UKC

Verdon and back by car for 5 days?

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 Kemics 06 Aug 2014
Is this madness?

I have a 5 day trip. Everywhere is a wash out by the look of things. The verdon has a clear forecast but it's a 15 hour drive. So would lose a day either side to get there and back but would mean we get 3 days climbing done....is it worth it? I'm feeling very indecisive ....help
 balmybaldwin 06 Aug 2014
In reply to Kemics:

Having just come back from the Haute Savoie Alps, be warned it is a draining journey. Plus, the weather last week and this week (and by the sounds of it most of the summer) is very changeable (maybe slightly different for the verdon) with a lot of weather systems passing through... in 7 days, we had 2 dry days, and 5 where varying amounts of rain and snow fell, including a few big thunderstorms
altirando 06 Aug 2014
In reply to balmybaldwin: Takes me two days to drive from Calais to Gap and another would be necessary to the Verdon gorges presumably via the Route Napoleon. Seems an obvious option for a cheap flight to Nice.
OP Kemics 06 Aug 2014
In reply to altirando:

hmm. Great idea! Costs less to fly than petrol + ferry. Admittedly we would need to hire a car in Nice. But it would avoid 30 hours of driving! I think I might do this instead .. there's still a few flights going at our local air port
 jon 06 Aug 2014
In reply to altirando:

> Takes me two days to drive from Calais to Gap and another would be necessary to the Verdon gorges

Jeez, what car have you got? Folk often do weekend hits to the Alps. When I lived in Tideswell we managed Buoux for the weekend - in a Mini Metro.

Kemics - avoid the next couple of weekends, the roads will be packed.
altirando 06 Aug 2014
In reply to jon: Actually it is a 120mph sports coupe. But I would be stupid to exceed the 130kph speed limits on autoroutes and Calais to Verdon is around 1000k I think. Perhaps I am getting sensible in my old age? But I think even much younger with cars such as a TR4 I really would not have contemplated such a venture.
 jon 06 Aug 2014
In reply to altirando:

I just couldn't see how you could possibly take two days Calais to Gap. And then another day from Gap to the Gorge? Really three days to do 1000km?

So I checked. According to ViaMichelin it's 1162km and they give a time of 11H42.
 Merlin 06 Aug 2014
In reply to Kemics:

Driving aside, the gorge is bloody massive and routes of lower grades aren't as plentiful as those which are harder. It may not be an issue if you're currently 'on form' or have been there before, but when I was there for three days last year (flew out and climbed at other crags near Monaco and Nice before Verdon) I thought; it would be better off going for two weeks, minimum, to zone in to the scale/exposure and to give myself enough time to break into harder grades.

 Al Evans 07 Aug 2014
In reply to Kemics:

Get a flight to Spain, it's much cheaper than driving to Europe abd the weather is likely to be too hot neseccitating climbing in the shade and going to the beach midday.
 g1m147 07 Aug 2014
In reply to Kemics:

It took me 18 hours to drive back from Ardeche to Manchester last year. I didn't fell like climbing the next day.
With an early start, I've flown out of Leeds Bradford, and been climbing in Verdon by 2 pm. Flying back from nice at about 8 pm. That way we had 2 half days and 2 full days climbing. Made that trip twice.

Have a good one.
 efrance24234 07 Aug 2014
In reply to Kemics: I have literally just arrived in calais from alirfroide. We set off at 8:30 last night and it does drag! Dont think id want to climb streight away.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...