Ferry booked! Now for the planning!

[katyotter]

I'm having to post in two places on this forum as our trip is going to be a bit of both - so this is in the Picos/Spain bit as well. We've booked the ferry for 22nd May from Poole to Cherbourg with the return two weeks later from Santander to Plymouth, exciting . We've taken bikes to France three times before but only to Brittany. Any recommendations on accommodation etc. will be welcome. We're pretty flexible on what we do and may possibly go down a bit more into Spain and then back up to Santander - the only definite so far is Petit Illyria at Saint James, lower Normandy for the first night

 

[Wapping]

The Cherbourg peninsular is as dull as ditchwater. France gets a bit more exciting as you get to about Le Mans and from there it's plain sailing.

Have a look at: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197540&highlight=miss

Arm yourself with some decent maps. See sticky.

Where to stay? Well, that's a very good question, depending on your budget, where over the roughly 800 miles of road between the top of France and the bottom you might be on any one evening. The link may give you some ideas on what we did. Of course they are not the only hotels, nor are they as easy as the generic chains, like Ibis. Nor are they anywhere near as cheap as a Formua1.

You have got two weeks away, so plenty of time for you to do lots..... And plenty of time to plan, too

 

[stever1]

As a relative newbie to "uropeen tworing" on 2 wheels but more 4 wheeled tours, i tend to carry directories for several hotel chains such as Ibis, Campanile etc so you can check availability ahead. This saves time, mileage and bad temper tantrums.
You can pick these up in English hotels before you go. One which is VERY good is the Logis de France book, youll have to get this when you are over their.
How about coming west and checking out the tarne gorge area around Millau. From there its only a few hours to get into Spain. Then try the Picos area. We stayed at Fuenta dey, its at the end of a road past Potes, with just 2 hotels and a cable car, but well worth a visit. Its also nice around Burgos, which is 2 hours south of Santander.
When thinking about accomadation, look on the brittany ferries web site. We find it a good resource.
Now, after reading all this, you may think im a heavy planner- not so, at that time of the year you could just go and make it up as you go.
REMEMBER- THE MAIN THING IS TO ENJOY IT, NOT SET RECORDS.

 

[katyotter]

The Cherbourg peninsular is as dull as ditchwater. France gets a bit more exciting as you get to about Le Mans and from there it's plain sailing.

Have a look at: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197540&highlight=miss

Arm yourself with some decent maps. See sticky.

Where to stay? Well, that's a very good question, depending on your budget, where over the roughly 800 miles of road between the top of France and the bottom you might be on any one evening. The link may give you some ideas on what we did. Of course they are not the only hotels, nor are they as easy as the generic chains, like Ibis. Nor are they anywhere near as cheap as a
You have got two weeks away, so plenty of time for you to do lots..... And plenty of time to plan, too

Thanks Wapping, all good to check out

 

[katyotter]

As a relative newbie to "uropeen tworing" on 2 wheels but more 4 wheeled tours, i tend to carry directories for several hotel chains such as Ibis, Campanile etc so you can check availability ahead. This saves time, mileage and bad temper tantrums.
You can pick these up in English hotels before you go. One which is VERY good is the Logis de France book, youll have to get this when you are over their.
How about coming west and checking out the tarne gorge area around Millau. From there its only a few hours to get into Spain. Then try the Picos area. We stayed at Fuenta dey, its at the end of a road past Potes, with just 2 hotels and a cable car, but well worth a visit. Its also nice around Burgos, which is 2 hours south of Santander.
When thinking about accomadation, look on the brittany ferries web site. We find it a good resource.
Now, after reading all this, you may think im a heavy planner- not so, at that time of the year you could just go and make it up as you go.
REMEMBER- THE MAIN THING IS TO ENJOY IT, NOT SET RECORDS.

Thanks Stever1, no - we plan no records except in enjoyment!

 

[david a hall]

While being let down by Britany ferries this year we had to ride home from spain. We stopped in a place called Beer and Tits (Biaritz), It was lovely.

 

[stolzy]

As a relative newbie to "uropeen tworing" on 2 wheels but more 4 wheeled tours, i tend to carry directories for several hotel chains such as Ibis, Campanile etc so you can check availability ahead. This saves time, mileage and bad temper tantrums

Seems such a shame to go to France and then insulate yourself from it in an anodyne corporate hotel.

Why not book a couple of chambre d'hôtes and meet some locals, they're mostly friendly.

Or look for some interesting local hotels near the end of the day.

 

[katyotter]

Agreed but it was nice of Stever1 to reply with help which is, after all, what I asked for. We don't, thankfully, have temper tantrums and we like local type France but there is a place, sometimes, for a Campanile type thing.

