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Boards on Tour

  • 25-07-2008 8:42am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭


    So... a ferry from Cork-Roscoff for a van with 4 people inside is 664 return -making it 166 quid each (I suspect the price will be similar for a car).

    Any suggestions of where we head too (considering we have a week, as the ferry arrives in Franc on the Sunday, and leaves on the Friday. Do we head to Lourdes and tackle the Tourmalet and Hautacam, or do we go straight for the big daddy and stay in, say Saint Ettienne and go for the Alpe D'Huez

    For example, Roscoff to Pau is 924k, to Saint-Etienne

    Hotels may work out expensive, so who fancies camping in the mountains in October? :)

    (Oct 4th-10th are the provisional dates for the boards trip abroad)

    PS, this is all Raams fault, so blame him


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,400 ✭✭✭Caroline_ie


    You'll probably have great weather! It can be quiet warm up until mid Oct in the south west of France.


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    Was just about to ask that. Was wondering if the snow would be down by October.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,400 ✭✭✭Caroline_ie


    :pac: ... actually it could be a bit cold at 2115 M ...



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,318 ✭✭✭✭Raam


    In principle, I'm certainly in.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,995 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    I am most definately in. We can warm up on the Saturday by cycling around the ferry.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    Try and get over as early as possible. It's not unheard of to have snow at 2000m in October, generally at the end but possible towards the start. Weather underground has good historical info. Here is the link for Grenoble but it would be good idea to pick some place like Alpe d'Huez to get an idea of the weather at 1800m (Just for some balance: this was what 2000m looked like Nov 5th 2006.)

    I would definitely recommend going to the Alps, there are so many big climbs around there. Grenoble wouldn't be a bad base. It's 10hrs from Roscoff, 9hrs from Cherbourg or 7hrs from Le Harve.

    This English guy has a website with tons of rides in the area. You'd have lots of famous big rides just there alone.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 385 ✭✭emty


    would be very interested in this,just a little concerned about the weather.The closer up you get to the sun the warmer it will be,right?:P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭TinyExplosions


    Ok, so there's a bit of interest... right -who has a van, and is free that week, and who has a car and is also free that week?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭zzzzzzzz


    Sounds deadly alright but I'd say the weather would be fairly dodgy... no?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    One other thing. I'd consider flying (if you are prepared to chance you 3grand bike to whoever flies to Grenoble/Lyon/Geneva). Tolls + fuel for Roscoff will be around €200 each way, and then factor in the time you loose in transit with the boat + drive.

    Ryanair fly to Grenoble but on crap days (Tue & Thur), however the basic flights are €0 for start of Oct. (before you add all the charges)

    Just something else to consider.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭TinyExplosions


    Diarmuid wrote: »
    One other thing. I'd consider flying (if you are prepared to chance you 3grand bike to whoever flies to Grenoble/Lyon/Geneva). Tolls + fuel for Roscoff will be around €200 each way, and then factor in the time you loose in transit with the boat + drive.

    Ryanair fly to Grenoble but on crap days (Tue & Thur), however the basic flights are €0 for start of Oct. (before you add all the charges)

    Just something else to consider.

    You're a great mine of information Diarmuid!

    I'd think that it would be useful to have transport, and cheaper to drive than rent, but I could well be wrong!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    You're a great mine of information Diarmuid!
    A couple of years organising skiing trips and you get to know the routes around the Alps ;) (and I live in the south of France)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭zzzzzzzz


    You're a great mine of information Diarmuid!

    I'd think that it would be useful to have transport, and cheaper to drive than rent, but I could well be wrong!

