How much is too much ? Alps and Pyrenees ?

[Magicmat]

Hi guys,

Going to france and the alps for 2 weeks maybe 2.5 weeks.

Its my first time and were doing the trip for my wifes 30th , believe it or not !

We plan to do a bit of france, Nice, south coast, Gorge du Verdon and i wondered about trying to do the Pyrenees as well,

But im wondering if thats too much and the Alps will be enough, im imagingin spending 4/5 days in the alps, but to be honest i have no idea, plan at the moment is to take a tent and just see what happens.

Normally i plan everything and am struggling to be paid back !!

hence this thread

 

[JayC]

Travel slow and see , or travel quick and miss (regret). The decision is all yours!

 

[newboy]

First trip - leisurely ride down - get a good base - leisurely ride home

Relax and enjoy, it's France (there may not even be fuel!! )

 

[Wapping]

Plot your route out on a map; a route embracing:

Your port of entry, your journey south, your journey back up a bit to the Alps, your jaunt (days) in the Alps, your schlep across France to 'do' the Pyrenees and, last of all, your journey back across France to your port of embarkation and home.

Once you have done that, sit back and work out if you and your wife can do it. It's you and her that matter; it's you and you alone who knows how far, fast, often and down what roads YOU can / want to ride.

Can you do it? Of course you can, perhaps. Do you really want to do it? That's up to you, mate.


PS 'A bit of France'.... When you look at your map, you'll maybe discover how big that 'bit' is.

 

[Magicmat]

Oh its pretty big haha,

and think you guys are right, go chilled and enjoy.

Did barcelona in a weekend once, FAST ..wont be doing that again

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

A ferry back from northern Spain is an option to spare the return leg back up through France.

 

[Magicmat]

A ferry back from northern Spain is an option to spare the return leg back up through France.

thats a good idea ! have you done that?

found it via brittany ferries, 22.5 hr ferry cruise .. should be a laugh

 

[Tarka]

France is indeed one hell of a big place.

Do a rough ready reckoner and then see if you...and more importantly your wife...are up to to and really want to do the Alps and the Pyrenees.
Bear in mind that you've said it's your first time.

Rough guide....you'll spend a day from yours to getting across the Channel and then maybe a short distance in France prior to overnighting.
Then,you can cannonball it for a long day,and be in the Alps for the second night.
Or take it easier and be there midway on the third day.

So that makes at least four days just there and back.....more likely five or six.
Play this against the time you've got for holidaying.
You'd like four/five days in the Alps.

Doesn't leave much....or even enough to be worthwhile...for the Pyrenees.

Then factor in that it's supposed to be a birthday treat for your wife.
If she's happy to spend most of her birthday treat cooped up in biking gear sat on the back of your bike and mostly seeing the back of your crash helmet,then go for the combined Alps/Pyreneees run and hopefully enjoy yourselves.

I wouldn't do that though....I'd do one or the other.
Then save the part not done for another trip to look forwards to.

 

[newboy]

Or....

Do what my wife is thinking of...
Let you do your blat down there while she enjoys a few sunny days on her tod..
Then joint warm riding in S of France or Alps (not so warm!) and you blat it back dropping her at airport en route??

 

[GSTourer]

Just because you can, doesn't always mean you should..........If I were you, I would save The Pyreness for another adventure!!

 

[Magicmat]

lol thanks guys, think i've been convinced not to run away with my thoughts, no pyrenese.

Not sure what the future holds for more trips, she's keen to start trying for kids after the hoilday, and i recon it may be a good while till i convince her to get on the back of the bike again.

France and the alps it is !

 

[Cook1e]

You will have a fair old run from Yorks to the chunnel/ferry. Count on a day down there and one back. About 4-500 miles to the Rhone-Alpes region - a long day there and same back.

Recommend you make a (rough) plan and pre-book your first couple of nights, then take it from there. Stick to the plan, do something different, doesn't matter you're on holiday!