 

[wessie]

As a relative newbie to "uropeen tworing" on 2 wheels but more 4 wheeled tours, i tend to carry directories for several hotel chains such as Ibis, Campanile etc so you can check availability ahead. This saves time, mileage and bad temper tantrums.
You can pick these up in English hotels before you go. One which is VERY good is the Logis de France book, youll have to get this when you are over their.
How about coming west and checking out the tarne gorge area around Millau. From there its only a few hours to get into Spain. Then try the Picos area. We stayed at Fuenta dey, its at the end of a road past Potes, with just 2 hotels and a cable car, but well worth a visit. Its also nice around Burgos, which is 2 hours south of Santander.
When thinking about accomadation, look on the brittany ferries web site. We find it a good resource.
Now, after reading all this, you may think im a heavy planner- not so, at that time of the year you could just go and make it up as you go.
REMEMBER- THE MAIN THING IS TO ENJOY IT, NOT SET RECORDS.

A smartphone/netbook does the directory & booking thing. With a McDonalds on every street corner in France with free wifi (works just fine in the car park so no need to buy a McFlurrie) you can easily check the Logis site & other sites once you have decided where to stop.

 

[Wapping]

As a relative newbie to "uropeen tworing" on 2 wheels but more 4 wheeled tours, i tend to carry directories for several hotel chains such as Ibis, Campanile etc so you can check availability ahead.

Yeh, but now you is now on yo' motorcycle, not cruisin' in yo wheels.

So you will 'ave less like room fo' the papyrus, bro.

Is dat why they is makin' big panniers? Fo, carrin' books? Cool and proper respect.

 

[stever1]

Yeh, but now you is now on yo' motorcycle, not cruisin' in yo wheels.

So you will 'ave less like room fo' the papyrus, bro.

Is dat why they is makin' big panniers? Fo, carrin' books? Cool and proper respect.

I dont think carrying 2 or 3 A5 size directories is going to make that much difference.

 

[Steptoe]

I dont think carrying 2 or 3 A5 size directories is going to make that much difference.

You're in europe, there's a hotel or /B&B on every corner.

 

[Wapping]

You're in europe, there's a hotel or /B&B on every corner.

Is they biker friendly?

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Once, when I was 19 (IIRC), we were driving through France to Spain and couldn't find a hotel one night. We kept driving through the night but were scarred for life and have never been back to that god forsaken country since.

Andres

 

[Steptoe]

Once, when I was 19 (IIRC), we were driving through France to Spain and couldn't find a hotel one night. We kept driving through the night but were scarred for life and have never been back to that god forsaken country since.

Andres

I'm sure stever1 has a few A5 directories onboard to cover the possibility of any night riding/driving.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Seems such a shame to go to France and then insulate yourself from it in an anodyne corporate hotel.

Why not book a couple of chambre d'hôtes and meet some locals, they're mostly friendly.

Or look for some interesting local hotels near the end of the day.

Just what I was thinking, especially when La belle France is full of charm, character and gastronomie

Can't believe we're in the 21st Century

I plan a destination and a rough skeleton plan, when i'm tired I stop to eat and drink and if the bike needs fuel, I stop to replenish

At about 5pm (give or take) I start looking for some delightful accomodation

Never failed me

Some of the best hotels in my repetoire have been 'stumbled upon'

 

[Wapping]

I'm sure stever1 has a few A5 directories onboard to cover the possibility of any night riding/driving.

Sans doute.

 

[stolzy]

Is they biker friendly?

In la Belle (as you know better than most), everyone is biker friendly.

Even the plod

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Katyotter, if you're planning on using hotels, you can easily mix and match.

At the end of a long day riding, I'm very happy using a chain hotel, the cheaper the better. B&B is my anodyne budget hotel chain of choice - cheap, accessible, always next to a restaurant of some sort and a basic buffet brekkie for the morning. After a long day riding, all I want is a shower, a meal and bed, so wouldn't really appreciate anything particularly individual.

B&B Hotels

Next up, and with far more individuality but some sort of guarantee of a particular standard (especially in the restaurant dept) are the Logis de France hotels. Not a chain as such, more a loose association of independent hotels, I have yet to stay in a duff one, and have stayed in some lovely ones. There are thousands of Logis hotels and at least one in most towns and large villages.

Logis de France


When you get to Spain, and if your budget allows, have a night or two in Paradores. Just amazing and for the sumptuous luxury, not all that expensive. Guaranteed a cracking dinner which will include a set price three-courser (with a selection of olive oils for dipping your bread into) and enormous breakfast buffet with everything you could possibly imagine. But then what breakfast is complete without pickled octopus? There are not hundreds of them, but there is one in Cervera de Pisuerga near the Picos.

Paradors

 

[Bugbear]

This is a friendly place to stay and a nice days ride from the ferries

http://www.allbikescharente.com