Which waterproof for southern France in May

[roundisland]

I am wondering which level of rain jacket to take to France next week, having never cycled there in May before not sure what to expect. Should I be packing a very lightweight jacket or something a bit more substantial. Any tips from those that have been before in May and what they packed would be useful.

Many thanks

 

[psmiffy]

Rain radar 1200 today - red = very heavy blue = just heavy


I have cycle toured in France, Spain Greece etc in May June and have been subjected to enough extended deluges to be thankfull that I do not own a light rain jacket - plus there is always the potential on the coast or in the hills for some pretty unaverage thunderstorms

 

[oldleggs]

I am wondering which level of rain jacket to take to France next week, having never cycled there in May before not sure what to expect. Should I be packing a very lightweight jacket or something a bit more substantial. Any tips from those that have been before in May and what they packed would be useful.

Many thanks

l'm off to France/Spain in late May. Down the west coast of France is my intended route but will no doubt wander a little bit. So any helpful info would be well appreciated by me also. Security of bike and equipment is my only real concern. Being lost for awhile doesn't bother me much....because you're not really lost, just that you're in a place you didn't want to see!!!!

Thanks.

 

[roundisland]

Rain radar 1200 today - red = very heavy blue = just heavy


I have cycle toured in France, Spain Greece etc in May June and have been subjected to enough extended deluges to be thankfull that I do not own a light rain jacket - plus there is always the potential on the coast or in the hills for some pretty unaverage thunderstorms

When you say light rain jacket do you mean one of those thin jackets that pack down t very small or more substantial rain jacket?

 

[psmiffy]

I only own proper Goretex 4 layer or whatever they call them - my experience is that a light jacket (and particulaly sans leggings overshoes etc) is as much good as a choclate fireguard if you are going to spend all day on the bike in wet weather - even in warmish weather - it is easy to get cold very quickly if it is raining well when you are touring

Mind you one year (a bit later in the year ) I cycled 4500km through France and did not take the jacket out of its bag

 

[psmiffy]

l'm off to France/Spain in late May. Down the west coast of France is my intended route but will no doubt wander a little bit. So any helpful info would be well appreciated by me also. Security of bike and equipment is my only real concern. Being lost for awhile doesn't bother me much....because you're not really lost, just that you're in a place you didn't want to see!!!!

Thanks.

Expect it to rain

and do not get too paranoid about security - just take sensible precautions - I rarely lock my bike when I am at a campsite - sometimes lock it up at supermarkets - always lock it at tourist attractions

 

[andym]

I carry a jacket and a poncho - the latter for when things get really bad.

 

[roundisland]

Mind made up now full waterproofs and leggings are going to be packed. Great blog Psmiffy really enjoyed what I've read so far.

 

[Andy in Sig]

Always plan for a mega downpour. Get down to a bikeshop for a pair of waterproof overshoes and get down to Rohan for the jacket.

 

[srw]

On the other hand last June (see sig) I had a good quality breathable cagoule that packs small; Mrs W had a very cheap superior pack-a-mac. Neither of us had leggings. We got right royally pissed upon on more than one occasion, and it was on the chilly side of acceptable. There was one day that the rain came on so gradually that we were both wet through before realising it - and that was a day with a strong wind. So I'd suggest packing light, with a raintop but no bottoms.

That advice assumes that you are planning to end each day somewhere where you know there will be a hot shower and a dry bed waiting for you. If you're camping, all bets are off.

 

[andym]

That advice assumes that you are planning to end each day somewhere where you know there will be a hot shower and a dry bed waiting for you. If you're camping, all bets are off.

Even if you're camping you can get a hot shower and your tent and sleeping bag should mean you have somewhere warm and dry to sleep (so long as you don't pitch it somewhere silly).

It's important to have a set of dry warm clothes to change into though. A decent set of thermals is always worth having.

All that said, there's no shame in booking into a hotel if thinfs are reallt horrible.

 

[HelenD123]

Even if you're camping you can get a hot shower and your tent and sleeping bag should mean you have somewhere warm and dry to sleep (so long as you don't pitch it somewhere silly).

It's important to have a set of dry warm clothes to change into though. A decent set of thermals is always worth having.

All that said, there's no shame in booking into a hotel if thinfs are reallt horrible.

That's exactly what I did when the first storm of the season swept through northern California last Autumn. It rained for 24 hours and there were at least 4 other lots of cycle tourists taking shelter in various motels around town. I can handle a couple of consecutive wet nights camping but found the inside of my tent would start to get wet no matter how careful I was with the packing.

 

[Andy in Sig]

On the other hand last June (see sig) I had a good quality breathable cagoule that packs small; Mrs W had a very cheap superior pack-a-mac. Neither of us had leggings. We got right royally pissed upon on more than one occasion, and it was on the chilly side of acceptable. There was one day that the rain came on so gradually that we were both wet through before realising it - and that was a day with a strong wind. So I'd suggest packing light, with a raintop but no bottoms.

That advice assumes that you are planning to end each day somewhere where you know there will be a hot shower and a dry bed waiting for you. If you're camping, all bets are off.

That's right. Anybody can cope with wet legs but I suggest that a wet torso and certainly wet feet are a different matter altogether.

 

[Zoiders]

Goretex paclite jacket if you can afford one although having said that I have seen them turn up in the likes of TK Maxx a few times. If you aren't going to be in a BB/Hostel each night then be looking at a wet kit/dry kit routine when you stop for the night, it can make getting started again in the mornings miserable but it's not going to rain everyday.

 

[willem]

Getting wet is only a problem if it is also cold and/or windy. So I only take rain trousers if I can expect such weather. If that is the case, I can also use them as extra protection in the evenings. With milder temperatures, all I will take is a jacket, and my light Vaude overshoes. As for jackets, I think EVent is more comfortable than packlite. For France, you should realize that the law there requires high visibility vests or clothing at night or in bad weather. So a high viz rain jacket may be a good idea. The problem is that there are no certified EVent hi viz cycling jackets that I know of. Cheaper certified hi viz cycling jackets do exist from French suppliers. In the UK there is heavier hi viz Goretex workwear.
Willem