Tacey
Über Member
Yay!!!! Sonia!!!!!
FNRttC The Fridays' Tour, 2018
- Thread starter mmmmartin
- Start date
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StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Yay! Both of you!
Tacey
Über Member
Haha! This post came into my inbox as, "Yay! Ladies!" I'm thinking that maybe you edited this to avoid confusion (us being ladies, paucity of female attendees, etc.)Yay! Both of you!
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Correct!
Hi Tacey. You are added to the Conversation. See upthread there for itinerary (page 7? 11th June??) although Sunday now reversed and may be further amended.
Meet ready to leave at 9.30 Sunday by the Cathedral
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Done.
Last edited:
Tacey
Über Member
My phone doesn't have enough memory to join - and more importantly I don't have enough time to join just now. I'll sort this later. For now, if you need to contact me, can you text me on my mobile?
OP
OP
mmmmartin
Random geezer
So it begins. We're gathering at ports across northern France and travelling by car, bike and train to Lisieux.
It's very warm, about 25 degrees.
There'll probably be updates posted here.
And after we return, a thread about next year. But let's get this one done first.
It's very warm, about 25 degrees.
There'll probably be updates posted here.
And after we return, a thread about next year. But let's get this one done first.
This post originally appeared on The Fridays'Facebook page, where it is illustrated with photos.
The 2018 Fridays' "French Leave" Tour was based in Lisieux (Calvados, Normandy, France).
11 women and 14 men enjoyed 6 days of cycling, conversation and refreshments.
Destinations included Livarot, St Pierre sur Dives, Pont L'Évèque, Cormeilles, Le Bec Hellouin, Pont Audemer, Orbec, Bernay and Beuvron en Auge as well as a host of other pretty villages.
Activities included a visit to the Busnel Calvados Distillery; the Cathedral, the museum and St Theresa's Basilica in Lisieux; the Bayeux Tapestry; the seaside and markets in Pont L'Évêque and Livarot.
The roads were almost always quiet with good surfaces but no Fridays' Tour would be complete without some comedy off-roading, missed turnings, farmyards and steep descents down rough lanes.
It's a region with river valleys cutting through a plateau so there were short hills with gradients of 7 to 10% but lots of undulating kilometres through a green and gold landscape of fields and forest interspersed with charming half-timbered buildings.
Here are some pictures; others will I hope post more.
There will be a Tour in 2019. If you like the sound of the French Leave, look out for details.
The 2018 Fridays' "French Leave" Tour was based in Lisieux (Calvados, Normandy, France).
11 women and 14 men enjoyed 6 days of cycling, conversation and refreshments.
Destinations included Livarot, St Pierre sur Dives, Pont L'Évèque, Cormeilles, Le Bec Hellouin, Pont Audemer, Orbec, Bernay and Beuvron en Auge as well as a host of other pretty villages.
Activities included a visit to the Busnel Calvados Distillery; the Cathedral, the museum and St Theresa's Basilica in Lisieux; the Bayeux Tapestry; the seaside and markets in Pont L'Évêque and Livarot.
The roads were almost always quiet with good surfaces but no Fridays' Tour would be complete without some comedy off-roading, missed turnings, farmyards and steep descents down rough lanes.
It's a region with river valleys cutting through a plateau so there were short hills with gradients of 7 to 10% but lots of undulating kilometres through a green and gold landscape of fields and forest interspersed with charming half-timbered buildings.
Here are some pictures; others will I hope post more.
There will be a Tour in 2019. If you like the sound of the French Leave, look out for details.
