Cycling Caen to Nice

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Pederson
Posts: 26
Joined: 28 Nov 2010, 5:40pm

Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by Pederson »

We are planning to cycle Caen to Nice May 2015. Returning to Caen by train.
Does anyone have any experience of this? Oh I forgot to say we may be riding a tandem. Although we have travelled from Calais to Bolougne by train with our tandem I was wondering if it was just as easy further south, and whether we have to prebook? Any info would be helpful ie: route, accomodation (not camping), trains.
We live near Burton on Trent Staffs. Is anyone close by that maybe we could meet in order to pick your brains?
:)
ludo
Posts: 35
Joined: 30 Jul 2012, 8:29pm

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by ludo »

I am planning a similar trip in May although perhaps not to Nice. Re coming back by train, www.seat61.com is worth looking at. I am thinking of staying in cheap hotels and checking them out using 'booking.com' and similar sites. I cannot help with much else as I have little experience of touring in France.
Pederson
Posts: 26
Joined: 28 Nov 2010, 5:40pm

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by Pederson »

Thanks for that, will check out train for return journey. Have you sorted out your route yet?
Good luck and have a safe journey.
ANTONISH
Posts: 2967
Joined: 26 Mar 2009, 9:49am

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by ANTONISH »

My girlfriend and I did a similar ride from Dieppe to Nice.
We returned by train (to Calais via Lille) but had our bikes in bags.
This year I returned from Perpignan by train with my assembled bike ( i.e not in a bag)- again to Calais but via Paris.
This was a sleeper train to Paris, the carriage having a bike compartment which would have been ok for a tandem, normal TGV to Lille, local train to Calais- both the latter having hanging bike spaces (a tandem rear wheel could possibly have reached to the floor). All bike spaces had to be pre-booked except for the local train.
The SNCF site re-directs you to Rail-Europe. You can't book bike spaces on this site and I did the booking in person at their London bureau.
Since then there has been mention on this forum about another more user friendly site where bike spaces can be booked online. I'm sorry but I don't have the details but doubtless someone on the forum can supply the necessary information.
I have heard that the French night trains may cease operation - not sure on that.
The Mechanic
Posts: 1922
Joined: 23 Jul 2010, 1:38pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by The Mechanic »

I am doing Caen to Nice the first two weeks in May 2015. It is an organised tour with Peak Tours. I think there are about 25 of us doing it. Really looking forward to it. Will look out for a tandem en route.
Cancer changes your outlook on life. Change yours before it changes you.
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CJ
Posts: 3413
Joined: 15 Jan 2007, 9:55pm

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by CJ »

ANTONISH wrote:TGV to Lille, local train to Calais- both the latter having hanging bike spaces (a tandem rear wheel could possibly have reached to the floor).

A trick that may help with that is to remove the tandem front wheel and hang by rear wheel instead.
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
tyreon
Posts: 936
Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by tyreon »

Your planned journey could be relatively easy,difficult,or a mix between the two. Sorry to state the obvious.

Given you give the French staff at the rail station 24 hrs notice, I think you wont have too many difficulties booking spaces on the French network system. It goes without saying that the more notice you can give staff the better your chances of securing that reservation,and lowering the fare you pay.

Having said all this,having had the stress of navigating French trains with 'no notice'(just turning up and hoping for the best),wotsabout investigating hiring some car/van that you may drive up thru France then leave at your final destination? I see someone else having done this on this site recently...then someone else asking for details,but getting no reply.
This method now interests me,and on a recent trip about,I went into a Budget/Avis rent-a-car office to ask the cost of hiring a car for a one way trip. The cost I was given was £30 a day! Sure,it wasn't a van,and I wasn't asking in France,and it wasn't summer!! But add on a few quid,get on this thing(computer),and operate it better than I can,and you may be able to hire that van in France,drive it up to the channel to leave it,and all with less hassle(and price?) than going by train. Wotyathink?

If you do manage to get a price,please let me and others know. Though I have managed to get thru France by bike by travelling by train,I have always felt stressed: expectations of finding cycling storage place full? Loading complications? Train changing times too close!
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by tatanab »

tyreon wrote:This method now interests me,and on a recent trip about,I went into a Budget/Avis rent-a-car office to ask the cost of hiring a car for a one way trip. The cost I was given was £30 a day!
That does not include the one way premium of about £100. Use the Avis website and select "return to different location" http://www.avis.co.uk/?cid=GBPPUD000000 ... t/0127584F Europcar offer one way as well, and I have used them in the UK.
Pederson
Posts: 26
Joined: 28 Nov 2010, 5:40pm

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by Pederson »

Thanks for all your help. It gives us a few leads to look into. Looks like a one way hire may be the best and cheaper option, if we can get a van that will take our tandem. When we sort out the return journey we will put any information on the blog.
tyreon
Posts: 936
Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: Cycling Caen to Nice

Post by tyreon »

Tatanab. U may be right. When I went into Budgets/Avis office the manager there said there was a one way extra of £45. Howsoever,he said he was then and there prepared to dismiss this charge as was his right 'at his discretion'. So,had I wanted to travel from the south of the UK to the top,£30 plus petrol,whereas train journey for that day on demand...£300/400+. And this is without the medication you would need to take to alleviate the stress of booking and taking the train given all the rules and regs that are at the discretion of the rail company,guard etc

I have no idea what a single one-way charge for van hire from Nice would be to northern France. Howsoever,it maybe cheaper than the train fare,and simpler(with less stress?)
An alternative might be to fly home with bike/tandem.
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