

 

[TheDoctor]

The SW wind can be a complete son of a motherless goat. I and a friend once did Wimereux to Calais in about 45 minutes, then grovelled into the wind for four hours to get back.
The trains were on strike.
Four. Sodding. Hours. All in bottom gear.
And lo! Much wine was drunk that evening

 

[velovoice]

The SW wind can be a complete son of a motherless goat. I and a friend once did Wimereux to Calais in about 45 minutes, then grovelled into the wind for four hours to get back.
The trains were on strike.
Four. Sodding. Hours. All in bottom gear.
And lo! Much wine was drunk that evening

Yeah, our group took a sudden democratic decision to cut the ride short in favour of BEER! Totally great day though.
Just got back from Bank Holiday weekend cycling from Cherbourg to Dieppe with the Fridays - awesome!

 

[velovoice]

Hi
I am going to France (crossing with bike) one day with a friend and would like to get some advice on a nice route from Calais.
We will arrive at 9am and need to be in Calais by 5pm.
Not sure whether to go south, east or west.

Advice greatly received :-)

Thanks

@xxmimixx , you might like to post up in the CC Informal Rides sub-forum as well, as I'm sure you'll get loads of route suggestions there as well.

 

[xxmimixx]

Brilliant thank you all. Was thinking about going to Boulogne but was not aware of the winds so will check that nearest to leaving.

 

[xxmimixx]

A group of CycleChatters went over for one day in April. Our planned route was this (as recommended above by @TheDoctor , but due to incredibly strong SW winds, we cut back to the coast earlier than planned - end result:
View attachment 90368
Lovely country, though. You can stay along the coast where it's flat but going inland is very rewarding with rolling hills - yes, some ups but some of the best descents ever.

Thanks for this velovoice do you have the original one by any chance?

 

[velovoice]

Thanks for this velovoice do you have the original one by any chance?

Yep - it's in my post, linked on the word "this". Also:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6780811
The word "revised" in the route title simply refers to removal of a few b*st*rd hills after @Flying Dodo did the reccie ride a few weeks before we all went.
Re Boulogne -- I'd double check ferries, I think options for that port have dropped off in recent years. @Flying Dodo will know a lot more on that for sure.

 

[velovoice]

Brilliant thank you all. Was thinking about going to Boulogne but was not aware of the winds so will check that nearest to leaving.

ALL of northern France is subject to strong southwesterlies. If you're going over just for one day to ride out from a Channel port, you can't avoid this. The upside is that hopefully you'll enjoy strong tailwinds for at least part of your day. And, the hills are worth the effort as the descents are just luverly -- smooth tarmack, good sightlines, and on the quieter roads, no traffic - you can fly!

 

[xxmimixx]

Thanks Velovoice, we are arriving in Calais and one of the routes I was thinking of was going from Calais to Boulogne. IT's supposed to eb a heat wave next weekend so hopefully we might get lucky :-)
However may prepare two routes in case it is really really windy and taking the life out of us!

 

[velovoice]

Thanks Velovoice, we are arriving in Calais and one of the routes I was thinking of was going from Calais to Boulogne. IT's supposed to eb a heat wave next weekend so hopefully we might get lucky :-)
However may prepare two routes in case it is really really windy and taking the life out of us!

Sounds good! Just take plenty of water. Though to be fair, it's easier in France to get bottle top-ups than in the UK - most villages have a town pump. Also, graveyards (at churchs) will have a pump. And the French are really good at putting a sign up if the water isn't drinkable (non potable).
As for routes - probably no need to prepare 2. If you're going out and back from Calais to Boulogne, you'll have headwinds first so just keep going til you can take it no more, then turn around and let the wind blow you back to Calais!

 

[Hill Wimp]

This is one query I can definitely help with. I was over there at the end of April and stayed at Wimereux, just north of Boulogne. I rode up the coast to Cap Gris-nez and back, mostly on the quiet coast road, the D940, and it was superb. Great views across to the White Cliffs of Dover, and an interesting museum in one of the blockhouses of the Atlantic wall near Audinghen and lots of snack bars/friteries/cafes everywhere. Loved every minute of it.

We drove back to Calais the next day, and I made a mental note to do a day trip this way some time in the future. Near Escalles, the D940 has some lovely sweeping bends and a nice descent (Southwards) or climb (Northwards) that I really fancied the look of. Further South the road cuts through the sand dunes between Audreselles/Ambleteuse and Wimereux, with occasional views of the English coast all the way to Boulogne.

I think it is only about 35km from Calais to Boulogne, so it should be quite possible to easily get as far as Ambleteuse or Wimereux and back in a day. It will be worth the effort of picking your way across Calais from and back to the ferry port.

I have had quite a few daytrips over the Channel before, and quite like nipping across the Belgian border to La Panne and Ypres. Some of the French towns to the East and South (such as Cassel and Bergues) are quite nice too but, in my opinion, I wouldn't bother riding there by bike. Too many big roads to cross, Too many lorries using the minor roads as rat runs to the ports, and not enough scenery. (Very flat and quite industrial, with only slagheaps for hills). GO SOUTH WEST ON THE D940 COAST ROAD and you won't regret it.

Whats the mileage and whats the route like from Calais to Ypres ?

 

[Donger]

Whats the mileage and whats the route like from Calais to Ypres ?

Not sure about that, i'm afraid. But judging from my "Nord/Pas de Calais" map, it looks to be (roughly) about 90-100km to Ypres. Wouldn't bother myself, (although Ypres is very nice) but if i was doing it, I'd probably deviate very slightly to take in Cassel on the way - the only hill for miles around, so decent views from the top, and a pleasant enough little town. Perhaps worth taking in Bergues on the return leg to make a loop of it ... but to call any of it "scenic" would be stretching it.