Planning a bike trip? (page 32 of 37)

hi

prepping a few options

1 www.lavelofrancette.com/

2 www.canaldes2mersavelo.com/ ( mild temps starting in April )

3 www.lavelodyssee.com/itineraire/europe

for a warm-up, get your legs ready as soon as the good weather hits www.viarhona.com/ by doing option 2 you’ll end up in SÈTE, then just take the VIARHONA back up toward VALENCE

NEXT

Hi there, As mentioned, it’s true that it’s a bit of a gamble... For the guide, since I started from Nantes, I read it backward—😏—it’s well signposted in both directions. Just in big cities like Orléans or Tours, be careful not to miss a sign, but you can easily find your way by following the flow 😏

Well, my plan is coming together and getting confirmed: it’ll be the EV, along the Rhine from Strasbourg to Rotterdam, with a little detour to Amsterdam, I think :)

hi pascal

my wife and I cycled the Loire last summer

Nevers - Saint-Brevin and back to Nantes

the hardest part was the train from Nantes to Nevers

we did the trip in 11 days

I’m happy to email you all our stages if you’d like

the weak points: - you don’t really follow the Loire the whole way, but it’s still beautiful - if you want to visit the châteaux, you’ll need to make detours - the towpath gets narrow after OUDON—tricky with a trailer - there’s a missing sign on the Pont du Cher in Tours

otherwise, it was a fantastic journey, all in municipal campsites

let me know if you need anything

claude and cath

Thanks Claude for the info! I’ll send you a PM.

Hi there,

Back in June 2016, I cycled from Pointe du Raz to Basel—1,517 km in 17 days.

I followed the coast as closely as possible until Lorient, then joined the EuroVelo 6 in Saint-Nazaire and stuck with it all the way to Basel. Apart from the Breton section, which I found a bit tough at times, the rest wasn’t difficult at all. Going in this direction (the opposite of the roadbook) really helped because I had the wind at my back almost the whole way. Lucky, too, since out of 17 days, I had 9 days of rain—and major flooding along the Loire that forced me off my route more than once. Still, it was an amazing adventure, full of stunning landscapes and old castles. The only downside was how popular the EuroVelo 6 is between Angers and Blois—so many cyclists that it kind of lost that super-friendly vibe you usually find (and look for) on bike trips. Oh well… It was still awesome, and I’d totally encourage everyone to do it!

2016 isn’t over yet, actually— still writing up the stories. cbandiera.free.fr/recits/

But 2017’s already shaping up, and if Vélocio wills it, we’ll hit the road again— just dialing back the speed a notch, like every year. The list is ready: cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/projets.php Though we won’t make it everywhere. We’ll see how it goes. Here’s hoping winter doesn’t add too many extra grams!

Claudio from La Faverges

Claudio, we're eagerly waiting for your stories—are you planning to post videos too?

On our end, after last year’s success (thanks mostly to the great weather), we’re planning to start the 2016 raid where it ended: at Clelles (Mens) train station. Just to recap, we took small roads to admire these mountain ranges: Bauges, Chartreuse, Vercors, Drôme, Buëch, Dévoluy, and Trièves. In 2017, we’re thinking of crossing the Drôme via different routes to climb Montagne de Lure, cross the Luberon, and then… head back up through Ardèche? Or maybe the Loire’s source if we’re still in shape and the weather doesn’t turn the adventure into a disaster!

Yeah, I do have a few videos lying around, but they're not very good—I couldn’t film properly when I was rushing like that. You’ve got to take your time and think about what you're filming.

For now, I’m struggling to finish the Spanish travel journal: http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2016-barcelone/e8.php I’ll have to go back and proofread everything to fix the mistakes. The next part is still in the works. -- Bravo on your project! Your routes are really nice—Drôme, yeah, and Ardèche too. The downside is they’re pretty tough, but it all depends on the captain’s age, fitness, and, of course, motivation. Good luck with your prep!

As for me, I’ve had my fill—now I ride more on flat terrain… and yeah, at 97 kg for 1.66 m and 40 kg of bike (total weight), it’s getting pretty tough.

For the return through Ardèche and Gerbier de Jonc, I’ll take inspiration from your route, Claudio. I’m still climbing pretty well (touch wood), as long as I keep the stages short (50-60 km). The whole point is to avoid traffic by taking the back roads. By the way, I have a question about this: I’ve spotted the Col Saint Pierre / La Fairotte, which connects the Méouge Valley (starting from Lachau D24/D224) with the Jabron Valley (D603, Le Couvent, Noyers-sur-Jabron). It’s an unpaved pass—does anyone know it? I’d like to know if it’s doable on a hybrid bike or if a mountain bike would be better.

Hi Jean-Marie, We were there in June for ...Blois / Pornic ...headwind, rain too 😛. Campsite closed or even flooded, and mosquitoes everywhere ...just like they say 😉 But it was still really fun despite the idiots who slashed our tent with a box cutter in the middle of the night at the Montsoreau campsite ...(Candes Saint-Martin). Otherwise, great memories—can’t wait for spring 2017 for new adventures ...probably Nantes to Brest and back partly along the coast. Pascal



On the road ...

Hey Pascal, We must’ve crossed paths at some point... What are your plans for 2017?

Me, I’ve got two projects in the pipeline... Following the EuroVelo 6 from Basel to the Black Sea... or the Blues Route from Mobile (Alabama) to Toronto (Ontario). I’m torn between the two, but both routes are ready to go. Winter will help me decide... Inshallah. Jihem

What a great project you’ve got! Mine will probably be a bit more modest ;)

Hey everyone, 2017 will be the year of my retirement. So I’m thinking of marking the transition with a big bike trip—I’d leave on the first day of my newfound freedom (mid-September). Nothing’s set in stone yet, but I’m really drawn to the Middle East or the Maghreb. We’ll see...

Well, I'm leaving Monday 😉 for Santiago de Compostela—the route passes right by my place. Starting from Le Mas-d'Azil via the Voie des Piémonts, then Oloron-Sainte-Marie, the Somport Pass, and a little detour south of Pamplona to see the Bardenas Reales desert. Nadine

Great plan, Nadine! 😜 Safe travels!!

This post has been going for seven years—it’s awesome, and the ideas just keep coming. Long live cycling! www.janodou.com

Hi there! For my part, I’m leaving on March 9th or 10th for Portugal by mountain bike (MTB), taking the "Northern Way" via Santiago de Compostela. I’ll stick to back roads since the main path isn’t bike-friendly, and I’d rather not... carry it...

I’ll return via Salamanca, Burgos, and the Basque Way to get back to San Sebastián. Planned return is 4 to 5 weeks later...

I’m always surprised and delighted to see travel plans that are either very far-flung or just in a neighboring region. What a joy to share these encounters and understand this thirst for freedom expressed in all these posts! Safe travels to everyone!

This post is great! For my part, I’m planning a tour of Burgundy from May 3rd to 13th along the Burgundy Canals and Greenways and the Wine Route, but I won’t be going alone—about fifteen of my friends will be joining me. They’re coming from Belgium, northern France, the Paris region, Berry, Toulouse, Metz, and more... It’ll be like a "summer camp for adults," with bike-camping or staying in gîtes. We’ve put together a travel journal you can check out here: http://mesrandosvelo.e-monsite.com/agenda/tour-de-bourgogne-10-etapes-700-km.html

Safe travels to everyone, and enjoy your own adventure!