AUGUST - French Gastro Tour

oldrascal

oldrascal

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I've decided to start a new a more relevant thread. Click on this linky to read the previous posts and here is my most recent reply:



Ballistic, thanks for keeping in touch ....... and for the reminder :rolleyes:.

I hope to put names of participants, routes, dates, stopovers and all the relevant info for the August French Gastro Bash on the thread in the next 7 days or so. Now is the time to fess up if you fancy a few days of leisurely cruising along France's wonderful 'B' road network (and some Mad-Hatter hooning where applicable of course ). Add to this heady mix a truly gastro-centric exploration of French regional cooking and local wines and we should have a blinding tour. :beer:

So let's hear from you and keep watching the thread............:type
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.....and in response to your PMs, the duration will be more than 3 and less than 6 days but I will clarify soon, as promised above. So much to do, so little time.........:augie
 
ballistic said:
Will this trip compensate me for the loss of Michael Jackson, and Murry not getting to the final? :tears
Click to expand...


Well, we could always ask our hosts to play Johnny Hallyday records:

JohnnyHalliday-AToutCasserLarge.jpg


He's the wrong colour of course but equally venerated in France. :eek: As to the Scottish chap, I don't suppose they do haggis in the Limousin - some 'boudin' will have to do. :augie
 
Eek :eek: - just noticed that I've hit 500 posts. What sort of a life is that......:beerjug:
 
Worse than murry going out is having to listen to borris tellig us murry did'nt want it enough.
Anyway August is O.K. for me Olsrascal so bring it on.
 
I'm all eyes oldrascal..! :) Shall be keeping a look out here to see what transpires

Cheers,
Rob
 
Well lads, it looks like this hoary (no, that word is spelt differently) oldrascal has made some progress by burning the midnight oil........:type Actually, a French chum bought a Michelin publication to my notice, the existence of which I was blissfully ignorant. It is called "80 virees a moto" and here is the cover:


80vireesMoto.jpg



Bearing in mind the dual ambitions of this GastroBash, I felt that it might be an indispensible guide to some really great routes as recommended by French 'motards'. I've ordered it from Amazon France and it should be with me by early next week. As it also contains a wealth of up-to-date info on places to stay, I will hold fire on fixing an itinerary until I have had a chance to go through it.

I have also been talking with the ferry companies to see if a group discount is available. The answer from all of them is a resounding 'Yes' and........er, 'No'. :confused:

'Yes', because they all do a 'Rally' discount of between 5% (LDLines) and 15% (EuroTunnel) and 'No', because we need to be at least 10 to 15 bikes to qualify. I don't want the group to be that big for reasons explained in the previous thread (mostly accomodation and logistic problems over a longish distance). So I am going to limit it to just 6 riders (maybe 1 or 2 more at a pinch) although if anyone wants to carry a pillion (SWMBO or A.N.Other if you 'bat for the other side' :augie) that's just fine with me too.

Also, I am provisionally allocating the first 4 places to those who booked a place on the aborted July bash, namely (apart from yours truly natch').........

fishbird
weavo
ballistic
gr8roberto

That makes 5 possibles at present although the final dates chosen might conflict with their availablity. :( So let's hear it if this appeals to you or spaces will evaporate quickly. I will need confirmation when I finally plot the route, dates and check stopover availability at our proposed watering holes as I will need to confirm bookings. :type

That's it..........keep watching. :beerjug:
 
Old Rascal..

I like the look of that there map :bounce1

Yes, it appeals :thumb2 .. just a question of dates really- need to navigate around work a bit but hope we can do that.
Am neutral about the crossing. I like the Eurotunnel but really don't mind.
 
gr8roberto said:
Old Rascal..

I like the look of that there map :bounce1

Yes, it appeals :thumb2 .. just a question of dates really- need to navigate around work a bit but hope we can do that.
Am neutral about the crossing. I like the Eurotunnel but really don't mind.
Click to expand...

C'mon... I'm getting all excited again... haven't had a decent goose gizzard salad for a couple of years now... get some dates set in stone and I'm up for it. I'll swim across La Manche, dragging my GS behind me if I have to!
You are teasing us Mr. Ambassador :bounce1
 
I've had a couple of PMs from interested Tossers trying to work out what the trip is about so I will just briefly summarise the GastroTour. The trip is being planned over 4 to 5 days and probably during the middle 2 weeks of August, confirmation next week.

The intention is to combine great French 'B' road bimbling and sightseeing with the occasional hooning where applicable and relevant. :D We should cover about 1,000 miles in total by the way for them that need to think about servicing their steeds.

The Gastro part of the trip refers to the intention to eat and sleep in typically French regional hostelries giving us all the chance to appreciate some of the great local cooking using seasonal ingredients that abound in France.

