First Trip to France advice needed

[Steptoe]

300 miles in france is the same distance as 300 miles in the UK.

Do you want to get your head down and arse up ?, or dilly dally and frolic with the butterflies ?.

 

[Timolgra]

Feck me, he only asked how long it took to La Rochelle and for a campsite

 

[Wapping]

From the arrival time and his home location, he is getting the Fastcat from Poole, as I considered this recently.

Apparently not.

Hi

I am visiting France for a week beginning the 25th of April. I am going on the Ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. My ferry arrives at 1300 ish into Cherbourg on the Monday.

 

[Wapping]

Feck me, he only asked how long it took to La Rochelle and for a campsite

Er no.

Our intrepid traveller knew how long it took and / or the mileage

Is La Rochelle too far or easily achieved? According to Via Michelin Website it is 304 Miles about 5 Hours without breaks.

What is generally a sensible amount of miles to do in a day?

Finally does anyone know a good campsite around La Rochelle?

Regards

Dave

He actually wanted to know if it was a sensible mileage to do in the remaining hours of daylight between 13:00 and whenever it gets dark..... and wanted a good campsite in La Rochelle.

Your advice on either questions is?

PS You can forget the campsite as he has lowered his sights to a Formula 1 in St Nazaire. Atlantic port cities of France clearly have some curious attraction for him.

 

[BAKERMAN]

PS You can forget the campsite as he has lowered his sites to a Formula 1 in

Formula 1 one up from a PARK BENCH.

 

[Timolgra]

Your advice on either questions is?

Go and find out

 

[bmconvert]

Top tip

Top tip.....make sure you keep your tank topped up on Sundays otherwise you'll never do 30 never mind 300 miles....! Most garages shut on the sabbath, I know I was holding up a stream of trucks travelling at 30mph trying to preserve the fumes I had left!

 

[Wapping]

Go and find out

Tooooo risky

 

[Timolgra]

Tooooo risky

.....

 

[Wapping]

Top tip.....make sure you keep your tank topped up on Sundays otherwise you'll never do 30 never mind 300 miles....! Most garages shut on the sabbath, I know I was holding up a stream of trucks travelling at 30mph trying to preserve the fumes I had left!

He's going to France, not Scotland (or Methodist Wales)

 

[davew]

Thanks for the great responses, I needed to know what was reasonable to try and achieve, I think I could make it to La Rochelle, but don't want to get too stressed if not so will just go with the flow.

I am choosing to camp because I like it, I have stayed in the formule 1 before on a trip I did in a 20 year Old landrover down to Spain it was basic but clean, so I know what to expect there.

The ferry is the cat from Portsmouth it arrives at Cherbourg @ 1300 and my return is the following Monday @ 1730 so I do have six and a bit days. I am going to head south for a bit of warmth and sunshine. I am not too fussed about particular destinations but I will travel on the D roads as much as possible and just enjoy the journey.

Thanks again for the great responses I really appreciate it.

Kind regards


Dave

 

[Wapping]

Have fun

 

[BAKERMAN]

oh buy a map

 

[wessie]

Apparently not.

ah yes, it's April. I don't think the Poole service starts until later in the year.

I tried to get on the Cherbourg-Poole fastcat but it seems those things don't take many bikes. Dave & Val's mob had nicked all the bike berths and I've ended up on the Portsmouth one that leaves an hour later. Travel time home from Portsmouth is further but takes the same time as the roads are mainly motorway class, so not so much fun as a run from Poole.

 

[Malcvtr]

Get a decent start and crack on; no dawdling for pictures, coffee and wild flower pressing. Don't piddle about with camping, it just wastes time.

WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Lovely. And I must try wild flower pressing this summer. Thanks for the thought

 

[Tank]

Davew if you are going to stay off the main roads/motorways and take in the ride, as you say, and not go like you are riding an R1 on a trackday then 200 miles a day should be OK but you may decide to reduce it a bit and take in some of the sites!

La Rochelle is a good place to head for and as far as camping sites go perhaps this link may help you if you have not already choosen a site

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/results.asp?county=Poitou-Charentes

Have fun.

 

[gspod]

An excellent campsite just south of Nantes in a village called St-Hilaire-De-Loulay (just follow the campsite signs when you enter the village).

This is a nice distance from Cherbourg on the smaller roads. It is a very quiet farm campsite and the farmer is a very keen biker. It has a large open sided barn with tables and chairs and a fridge so is excellent if it's raining. We have even erected our tent in the barn and carried it out onto the grass to peg down.
They have a drying room for their work clothes where you can put wet gear to dry.

They will make you breakfast in the morning to save time and you can eat an evening meal with them if you book ahead (be warned that their English is poor). It is a farm with a small camping field (we are often the only ones there) not a campsite so don't expect any facilities (bar etc). The showers are in a barn but clean and hot. It is also cheap. All in all it is an excellent overnight stop.

 

[davejohn]

Touring in France

Where do you want to get too eventually, or are you simply touring around a specific area? Also, do you plan to camp or to stay in chambres d'hotes or hotels.