AUGUST - France Gastro Tour Report

[Roberto]

Day 1 - Portsmouth and the overnight ferry

Not one of us had met prior to this evening, really an open invite trip..

After a pint of fine ale in The Ship (it really was very fine indeed) and an intoductory chinwag out newly assembled group headed to the ferry departure.

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All proceeded to plan until fishbird managed to not see a french official pulling him over for a customs inspection. The official in question looked suspiciously like Jimmy Saville and riding past seemed to rub him up the wrong way somewhat. Would it not be for the easy charm of FB we're sure that Jim would have fixed it for him to have an appointment with a rubber glove.

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We made to the ferry for the 23:00 departure, lashed up the bikes, made for the bar and got lashed ourselves. Oldrascal was having some dental issues with an abcess so made to the cabin. Three lardy bikers creeping into a pitch black cabin at 2am is not a silent proposition, we thank you oldrascal for your patience. If we were noisy, and we probably were, well, we apologise..

Day 2 - Le Havre and south..

Due to a navigational oversight the newly assembled group of Gastrochums toiled (and tolled) its way in a South Easterly direction. In fact we came a bit familiar with this view! But hey, we're on holiday.

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At lunchtime we found a lunch venue and enjoyed Gizzard Salads, and amongst others a very tidy Jambon & Frites.

After an afternoon ride which saw oldrascal make for a pharmacy, fishbird and weavo head south via north, east and west, and ballistic navigating through the french countryside (I mean that quite literally- never let a wrong turn mean an u-turn when you can head across a ploughed field) the group converged at our first hotel south of Orleans.

We dined under the stars, and also a selection of GS'ers underwear that was draped from the room balconies above the terrace. If the wind have had picked up there could have been an international incident.

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A good meal was had, with some good wine (and a couple of beers for us uncooth so and so's).. and gr8roberto and ballistic headed into town for a couple more...

Day 3 - To Orcines..

An early start found that sadly oldrascal needed to head back to blighty in order to deal with the dental problems- and so the Gastrochums became a quartet.

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Continuing south roads started to become a little more interesting and varied. We headed into a town called Boussac found a charming café and met some very friendly locals. As we began to climb into the peaks around Clemont-Ferrand we were faced with the ordeal of more good riding and some wonderful views.

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The temperature headed upwards to 34 degrees.
New trick learned for gr8roberto: A dampened neckerchief makes for a great way of keeping cool.
We had a fight with an automated petrol pump. We won.

Once at our destination hotel we had a few beers

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Our infinite wisdom led us to decide to explore a little more and had a few beers at another bar. Fishbird demonstrates the correct procedure:

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Ballistic took on the role of finding more twisty bits..

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Time flew- our return to the hotel only to be told that dinner was finished- a Gastrotragedy no less! However, there was a reconsidering and in any event quite a fine meal followed, especially considering we thought we would get nothing, and then we thought we would only get a salad. In actual fact we got four courses, and of course, Fromage!

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Day 4 - To Treignac..

New trick learned for gr8roberto: Take an allen key so you can get the battery out of your feckin' Zumo.

What can only be termed as a fantastic day of biking. It had everything- mountain twisties, little lanes, pretty villages, fast sweeping roads, and a bit of gravel for the rufty tufty amongst us...

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We stopped at a fine patisserie for coffee and cakes. Biking gear is starting to get just that little bit tighter..

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And so become some more great views..

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And some contented GS'ers..

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Fishbird stops for a smoke. Now, what exactly is that?

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Weavo, courtesy of some fine demonstration riding from ballistic, is noticably starting to get very well acquainted with his GS…

The evening brought us to Treignac, a picturesque town south east of Limoges, and without any hotel arranged. Cue a meeting with Stella, the dutch proprietor of the Hotel de France.

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Stella only has one twin room left, but kindly arranges another room at another hotel, plus dinner reservations at a recommended eaterie. That evening we dined well- a four course meal for 22 euro per head- very fine it was too. Everyone was in agreement that this was the best meal of the trip and I'm thinking there may be a call into this place again.

