Summer cycle in France

Hi, me and my friend (we are both 20 YO) are flying to Nice in June and then cycling back up to Calais. We are fairly fit but are just about to start training more seriously for it on Monday, we are going on approx 18th June.
We are aiming to do between 70 and 100 miles a day in 2 rides per day, morning and afternoon.
What tips would you give us regarding training, kit to take, the roads in France (whether we should cycle on some great roads or avoid others)?
Thanks
We are aiming to do between 70 and 100 miles a day in 2 rides per day, morning and afternoon.
What tips would you give us regarding training, kit to take, the roads in France (whether we should cycle on some great roads or avoid others)?
Thanks
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Posts
As for training, you need to get used to riding long days back-to-back. So go away for a short break carrying the sort of gear you'll be taking to France. Or go for 50-mile-plus days on both Saturday and Sunday.
Make sure you know your bike and can fix it. You don't need to take lots of spares as France has plenty of cycle shops. I take a spare tube, puncture kit, Halfords multi-tool with chaintool, a small adjustable spanner, KMC chain link, chain oil and rags.
I've flown to Nice Airport several times and getting out of it is tricky on a bike. I always end up going across the car park at the front, pushing my bike across several lanes of traffic on a really busy main road (almost a motorway) and then turning left along this main road for four or five miles before turning right towards Vence. You are then in cycle heaven. You can ride up the Col de Vence and then north through increasingly high mountains. If you are fit enough and have low enough gearing, you could continue north over the Cols de Cayolle, Vars, Izoard, Galibier and onwards via Annecy towards Calais. A fantastic ride, although even 50 or 60 miles a day is tough in that terrain.
Another good route from Vence is to head north west via the huge Grand Canyon du Verdon and the Drome region, climbing up the brilliant Col de Rousset onto the high Vercors plateau and then descending along the Combe Laval, a twisting road cut through the rock high above a gorge (you often see shots of that road in cycle travel articles). That's a slightly easier option than the Alpine route above but still really spectacular. Then it's easier riding via Bourg-en-Bresse and Dijon, through Burgundy and Champagne country to Reims, St Quentin, Arras, St Omer and Calais. You'll be able to do a much bigger mileage in this northern part of France through the WW1 battlefields of the Somme. Stick to minor roads in this area and it's surprisingly good for cycling.
I'm sure you'll have a great time. I'm envious.
The biggest thing about your training is hours in the saddle. You should be able to meet your target of 70 miles per day with a few rest days thrown in, but getting your backside used to long hours is the most important thing.
Keep putting the fuel down you all day long on the bike and make sure you get a good quality meal and rest on evenings.
Thanks a lot, Tom
Some good 2/3 days.trips to do as testers are Glasgow to Inverness and also the Coast to Coast from Whitehave to Sunderland.
I enjoyed riding the Routes des Cretes in the Vosges - it runs north/south but is a bit off the straight-line route between Nice & Calais.
I like to plan in a rest day from time to time (every 5-7 days) - just to spend time off the bike and also to explore a particular place in more depth.
Is your trip still on?
We are doing a similar ride - 800+ miles, but finishing at Nice.
14 of us, raising money for Ty-Hafan, a children's hospice here in Wales.
Settled on this as our final day, from Moustiers Ste.Marie to Nice
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... rse=534138
We start, 10 days earlier, (May 30th) in Cherbourg, heading down through the Loire,
the Creuse, Auvergne, over Mt.Ventoux, then via the Ardeche and the Verdon Gorges.
Most of the group have struggled to get the training done that we had planned due to the
winter weather, but hopefully the weather gods will smile on us, keeping temperatures and
winds in our favour
Good luck.
http://www.justgiving.com/E2EFrance
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