We here it is. Any of you who have read the review I have done of the trip I have just been on to France will know that I am doing it again next year but with a few changes.
This time it will be a full 2 weeks in the south. Longer time to enjoy and no riding through the north. The weather was pants, the people were not as nice and the roads no where near as good. It is in the very early stages of planning at the moment. Looked at ferry prices from Portsmouth to Bilboa (I think that was it), over night ferry includes sleeping and food. Just under £300 for 2 people. Then there is fuel, food and accomadation. Not sure if it will be tents or cheap hotels yet but will look into it. I was also thinking of maybe doing a few activites while over there, on days off, like white water rafting, rock climbing ect. Prices vary. I think you may need £1000 per person for 2 weeks inc accomadation, food and fuel. This is only a guess but over time I shall compile a more exact price chart. Failing that just stick it on your credit card and worry about it when you get home It really is a trip worth doing.
Just want to find out how many people would be up for this. May be able to get some discounts sorted for vairous things. Let me know whether you would like to join me and Immy for our second trip. We are certainly going and you are welcome to come along. The more noise the merrier!
Last edited by Ckennedy on Fri Sep 20, 2013 8:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
10 days is always an option and might even work out better than 2 weeks. Good thinking batman Gives us all a bit more holiday to play with the rest of the year
The hotel f1's we stayed in were nice enough. Double rooms came with a bunk above the double or you could get 2 single beds in a room. Cheap enough. Under 40quid per night inc breakfast.
Ziggy, I survived on Jambon & Fromage baguettes for 2 months in Southern France! it can be done cheaply but I wouldn't recommend it So your definitely right about allowing a good budget for food.
If I was going on my own I'd stay in Auberge Dejeunesse for around 10€ per night, but parking etc for a group of us might be tricky.
When I went we tried the F1s but they are basically an Etap with a shared bathroom for about 5 euro less. Problem was the shower was also communal, and my mate went in first found a used tampon someone had left on the floor....put me right off.
As for food, we ate out most nights, and just bought baguettes and ham/cheese for lunch too. It's expensive depending on where you are though. We stayed in Cannes and Paris which were very expensive, but smaller towns were OK.
It is some years since I did this, but we travelled through France staying outside the main towns. Baguette and cheese type lunch, dinner was the plat du jour in as close to a working mens cafe as we could find. If you don't know, the plat du jour is literally a plate of the day, in reality it is a cheap basic menu. It wasn't expensive and it lets you see "real" France rather than the big cities.
On this trip our friends decided to blast back from the south along the autoroutes, they spent far more money on tolls and staying in a hotel in Calais waiting for the ferry we had booked onto, than we did pottering up through the byways of rural France and meeting them about 4 hours before the boat was due to leave.
Baguette and cheese type lunch, dinner was the plat du jour in as close to a working mens cafe as we could find. If you don't know, the plat du jour is literally a plate of the day, in reality it is a cheap basic menu. It wasn't expensive and it lets you see "real" France rather than the big cities.
+1
Around lunchtime (11.30am_1.00pm) in the sticks - all the all the locals and drivers disappear to the caffs offering value limited choice meals (le Menu du jour) . Watch out out for the chalkboard signs for plat du jour which is just a special day's main course.
Or as some musician friends did when travelling in France just kip rough in a field and for petit déjeuner eat the snails (season to taste)....
It may be that your whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
Already thought of putting a similar thread out on this but you beat me to it.
My thoughts.....I was going to Van my bike down, along with some decent camping kit, in order to save money and camp in comfort. I think it would be good to set up a base for say 4-5 days and ride out from there, then pick another spot for another few days, without having to ride with your life strapped to the back of the bike all the time. I could be persuaded to take gear for other people if they liked the idea, for a contribution to fuel costs or something.
I think it would be a laugh, ride in the day and get the bbq and beer going in the eves...and about £10 per person per night.
leevtr wrote:Already thought of putting a similar thread out on this but you beat me to it.
My thoughts.....I was going to Van my bike down, along with some decent camping kit, in order to save money and camp in comfort. I think it would be good to set up a base for say 4-5 days and ride out from there, then pick another spot for another few days, without having to ride with your life strapped to the back of the bike all the time. I could be persuaded to take gear for other people if they liked the idea, for a contribution to fuel costs or something.
I think it would be a laugh, ride in the day and get the bbq and beer going in the eves...and about £10 per person per night.
sounds like a plan lee/chris, with lee providing some space for camping equipment and crates of beer....
i'm sure we could chip in towards his costs, just think how nice it will be to ride without nearly everything being strapped to the bike....
if your going with the van lee, i think i'll have to go aswell......
if we venture as far as my gaff in spain, we could all stay at mine for 3,4,5 days....
Tbh Theres so much good riding around the south east of france/alps area that Next year I think I'll not go much further. Pyrenees is deffo on the to do list one day.
It did cross my mind to combine this with a Motogp round, say mugello for instance. Not to camp at the track, but arrive a few days before, set up within striking distance and have the best of both worlds, without the hassle.
3 Suggestions for bases on a 2 week trip. 1. Verdon Gorge area. 2. Alps, somewhere in the Route Napolean area/ French/Swiss/Italian borders, or somewhere near the sustenpass/furkapass in switzerland is bloody amazing. 3. Black Forest, the B500 and surroundingg areas are superb. A things can be altered mid trip to chase the good weather.
That sounds like a good idea with the van. Like you say it would be nice not to have to carry everything all the time. Like the idea of the routes too. You fancy putting some routes put together on Google so we can have a look and see for ourselves and make changes/suggestions?
It really is a trip worth doing.
I don't really need anything else to be sold 
it can be done cheaply but I wouldn't recommend it 
