UKC

I'm thinking of a (last-minute) Euro mountain-bike holiday this year and would ideally like to do so without flying.

Has anyone had any experience of going to continental bike parks by train/bus from the UK? I'm agnostic about taking my own bike/hiring when I'm out there. 

In reply to Yalms:

You can catch a train all the way to Bourg Saint Maurice in the French Alps, which is the base for the whole Les Arcs sector, which will keep you more than busy enough for a week or too.

https://www.trailforks.com/region/les-arcs-bikepark/?activitytype=1&z=1...

Some friends of mine made the trip from London, the first time we went there (10 years ago, now). The only real annoyance was dragging heavily laden bike bags across Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare du Lyon. Certainly I was jealous of them relaxing with a beer on the train as I sat in traffic jams on French motorways!

Edit: the riding there is all top-notch!

In reply to Yalms: I suspect like many on here  taken the train to the alps a few times to ski . Really easy and almost “ fun “ without luggage  just a small cragging sac , as my skis , boots etc has been driven out  by friends or were already there . IMHO doing the trip with kit would of course be doable but a pain . Likewise with a bike , I suspect even harder than with skis . I’d say - train to Bourg , hire a bike in resort . Just carry as little as you can . 

In reply to Alun:

Can one put a bike on the Eurostar in a ready-to-ride state? I think I read that they want them boxed, which seems like a massive hassle.

In reply to Rampart:

It just requires removing the wheels and handlebars. Plus you get the benefit of stashing other bulky stuff (helmet, track pump, body armour etc.) in the bag/box.

It's a minor inconvenience compared to the hassle of boxing/bagging for aeroplane travel, which requires packing everything with multiple layers of bubble wrap, removing pedals and derailleurs, and (as I learned the hard way) even having to remove discs from the wheels. And if you have a carbon frame, even with all the protection you're still always a bit worried.

But I agree it's more hassle than slinging the bike in the back of a van and driving down!

In reply to Yalms:

Depends where you wish to go. But in France everything seems to hub from Paris.

You can get an RER train from Burges near Dunkirk direct to Paris, and on this your bike can remain whole. The bikes hang up and it's really easy.

Unusually for RER, you must book your bike on this route.

Have a play with the SNCF website, but a rough rule of thumb TGV bike in a bag, RER bike complete.

In reply to Yalms:

Thanks for all the tips guys - sorry for the late reply! I've done LDN to BSM with skis before which is fairly straightforward, though the bike is just an extra layer of hassle so have decided to hire a bike while out there.