AUGUST - French Gastro Tour
- Thread starter oldrascal
- Start date
OK.. looks like 18th-23rd work for me!!
Noted Shenzi's comments.. we still thinking all going ahead?
Cheers,
Rob
I was referring to my area, Cap d'Agde, 10 mins away is the largest resort in France! I've since been told that tourism here is up 25% on last year. It may well be OK where you are going as you are staying well away from the beaches. Rumour has it that Oldrascals heart wouldn't be up to seeing all the topless opera singers
oldrascal
Registered user
I was referring to my area, Cap d'Agde, 10 mins away is the largest resort in France! I've since been told that tourism here is up 25% on last year. It may well be OK where you are going as you are staying well away from the beaches. Rumour has it that Oldrascals heart wouldn't be up to seeing all the topless opera singers
The heart's strong as an ox, I thank you......not so sure about the tackle though.
And yes, I am quite confident that we will not have to resort to lowering our standards with regards to grub and hotels. We seem to be 3 or perhaps 4 confirmed (ballistic is still checking work availability) at the moment and as the tempus is quite definitely fugit, I will be checking routes and overnight bookings come the end of the week.
This should give anyone else who is interested in coming along the chance to let us know. A couple more riding chums would be good though.....so how's about it. 
He isn't checking work availability... you haven't given him any firm dates yet
I can put a request in for 18th-23rd Aug... but if it's granted, I've almost certainly got to take it.
Give me the nod, and I'll do it tomorrow
oldrascal
Registered user
He isn't checking work availability... you haven't given him any firm dates yet
I can put a request in for 18th-23rd Aug... but if it's granted, I've almost certainly got to take it.
Give me the nod, and I'll do it tomorrow
Of course.....its the old Catch 22 situation, you can't confirm dates without putting in a request and then you are stuck with them.
And its true that the dates I have given are provisional and given more as guidance than 'cast-in-stone' because I don't know how many Tossers are up for the trip; and the number who are coming impacts on the availability or otherwise of ferry places and hotel rooms. Oy vai........
My suggestion ballistic is that you hold fire until the weekend when I will be closing the list. At least I will know the number of riders and can start to check availability. If it all works out, we can go 'live' on the trip and you can put in your request with confidence early next week if that's not too late.
I hope this helps.......
I was referring to my area, Cap d'Agde, 10 mins away is the largest resort in France! I've since been told that tourism here is up 25% on last year. It may well be OK where you are going as you are staying well away from the beaches. Rumour has it that Oldrascals heart wouldn't be up to seeing all the topless opera singers
Shenzi.. consider myself duly rapped across the knuckles for my geographic ignorance
Now, about these topless opera singers..
Shenzi.. consider myself duly rapped across the knuckles for my geographic ignorance
Now, about these topless opera singers..
As of yesterday they are airing their lungs in the correct manner
oldrascal
Registered user
Well it looks like August is not everyone's favourite month for travelling to France but we have, at least, a nucleus of stalwarts who are making up this trip, as follows:
. So I am closing the list this evening and will be making hotel and ferry booking enquiries tomorrow for just four riders. I will post the options ASAP and will also be confirming the route which I will post tomorrow evening .....hopefully.
If anyone who has not seen this thread before is desperate to join us, send me a PM and I will discuss it with the others.
- oldrascal
- weavo
- ballistic
- gr8roberto
. So I am closing the list this evening and will be making hotel and ferry booking enquiries tomorrow for just four riders. I will post the options ASAP and will also be confirming the route which I will post tomorrow evening .....hopefully. If anyone who has not seen this thread before is desperate to join us, send me a PM and I will discuss it with the others.
Trouble you have is, HOW MUCH per SITTING 10 euros or 100 euros ?
I have travelled with some folks from this site that would n`t eat at a restaurant unless there was a 3" x 3" foot picture of what they were going to eat.
So gastronomy AT WHAT COST OR HAVE i MISSED OUT BY NOT READING FULLY ?
I have travelled with some folks from this site that would n`t eat at a restaurant unless there was a 3" x 3" foot picture of what they were going to eat.
So gastronomy AT WHAT COST OR HAVE i MISSED OUT BY NOT READING FULLY ?
oldrascal
Registered user
I think that is a brilliant description of what it is we are trying to avoid.
No, you are right to ask because 'gastro' could mean anything from three star Michelin to expensive tourist trap. But I am of the opinion (and experience) that you can eat like a king in France by sticking to small and family run restaurants serving regional food with a menu written each day dependent on what is available in the market.As to cost, well as reasonable as we can make it for the quality that we are going to appreciate. I don't suppose many of us are rich enough in these straightened to 'push the boat out' too far and I hate spending money unneccessarily. But if you are asking me for a daily figure, I can't give that to you because it will vary and also depends upon how thirsty we are.
Not that a bunch of hairy-assed GSers are likely to be thirsty of course.