I made a list of things I would like to see and ended up visiting about 2/3 of them. May do the rest next time...

Ride report here: www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?314958

If you pass through Provence, John Thornley's place highly recommended. http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?31279

Go steady, smell the roses and enjoy!

 

[Engineer]

Hi guys,

Going to france and the alps for 2 weeks maybe 2.5 weeks.

Its my first time and were doing the trip for my wifes 30th , believe it or not !

We plan to do a bit of france, Nice, south coast, Gorge du Verdon and i wondered about trying to do the Pyrenees as well,

But im wondering if thats too much and the Alps will be enough, im imagingin spending 4/5 days in the alps, but to be honest i have no idea, plan at the moment is to take a tent and just see what happens.

Normally i plan everything and am struggling to be paid back !!

hence this thread

forget the tent just find hotels, book a couple in advance and chill

 

[Magicmat]

I'll be leaving from Cambridge, as staying with a friend the night before we set off, so should get a couple of hours into france easy,

Tent's/hotels, we'll see how it goes

 

[Tarka]

forget the tent just find hotels, book a couple in advance and chill

Indeed.

I missed the tent bit on first reading.
Leave it at home...along with all the camping shite.

 

[Magicmat]

lol, theres a few few anti campers !

Cook1e, the blog is a good read !

 

[doyle]

I much prefer to camp when i'm away,as long as the weathers decent,and it is a LOT cheaper,I see your from Yorkshire

A night or two as a treat in a hotel would be fine. I never bother with stoves etc just eat out in the evening,snack through the day,croissants for breakfast at the first fuel stop,perfect.

Whatever you decide /plan on, remember its not set in stone,a few times i have been a destination has become a fixation,a place you had to reach that day.Never again.

 

[Tarka]

lol, theres a few few anti campers !

Cook1e, the blog is a good read !

I'm not anti camping per se.....I'll happily camp for a weekend away or at a rally.
Camping/biking pros/cons was discussed at length on here a while ago actually.
I long gave up on camping for a main holiday where regular set up/break down and long days of travel are involved.
The romantic view of bike and tent is wonderful,but factor in long tiring days in high temperatures or pissing down rain and howling wind with the need to set up/unpack/change/cook/whatever and repeat,repeat over a couple of weeks and romanticism goes right down the pan.
I'd feel different about using a decent sized tent as base at a fixed point for a longer period but even then,for a holiday setting,I'd rather hire a chalet/lodge/cabin or even a static caravan.

 

[cookie]

GS + 1person + luggage + camping gear = a good ride.

GS + 2 people + luggage = a good ride.

GS + 2 people + luggage + camping gear = a shit ride.

 

[Leasouth]

5 years ago a couple of friends and their wives decided they would do their first real continental camping holiday biking down to the French Riviera. They made their first stop in France at http://www.motocamp.nl/index.php/en/ bikers camp site run by a Dutch couple after a long blast . They made their 4th trip to the camp site last year, They've still not got to the south of France and have spent 8 - 9 weeks riding out from and around the Dordogne and still haven't done all they want to see.
We've spent numerous holidays based in Agay and still have only seen a fraction of the south of France. We've still never made it to StTropez mainly because of traffic but during the last attempt we stopped for lunch and a sea swim and showered off at one of the freshwater beach showers, 2 beautiful French sun bronzed naked stunningly beautiful young women joined me at the shower and started chatting away as they heard my wife and I speaking English.
Wife has insisted that I was too traumatised to go any further that day

There's plenty of sights in the south of France, if you're a beach person your wife might have to drag you away The coast road from Agay to Monaco is simply stunning, and I doubt you could take in everything in a year of biking. Grasse and Verdon etc can be breathtaking. Take the Autoroute past Monaco to Genoa for a blast on a bike though all the tunnels on a hot day and then wander back along the coastal roads. Again, Stunning.