3 Weeks France

kerryscoob

Heading to France last week in June for 3 weeks and this year the bikes are definitely coming. Problems Problems!!!!!!!! It's not just me though,the son will want his bike as well.

Option 1: Was to hire bikes but over 3 weeks x 2 ridiers not cheap.
Option 2: Buy 2 bike boxes, Ryanair into Carcassonne, hire a car, I need a *ecking truck with 3 women in tow for the suitcases. Maybe a Renault Espace will do me.
Option 3: Buy 2 bike boxes, send bikes over by courier and send them back a day earlier.

Anybody throw some suggestions. Mobile home booked in Argeles, and it's road bikes we have.

And no! leaving the women at home is not an option.:D

sy

Option 4 You could bring the car loaded with bikes and suitcases etc and pick them up at airport (Perpignan or Girona are closer) assuming its Argeles sur Mer? Great cycling terrain in that area by the way.
Bring home lots of wine on return .

Headdy

Drive over with bikes on the rack? maybe you have flights booked already

kerryscoob

Option 4: Have looked at the cork to roscoff option as flights not yet booked, with the option of the wine then.
Possibly would prefer the flights as not losing 10/12hrs driving each way on the French side.

sy

Irish Ferries and Celtic Ferries from Rosslare can be cheaper tha Cork route

Roadtoad

One year I took 4 bikes, 1 uni and a child's buggy, all on the back rack. Squeezed in 120 bottles on the way back. That was my car that left the scratches on the ferry off-ramp as we poured out in Rosslare.

Friends fly most of the family to France, and Dad takes the car the previous day. V smart, but S. France is too far/ lonely for you.

bcmf

Rosslare - Roscoff or Cherbourg. or as I found a few yrs back-LeHavre is, believe it or not IMO, better for the drive down to the South.
Within 15-20 off the ferry you are on the main autoroute and onto the peripherique around Paris which leads to the main artery to the south.
July is high season so ferry prices will be high. But having the freedom of the car as opposed getting screwed by Ryanair is well worth it.

Paul Kiernan

It's a hell of a long way to drive! Pack the two bikes into cardboard bike boxes (one if possible) and courier them direct to the campsite. I've no idea what this would cost but there are always some couriers doing good deals.

bcmf

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

It's a hell of a long way to drive!

Just to give an idea of time
From Millau -> LeHavre is the best part of 12hrs mostly spent on Autroutes.

jiffybag

Driving is a very expensive option too , the cost of fuel and dont forget the tolls on the French autoroutes.
Ryaniar will probably leave your bike on the tarmac at Dublin airport too , its happen to me a few times . It this does happen , your're fooked!!

I have been plotting a French trip with my friends too and its becoming a logistical nightmare.
Good luck.

Paul Kiernan

AFAIK, Ryanair will take a bike in a cardboard box (well wrapped in bubble wrap!) as a standard piece of luggage, as long as it's under the 15kg or 20kg limit. Maybe you could squeeze a car bike rack in as well (spread between the two boxes)?

kerryscoob

I'll have to get a few prices on the courier option.
If I go Ryanair, flying into Carcassonne is best as it's out of Cork, what car to hire will be the problem, luggage, bike boxes x 2, 5 people.

Captain Havoc

I looked at An Post for you there, don't bother looking, it would be about €80- €150 for a bike :EEK: Found this, €40 for an adult bike for one week and €25 for a kids.
1 adult + 1 child €155 for two weeks.

kerryscoob

I could get the bike boxes, bring this with me, looking at reviews extra straps required just in case.

Anybody any experience of the inflatable roof rack.

Ryanair charge €40 each way per bike, am I reading that right.

velopeloton

If going for 3 weeks I would definitely drive and collect the others from the airport. Get the Celtic Link ferry from Rosslare to Cherbourg. The advantage is you can take what you want rather than what you can carry. 3 weeks car hire will be a small fortune!!!!