FNRttC The Fridays tour 2014

[mmmmartin]

I was party to a conversation with Mmmmmartin last summer where he was speaking from his garret window and, I am convinced, tackle out at the time.

That room was too cold to be tackle out, I can assure you.

 

[mmmmartin]

If the beach near Royan is the one I am thinking of, swimming trunks will NOT be necessary

Actually, extensive research - of text as well as photographs - on the interwebs suggests that is a different beach. Which the route does not actually go to. Yet.

 

[ianmac62]

White Van Man here! I've done the white van bit at Caen last year supporting a CTC tour from Caen to Cannes. This is what works well:

As mmmMartin has said, we'll cross on the day of the Friday. I plan to travel by train on the Thursday from Northampton to Euston and Waterloo to Portsmouth. I'll pedal on a light bike with thin tyres and no rack, and carry what I want to take in a rucksack. Three miles from my house to NMP station. Three miles (if that) from EUS to WAT. A mile (if that) from PMS to the Travelodge.

On the Friday, a mile (if that) from Travelodge to Portsmouth ferry terminal. At Ouistreham, half-a-mile from the ferry through the terminal to the Hotel Normandie.

That worked well for me last August. So, at the start of our tour in June, that is all you would have to do. In fact, slightly shorter in Ouistreham as, on the Saturday morning, mmmMartin and I will meet you at the terminal gates with the van ready for your luggage.

[When mmmMartin and I cross to Ouistreham on the Friday, we will leave our luggage at the hotel and pedal in to Caen - 90% by a cycle path; put bikes in van and return to Ouistreham.]

On the Saturday at the end of our tour, many people will be getting the 1630 ferry from Ouistreham. We will meet you at Caen railway station, handing your bike to you there. mmmMartin and I will be dependent on the time that Europcar (or whoever) want the van back and/or when their Caen office closes and/or we need to get the van back before another 24 hours is added to the hire and/or how easy it will be to find a recycling centre for the disposal of the wood from the frame mmmMartin is going to erect in the van for the bikes. The car- and van-hire offices in Caen are in the Place de la Gare.

I don't think it's possible to get the bikes out at Caen Place de la Gare and put your luggage into the van and drive it to Ouistreham because of all those and/ors in the last para, although I'll defer to mmmMartin on this point.

mmmMartin and I have already decided that we will catch the overnight crossing, 2300 from Ouistreham, just in case there are people whose travel arrangements back from Bordeaux mean they get to Caen late.

Thus mmmMartin and I will be pedalling from Caen Place de la Gare to Ouistreham in the early evening. I'll be carrying what I've taken in a rucksack and that worked well - even in the rain - last September. Here's a record of my route:

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2183754

and you'll see that, of the 9.8 miles only the first mile is on road and then it's cycle path alongside a canal. It is smooth, well surfaced with tarmac, and there are no gradients.

So, what I'm saying is that you could easily use a light bike without panniers and carry your stuff in a rucksack.

 

[rvw]

Just in case my previous post wasn't clear, srw and I will not be returning from Bordeaux on the Saturday: so you don't have to find room for the tandem, or the big case for it, in the van heading back north.

However, I've got a question about when we arrive in Bordeaux on the Friday evening: the place we have stayed before (which is lovely - and available) is http://www.ecolodgedeschartrons.com/ which is here - very close to the river, so possibly along the river route* that mmmartin is looking at. If we do end up cycling in that way, and if the van also uses the river-front road, would it be possible for us to liaise with the van along that stretch (there is parking) to collect our luggage, rather than coming all the way down to the station? I am not suggesting Ian tries to negotiate the one-way system to find our B&B (done that, know it is a nightmare).

Plan B, if that can't work, could be for us to rendezvous with the van at the station, then for me to take the bags back to the B&B by tram while srw cycles the tandem by himself.

*I seem to remember that the cycle/shared path between the main road and the river, at least along the Quai des Chartrons, is very pleasant.

 

[mmmmartin]

I am not suggesting Ian tries to negotiate the one-way system to find our B&B (done that, know it is a nightmare).

Ian will have my satnav in the van so negotiating the one way system in Bordeaux will be slow but do-able. He will also have the best maps money can buy. The recce will check out where your hotel is. Given the unavoidable size and absolute necessity of your Large Box For The Tandem, I hope efforts can be made to get it to your hotel without the palaver of tram+huge box+RVW and the drama of SRW alone in charge of a tandem, possibly with both humans in this drama having imbibed too much at lunchtime given that this is the last day.
So unworry.

