Our London to Paris ride with children

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Thanks...

for your brilliant report.When I began to read it I wrongly assumed that it was on one of those widely advertised charity rides so i was amazed on reading further that this was organised and cycled just by your family. Absolutely amazing well done to you all but a special well done to the children. You have managed to achieve something at your young ages that this 59 year old man has yet to do.
What is they cycling term thry use Chapeau to you all.
 

pubrunner

Legendary Member
A brilliant achievement & a great write-up !

I'm seriously considering taking my lads on the C2C run and reading a posting like this will hopefully give them some encouragement.

Well done !!!
 
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crisscross

Senior Member
Thanks for the plaudits, the organised charity events wouldn't allow children and besides which I'm not sure they would have stopped at every ice cream shop and play park en route like we did!

Would love to do the c2c with ours but it is probably too hilly for me.
 
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crisscross

Senior Member
I have been asked by a few people for the route, not sure if I should post here or on a new thread so please advise if it is wrong.

Our route was pretty straightforward.

We borrowed some of it from the experts - Donald Hirsch and Howie from a different website, plus some good advice from JackE

For the section on the canal into Paris we used

http://pgoh13.free.fr/velo_english.html

As for Paris itself, we just blagged it and pointed our bikes towards the pointy tower!

If anyone wants any more info, please just let me know.

But bear in mind there are other routes available that have been done by cyclists that have far more experience and local knowledge than us.


Overview

01-1.jpg


From Dieppe to Avenue Verte:

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From Forges les Eaux

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to Gournay

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From Gournay McDonald's to D2

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D2 to Auteuil

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Auteuil to Ully St Georges
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Ully to Blaincourt les Precy

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Blaincourt to Foret to Chantilly

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Chantilly to Plailly

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Plailly to Saint Mard

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St Mard to Gressy

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summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
If you have a google map route of it, are you able to share the map itself by making it public... never done it myself ... but noticed it as an option previously.
 
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crisscross

Senior Member
It never seems to work for me unfortunately - (I tried to email the route to a friend) and it wouldn't let me save it for some reason.

Anyone can save these images of the route and print them off - that is what we did.

It really is very straightforward to follow though.
 

Cathryn

Legendary Member
crisscross said:
It's partly your fault as well!

If your Leeds Liverpool canal trip hadn't inspired us to do our first trek last summer we wouldn't have made it to this one.

We won't be copying any more of your adventures though as they are well out of our league.

I've just seen this message...am delighted I helped!!! Go on....take a month off!!

I'm quite tempted to do your Paris trip...am dreaming of it now.
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Just noticed this. I take it you wouldn't want to know that the problem on the Avenuue Verte that caused the detour up a big hill was a section of subsidence 5 yards long, that could easily be bypassed on the grass verge?
 
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crisscross

Senior Member
Hi Doctor, I just read your post on another thread - gutted!

The hill on the diversion was the only part of the whole journey where Jack got off and walked.

The Avenue Verte was excellent but probably boring for serious cyclists.

We loved the canal l'ourcq too.
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
If it's any consolation, we dutifully followed the diversion on the way out, and ignored it on the way back because we'd miss the ferry otherwise. I didn't enjoy that hill very much. I was on a Brompton!!!
 
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crisscross

Senior Member
We were amazed how fast we covered the AV up until that point and really should have taken a look at the problem.

Jack's gears are rubbish and he couldn't get into first hence the walk.

In the end I went back down and turned the gear for him before cursing as I realised I had to get up the hill again.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
TheDoctor said:
Just noticed this. I take it you wouldn't want to know that the problem on the Avenuue Verte that caused the detour up a big hill was a section of subsidence 5 yards long, that could easily be bypassed on the grass verge?

That sums up the French - over here they'd just leave the subsidence in as a feature....

We found our route barred on the road at one point, just before Sables d'Ollonne and while a workman was telling us we couldn't go through (we could see that the road was rideable, although had been scraped, so was rough), his boss came over and ordered him to shift the barriers and let us through...:ohmy:

Anyway, sounds like a fantastic trip crisscross, well done!:sad:
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
JackE said:
Thank you for a very inspirational write up and great photos. When you get Jack a "proper bike" the sky's the limit.
What about Paris to Brussels next time!!!!! About the same distance, it starts and finishes on canals and is a fantastic ride.

Ah, I see what you're dong there - tricking them into going round the world, one holiday at a time...
 
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