They are still out there but a little more expensive, everything has gone up
We toured the Lot valley earlier in the month and found a couple of gems that looked nothing from the outside, the daily menu written in chalk! Way to go!
pathfinder
Registered user
Dear Old Rascal,wot does Perfide Albion mean.My new boat is called IRON DUKE after our hero of Waterloo and if in Francais and wanting to parlez wiv the natives,would I be able to mention this without fear of intimidation or retribution.Yours sincerely Ian.
oldrascal
Registered user
With regard to our route down to Clermont-Ferrand, I've been trying to nail the jelly to the wall 
by fixing our arrival port in France. So I have run some checks on costs and my first choice, Portsmouth to Cherbourg (or Caen) turns out to be stupidly expensive in August at £130 return per rider:
So next on my agenda is the Newhaven-Dieppe route. Now this is a much more sensible £53 return per rider with a sensible 09:30 start time but the return lands us in Newhaven at 22:00 - count another 30 minutes to disembark of course.
Now that's fine for us local lads - er me actually
- but it might mean having to find a local B&B if you live a fair distance and are as tired as you probably will be. And that's another £40 or so to add to the cost.
Finally, EuroTunnel can get us there and back for £62 return with a wide choice of departure and return times:
But Calais is way up the coast from where I had planned to take us and would mean skirting Paris to have any chance of making the miles that day and that's definitely not my idea of empty B-road fun.
So its either -(a) expensive but convenient landing port or (b) cheap (unless you need a B&B) but lousy return time or (c) cheap but the wrong part of the coast. Heavy lies the head etc. etc. and I haven't even started checking hotels yet.....
by fixing our arrival port in France. So I have run some checks on costs and my first choice, Portsmouth to Cherbourg (or Caen) turns out to be stupidly expensive in August at £130 return per rider:
So next on my agenda is the Newhaven-Dieppe route. Now this is a much more sensible £53 return per rider with a sensible 09:30 start time but the return lands us in Newhaven at 22:00 - count another 30 minutes to disembark of course.
Now that's fine for us local lads - er me actually
- but it might mean having to find a local B&B if you live a fair distance and are as tired as you probably will be. And that's another £40 or so to add to the cost.Finally, EuroTunnel can get us there and back for £62 return with a wide choice of departure and return times:
But Calais is way up the coast from where I had planned to take us and would mean skirting Paris to have any chance of making the miles that day and that's definitely not my idea of empty B-road fun.
So its either -(a) expensive but convenient landing port or (b) cheap (unless you need a B&B) but lousy return time or (c) cheap but the wrong part of the coast. Heavy lies the head etc. etc. and I haven't even started checking hotels yet.....
oldrascal
Registered user
Er...Perfide Albion is best translated as "....treacherous and unstrustworthy English..........". This is said in light hearted jest and banter by our more senior French friends who also call us their 'Enemies Hereditaires' which is pretty understandable without translation.
Now although they say this in jest and with much back slapping, a certain generation really does hate us for making them admit to a dreadful weakness of character and governement during the WW2 German occupation of France. Long memories have some of these Frenchies who also haven't forgiven us for disturbing their very peaceful and agreeable lifestyle under said occupation by invading their country to 'liberate' them.
But fear not, unless you really stick it to them by wearing crew shirts with IRON DUKE slapped across the front, they are pretty harmless and will always accept the offer of a glass or two. Of course one way to avoid your language problems is to invite along a French speaking crew member......
.Now what type of boat is it that you are sailing?
The fence buckles..
.. 'cos I am sitting on it. I really don't mind and am flexible to all. £130 does seem a bit steep, but the Newhaven-Dieppe is fine, return and departure OK for me.. as is the Tunnel OK- note your points about Paris though!
.. 'cos I am sitting on it. I really don't mind and am flexible to all. £130 does seem a bit steep, but the Newhaven-Dieppe is fine, return and departure OK for me.. as is the Tunnel OK- note your points about Paris though!
I doubt the French would know Wellington was named the Iron Duke and even if they did they know his arse would have been kicked had it not been for the Prussians. Even with them Wellington reckoned it was a very close thing!
Now although they say this in jest and with much back slapping, a certain generation really does hate us for making them admit to a dreadful weakness of character and governement during the WW2 German occupation of France. Long memories have some of these Frenchies who also haven't forgiven us for disturbing their very peaceful and agreeable lifestyle under said occupation by invading their country to 'liberate' them.
Strange that I find myself constantly defending the French but it is annoying when people insist on posting utter bollox such as this! A lot of people died under the 'peaceful and agreeable liberation' and the hurt is still there. I have a friend ex Legion (rides an 1150 GSA) whose grandparents were shot, I wonder if you would say the same to him? We can have a run up to meet you if you let me know your route, I would enjoy listening! Another keyboard warrior!
oldrascal
Registered user
Well of course there were gallant French and there were horror stories aplenty amongst the general population. But what is less discussed and what I was alluding to was the extraordinary amount of damage done by the Allies to the towns and cities in the invasion area - Caen just to name one. And Allied bombers flattened whole areas where there were no German military installations and just civilians - or rather dead civilians. DeGaul's lot couldn't do much about it after the War because the Allies had just saved France's bacon, so to speak, so this was swept under the carpet. But it still rankles deeply at a certain level in France and amongst an ageing group.
So when I say 'disturbing their peaceful lives', it is a relative term as the majority of Northern France was agrarian and there was very little real intrusion by the Germans in day-today life. I have spent many a jolly evening with my French chums when I worked and lived in France to-ing and fro-ing with these old chestnuts but always ended with a 'clinking' of glasses.
So lighten up, buddy......were not fighting the war again after all.
And I sense a robust discussion - followed by a few soothing bevvies - when we surely meet up. 
pathfinder
Registered user
Phew! wish I'd never sed nowt.
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