    Yeah - ryanair fly to grenoble alright. If only they had lockers in the airport to stash your bike box and you could just cycle to the nearest hotel...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 347 ✭✭bunnygreen


    Lads if your considering doing the Tourmalet and Hautacam,id recommend staying in a small town called Argeles-Gazost,its a the foot of the Hautacam and very close to the Tormalet also you could do Luz-Ardiden an absolute classic,Col De Spandelles,Col D'Aspin and a load of other gems,if its climbing you want this is a good place to go,might be a little far to travel if your restricted for time,but you can pack a lot of climbing into a short time.If you go for the Alpe D,same thing you are spoilt for choice,im going to do that in May next year,and im doing The Ventoux in Sept this year.I know a little about the Tourmalet area and would gladly pass on any info i have.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,318 ✭✭✭✭Raam


    Actually, I've stayed on the Tourmalet myself in a place called Barege. T'was a sleepy village and the accomodation I stayed in was quite good. Run by a nice English couple....
    www.mountainbug.com

    They organise hill-walking, but you can just stay there and do your own thing.
    The food they put on at dinner is amazing, or at least that's how I remember it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    Hmm I might be interested in this too. Would depend on there being at least a couple of flat days though :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,995 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    Flying could be an option- those of us with carbon bikes would need to get bike boxes for peace of mind I reckon (I have flown lots of times with my aluminum bike unboxed however.)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,995 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    penexpers wrote: »
    Hmm I might be interested in this too. Would depend on there being at least a couple of flat days though :)
    I am guessing that might be unlikely :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    blorg wrote: »
    I am guessing that might be unlikely :D

    Yeah I'm guessing so too. Curse living far away from any decent hills.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,995 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    You never know though, there might be a revolt among the Boards peloton after the first few days climbing :D


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  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    Lads, I'd be a bit worried about going so late in the year without researching the weather a bit more. Be a shame for everyone to spend a stack getting over there and find it rotten up there. Might there be a case for aiming for early next summer, like May?

    If I was going, I'd definitely be swiping the wife's compact crankset.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,318 ✭✭✭✭Raam


    el tonto wrote: »
    If I was going, I'd definitely be swiping the wife's compact crankset.

    If that's the case, maybe the wife should come instead?

    Raam 1 - 0 El Tonto


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,269 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    Raam wrote: »
    If that's the case, maybe the wife should come instead?

    Raam 1 - 0 El Tonto

    Eh, I've no come back to that. Raam 2 - 0 El Tonto.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭TinyExplosions


    Having a quick google, there's a few reports of people doing the Alpe D'Huez in October, and the official site says the Ski lifts open from December 6, 2008 to April 26, 2009 -which would lead me to think that October would be ok. THe main reason I suggested it was so the weather wouldn't be as hot for the climb (I hate the heat!)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭TinyExplosions


    At the moment, Ryanair flights from the 2nd-9th October are 50quid to Grenoble, including taxes, but not including bikes or checked on bags


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    Having a quick google, there's a few reports of people doing the Alpe D'Huez in October, and the official site says the Ski lifts open from December 6, 2008 to April 26, 2009 -which would lead me to think that October would be ok. THe main reason I suggested it was so the weather wouldn't be as hot for the climb (I hate the heat!)

    Even in the middle of August, at that height it can be quite cold. I remember being up around 1000m and shivering in my shorts in the middle of August. It's not just that the temperature can be low but the wind can be strong and biting as well.

    I remember they had to call of the Etape a few years back when the weather turned bad at the summit of one of the climbs. Loads of riders had to be treated for hypothermia and some of them couldn't even take their hands off the bars they were so frost-bitten.

    Just something to bear in mind.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 347 ✭✭bunnygreen


    just a quick thing,i remember being around the Tourmalet area in may of this year,lot of the climbs were not open to the top,still snow up there just something to bear in mind.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,995 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    Indeed; snow stays around later than it starts if that makes any sense.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,981 ✭✭✭Diarmuid


    yea. Most cols open in mid->end June and close end October. May may not be the best time to go. September would be my recommendation but October would be a good option too
    penexpers wrote: »
    Even in the middle of August, at that height it can be quite cold. I remember being up around 1000m and shivering in my shorts in the middle of August.
    True but in August that's the exception not the rule.


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  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,034 Mod ✭✭✭✭Planet X


    May.


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