flatflr
Guru
- Location
- Just over here
Earlier in the year I decided that rather than do my normal summer holiday of loading the bike into the car and driving to France I would do a little tour, only problem was that I didn't have a touring bike. Having wanted to build my own bike for a while I decided that I'd do it myself. Wanting to try something a little different I picked up a SRAM Apex 1x system and a Genesis Croix de Fer frame, some Hope Twenty5 wheels and various other bits from Ebay I had a bike. Adding a rack, a pair of Ortlieb Back Roller Classic and a Ortlieb Bar Bag I had a tourer, of sorts.
I do have some camping kit but it's either a bit knackered or way to heavy so I upgrade my tent and sleeping bag made a ferry booking and it was all systems go for a weeks tour.
Day one – Newbury to Portsmouth
I'd planned to head off at 12:00 to get the overnight ferry to St Malo, but was all packed by 11:00 so decided to head off early. Avoiding as many hills as possible my route took me through Highclere, Winchester, Fairoak, Botley (where I stopped at a pub near Botley for probably the best burger and chips that I've ever had), then on through Wickham and over Portsdown Hill dropping down into Portsmouth in plenty of time for the ferry. On board, entrecote frites and a couple of pints and a good nights kip.
Day two – St Malo to Mont St Michel
First off the ferry I headed through the town of St Malo East following the coast as much as possible. After about 5 miles I passed an open store so popped in and picked up a baguette and some pate for lunch. Continuing East I changed from the road to a hard packed gravel cycle route through a farming area, getting hungry I stopped at the first convenient place I could find where I met a German couple who were doing a driving tour through Northern France. After lunch it was a short ride to the campsite at Mont St Michel for a mooch around, dinner, a couple of beers and a good nights sleep.
Day three – Mont St Michel to just north of Granville
Slightly overcast as I packed up and headed off roughly following the Route De La Baie up to Avranches where I missed my exit road. Heading North from the centre I ended up going down the steepest hill I've ever been down, I was just praying I wouldn't have to try and get back up, but found it dropped my onto the road I wanted, result! After a couple of miles I found my route barred by a new autoroute under construction with no way past, I back tracked and found another route. Dropping into a Super U I picked up a baguette and some cheese which I carried with me until I happened on a viewing point looking over the plage of Jullouville for lunch. After this is was a drop down to the road through Granville and on to the campsite. Arriving at my pitch I set up camp and had a look around. Popping down to the seafront I grabbed a pizza and headed back to my tent, noting that another cycle tourer had pitched next to me. While eating the other cycle tourer returned from the beach, saw me and asked where I got my pizza, and went off to get her own. On her return we got chatting and ended up sharing a bottle of wine, it turned out we were following a similar course just in different directions and at different paces.
Day four - Just north of Granville to Creances
We both packed up and at the same time and left the campsite together, saying goodbye to my fellow tourer I took a flat route heading North taking ages finding a boulangerie where I picked up a quiche and a jam filled biscuit thing and headed to the beach to eat it. After lunch I carried on North and found a nice campsite in the dunes (turns out it was the same campsite my cycle touring acquaintance had stayed at after following each other on Komoot). Popped to the shop for a tin of cassoulet and a couple of beers.
I do have some camping kit but it's either a bit knackered or way to heavy so I upgrade my tent and sleeping bag made a ferry booking and it was all systems go for a weeks tour.
Day one – Newbury to Portsmouth
I'd planned to head off at 12:00 to get the overnight ferry to St Malo, but was all packed by 11:00 so decided to head off early. Avoiding as many hills as possible my route took me through Highclere, Winchester, Fairoak, Botley (where I stopped at a pub near Botley for probably the best burger and chips that I've ever had), then on through Wickham and over Portsdown Hill dropping down into Portsmouth in plenty of time for the ferry. On board, entrecote frites and a couple of pints and a good nights kip.
Day two – St Malo to Mont St Michel
First off the ferry I headed through the town of St Malo East following the coast as much as possible. After about 5 miles I passed an open store so popped in and picked up a baguette and some pate for lunch. Continuing East I changed from the road to a hard packed gravel cycle route through a farming area, getting hungry I stopped at the first convenient place I could find where I met a German couple who were doing a driving tour through Northern France. After lunch it was a short ride to the campsite at Mont St Michel for a mooch around, dinner, a couple of beers and a good nights sleep.
Day three – Mont St Michel to just north of Granville
Slightly overcast as I packed up and headed off roughly following the Route De La Baie up to Avranches where I missed my exit road. Heading North from the centre I ended up going down the steepest hill I've ever been down, I was just praying I wouldn't have to try and get back up, but found it dropped my onto the road I wanted, result! After a couple of miles I found my route barred by a new autoroute under construction with no way past, I back tracked and found another route. Dropping into a Super U I picked up a baguette and some cheese which I carried with me until I happened on a viewing point looking over the plage of Jullouville for lunch. After this is was a drop down to the road through Granville and on to the campsite. Arriving at my pitch I set up camp and had a look around. Popping down to the seafront I grabbed a pizza and headed back to my tent, noting that another cycle tourer had pitched next to me. While eating the other cycle tourer returned from the beach, saw me and asked where I got my pizza, and went off to get her own. On her return we got chatting and ended up sharing a bottle of wine, it turned out we were following a similar course just in different directions and at different paces.
Day four - Just north of Granville to Creances
We both packed up and at the same time and left the campsite together, saying goodbye to my fellow tourer I took a flat route heading North taking ages finding a boulangerie where I picked up a quiche and a jam filled biscuit thing and headed to the beach to eat it. After lunch I carried on North and found a nice campsite in the dunes (turns out it was the same campsite my cycle touring acquaintance had stayed at after following each other on Komoot). Popped to the shop for a tin of cassoulet and a couple of beers.
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