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France Route Calais to Carcassone
Hi all,
This is my first post a newbie to the site!
Having been on the Dark side (MTB) of cycling for the last 6 years I'm planning to start back on the roads again this year. This is being driven by a plan I have of cycling a 900 mile route in France next year when i hit 50
My Plan is to start in Calais and get to Carcassone Via a dip in the Med on the way all in 7 - 9 days. Has anyone done any of this route that can give feedback etc.. I've found guided tours with general daily start end points but would greatly appreciate anyone who may of already done a route like this, especially the bit around Paris...East V West.
Thanks
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9 comments
I cycled from Dieppe to Spain a couple of years ago in ten days. Great trip. One of the big decisions was to go East or West around Paris, and how many climbs you want to fit in/avoid. I chose to avoid climbs and went Chatres - Orleans - Moulins - Lyon - down the Rhone Valley (amazing) and then hit the south coast (amazing/unpleasant riding depending on the route you take). The northern farmland areas are barren if you stick to the very minor roads - I would avoid. Looking back, I'd also add more climbs, this is where the best rides are!
Hi SM
Did you venture on many Route Nationals? wondering how good or bad they are to the experience?
I did hit a few N roads here and there but where possible tried to avoid them as I would a dual carriageway in the UK. N roads are busy with fast moving traffic, perfectly fine for short hops but can be a little scary depending on your experience. You also have to be careful as an N road can occasionally turn into an A road, but with planning you can easily avoid this.
France is blessed with lots of lovely D roads, 95% of which on my journey were a joy. Some can get busy. I mostly plotted my way through the tiny C roads where possible and rarely saw a car, although I think if I did it again I'd use more D roads as they are more direct and also very nice to cycle on. D roads also have the added benefit of passing more shops/cemeteries for food and water - on c roads this can be difficult.
When planning a route, make good use of Google Street View, especially where major roads meet. Takes a little more time but is worth it to avoid that sinking feeling on the road when you approach a hazardous junction/section of road.
Let me know if you want any more advice or info, as I'm planning something similar. Also, I know a bit about the Languedoc region between the Med and Carcassonne.
You are not very clear on what type of roads you wish to travel on. France has some fantastic back roads and canal towpaths which give traffic free cycling, but it would be difficult to do enough miles per day to complete the trip in 9 days that way.
Check out the website www.crazyguyonabike.com which is full of touring journals. This one goes from the UK to Carcasonne via the Med although the channel crossing is Portsmouth to Le Harvre: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=10426&v=RB
Thanks for the links; I'll start reading..I'm assuming that some of it will have to be RN just to allow for distance in a day but want to try and find as many long B road stretches if possible hence the early planning
Thanks
James
sounds like it'll be a fantastic ride. i'd stay as far from paris as possible, personally: although i've never ridden the route you've mapped out i'd probably stay near the coast as far as rouen then join up the national parks as best you can. don't forget to go over the millau viaduct
Milau would be good but not sure if bikes are allowed?
hm. the plan was to incorporate one so far as i remember but no mention of it on the site officiel