As I have spent much of my life trying to derive pleasure from France's food and women :mmmm and as I am luckily bi-lingual in French and English, we should be able to shake off the disdain that British tourists seems to evoke in the French - after all, their favourite way of describing our country is 'Perfide Albion' and most still consider us as 'des enemies hereditaires'. Yeah right.:green gri So this is going to be an eclectic mix of hairy-assed bikers and lard-assed grub specialists........does it for me. :beerjug:
 
Right, my little friends, you have been very patient indeed, so here is an update on the proposed August Gastro Tour. :D

The 'Jewel in the Crown' so to speak, the 'Meat in the Sandwich' is a 200 mile excursion in the heart of the Massif Central visiting the amazingly beautiful and quite awe inspiring volcanoes of the Auvergne. The route is a combination of easy cruising and fast mountain bends on well-surfaced roads. :tarka

Using Clermont-Ferrand as our base, here is the route:

scan0001.jpg



I will be plotting a great route down to Clermont-Ferrand using fast 'B' roads wherever possible - of course we will need to take advantage of the motorway system from time to time so that we can get the distance done in the time allocated.

Provisional dates are August 18th to August 23rd but these might be varied by 2 days or so either way dependent upon ferry and hotel availability bearing in mind that we are going in the middle of the holiday season. I intend to take the Portsmouth-Caen fast ferry (3 hours) which is about £75 return for a bike and gets us in to Caen about lunchtime. That said, if you prefer to take the Channel Tunnel and can get across to Calais early, you can drive down to meet us - but you will need to allow about 3 hours for the Calais-Caen sector.

Those of you already familiar with the regional Auvergne cooking know that we are in for a treat with robust and honest grub and super local wines. :beer: As soon as I get some feedback as to participants, I will flesh the tour out in more detail and start checking availablity. :type
 
weavo said:
Count me in Oldrascal. Portsmouth - Cann is fine by me. Roll on August.
Click to expand...

So this is the beginning of a convoy then:

  1. oldrascal
  2. ballistic (subject to confirmation of final dates)
  3. weavo
.........looking good. :beerjug:
 
.....and I almost forgot :blast


  1. oldrascal
  2. weavo
  3. ballistic (subject to confirmation of final dates)
  4. gr8roberto (subject to confirmation of final dates)
  5. fishbird (?)
Any more.....:augie
 
Back at work tomorrow.. will check on dates and confirm... :)
 
I wish you guys luck coming to France in August :confused: Dunno what the accommodation situation will be on your route but it is dire down here. We are used to the fact that everything is booked solid in August but in July it is usually possible to find something. Right now everywhere is full apparently...camp sites, gites, hotels, the lot!

We visited the Lot valley earlier this month, stayed in Cahors and even mid week one one needed to book decent restaurants and although the roads were quiet, and really good, the hotel we were in was booked solid all summer:confused:

Not really a situation one would expect considering the economic climate especially as the % of foreign visitors doesn't appear to have increased :confused:

I don't agree with Oldrascals comments about the French showing disdain towards Brits and to find a local familiar with the term Perfide Albion I suspect one would have to troll the old folks homes! Every year I meet up with lots of forum members and the overwhelming majority have very positive contacts with the French.
The British press, especially the papers aimed at those with single figure IQs, often make a big deal about relations with the French whereas here they really don't care about what other Europeans are doing.
 
Shenzi said:
I wish you guys luck coming to France in August :confused: Dunno what the accommodation situation will be on your route but it is dire down here. We are used to the fact that everything is booked solid in August but in July it is usually possible to find something. Right now everywhere is full apparently...camp sites, gites, hotels, the lot!

We visited the Lot valley earlier this month, stayed in Cahors and even mid week one one needed to book decent restaurants and although the roads were quiet, and really good, the hotel we were in was booked solid all summer:confused:

Not really a situation one would expect considering the economic climate especially as the % of foreign visitors doesn't appear to have increased :confused:

I don't agree with Oldrascals comments about the French showing disdain towards Brits and to find a local familiar with the term Perfide Albion I suspect one would have to troll the old folks homes! Every year I meet up with lots of forum members and the overwhelming majority have very positive contacts with the French.
The British press, especially the papers aimed at those with single figure IQs, often make a big deal about relations with the French whereas here they really don't care about what other Europeans are doing.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update Shenzi and it may well be that, when I get down (shortly) to the nitty-gritty of checking vacancies, things might start to get sticky. But I live in hope (er.....West Sussex actually :augie).

As to my comments regarding the disdainful attitude that the French tourism service sector has been renowned for - you need only look at just how many initiatives the central government has put into effect in an attempt at improving standards of service and welcome. This has worked to a certain extent but still has some way to go in Paris I venture.

I will accept that my comments about Perfide Albion and des Enemies Hereditaires are more of interest to the chattering classes in Paris than anyone we are liable to bump into whilst GS mounted. Could be an age thing of course.........I am not a Senior Member for nothing.:rob
 
Oldrascal, if you are referring to Paris then I have to agree! Right now the authorities there are trying to get the Parisiens to be more polite, don't hold your breath! The point is that they are as rude with other French as they are with foreigners, 75 number plates are not very popular in the Midi!

If I can help you in any way with your accommodation give me a shout!

Bob
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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