UKC Forums - Med to Manche

Med to Manche

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Fruit 12 Jul 2017

Has anyone done this classic tour S to N? All the tours do it the other way, but I fancy the freedom of not having to chase to catch a plane at the end. I'm planning to start at Marseille and head up to Caen.

Any ideas, tips, route suggestions welcome.

Cheers
Fruit

OP Fruit 30 Jul 2017

In reply to Fruit:

I'm off, route to be made up on the way!

Gone for good 30 Jul 2017

In reply to Fruit:

Good luck. How far? 1000 km?

OP Fruit 09 Aug 2017

In reply to Gone for good:

Just got back, 1066km, Marseille to Dieppe, left Tuesday evening, arrived following Tuesday Morning. Crossed ardeche, followed the Chassezac, then followed Loire to Orléans, then the Cher I think.

Took camping gear, but long days and high night temps made hotels a practical solution.

GravitySucks 09 Aug 2017

In reply to Fruit:

1066 km ... how apt!

subtle 09 Aug 2017

In reply to Fruit:

> Just got back, 1066km, Marseille to Dieppe, left Tuesday evening, arrived following Tuesday Morning. Crossed ardeche, followed the Chassezac, then followed Loire to Orléans, then the Cher I think.

> Took camping gear, but long days and high night temps made hotels a practical solution.

Sounds a great trip - quiet roads or were they busy? Headwind?

OP Fruit 09 Aug 2017

In reply to GravitySucks:

Yes I was pleased when I added up the daily totals, scary though it is 666 miles

OP Fruit 09 Aug 2017

In reply to subtle:

For the most part quiet, some cycle tracks and occasionally I chose the straight line routes, used pages torn out of Michelin road atlas to plan route. For the record I used 18 pages from the 2017 version.

subtle 11 Aug 2017

In reply to Fruit:

Nice one

Rigid Raider 11 Aug 2017

In reply to Fruit:

Great wheeze. The other one is to use Google maps on your smartphone; a cycling buddy of mine rode from Lancashire to Cornwall and back for a wedding, he just entered the postcode for the night's B&B or YHA, turned off the screen, stuck an earplug in and pressed go. Said it took him down some great routes.