Discussion
Thanks for the replies. I was considering the Pyrenees. The ride down is a bit of a drag (previously did Portsmouth - Cherbourg on the fastcat but sadly P&O no longer offer this service).
Anyway, the usual trip is something like:
- Saturday to Sunday with a crossing around midday (arriving France local time 13.00 - 15.00 hrs).
- 150 to 300 miles a day.
- Plan a rough route beforehand with hotels/B&B's in the vicinity (around 25-45 euros pp/per night).
- Alter route if weather looks iffy.
- Try to get in as many mountain twisties as possible
- Laugh at my attempt to speak French/Spanish etc.
- Have a thoroughly excellent time.
In previous years, the departure point/crossing time has been somewhat dictated by by mates who mainly live in the North so they have a long drag to/from the port/terminal. However this year, they have all succumbed to other pressures. As such, I'm totally open to different channel crossing. Not tried the ferry to Spain or St Malo but this might be an option - depends on crossing times I suppose.
Not too keen on making a trip to a race event abroad, but then I've never done it. What is the form for trips like this?
Anyhoo, anyone is still interested?
PS: Already going to the TT.
Anyway, the usual trip is something like:
- Saturday to Sunday with a crossing around midday (arriving France local time 13.00 - 15.00 hrs).
- 150 to 300 miles a day.
- Plan a rough route beforehand with hotels/B&B's in the vicinity (around 25-45 euros pp/per night).
- Alter route if weather looks iffy.
- Try to get in as many mountain twisties as possible
- Laugh at my attempt to speak French/Spanish etc.
- Have a thoroughly excellent time.
In previous years, the departure point/crossing time has been somewhat dictated by by mates who mainly live in the North so they have a long drag to/from the port/terminal. However this year, they have all succumbed to other pressures. As such, I'm totally open to different channel crossing. Not tried the ferry to Spain or St Malo but this might be an option - depends on crossing times I suppose.
Not too keen on making a trip to a race event abroad, but then I've never done it. What is the form for trips like this?
Anyhoo, anyone is still interested?
PS: Already going to the TT.
Might be a bit more expensive, but you could start with Porsmouth-Bilbao. That's 2 and a bit days on a boat, but gives people time for a p155-up and a psyche-up 
From there you could hit Andorra (CHEAP booze and fags!), down to the Med. coast along the south of France, into Italy, up past Turin and into Switzerland, through a tunnel or over the top via Montreux and Berne, into Germany, head for Luxembourg, then into Holland and wind up at Dunkerque or the Chunnel, either of which you could do on a stand-by basis so you wouldn't need to book and meet a deadline.
Plenty of scope for sun, diversions to places of interest, booze etc.
About 1700 miles for the basic route, so Autoroute tells me
From there you could hit Andorra (CHEAP booze and fags!), down to the Med. coast along the south of France, into Italy, up past Turin and into Switzerland, through a tunnel or over the top via Montreux and Berne, into Germany, head for Luxembourg, then into Holland and wind up at Dunkerque or the Chunnel, either of which you could do on a stand-by basis so you wouldn't need to book and meet a deadline.
Plenty of scope for sun, diversions to places of interest, booze etc.
About 1700 miles for the basic route, so Autoroute tells me
smiler. said:
Looks like it. I had begun to outline a trip based upon the Portsmouth/Bilbao route but didn't get past southern France before end of the month & invoicing took over.
Sadly, not may takers from the PH massive
Don't really wanna go it alone, but it is massive fun. What about you?
Sadly, not may takers from the PH massive
Don't really wanna go it alone, but it is massive fun. What about you?
Problem for me is it's 320 miles to any of the Channel ports, so I've already spent a day on the road... that's why I was thinking of the long crossing (althugh I'm a lousy sailor, I spent most of that crossing clinging to a mattress for grim life last time I went
) France is so big it never seems right to me to just head across it for one destination then come all the way back, so a circular route helps with that... also I know from bitter experience that trying to make any progress without using the Autoroutes is doomed to failure, even though the best scenery is seen from the N-roads (their motorways do better ours for scenery though).
Every time I go over I see loads of Brit-plated bikes that have been pulled by Le Plod; I think they nick us on principle.
I've driven in most of Europe's major countries but it'd be nice to add Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg to my collection
Although I gather that one has to buy special Swiss insurance as ours isn't good enough
I quite fancy a bike holiday this year, especially as the bike has been off the road since June and I've not taken this bike abroad for a good pasting yet!
I'd say 300 miles a day is a bit lean though it should be easy to get 400 a day, then spend more time relaxing in the places you want to see.
My last trip was supposed to be 8 days but ended up being 7, but we managed 8 countries, a 3 day stop in prague, Nurburgring and the Austrian alps!
Smiler, where are you based? Some of my mates may be up for a trip away.
Paul
I'd say 300 miles a day is a bit lean though it should be easy to get 400 a day, then spend more time relaxing in the places you want to see.
My last trip was supposed to be 8 days but ended up being 7, but we managed 8 countries, a 3 day stop in prague, Nurburgring and the Austrian alps!
Smiler, where are you based? Some of my mates may be up for a trip away.
Paul
zzr said:
I quite fancy a bike holiday this year, especially as the bike has been off the road since June and I've not taken this bike abroad for a good pasting yet!
I'd say 300 miles a day is a bit lean though it should be easy to get 400 a day, then spend more time relaxing in the places you want to see.
My last trip was supposed to be 8 days but ended up being 7, but we managed 8 countries, a 3 day stop in prague, Nurburgring and the Austrian alps!
Smiler, where are you based? Some of my mates may be up for a trip away.
Paul
I'd say 300 miles a day is a bit lean though it should be easy to get 400 a day, then spend more time relaxing in the places you want to see.
My last trip was supposed to be 8 days but ended up being 7, but we managed 8 countries, a 3 day stop in prague, Nurburgring and the Austrian alps!
Smiler, where are you based? Some of my mates may be up for a trip away.
Paul
I'm in East Berks, right on the M4/M25.
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