Having seen a few posts asking for suggestions on mini breaks to France I thought I'd post this..
Objective is to have a cheeky weekend away, enjoy some good riding, great food and a few sights.
High level plan is :
Friday - early start from home (London - Tower Bridge). Bimble to Greenwich, black Heath and the A20.
A20-> M20 approx 66 miles and 1h 30min according to google. (Actually 1hr 20min including the obligatory stop for expresso).
Crossing at 836 so check in planned for 0800. Had text from eurotunnel saying not to arrive early because of security checks, etc. Several bikers on same train and a few sightings of GSER stickers..
I'm guessing second hand panniers with stickers as they didn't know what GSer was.
Bike duly parked at a diagonal, left in gear and the journey begins.
35min later unloading into Calais. Follow the sign for the A16 and set off south.
The bike side road to avoid the tolls have gone- shame as I'd only recently started using it.
Headed for St Valery Sur Somme. Approx 1.5hrs south of the eurotunnel exit.
A few awesome harbour front restaurants doing fresh fish. The town is worth a ride around - walk around, including the old town that has great views and a couple of unassuming local coffee bars.
Went to usual place here which is Le Mathirin.
Food is excellent and reasonably well priced. It doesn't patronise the English with little photos sealed in plastic.
Quick bimble around the Somme area and
then back to Montrieul sur mer. Visit to the wine society for a cheeky calvados and catch-up with a friend that help run the local biker group.
Check in at a superb little boutique place that had arranged secure parking for the bike.
Enjoy the welcome Rose in the garden
Quick change before soup at the awesome pot du clappe
And then walk to the 1030pm open air performance of Les miserables ( the town features in the book). Superb open air theatre and light show with a a cast of hundreds. Didn't understand a word of it ..
Finished at 0030. Saturday dinner was roast sulking pig and 10hr roasted beef cooked on self basting rotisserie -
Sunday morning trip to cheese shop before back up to the tunnel and home for Sunday lunch.
Happy to share routes, roads etc if anyone interested.
Food features a lot in the above, and it annoys me that they produce such effortlessly good food- but would be a shame not to eat it after the effort they went to to make it.
Objective is to have a cheeky weekend away, enjoy some good riding, great food and a few sights.
High level plan is :
Friday - early start from home (London - Tower Bridge). Bimble to Greenwich, black Heath and the A20.
A20-> M20 approx 66 miles and 1h 30min according to google. (Actually 1hr 20min including the obligatory stop for expresso).
Crossing at 836 so check in planned for 0800. Had text from eurotunnel saying not to arrive early because of security checks, etc. Several bikers on same train and a few sightings of GSER stickers..
I'm guessing second hand panniers with stickers as they didn't know what GSer was.
Bike duly parked at a diagonal, left in gear and the journey begins.
35min later unloading into Calais. Follow the sign for the A16 and set off south.
The bike side road to avoid the tolls have gone- shame as I'd only recently started using it.
Headed for St Valery Sur Somme. Approx 1.5hrs south of the eurotunnel exit.
A few awesome harbour front restaurants doing fresh fish. The town is worth a ride around - walk around, including the old town that has great views and a couple of unassuming local coffee bars.
Went to usual place here which is Le Mathirin.
Food is excellent and reasonably well priced. It doesn't patronise the English with little photos sealed in plastic.
Quick bimble around the Somme area and
then back to Montrieul sur mer. Visit to the wine society for a cheeky calvados and catch-up with a friend that help run the local biker group.
Check in at a superb little boutique place that had arranged secure parking for the bike.
Enjoy the welcome Rose in the garden
Quick change before soup at the awesome pot du clappe
And then walk to the 1030pm open air performance of Les miserables ( the town features in the book). Superb open air theatre and light show with a a cast of hundreds. Didn't understand a word of it ..
Finished at 0030. Saturday dinner was roast sulking pig and 10hr roasted beef cooked on self basting rotisserie -
Sunday morning trip to cheese shop before back up to the tunnel and home for Sunday lunch.
Happy to share routes, roads etc if anyone interested.
Food features a lot in the above, and it annoys me that they produce such effortlessly good food- but would be a shame not to eat it after the effort they went to to make it.