OP
OP
mmmmartin
Random geezer
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
The majority of us came back yesterday or today, and one half of our ride not-leadership is still in France and will be returning to Blighty on Eurostar from the Gare du Nord. Whereas I came back home Friday night, on account of Ministry playing London last night. I have never missed a London show from them, and didn't intend to start, though going early from a ride, let alone a tour, always feels like unfinished business. So, after a fast hard ride on Friday, a fast hard (rock) night out last night (got back 2am). Gig was worth the bother, btw, absolute blinder…
Anyway, back to Saturday. Having failed to get the Friday night off work, thus making getting the Friday night sailing to Ouistreham Im Possible (at least without arranging to get out of work a bit early, and even then a mad rush that would probably not succeed in making the boat anyway) , it was an early start for the 8.15 sailing (panniers packed Friday). Alarm set for six, I was at the car lanes at five to seven, well in advance of the 7.30 check-in deadline. John was on the same sailing. I couldn't put a face to the name, and I was a little concerned that no other cyclists seemed to be present. Didn't have his phone number, and no idea where he was. Then I boarded the ferry, and there was his bike. Phew. Later on, I saw him and recognised the face immediately. It turns out that after attending the First Night of the Proms, he'd got a late train down to Pompey and mooched around the city all night. After a pleasant crossing, arriving bang on schedule, we rode off towards Lisieux together. I had the GPX track, John had an IGN map of the area, and we'd compared notes on the boat. Our routes differed but for the first part having some company proved very handy. A short section of gravel track south of Bavent appealed to neither of us and John had a better solution- just ride through Bavent. After a while, we parted company, my speed picked up a bit but I also had to make an unexpected detour to avoid another gravel track, which added another few miles to the distance (I'm sure the error was mine in creating the GPX from Martin's Google Earth track, rather than that track itself). Back on course, and my expected arrival time at the hotel had gone from six to six-thirty, to somewhat later. Actually made it to the Ibis budget (just outside of town on the D613 dual carriageway, and I didn't find the optimal route there from the town for a couple of days) at 7.30. Still not too bad. The hotel proved a most excellent base- ground floor room to the chain's usual standards with all the mod cons I needed, reception were happy for me to store the bike in it, and a decent breakfast. Did pop back to the cathedral to see if any fellow tourists were about, but ended up dining alone at the Buffalo Grill just along the road from the Ibis. Fittingly given my choice of steed, had the Tennessee Burger.
Sunday. In the breakfast room at the hotel, the TV was showing the BFMTV 24 hour news channel. Apparently, there was a football match on. Everything else was reduced to headlines on their ticker, even the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Nice. BFM had presenters and pundits waving flags in the studio, vox pops on the Champs Elysees and in Moscow, a reporter in Macon, the home town of Antoine Griezmann, social media stuff of people waving flags etc…like they'd seen the hagiographic coverage of royal weddings and decided it wasn't obsessive and sycophantic enough. Meanwhile, some of us had better things to do, like going for a bike ride. The morning meet at the cathedral square was the first time we were all together. Today's route headed SE to Livarot (coffee etc) and then St-Pierre-Sur-Dives for lunch. More evidence, as if it were needed after the riding the previous day, of just how lumpy the terrain is in Calvados. No mountains by any means, but with a lot of climbing. Strava reckoned 2,838 ft in 50.6 miles- on a par with most of my centuries up to NW Hampshire or Salisbury and back. Some of the roads were all too reminiscent of Hampshire lanes too (potholes and gravel, all they needed was some patronisingly stupid signs about maintaining them). Hot too, and at one point some of us went for a paddle....
It was very hot most of the week, though we had some respite mid week. Friday was a bit different. As per usual, my preferred method of applying sunscreen (very liberally) proved a magnet for road grot and insects. But better that than burning. Food en route proved most excellent- Livarot was a lovely coffee stop, and St-Pierre had a most excellent brasserie, two courses for €11. Just the ticket before a spot more climbing on the way home. After the usual evening routine for the next few days (shower, kit laundry), back in to town to find boisterous but entirely amicable celebrations of the match in full swing and horn. Rendezvous with Steve, Kev and Peter at a brasserie, where we enjoyed excellent food and peace and quiet. No, it wasn't quiet, at some point there may have been no car horns blaring or people leaning out of cars with flags singing loudly, but they were brief interludes. Clear winner: guy in a Twingo, humming Seven Nation Army on a traffic cone.
More to follow, probably....
Anyway, back to Saturday. Having failed to get the Friday night off work, thus making getting the Friday night sailing to Ouistreham Im Possible (at least without arranging to get out of work a bit early, and even then a mad rush that would probably not succeed in making the boat anyway) , it was an early start for the 8.15 sailing (panniers packed Friday). Alarm set for six, I was at the car lanes at five to seven, well in advance of the 7.30 check-in deadline. John was on the same sailing. I couldn't put a face to the name, and I was a little concerned that no other cyclists seemed to be present. Didn't have his phone number, and no idea where he was. Then I boarded the ferry, and there was his bike. Phew. Later on, I saw him and recognised the face immediately. It turns out that after attending the First Night of the Proms, he'd got a late train down to Pompey and mooched around the city all night. After a pleasant crossing, arriving bang on schedule, we rode off towards Lisieux together. I had the GPX track, John had an IGN map of the area, and we'd compared notes on the boat. Our routes differed but for the first part having some company proved very handy. A short section of gravel track south of Bavent appealed to neither of us and John had a better solution- just ride through Bavent. After a while, we parted company, my speed picked up a bit but I also had to make an unexpected detour to avoid another gravel track, which added another few miles to the distance (I'm sure the error was mine in creating the GPX from Martin's Google Earth track, rather than that track itself). Back on course, and my expected arrival time at the hotel had gone from six to six-thirty, to somewhat later. Actually made it to the Ibis budget (just outside of town on the D613 dual carriageway, and I didn't find the optimal route there from the town for a couple of days) at 7.30. Still not too bad. The hotel proved a most excellent base- ground floor room to the chain's usual standards with all the mod cons I needed, reception were happy for me to store the bike in it, and a decent breakfast. Did pop back to the cathedral to see if any fellow tourists were about, but ended up dining alone at the Buffalo Grill just along the road from the Ibis. Fittingly given my choice of steed, had the Tennessee Burger.
