Holiday 2024 Destination

RayKinsella

Hi folks,

I want to crowd-source my family's holiday destination for 2024. We usually just pack the car up and take the ferry to France, taking a gîte for two weeks or so in Vendee in the west of France.

Next year, I want to change it up a small bit. The ground rules are

1. My significant other needs a beach nearby, that's a given. We like to take the ferry, because that lets me bring the bikes and bring back wine.
   
2. We are probably a bit tired of Vendee at this stage - been there five or six times now. The biking there is good, but not great.
   

The big thing for next year, is that I am introducing my son (12 yrs) to Road Biking. So I am looking for somewhere where road biking is very safe for him to learn. Somewhere we can do good 40km rides, preferably with café's en route.

The other major change is that Ireland (I live in the south-west) has a lot more access by car to the rest of Europe, compared to three / four years ago (I'll leave you to guess the reasons why). So I can now get to Roscoff, Cherbourg, Bilbao and Santader within a reasonable reach of my home - which is awesome.

So where do folks recommend, any favourite spots to share with me?

Ray K

Dorset_Boy

Lake Annecy
There are beaches, the water in the lake is warm in the summer, stunning views, 40 km bike path around the lake, plus can follow it further afield. Great other cycling for you.
Downside maybe the length of drive.

What about somewhere like the Argeles to Collioure section of the French med?

pblakeney

I've not been, but I am going to Northern Spain in June, so Bilbao or Santander.
Reason? Reported good cycling inland on quiet roads. Although the balance between inland and beach may be tricky.

hdow

How about Galicia? Excellent beaches and a a high density of small and quiet roads. Undulating and sometimes quite hilly. Should be a great place to introduce a 12 year old to road cycling. I would aim for the coast and area between Muros and A Coruna. Have cycled there and it is ace

RayKinsella

Dorset_Boy said:

Lake Annecy
There are beaches, the water in the lake is warm in the summer, stunning views, 40 km bike path around the lake, plus can follow it further afield. Great other cycling for you.
Downside maybe the length of drive.

What about somewhere like the Argeles to Collioure section of the French med?

I have been to Lake Annecy, it is amazing with Alps and clear blue water - I'd love to bring the kids. You'd be talking about a 10 hour drive from the boat though.

Argeles / Collioure would mean a Ryanair to Perpignan (or thereabouts) - which we haven't done before, but it would definitely be something to try. Thanks for that!

RayKinsella

pblakeney said:

I've not been, but I am going to Northern Spain in June, so Bilbao or Santander.
Reason? Reported good cycling inland on quiet roads. Although the balance between inland and beach may be tricky.

I have never been there - any idea if the beaches in the area are decent?

pblakeney

RayKinsella said:

pblakeney said:

I've not been, but I am going to Northern Spain in June, so Bilbao or Santander.
Reason? Reported good cycling inland on quiet roads. Although the balance between inland and beach may be tricky.

I have never been there - any idea if the beaches in the area are decent?

Google tells me there are as I was contemplating my wife joining me post cycling holiday but crucially as per my post, I've not been yet.

RayKinsella

hdow said:

How about Galicia? Excellent beaches and a a high density of small and quiet roads. Undulating and sometimes quite hilly. Should be a great place to introduce a 12 year old to road cycling. I would aim for the coast and area between Muros and A Coruna. Have cycled there and it is ace

That is awesome thanks for the tip. Would let us fit in a trip to Santiago de Compostela also, which is something I have been hoping to do!

Thanks!

commuterlegs

The Netherlands. You can get the ferry there, they have beaches and the cycling is nice and flat and about as safe as you can get.

hdow

PB's research is good. The beaches along the north coast are excellent. The picture is of Ribadesella five weeks ago during a storm. Certainly not a mountain day. Many beaches have elegant towns and some can be more industrial particularly in the Basque country. There are also plenty of excellent beaches sat on their own

As you can see the headlands are generally steep as sections of road can be too. My experience is that traffic levels reduce as you travel west. The motorway takes a lot of strain off the local roads. However, the roads are squeezed into a narrowish zone as the mountains aren't far to the south

Mad_Malx

I like northern spain & the picos but not sure it’s the best for a novice cyclist.
As hdow suggests - very scenic but can be very lumpy and the few roads between places tend to be well used in the season.
Northern Spain is the Costa Verde for a reason….. Mrs MM hasn’t forgiven me for a very cold & wet camping holiday while britain was having a heatwave.

Danyradar

I found this resource, as I am planning a tour to Portugal in October next year https://www.cycling-rentals.com/blog/the-best-cycling-routes-in-portugal-from-the-coast-to-the-mountains#:~:text=The%20Costa%20de%20Prata%20Coastal,actually%20starts%20in%20northern%20Europe.&text=This%20coast%20has%20some%20of,beach%20towns%20and%20wild%20nature. The EuroVelo 1 runs along the scenic southern coast. This seems a great option given the gorgeous beaches and views of towns along the way. Another choice could be the Douro Valley route for your son since it has excellent, mostly car-free roads amid superb scenery. The Algarve interior route also looks appealing for its rustic charm on low-traffic roads, offering a distinctive perspective within that popular region beyond just the beaches.

Portugal in general attracts visitors for its rich culture and history integrated within beautiful landscapes. When planning, I came across an informative overview of Portugal's tourism growth and highlights at https://gowithguide.com/blog/tourism-in-portugal-statistics-2023-the-ultimate-guide-5600 that provides useful context without being an all-encompassing guide. Have an enjoyable and memorable family vacation, @RayKinsella!