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Home > Product Reviews > France > Bike Adventures Channel to the Med Reviews

Bike Adventures Channel to the Med

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Bike Adventures Channel to the Med
More about Bike Adventures

Average Rating: 5 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 1
RRP: £545
Year: 2004

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Description: The French 'End to End' taking you all the way from the English Channel to the Mediterranean Sea. Highlights include the Loire Valley, Chatres Cathedral, Puy de Dome, Tarn Gorge & the Carmargue Choice of camping or hotel accommodation

REVIEWS

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Paul Smith

Posted: 15/11/04

'The French End to End'

Strengths:
Superb scenic country side route, back up vehicle takes your luggage to each daily dstination, detailed route maps, breakfast and enough cake to sink a battle ships greats you at the end of each day!

Weaknesses:
Cycling with a hangover!

Overall:
I had done the British End-End in 2001 and now fancied something different but along the same lines; the French End-End seemed to fit the bill, from Calais to Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the Med, near Nimes in the South of France

The route took us all the way from the English Channel to the Mediterranean Sea, along the way taking in the flat lands of the Loire Valley, cols of the Massif Central and Puy de Dome area, followed by the magnificent Tarn Gorge, before finishing with the Carmargue regions in Southern France, the total distance being 850 miles in two weeks, camping in a group of 12, luggage transported each day by van, route sheets were provided taking us along quiet scenic country roads, with one rest day half way through the Tour near the Puy de Dome.

The first weeks was spent in the flat area of the Loire Valley, I was expecting the flat country side, but one difference from the Surrey lanes that I am used to at home is that the farms all mingle into one, with the early summer crops covering vast areas swaying gently in the breeze, with no hedge rows to seperate them the vastness seemed far more apparent. I also noticed a distinct lack of people, at least in comparison to my local Surrey rides, in France we would go for miles without seeing anybody, I can’t do that for long here at home even on an early Sunday morning.

After a hearty morning breakfast at the campsite provided by the organiser we would head off for the days ride until 11's, then onto lunch, on couple of occasions we managed to find the lunch stops where the locals go, superb meals for 10 Euros (Under £7.00), for that we got four courses, as much wine as we could drink and chocolate mouse for pudding, what more could you ask for. These meals represent real value and are typical in France. This is the France that I like to experience, the locals France where the real French go, not the tourists, the Restaurants are normally family owned and the proprietors very obviously take great pride in their work, well I say work you can often tell they are in their element so I think vocation would be a better description.

We also had many picnic lunches, but where as the 10 Euro special four course meals leave you with a full belly, bread and cheese I personally find far less fulfilling in every way and cost almost as much, although I know many preferred this to a heavy meal, Sometimes though a picnic lunch is the only option as we travelled through small villages with no restaurants so we had to make do. It is worth noting that local small restaurants often accept customers up until 1pm, then that’s it, boom finished; we got caught out on a number of occasions like this, hence the many picnic lunches.

Actually obtaining a picnic lunch had to be planned as well as it was interesting to note that many French retailers close for two hours at lunch time and work through until 6.00pm instead of 5.00pm, a stark contrast to here in the UK where retailers (including the CTC Shop) often work 9-6 and are often so busy we do not even have time to eat lunch let alone take a lunch break, the pace of life seemed much more relaxed than here in the UK. Sunday closing made also made a Sunday feel like a Sunday (most closed Monday as well), in Surrey with everything open it feels just like another day with everyone rushing around at a million miles an hour; it really was like stepping back in time twenty years or so to when the same was common place here.

South of the Loire the route became increasing hilly as we headed into the Massif Central where the terrain is mountainous with some long steep climbs and descents; the transformation happened very quickly, we seemed to turn a corner and that was it, hills every where, five days of flat cycling then wallop….these big bumpy things turn up and I had to get all puffed out and unnecessary in the leg hurting department.

About this time I rediscovered the joys of saddle sore, errrrrr the kind you get when the going