The ultimate cycle journey across France from Channel to Med
Latest information about the route or book events.
Many thanks to Angela Locke the Lakeland novelist, poet and lecturer for hosting our talk at the magnificent Words by the Water Festival in Keswick.
Great to see such a good turn out on the last day of the festival. We finished our day off with a stroll down to Derwent Water in the fading early spring light.
Keep an eye out on the website for further France en Velo authors talks at literary and cycling festivals.
Rummaging around in bookshop and studying maps is one of mine and John’s favourite past times. Its in a quiet corner of book shop that the ideas for journeys start to brew and the practical information needed to plan can be found. If you are a lover of books and travel then you no doubt already know the name Stanfords.
Stanfords is the UK’s leading specialist retailer of maps and travel books and it can justly claim to offer the world’s largest stock of maps and travel books under one roof. Established in 1853 by Edward Stanford if you need any inspiration for planning adventures this is the place to go. You’d be in good company as Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton visited when planning their expeditions, Bill Bryson and Michael Palin are customers today. www.stanfords.co.uk
Stanfords Travel Writers Festival formed part of the Destination Show at London Olympia, a stellar line up of travel writers were there to discuss their books, travels and adventures. I had been invited to chair a panel of cycling travel writers; Oli Broom-Cycling to the Ashes, Tim Moore- Gironimo and William Fotheringham-Racing Hard. To be honest they didn’t need much chairing as once onto the subject of cycle touring the anecdotes started to fly! You can listen to it here: http://bit.ly/15O65GS
Despite trying to stimulate some semi-intellectual discussion about how the act of writing a book changes the experience of travel we soon learnt that the audience’s main interest was in the practicalities of riding your bike for a really long time. “What do you take with you? How do you prevent your bum getting sore? Were you ever scared? “And of course the number one question “What was the worst thing that ever happened to you?”
So…. we’re starting work on a France en Velo ‘Everything you need to know about cycle touring and the bits no one ever mentions’ feature to be up on the website soon. In the mean time email us your questions at hello@franceenvelo.cc
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed riding through France for 2 weeks this September following your route. It was a proper adventure.
My Mum lives in the Ardeche and I’d been talking about cycling to her house for ages (but avoiding the UK bit (I live in Perth)) and so when I stumbled across your book in the local Waterstone’s at the end of May this year I felt like it was ‘meant to be’ since the route actually goes through the wee village she stays in. I’ve never done any cycle touring before and I thought having a route to follow would make life a lot simpler with all the things that need to be organised.
I decided with my lack of experience the 3 week itinerary would be the most realistic option, but I would get to my final destination in 15 days, giving me time to have a holiday when I got to my Mum’s too (I had 3 weeks leave). So I got the train to Portsmouth, ferry St Malo and after a week in the Ardeche flew back from Marseille. In the end I did the trip in 14 days, mostly due to meeting another cyclist in Mende (Simon) on my last night camping who was doing the 2 week itinerary and so I cycled with him from Mende to St Alban Auriolles – that final day is amazing – downhills that go on forever on quiet roads and climbs that are manageable even with a laden bike.
I think the only thing that I would add to the book is a wee line about being aware that in the shoulder season campsites/restaurants might not be open. It wasn’t a huge issue but any extra miles at the end of a long day feel hard. But mostly the whole experience was incredibly positive, the camaraderie of all other cyclists on the road, the greater courtesy that French drivers have to cyclist, the fantastic nature of the route following river after river exploring many parts of France I don’t really know – I thought the Lot valley in particular was brilliant.
I suspect the weather helped (13 and three quarter days of wall to wall sunshine then a drenching just as we left Les Vans) but I do think the route is well thought out. I did undertake some ‘edits’ to my journey (as you suggest, making it my own adventure) as I used traditional maps for navigation, some of the editing was just evening out the day lengths on the itinerary so they were closer to fifty-ish miles – as I found they varied a fair bit. I also chose not to take the rest day but to do 2 shorter length days as I’m not sure I would have managed 74 miles and 1500m of ascent with my adapted mountain bike (road tyres) and camping kit, especially over Goudard pass.
I would (have already) recommend the book/route to anyone interested in touring or just exploring France generally. It is a fairly hefty tome for cycle touring with but I did enjoy looking at my maps and the book of an evening to see what the next day had in store. I didn’t have the book out during the day but quickly learnt that some of the salient directions for getting through towns noted down on a bit of paper with the map made navigation pretty straightforward. I know there’s lots of digital ways of doing these things but the maps gave a better sense of where I was and also let me adapt the route a little.
All in all this is just a big thank you – France en Velo – made something I’ve been thinking about for years come to fruition – and I’m chuffed to bits I did it 🙂
Ellie Willmott
TWO NEW DATES
POOLE – 23 July – Rockets and Rascals – Salterns Way – from 7pm
NEWCASTLE – 24 July – The Cycle Hub – Quayside – from 6.30pm
We’ve been having a fantastic time at our book events, lots of French wine, fresh fromage and a chance to meet other cyclists keen to discover France en Velo. Come and chat about your cycling plans and enjoy a small taste of France and it’s many food and drink delights. No need to book, just drop in. Books for sale at special discount. Or just come along for a glass of vin rouge!
A lovely email arrived in our in-box this evening from Rich, who has just arrived in Nice.
“Thanks to you all for your route, advice and pre ride input. We have stayed in most of the campsites you suggested and It’s been a great experience. Today we are just outside Nice, resting up after 10 days cycling from Villefort to Bar de Sur Loup. Some tough riding with panniers and tent in 35+ heat, but some great riding, and this is a lovely finish before rejoining the busy streets of Nice. Not a bad view for a campsite huh!”
We’ve decided to celebrate the launch of France en Velo with a series of book launches around the country. First up is Keswick, John’s home town on Monday 2nd June at the Saddleback Cafe.
New cycling hang out in town, The Saddleback Cafe, will be hosting the evening from 7-9pm and providing some French themed nibbles. We’ll be bringing plenty of wine and cheese direct from France and some Brittany cidre and some bottles of sparkling Saumur Crément. Its not a celebration without a glass of bubbles.
Come and check out Keswick’s latest destination for outdoor enthusiasts, there is cycling art on the walls and even bike locks available to lock up your pride and joy if you cycle over.
We’ll be doing a short talk about the book and cycle touring in France but the main purpose of the evening is to enjoy some good French wine and food. Do come along and have a chat with us, it would be great to meet you.
Saddleback Café, 135 Main St, Keswick, CA12 5NJ, next door to KMB
France en Velo will be released in mid-April and you can order your copy now. As soon as it comes in stock we will get a copy of the book out to you. Happy cycling!