Rallye des Jonquilles 2014

Rallye des Jonquilles 2014

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benjj

Original Poster:

6,787 posts

162 months

Monday 2nd September 2013
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I know quite a few people have enjoyed previous years of the RdJ in northern France, just wondering if we may be able to put a decent sized group together from PH for next year.

For those that have not done it before it is pretty simple: a 1 day navigational rally around the NE/Flanders area of France, usually within an hours drive of Calais. It has always traditionally been on a Sunday so it is possible to do it without taking any time off work.

The cost is very reasonable, less than €100 for a crew of 2 which includes coffee/croissants in the morning, a good sit down lunch and some nibbles/grog at the end of the day.

I am going to enter with my usual navigator (johnfm off here) and I think we'll grab a ferry over the afternoon before and have a night on the last in Bethune before the start.

So, anyone up for it?

website here gives info from last year: http://www.lagrangeauxdamiers.com/categorie-102301...

2012 event




benjj

Original Poster:

6,787 posts

162 months

Tuesday 3rd September 2013
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Quick update as I've just spoken with Bruno about this.

The date is not set in stone yet but he is aiming for Sunday April 13th, 2014. That is the weekend AFTER the Easter weekend.

It will hopefully be centred around the town of Arras which is about 1 hour / 70 miles from the ferry port at Calais.

It is not possible to book yet but Bruno will let me know when we can and I'll update here.

Would be great to get a real selection of PHers and cars there, it really is a brilliant day.


johnfm

13,668 posts

249 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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I was about to email you about this.

I expect I will be going in my new red car (if it all goes to plan).

greengreenwood7

704 posts

190 months

Friday 6th September 2013
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i expect a bunch of the SKCC - southern kit\ car guys will be going on that, infact there's a group joining the Rallye that Bruno& JP are arranging in 2 weeks time......
so well organised, cant believe that more Brits dont get involved.....

moribund

4,030 posts

213 months

Friday 18th October 2013
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Thanks to this thread I've just spent over an hour reading old posts and looking at pics when I should have been in bed asleep - looks like a excellent day out.

moribund

4,030 posts

213 months

Sunday 20th October 2013
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Would someone mind confirming I've got this right?

- Cost is channel crossing, petrol, 1 night hotel and approx 100 euro entry fee per car? No prep or special equipment required save a toolkit and a few spares?
- Event is what, 3 or 4 hours navigation on tulip road book. 150 ish miles? I guess there are check points you must get to. I'm a total noob, how hard is it?
- Event finishes around 4pm so evening crossing and back to Yorkshire for midnight Sunday?

This looks a lot of fun if I can persuade someone to come with me (OH not a fan of my Elise and gets travel sick if reading in a car!)

It looks quite a relaxed event with an excellent selection of cars to drool over.

Is there anything like this in the UK? I'm not serious enough to road rallies and full on endurance events personally.

benjj

Original Poster:

6,787 posts

162 months

Sunday 20th October 2013
quotequote all
Yes, pretty much exactly how you say.

Travel down Sat morning, hotel around Bethune or Arras, sink a few beers.

Next morning arrive start around 0730, coffee and croissant, look at cars. Then 3 legs of rallying, each using prepared tulip roadbook. Each leg around 50-70km. Fast as you can/like smile

Leg 1
Coffee
Leg 2
Lunch
Leg 3
Finish, beers

Realistically if you don't want to take Monday off you could get a crossing back to Dover at about 7.30pm, arrive Dover local time of around 7pm ish then on to wherever.

I'll be there in the old Porsche and johnfm in his 67 Elan plus the SKCC dudes, it's a hoot!

moribund

4,030 posts

213 months

Sunday 20th October 2013
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Cheers Ben. Sounds remarkably un-intimidating!

Is the navigation quite straightforward, with no complicated time/distance stuff?

Freddie328

685 posts

200 months

Monday 21st October 2013
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It's a great event. We've done it for the last 3 years in the 328 and will be back next year. Navigating is easy, even I can do it and I'm a female!!! wink

benjj

Original Poster:

6,787 posts

162 months

Monday 21st October 2013
quotequote all
moribund said:
Cheers Ben. Sounds remarkably un-intimidating!

Is the navigation quite straightforward, with no complicated time/distance stuff?
In 2012 I did it 'en famille' in the DS. My wife navigated for the very first time and we took my 4 year old daughter and my 3 month old daughter. Bruno was very happy for us to compete in this way which was a refreshing change. Wife was placated with a 3 day stay at The Westminster in Le Touquet before hand which turned a cheap rally into a £5k 4 day mini holiday. Aaaaargh.

