How to get from A to B....
- Thread starter Wapping
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They are three, if you screw them up in a ball.
Deleted account 210609001
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My standard trip planning process goes like this (bearing in mind I'm lucky enough to live within spitting distance of the Channel ports):
Initial planned departure date: Saturday morning.
Stage 1: If we left after work on Friday, we could get a couple of hours in before we get to hotel, and start Saturday morning 100 miles further South.
Stage 2: I could take a half-day's leave on Friday and we could cross in the afternoon and get 200 miles South.
Stage 3: I'm owed a bit of flexi, so I could take all Friday off and depart Friday morning:
Stage 4: Repeat Stage 1 a day earlier.
Mine is broadly the same, along with the benefits of living close to the Blackwall Tunnel or the QE2 crossing or Tower Bridge, with easy relatively quick (90 / 120 minutes tops riding time) access to the Chunnel and Dover.
If I can, I’ll always try to cross over to France in the late afternoon or early evening, staying overnight in somewhere like St Omer. Then off the next morning anywhere between 08:00 and 09:00 local time. The hour time difference saved, plus any travelling time, is a big benefit. If I have to cross over to France in the morning, I’ll always try to get a train between say, 07:30 and 08:30, arriving in France at between 09:10 and 10:10. Then straight off the train and gone. The loss of the hour time difference, the 40 minute crossing time (longer once the doors have opened and vehicles fed their way off) and the additional time taken to get my bike out of the garage at home and ride the damned thing to the train is something I just have to live with. But hey, I could be living in Grimsby.
Coming back, I now prefer staying an extra night in northern France, catching a return train sometime between 11:00 and 13:30. The tea huts are then fairly quiet.
If I can, I’ll always try to cross over to France in the late afternoon or early evening, staying overnight in somewhere like St Omer. Then off the next morning anywhere between 08:00 and 09:00 local time. The hour time difference saved, plus any travelling time, is a big benefit. If I have to cross over to France in the morning, I’ll always try to get a train between say, 07:30 and 08:30, arriving in France at between 09:10 and 10:10. Then straight off the train and gone. The loss of the hour time difference, the 40 minute crossing time (longer once the doors have opened and vehicles fed their way off) and the additional time taken to get my bike out of the garage at home and ride the damned thing to the train is something I just have to live with. But hey, I could be living in Grimsby.
Coming back, I now prefer staying an extra night in northern France, catching a return train sometime between 11:00 and 13:30. The tea huts are then fairly quiet.
I still have to pop my cherry with the Chunnel.
I enjoy planning my summer hols during bleak winter months and find Streetview a must for checking possible routes. This strategy has helped to avoid some bad potential routes. Goggle maps are invaluable, as you said chose avoid motorways / tolls and that gives you a good feel for potential routes or not. bestbikingroads is also a good tool. As always Wapping some good advice
As per usual Wapping has a good take on the subject and some useful advice!
Personally I've not used a paper map since the naughties, I used Garmin Satnav for European business and pleasure travel and printed off any finer detailed maps for destination areas.
Kurviger I use + Waze, Via Michelin, Here, Google Maps, Guru and Locus Maps.
With more than enough Phone and Tablet tech I've never seen the point in Garmin/BMW satnav or paper.
Phone and Tablet both have 1Tb plus storage, multiple maps are not an issue.
I've found in recent months that Carpe Iter BT controller on bikes is a game changer with Drive Mode Dashboard app.
With 7 days, or 10 days or whatever for a short getaway launch out of that Calais Ferry terminal or the Tunnel terminal, always avoid Paris (unless visiting) and press on along the autoroutes and make good swift progress for your goal. Think about the scenic routes for the return after you've done the main destination when your days are limited.
If you're new to touring across the channel after relatively easy running on autoroutes you should have gained experience of Johnny Foreigner roads, signs and driving practices before winding through vineyards on quaint roads.
No whining about Toll prices, if you can afford a bike and EU travel just pay up n smile
Refer to Wapping for alternative advice
Personally I've not used a paper map since the naughties, I used Garmin Satnav for European business and pleasure travel and printed off any finer detailed maps for destination areas.
Kurviger I use + Waze, Via Michelin, Here, Google Maps, Guru and Locus Maps.
With more than enough Phone and Tablet tech I've never seen the point in Garmin/BMW satnav or paper.
Phone and Tablet both have 1Tb plus storage, multiple maps are not an issue.
I've found in recent months that Carpe Iter BT controller on bikes is a game changer with Drive Mode Dashboard app.
With 7 days, or 10 days or whatever for a short getaway launch out of that Calais Ferry terminal or the Tunnel terminal, always avoid Paris (unless visiting) and press on along the autoroutes and make good swift progress for your goal. Think about the scenic routes for the return after you've done the main destination when your days are limited.
If you're new to touring across the channel after relatively easy running on autoroutes you should have gained experience of Johnny Foreigner roads, signs and driving practices before winding through vineyards on quaint roads.
No whining about Toll prices, if you can afford a bike and EU travel just pay up n smile
Refer to Wapping for alternative advice
Deleted account 210609001
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Deleted account 210609001
Registered user
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2003
- Messages
- 29
- Reaction score
- 7
AIf you're new to touring across the channel after relatively easy running on autoroutes you should have gained experience of Johnny Foreigner roads, signs and driving practices before winding through vineyards on quaint roads.
No whining about Toll prices, if you can afford a bike and EU travel just pay up n smile
Refer to Wapping for alternative advice
I think it is a great idea to do the first hour or so on the autoroute for 'drive on the right' virgins, or even more experienced travellers who haven't been for a while. Easier to remember
to keep to the right, more traffic to follow and get your head around roundabouts where you'll be guided the right way, rather than approaching your first roundabout on a narrower road when it might not be so obvious.
Not a single mention of Nav let alone 5 or 6! All this talk of fancy apps. I feel like a user of one of those massive early portable phones whilst everyone else is on their latest iPhone ordering bitcoin.
Actually those green verge thingies are very good - thanks for that
Whilst on the subject of green bordered ‘scenic‘ routes, bods will maybe notice that the green border is sometimes only along one edge of of the road. This is because Michelin run the border along the side of the road that offers the most scenic views. In other words, if you planned to ride the D87 northwards, the ‘scenic’ views, would be to your left. Riding the D996, west to east, the ‘scenic’ views would be to your right.
On the upper end of the D87, before the junction with the D87A, you’ll notice that the green border is on both edges, ‘scenic‘ ie. ‘scenic’ to the left and right, irrespective of the direction of travel. Similarly, you’ll notice that Michelin‘s mapmakers go to a lot of trouble with their green edging. Right at the tip of the arrow, there is a short section of ‘scenic’ on both sides of the road. I guess this is where there are views in both direction, along the river. Maybe it includes a ‘scenic’ view of where the two rivers meet, to the right when viewed on the north-to-south orientation of the map.
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