Sunday. In the breakfast room at the hotel, the TV was showing the BFMTV 24 hour news channel. Apparently, there was a football match on. Everything else was reduced to headlines on their ticker, even the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Nice. BFM had presenters and pundits waving flags in the studio, vox pops on the Champs Elysees and in Moscow, a reporter in Macon, the home town of Antoine Griezmann, social media stuff of people waving flags etc…like they'd seen the hagiographic coverage of royal weddings and decided it wasn't obsessive and sycophantic enough. Meanwhile, some of us had better things to do, like going for a bike ride. The morning meet at the cathedral square was the first time we were all together. Today's route headed SE to Livarot (coffee etc) and then St-Pierre-Sur-Dives for lunch. More evidence, as if it were needed after the riding the previous day, of just how lumpy the terrain is in Calvados. No mountains by any means, but with a lot of climbing. Strava reckoned 2,838 ft in 50.6 miles- on a par with most of my centuries up to NW Hampshire or Salisbury and back. Some of the roads were all too reminiscent of Hampshire lanes too (potholes and gravel, all they needed was some patronisingly stupid signs about maintaining them). Hot too, and at one point some of us went for a paddle....
It was very hot most of the week, though we had some respite mid week. Friday was a bit different. As per usual, my preferred method of applying sunscreen (very liberally) proved a magnet for road grot and insects. But better that than burning. Food en route proved most excellent- Livarot was a lovely coffee stop, and St-Pierre had a most excellent brasserie, two courses for €11. Just the ticket before a spot more climbing on the way home. After the usual evening routine for the next few days (shower, kit laundry), back in to town to find boisterous but entirely amicable celebrations of the match in full swing and horn. Rendezvous with Steve, Kev and Peter at a brasserie, where we enjoyed excellent food and peace and quiet. No, it wasn't quiet, at some point there may have been no car horns blaring or people leaning out of cars with flags singing loudly, but they were brief interludes. Clear winner: guy in a Twingo, humming Seven Nation Army on a traffic cone.
More to follow, probably....
Last edited:
OP
OP
mmmmartin
Random geezer
Was it only two weeks ago? Seems like a lifetime.
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Tardy tour report, part two....
Monday. For some reason, the hotel breakfast room was fairly quiet.....today's route was about cheese (town at least) and wine..er...Calvados (drinking included). One of those traditional visitations at the start point was dealt with, and Kev gave a demonstration of pumping prowess to an appreciative audience....
Once that was dealt with, first we went north, through Coquainvilliers and Le Breuil-en-Auge, and then NE for a bit before swinging back west to Pont L'Eveque. It was market day and somewhat manic. Cheese apparently hard to find, but it would turn to fondue in that heat...An extremely good advert for banning cars from town centres, bikes made far more sense. The usual boulangerie (this not-touring tour business is hard work, you know)-then-coffee routine, before we continued east, then south east, to Cormeilles, where we had an appointment for a distillery tour. But all that riding (another 18km!) had worked up an appetite. So first, a leisurely lunch stop. Some went for the brasserie option, self and a few others went for a boulangerie's 'meal deal' then a café. And others fancied a nap.....
And then, round the corner (ish) to our 2.30 appointment at the Busnel Calvados distillery. Our guide Clémence proved a most excellent host, with a quick wit (threatening to show the introductory movie in German! ) and as for the few terms she didn't know in English, our collective knowledge of booze, science, and booze filled in the gaps. There were presses, stills, the bottling plant, and most of all there were lots of barrels...this was one of nine barns where the stuff matures....
