EuroVelo Route 1 Roscoff, France - Faro, Portugal

Seaneh

Howya lads.

I'm tinking of giving myself a 4-5 weeks, on the bike this may/june time and doing Roscoff - Faro. It's about 2200km and I'm thinking 80ish im a day is doable but not going to kill me, will probably tro do 100k most days, but think an average of 80 is realistic.

Has anyone here done any of the Eurovelo route 1 trip? Or any touring along the french atlantic and through northern and western spain? how hard will it be to find wild camping sites? what are the cycle paths likely to be like?
From reading online it seems that the route in spain is mostly cattle paths and greenways along rail tracks, are these likely to be coverable on a bike with 700c wheels (specialized tri cross)?
how much per day can I expect to have to spend minimum?

Also, tires, was thinking Marathon's, probably 32c rear and 28c front,does anyone think i could get away with 28c rear and 25c front or is that just aksing for trouble? The bike can take up to 35c tires (without mudguards).

Another thing, should I leave the mudguards on or are they just pointless extra weight?


And last but not least, anyone interested in joining me? :P

Seaneh

Oh, and another thing...

Would people recommend getting the ferry to france cycling to faro and flying home or flying to faro, dumping bixe box and cycling to france and ferry home?

cdaly_

Seaneh wrote: »

Or any touring along the french atlantic and through northern and western spain? how hard will it be to find wild camping sites? what are the cycle paths likely to be like?

France doesn't have the hedged in fields we have here so a wild camp is likely to be more exposed. I don't know what the local attitude to wild camping is but the place is littered with campsites all down the Atlantic seaboard and a one tent pitch will be pretty cheap overnight with the advantage of hot showers and swimming pools.

The french cycle paths range from bike-exclusive tarmac'ed former railways to painted edges of roads to pretty smooth grit tracks to occasional forest paths (when you go astray, fun on 25mm slicks!).

Also, tires, was thinking Marathon's, probably 32c rear and 28c front,does anyone think i could get away with 28c rear and 25c front or is that just aksing for trouble? The bike can take up to 35c tires (without mudguards).

Another thing, should I leave the mudguards on or are they just pointless extra weight?

The bit I did in Vendee was fine with 25mm front and rear but I wasn't carrying luggage (only my own, not inconsiderable, weight). I'd say go with 25/28 and maybe bring a folding 32 as your spare tyre.

In the scheme of things, your mudguards won't add much weight and it does rain in that part of the world. Rain tends to be more in the form of (heavy) showers rather than the endless drizzle of home but there's opportunity to get your back soaked all the same. That said, I didn't bring mine on the last hols but cycling was only a few days rather than the whole time.

Have fun...

bcmf

I deffo wouldn't go below 25c tyre wise and bring at least 2 spare tyres as the further South you go the more likely you are to be going thru a pine forest and the nxt bike shop maybe a good while away.
Regards wild camping: Its something I would try and avoid as cdaly said the whole west coast is packed with campsites.The closer you get to August the harder it will be to get a pith without a booking.
The goverment run sites ,camping municipal, area good bet with cheap rates for 1 night stops BUT often have zero security so gotta be careful.
Mudguards I would recommend if only to give you some sort of protection as the whole SW corner of France can get some huge rainstorms rolling in off the Atlantic (that is from experience of having to bin a tent after one such storm).
And last of all I am dead jealous as its something I would love to do.

petethedrummer

My personal preference would be to go with the biggest tyre you can on the rear. I presume you'll be carrying all the weight on panniers on the back. The slight performance gain will not be worth as much as the piece of mind of a nice big tyre. The minimum I would use would be 28 front, 32 rear.

Hmmm, I see you're carrying a tent too. That will add around 2kg of weight. If you use a 35 with no mudguard and put the tent on the top of the rack it will act as a mudguard.

I am a fan of big tyres in general. I won't train on anything less than a 28 as I hate stopping for punctures. I rode to electric picnic a few times with all my gear and even with a 32 touring tyre on the rear I would have preferred something a bit bigger. Though I may be overly cautious from my first puncture filled cyle tour on 23/25C tyres. :rolleyes:

Try loading up your bike and going for a spin down some country roads, within a few minutes you'll get a good idea of what you'll need.

Planet X

Agreed. Do a few dummy runs fully loaded. Pretty essential really. I'm going to do a few days over Easter week. Donard Tullamore Cavan most likely. Welcome to join me if you want.

650Ginge

Heading south will be into prevailing winds. Cycling the other way will be wind assisted :-),

Seaneh

650Ginge wrote: »

Heading south will be into prevailing winds. Cycling the other way will be wind assisted :-),

cheers!