(Wife is actually breastfeeding the little one in this pic, the little red jacketed wiener in front is nothing to do with me, goes well with the car though...)



Anyway, the rally is not like the MSA/FIA stuff I do, it is purely a navigational rally. The roadbook is in easy to follow tulip format and NONE of it is timed. However, you get a feel for the French way of considering this rally when you leave on the first section. I was sandwiched between a SWB UR Quattro in full rally livery and a Ferrari 456. Lovely quiet burble through the villages and then all hell let lose on the open country roads. It was simply superb, absolutely flat out (where appropriate, d'accord smile).

I wouldn't think twice about having a go with a first time navigator as it is pretty straight forward.

On the run down try and get a feel for your tacho reading against something like a Garmin/TomTom - then you can do without a Brantz/Halda. You won't ever trouble for a podium spot without accurate measuring equipment (or experience really) but you'll have an absolute blast, quite literally in the Lotus.

I'm going to drop Bruno a line now to see how plans are progressing. As it looks like quite a few PHers will be getting signed on perhaps we should organise a joint crossing and a few beers on the Sat night in Arras...

greengreenwood7

704 posts

190 months

Tuesday 22nd October 2013
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''measuring equipment'' - bliemny each time i've done it i've not even had a working speedo....let along turning the Tomtom on! 'turn right in 1000m' - err 1 km then' - bugger how far is a km! Always had a hoot.....

we ( skcc ) normally pop down on the Saturday and use that day for a quick blast around with a spot of lunch and then a few evening beers....the Rallye wraps up around 5pm and we book ourselves on a chunnel around 6.50, back in the UK for 6.30.....

as to the question of whether these exist in this country.....
the answer is yes, but you have to dig around.
down here in Kent there's one funnily enough it was about 2-3 weekends ago. Some of our guys did it this year and last, and enjoyed it - for me it didn't have the draw of going and sampling the cracking french roads for a 'play day' and then doing the Rallye the next. Just search local motor clubs in your area and you may find something similar.

early_911

75 posts

197 months

Friday 25th October 2013
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This looks great.
Is it open to any age of car?
Presumably it's massively oversubscribed?

Phil


benjj

Original Poster:

6,787 posts

162 months

Friday 25th October 2013
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There is a general cut off date, however the organisers give themselves carte blanche to allow 'interesting' modern cars. On the last one I went to it was about 80% pre 1975 with the rest being an eclectic mix of Caterfields, Lotuses, Ferraris and a few oddballs.

What car would you consider taking?

early_911

75 posts

197 months

Monday 28th October 2013
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Just a boxster . . . . so that'll count me out then .
Phil

sunbeam alpine

6,936 posts

187 months

Monday 28th October 2013
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I'd be up for this - if they'll let a 1990 Alfa Spider in. smile

benjj

Original Poster:

6,787 posts

162 months

Monday 28th October 2013
quotequote all
early_911 said:
Just a boxster . . . . so that'll count me out then .
Phil
That's a toughie. I know Bruno is keen on international crews but not sure whether a Boxter would be a 'fit' as such. Do you want me to ask him?

benjj

Original Poster:

6,787 posts

162 months

Monday 28th October 2013
quotequote all
sunbeam alpine said:
I'd be up for this - if they'll let a 1990 Alfa Spider in. smile
I think they probably would thumbup

I'm assuming this



rather than this



Again I can certainly enquire.

sunbeam alpine

6,936 posts

187 months

Monday 28th October 2013
quotequote all
Indeed smile



Or I could bring this -



It's a pristine Alfa 155 Q4 - it used to be the AR France press car - bought it in April - 20800km from new when I got it.

benjj

Original Poster:

6,787 posts

162 months

Monday 28th October 2013
quotequote all
sunbeam alpine said:
Indeed smile



Or I could bring this -



It's a pristine Alfa 155 Q4 - it used to be the AR France press car - bought it in April - 20800km from new when I got it.
Nice, I have a real thing for red/black cars. I'd just bring the fastest one wink

I'll be bringing the Porsche as the DS wasn't quite fast enough last year...


early_911

75 posts

197 months

Monday 28th October 2013
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If it's no bother - could you ask? Totally understand if it's a no.
My boxster is red with black wheels smile

Phil