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Day 5 - To Loches..

The group splits up for the morning. Ballistic and Weavo head off to meet expat friends in the Limoges area, and gr8roberto and fishbird head to see the memorial villiage of Oradour-sur-Glane, the scene of Nazi atrocities in WWII. I would highly recommended as a place to visit and serves as a poigniant reminder of just how lucky so many of us are.. http://www.oradour.info/

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We depart Oradour.. more excellent riding takes us into Loches and courtesy of good direction from the local tourist information office we are led to a 16th century B&B by the walls of the medieval town.

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It's incredibly quirky, as the owner seems to be, but again he's very helpful. Our final Gastronomic experience is sufficient but the general feeling is that other meals were slightly better. Ooh, get us, we've come over all fussy on the last night..

The last night calls for a big push. The town is a little quiet, but we aren't.

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Do we want another beer? Oh yes.

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Crap animated stories from gr8roberto manage to get a glass broken and it’s probably time to go to bed.

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Day 6 - To Le Havre..

The morning after the night before..

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We set a course from Loches to Le Havre, avoiding toll roads and taking the shortest route, and are treated to yet another excellent ride. We stop at a French market for coffee and a wander around and are our senses are treated to the experience.

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And yet more cheese..

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We arrive in Le Havre about an hour early and wind up in a McDonalds. Not exactly Gastro, but anyone who said they didn't enjoy it was a fibber.

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And so, with a heavy heart, heavy stomach and lighter wallet we embark to the ferry for the ride back to Portsmouth. We ponder the idea of Fish and Chips as a triumphant return but reconsider and depart into the night- but pledging to do it all again..

Thanks to all involved for such a great trip. Superb company, food, booze and most of all riding. Can you ask for any more?

Next year, eh?

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[wheeledwidewebb]

What a shame oldrascal had to drop out. Looks like the rest of you had a brilliant time though.

Thanks for the write-up and plentiful pics.

 

[fishbird]

Till next time

Well done Rob, good write up......not sure about the shirt tho'

Roll on Easter 2010.....if not before

 

[Deleted account W]

Very enjoyable read, thanks for taking the time to put it together for us.

Did you use the Michelin guide "80 virees a moto" that oldrascal mentioned in the invite thread? Or did you just go on his recommendations of routes, hotels and restaurants?

 

[oldrascal]

Now I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea just because I'm writing in green..................and the word 'jealous' never entered my head for a minute, promise .


Great report although the words 'sick' and 'parrot' come to mind as I read it. It looks like this was a blinding trip by a fun bunch of Tosssers. At least I had the pleasure of sharing a couple of meals and good wine with them. Oh well, time to start planning the next one.

 

[ballistic]

Did you use the Michelin guide "80 virees a moto" that oldrascal mentioned in the invite thread? Or did you just go on his recommendations of routes, hotels and restaurants?

Good report Rob... thanks for putting it together... and thanks for not mentioning that thing with Stella

Whatton... We decided that planning a route using Via Michelin, printing it out, programing it into Mapsource, downloading it into several differently set-up Zumos, and recalculating, wasn't the best way to go
After our leader returned to Blighty to have tooth surgery, we just input a destination, along with any places we fancied on route, and pressed "shortest route". I find that this method usually gives routes that miss out major roads and sticks to the more interseting "GS-type" roads that we all love... and leaving the "unpaved roads" unticked introduces an exciting "edge" to the procedings

It's a great shame that oldrascal missed out on the fun, however... my thanks must go to him for being the catalyst that introducing me to three fellow Tossers of the highest calibre. Long live internet dating

I'm on a diet until next Easter

 

[weavo]

The reason Rob left out the bit about Ballistic and Stella was because he knew we would mention about what he was doing with that sheep.
Anyway well done Rob for the report. We had a fantastic few days.