 

[mmmmartin]

By heck that hotel looks lovely. Pricey, and a bit of shlep to catch the 5:30am train on the Saturday morning. But nice.

 

[ianmac62]

No worries, rvw. I'm sure we can sort something out so that I deliver your big box and luggage to your hotel. Have maps, have satnav.

I see it's near CAPC, the art gallery, and I remember that part of Bordeaux. My son studied at Universitaire II there. As a result, I've driven hire cars & a hire van in the city before.

The trams are good but I remember them being very crowded the evening we went to Girondins v Anderlecht in a European match.

 

[rvw]

By heck that hotel looks lovely. Pricey, and a bit of shlep to catch the 5:30am train on the Saturday morning. But nice.

It is absolutely lovely - but you're right, not cheap, and only do-able specifically because we aren't doing the early start. It has rooms free at the moment, if anyone else who isn't heading straight back is interested.

No worries, rvw. I'm sure we can sort something out so that I deliver your big box and luggage to your hotel. Have maps, have satnav.

I see it's near CAPC, the art gallery, and I remember that part of Bordeaux. My son studied at Universitaire II there. As a result, I've driven hire cars & a hire van in the city before.

The trams are good but I remember them being very crowded the evening we went to Girondins v Anderlecht in a European match.

Thanks!

 

[andyman]

Just in case my previous post wasn't clear, srw and I will not be returning from Bordeaux on the Saturday: so you don't have to find room for the tandem, or the big case for it, in the van heading back north.

However, I've got a question about when we arrive in Bordeaux on the Friday evening: the place we have stayed before (which is lovely - and available) is http://www.ecolodgedeschartrons.com/ which is here - very close to the river, so possibly along the river route* that mmmartin is looking at. If we do end up cycling in that way, and if the van also uses the river-front road, would it be possible for us to liaise with the van along that stretch (there is parking) to collect our luggage, rather than coming all the way down to the station? I am not suggesting Ian tries to negotiate the one-way system to find our B&B (done that, know it is a nightmare).

Plan B, if that can't work, could be for us to rendezvous with the van at the station, then for me to take the bags back to the B&B by tram while srw cycles the tandem by himself.

*I seem to remember that the cycle/shared path between the main road and the river, at least along the Quai des Chartrons, is very pleasant.

So there was this bloke with a fox, a goose and a bag of grain. He came upon a river and the only way to cross the river was in a boat that would only hold ......

 

[ianmac62]

Why did he have a fox? Come to mention it, why did that other person run the taps to fill the bath but not put the plug in?

A train leaves Bordeaux at the same time as another train leaves Caen. Assuming that ...

 

[ianmac62]

they travel at the same speed, how long is a Welshman's leg?

How long does it take two workmen to dig half a hole?

 

[theclaud]

I hate to have to say this, but I do detect an element of silliness creeping in.

 

[Andrew Br]

Just getting up or just going to bed TC ?

.

 

[Tacey]

All Accommodation cost so far.
I have booked a cabin for the outward ferry, if anyone wants to share ?

Ok, so these are the hotels you've actually booked into?

 

[mmmmartin]

These are the hotels I booked for Ian and myself. Previous comments by others show the ones they have booked. There is a lot of overlap, but do not worry, if you are elsewhere your bags should get to you. Just be nice to Ian......

Saturday, June 14 Domfront, http://www.hoteldefrance-fr.com
Sunday June 15 Laval http://www.campanile.com/en/hotels/campanile-laval-ouest
Monday June 16 Angers http://ibishotel.ibis.com/gb/hotel-0848-ibis-angers-centre/index.shtml
Tuesday June 17 Cholet .http://www.campanile-cholet.fr/en/index.aspx
Wednesday June 18 La Rochelle http://ibishotel.ibis.com/gb/hotel-0638-ibis-la-rochelle-vieux-port/index.shtml
Thursday June 19Royan http://www.bellevue-pontaillac.com/
Friday June 20 Bordeaux http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-1561-ibis-bordeaux-centre-gare-saint-jean/index.shtmlwhich is close to the railway station - remember the 5.30am train on the Saturday morning and go for this hotel.