Reply to: London to Paris by cycle

[dang65]

Great news. Well done on the ride. I have this kind of thing lined up for when the children have moved out and I can just take a credit card and disappear for a couple of weeks. So many fantastic cycle routes across Europe (including the UK), but you need time and independence to really have fun.

[norrahe]

Well, we made it. Most of the route was great, but las twenty miles or so a nightmare - long sections of the Seine towpath were closed, which meant putting ourselves at the mercy of Paris rush-hour traffic. But on the whole, a good trip - total 260 miles.
Got a couple of days in Paris now to recuperate.

Congrats

[Halo Jones]

Well done

[mudskipper]

Well, we made it. Most of the route was great, but las twenty miles or so a nightmare - long sections of the Seine towpath were closed, which meant putting ourselves at the mercy of Paris rush-hour traffic. But on the whole, a good trip - total 260 miles.
Got a couple of days in Paris now to recuperate.

[doodab]

And yet in Europe you see vast forests of bikes left out in the open over night, which in Britain would be unthinkable.

To be fair, I left my rather nice MTB chained up in a metal cage outside my building in super-safe Bavaria and some ****er had it away. So it's not all roses.

[TimberWolf]

Been there, done that back in the 70s - London, Newhaven, Dieppe, Rouen, Versailles, ..

(Then on to Fontainebleau, Corbeil-Essonnes, Nemours, Montargis, Nevers, Moulins, Macon, at which point I decided the bike and I were both too knackered to go on and hopped on the train for the rest of the way to southern Italy. )

It would be great to try it again, although the traffic is probably worse these days, and I'd most likely flake out after the first day.

My bike got nicked a month ago so I won't be doing it. That's my excuse anyway. I did once cycle down the east coast of Malaysia and parts of Thailand, and after carrying it around half the world to bring it back that bike got promptly nicked too. It was only a cheap second-hand jobbie.

When I moved recently, I had 2 bikes, and wanted to get rid of the racing bike I had bought for £14 from auction. So I left it leaning against some railings in a park unlocked, as I was interested in seeing whether it would last until dusk, after which it would certainly disappear. It was gone when I checked it only 2 hours later. And yet in Europe you see vast forests of bikes left out in the open over night, which in Britain would be unthinkable.

[mudskipper]

Been there, done that back in the 70s - London, Newhaven, Dieppe, Rouen, Versailles, ..

(Then on to Fontainebleau, Corbeil-Essonnes, Nemours, Montargis, Nevers, Moulins, Macon, at which point I decided the bike and I were both too knackered to go on and hopped on the train for the rest of the way to southern Italy. )

It would be great to try it again, although the traffic is probably worse these days, and I'd most likely flake out after the first day.

The Avenue Verte route is mostly traffic free - or that's the idea! Can't help with the flaking out though...

[OwlHoot]

Forget high speed trains linking Paris to London, we now have a cycle track. It's a bit wet in the middle and gets steadily worse in England though, as Englanders don't understand cycling. It would also be jolly expensive if you hired one of Boris Johnson's bikes for the trip.

BBC News - The London-Paris cycle route that keeps getting you lost

Been there, done that back in the 70s - London, Newhaven, Dieppe, Rouen, Versailles, ..

(Then on to Fontainebleau, Corbeil-Essonnes, Nemours, Montargis, Nevers, Moulins, Macon, at which point I decided the bike and I were both too knackered to go on and hopped on the train for the rest of the way to southern Italy. )

It would be great to try it again, although the traffic is probably worse these days, and I'd most likely flake out after the first day.

[mudskipper]

booooooo!

but you could find a pub with wifi and do it there

Definitely worth consideration!

[doodab]

I can't believe that people think London's a dump. It's absolutely stunning at the moment. A properly revived city. I've spent quite a lot of time in both Paris and London this year and, like I said, I have absolutely no doubt about which direction I'd want to be riding in.

It's a great city to visit, or to live in if you are young, care free and affluent and can afford to enjoy all it has to offer and throw money at dealing with day to day hassles, but for day to day life as an ordinary person it is a bit of a tuliphole, actually.

[norrahe]

I'm not paying roaming data charges!! Will give full report when I get back. Booked for end of May.

booooooo!

but you could find a pub with wifi and do it there

[mudskipper]

we'll be expecting another blog with regular updates and beer/wine of the day of course

I'm not paying roaming data charges!! Will give full report when I get back. Booked for end of May.

[norrahe]

Oui, Oui monsieur. Just booked my ferry ticket.

we'll be expecting another blog with regular updates and beer/wine of the day of course

[mudskipper]

Oui, Oui monsieur. Just booked my ferry ticket.

[shaunbhoy]

I have absolutely no doubt about which direction I'd want to be riding in.

Me neither. Whatever direction took me well away from both tulipholes!!