2 do Alsace Lorraine in France & German Black Forest/Mosel

Indeed. I said so to my wife recently, That I can have a long weekend away in France, for less than I would have same weekend away in Wales or Scotland and have room to breathe, without dickheads invading my personal space, be it own a car, public places, beach, you name it....
@ikkje has introduced me to self catering accommodation for a bike trip (previously mostly used hotels exclusively)

He’s found some really quirky and unusual properties that you’d never normally stay in

Benefits are that they provide the ability to please yourself, spread out your stuff and have indoor/outdoor eating and more rooms (kitchen/lounge/roof terrace etc)

Most have garages/barns or safe parking for the bikes

If you choose an old town like Thann or the others in Germany there are plenty of bars/restaurants and cafes …plus local shops and supermarkets, all within 5 mins walking distance

In France/Spain or Italy it’s great to go out at 7-8am to see the wee towns waking up and go to the bakery/fruit shop or Carrefour Express for Croissants/bread and fresh fruit & milk/yoghurt and charcuterie etc

Stop for a quick coffee on the way back & sit outside a bar/cafe

So much more refreshing than hotels all the time - you get to see more of the country

Plus it works out cheaper too & if you feel like not going out you can buy & prepare food for supper at the accommodation

Especially when @ikkje conjures up smashed avocado on toasted sourdough, with Parmesan slices (you’d appreciate that EVskiy, minus the charcuterie of course)

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500ml of beer in a German supermarket was about €1 compared with €5 in a bar/restaurant…..it’s good to have both options
 
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Afterwards we have both agreed that we need to do more & better planning as mileage ended up at 2200 for the 10 days (including the run from the north to Newhaven & back)
What put you off using the Hull Europoort route (apart from it being P&O)?
 
Far canal. We got a return for less than £300, probably around the same time you guys traveled.
You probably booked early though
If it was £300 then no doubt we may have considered it
However we didn’t have a 90 minute wait to clear customs at Rotterdam - so that was a bonus
 
You probably booked early though
If it was £300 then no doubt we may have considered it
However we didn’t have a 90 minute wait to clear customs at Rotterdam - so that was a bonus
Thankfully, neither did we. But we did get a free bonus blow into one of their breathalyserthingamajigs.
The Hull border force on the way back let the game down.
Utter fcuking chaos. They couldn’t run a pissup in a brewery.
 
Thankfully, neither did we. But we did get a free bonus blow into one of their breathalyserthingamajigs.
The Hull border force on the way back let the game down.
Utter fcuking chaos. They couldn’t run a pissup in a brewery.
Pity you got caught queuing at one end

Some people saying Rotterdam disembarkation is slow too
 
@ikkje has introduced me to self catering accommodation for a bike trip (previously mostly used hotels exclusively)

He’s found some really quirky and unusual properties that you’d never normally stay in

Benefits are that they provide the ability to please yourself, spread out your stuff and have indoor/outdoor eating and more rooms (kitchen/lounge/roof terrace etc)

Most have garages/barns or safe parking for the bikes

If you choose an old town like Thann or the others in Germany there are plenty of bars/restaurants and cafes …plus local shops and supermarkets, all within 5 mins walking distance

In France/Spain or Italy it’s great to go out at 7-8am to see the wee towns waking up and go to the bakery/fruit shop or Carrefour Express for Croissants/bread and fresh fruit & milk/yoghurt and charcuterie etc

Stop for a quick coffee on the way back & sit outside a bar/cafe

So much more refreshing than hotels all the time - you get to see more of the country

Plus it works out cheaper too & if you feel like not going out you can buy & prepare food for supper at the accommodation

Especially when @ikkje conjures up smashed avocado on toasted sourdough, with Parmesan slices (you’d appreciate that EVskiy, minus the charcuterie of course)

View attachment 510482


500ml of beer in a German supermarket was about €1 compared with €5 in a bar/restaurant…..it’s good to have both options
@Bounce and I did exactly that in October of 2024, when we had a few days jolly in Brittany. Booked a cottage through AirBnB for 3 nights total cost for the two of us was £213. Weather wasn't exactly fantastic, but good enough. Supermarket for some provisions. I cooked for myself, Bounce had ready meals from the freezer section.
 
@Bounce and I did exactly that in October of 2024, when we had a few days jolly in Brittany. Booked a cottage through AirBnB for 3 nights total cost for the two of us was £213. Weather wasn't exactly fantastic, but good enough. Supermarket for some provisions. I cooked for myself, Bounce had ready meals from the freezer section.
Good way to holiday
 
Just read through this report .. super !(y)

What a great time you had (apart from the start but good to hear your breakdown cover was 5*.. I shall look them up as off to Luxembourg in 4 weeks)

Super photos, especially of the churches and all that glass .. I am not religious in any way but those old churches etc are just stunningly beautiful. :love:
 
Just read through this report .. super !(y)

What a great time you had (apart from the start but good to hear your breakdown cover was 5*.. I shall look them up as off to Luxembourg in 4 weeks)

Super photos, especially of the churches and all that glass .. I am not religious in any way but those old churches etc are just stunningly beautiful. :love:
Cheers

I was astounded by the breakdown cover that I had

Worth its weight in gold

From initial first call, collection and investigation, bike safely stored in a car garage and me taken by taxi to a hotel was 2.5-3 hours

By 11am I was having a shower in a hotel room and planning my BH Monday afternoon of sightseeing, after lunch by the pool at hotel

Only missed 24 hours and soon caught up

Churches were amazingly beautiful and scenery was top notch
 
Great write up and photos. I’ve been through the gorges near Verdun a few times, but never actually stopped there and it’s been on the list for a long time ( I stayed in the same hotel in Paris near the Gare Du Nord , where Marshall Petain was spending time with his mistress as the Germans invaded in 1914. On being told the situation was desperate, he allegedly replied “Feck off, come back in the morning if there’s nothing to be done, I’m busy”. Depressingly, he was 57 at the time and got more action there than me aged 28, 80 years later 😅
 
Thanks Steve
It was a super trip with more ‘food for thought’ for future escapades
Excellent report & pics from you both - must have nearly coincided we ate at the Cuckmere pub and caught the evening ferry out on the 31st May, heading not without incident (s) to Champèry in Western Switzerland.
 
I love Alsace and the wine there. Rarely see a sylvaner over here. What was the vineyard you visited (or the agency used for the booking)?

Also, maybe fortuitous you were not on the tunnel. I was on there on 30 April and I just got a whiff of petrol and then all hell broke lose with the floor flooded with soapy water and the air filled with a mist. I think one of those behind us had dropped their bike and must have spilled some fuel, which then evaporated in the compartment.

We were evacuated into the carriage ahead. There was a lot of huffing from the crew when we arrived in Coquelles. No idea what to do, until I suggested we push the bikes into a dry carriage before riding off. Delayed about half an hour due to Gallic shrugging.
Maison Bleu in Thann I think was the apartment in Thann, via booking.com
 
We went on BH weekend in late May and it was half term too
We had a cabin outbound too
Probably why it was more
Just checked and the price I gave is for travelling Frog side to Blighty! From the UK outbound, it's £79 one way. Still not too bad for the trip I'm mulling over.
 


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