And there were lots more where the matured article was stored....Unlike some other Calvados distilleries, Busnel largely stick to blends rather than single-year vintages.
And then, of course, the bit only a cynic would say was the main attraction.....
Now, as many of you know, I'm not much of a drinker, ever. Beer, wine.....If I can taste the alcohol, that pretty much drowns out whatever it is you're supposed to taste. Spirits, OTOH…those, I get the flavour. I have the odd snifter on an FNR if a hip flask is offered. So, I felt duty bound to partake of what was offered. It was a terrible burden. The outer ring of glasses: Pommeau de Normandie, a blend of Calvados with apple juice, 17% proof. Jolly nice, smooth, light taste. Middle ring: Calvados, 40% proof. Apart from the potency, a deeper, richer, more intense flavour. Inner ring: Liqueur cream. My personal favourite. The cream took the edge off the heat, without losing the flavour. SIS, Torq, High5…how about Calvados gels? No, I do not mean Calvados flavoured gels, just put some Calvados in a gel. Judging by the way I managed the climbs in the rest of the ride, they would really do the trick. Ideal carb-loading....
And then, back to Lisieux via coffee in Moyaux. There was an art installation in the cathedral square....someone tried it for size...
(Very nice titanium bicycle is not part of the exhibit....
)
A group dinner tonight...about ten of us went to the most excellent brasserie from Sunday night, only to be told the kitchen couldn't handle that many of us (?!!!)…so over the road to a pizzeria that was more than happy to serve us, and did a great job. Pasta with chicken followed by tiramisu in my case
Monday. For some reason, the hotel breakfast room was fairly quiet.....today's route was about cheese (town at least) and wine..er...Calvados (drinking included). One of those traditional visitations at the start point was dealt with, and Kev gave a demonstration of pumping prowess to an appreciative audience....
Once that was dealt with, first we went north, through Coquainvilliers and Le Breuil-en-Auge, and then NE for a bit before swinging back west to Pont L'Eveque. It was market day and somewhat manic. Cheese apparently hard to find, but it would turn to fondue in that heat...An extremely good advert for banning cars from town centres, bikes made far more sense. The usual boulangerie (this not-touring tour business is hard work, you know)-then-coffee routine, before we continued east, then south east, to Cormeilles, where we had an appointment for a distillery tour. But all that riding (another 18km!) had worked up an appetite. So first, a leisurely lunch stop. Some went for the brasserie option, self and a few others went for a boulangerie's 'meal deal' then a café. And others fancied a nap.....
And then, round the corner (ish) to our 2.30 appointment at the Busnel Calvados distillery. Our guide Clémence proved a most excellent host, with a quick wit (threatening to show the introductory movie in German!
) and as for the few terms she didn't know in English, our collective knowledge of booze, science, and booze filled in the gaps. There were presses, stills, the bottling plant, and most of all there were lots of barrels...this was one of nine barns where the stuff matures....And there were lots more where the matured article was stored....Unlike some other Calvados distilleries, Busnel largely stick to blends rather than single-year vintages.
And then, of course, the bit only a cynic would say was the main attraction.....
Now, as many of you know, I'm not much of a drinker, ever. Beer, wine.....If I can taste the alcohol, that pretty much drowns out whatever it is you're supposed to taste. Spirits, OTOH…those, I get the flavour. I have the odd snifter on an FNR if a hip flask is offered. So, I felt duty bound to partake of what was offered. It was a terrible burden. The outer ring of glasses: Pommeau de Normandie, a blend of Calvados with apple juice, 17% proof. Jolly nice, smooth, light taste. Middle ring: Calvados, 40% proof. Apart from the potency, a deeper, richer, more intense flavour. Inner ring: Liqueur cream. My personal favourite. The cream took the edge off the heat, without losing the flavour. SIS, Torq, High5…how about Calvados gels? No, I do not mean Calvados flavoured gels, just put some Calvados in a gel. Judging by the way I managed the climbs in the rest of the ride, they would really do the trick. Ideal carb-loading....
And then, back to Lisieux via coffee in Moyaux. There was an art installation in the cathedral square....someone tried it for size...
(Very nice titanium bicycle is not part of the exhibit....
)A group dinner tonight...about ten of us went to the most excellent brasserie from Sunday night, only to be told the kitchen couldn't handle that many of us (?!!!)…so over the road to a pizzeria that was more than happy to serve us, and did a great job. Pasta with chicken followed by tiramisu in my case
Last edited:
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