Grassey

I'm no expert but from what I remember from Junior Cert Geography is its all downhill when going North to South. :P

Seaneh

bcmf wrote: »

I deffo wouldn't go below 25c tyre wise and bring at least 2 spare tyres as the further South you go the more likely you are to be going thru a pine forest and the nxt bike shop maybe a good while away.
Regards wild camping: Its something I would try and avoid as cdaly said the whole west coast is packed with campsites.The closer you get to August the harder it will be to get a pith without a booking.
The goverment run sites ,camping municipal, area good bet with cheap rates for 1 night stops BUT often have zero security so gotta be careful.
Mudguards I would recommend if only to give you some sort of protection as the whole SW corner of France can get some huge rainstorms rolling in off the Atlantic (that is from experience of having to bin a tent after one such storm).
And last of all I am dead jealous as its something I would love to do.

cdaly_ wrote: »

France doesn't have the hedged in fields we have here so a wild camp is likely to be more exposed. I don't know what the local attitude to wild camping is but the place is littered with campsites all down the Atlantic seaboard and a one tent pitch will be pretty cheap overnight with the advantage of hot showers and swimming pools.

The french cycle paths range from bike-exclusive tarmac'ed former railways to painted edges of roads to pretty smooth grit tracks to occasional forest paths (when you go astray, fun on 25mm slicks!).


The bit I did in Vendee was fine with 25mm front and rear but I wasn't carrying luggage (only my own, not inconsiderable, weight). I'd say go with 25/28 and maybe bring a folding 32 as your spare tyre.

In the scheme of things, your mudguards won't add much weight and it does rain in that part of the world. Rain tends to be more in the form of (heavy) showers rather than the endless drizzle of home but there's opportunity to get your back soaked all the same. That said, I didn't bring mine on the last hols but cycling was only a few days rather than the whole time.

Have fun...

Planet X wrote: »

Agreed. Do a few dummy runs fully loaded. Pretty essential really. I'm going to do a few days over Easter week. Donard Tullamore Cavan most likely. Welcome to join me if you want.

Cheers for the advice lads, will make mental notes.
I was thinking of a few practice runs around the west before setting off.

Seaneh

revised route. due to time constraints im probably going to do Santander - Bilbao - Pamplona - San Sabastian and then on to roscoff using the french route 1 Velowhatever the rest of the way. hoping to do the 1500km over about 3 weeks. info on the route from santander to france is hard find but im sure ill be grand. :-)

Planet X

Would just love to do that trip myself. Have Biarritz / Roscoff mapped out, fly in to Biarritz, but don't have the time to do a trip like this I reckon? Maybe...........

Planet X

Seaneh wrote: »

revised route. due to time constraints im probably going to do Santander - Bilbao - Pamplona - San Sabastian and then on to roscoff using the french route 1 Velowhatever the rest of the way. hoping to do the 1500km over about 3 weeks. info on the route from santander to france is hard find but im sure ill be grand. :-)

Flying to Santander?

Planet X

I make that trip about 1300k. odd. Ridewithgps.


http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2092319

Seaneh

Planet X wrote: »

Flying to Santander?

yeah fly in, ferry home. get a cardbosrd box from an lbs as bike box or something and dump it in santander.

i pulled the 1500km from adding the 300ish k from the spanish leg to a figure of 1200km of french route i pulled off a website but sure whats 300km here and there? just means i finish sooner or take some diversions!

pinkie086

Hey I was thinking of doing something similar but not camping staying in hostels and b&b's would anyone have any idea of the costs of that. Hoping to go June / July and was planning on ferrying over to Roscoff and cycling to Biarritz and fly home but would you suggest doing it the other way round?

Seaneh

You could do hostels for between €10 and 20 per night. And then food wise, it's whatever you want to spend really, staying in hostels meals you will usually have kitchen facilities so you could cook/prep your own food to keep the cost down .
I'll be bring a camp stove with me and cooking my own as much as possible.

I'm actually trying to couch surf one or two nights a week to give me somewhere to get a good sleep and to have a wash and stuff

Tonyandthewhale

Personally I'd always try and go ferry out and fly home mostly because I'm paranoid about baggage handlers smashing my bike to smithereens while loading it into the plane.

The one time I started a tour by flying out it turned into a major stress-fest as one of my co-travelers had her forks destroyed and we had to spend a few extra days and a not inconsiderable amount of money in Barcelona trying to get her road-worthy again.

The tyre question depends on how much you plan on packing as well as personal preference. I don't see the need for anything more than 28mm's when touring in Europe but I stick to roads rather than cycle tracks and I tend to pack very light.

cdaly_

Seaneh wrote: »

I'll be bring a camp stove with me and cooking my own as much as possible.

If you haven't already got a camp stove, check out the Kelly Kettle. No fuel to buy, works in windy conditions and is Irish designed.

I'm actually trying to couch surf one or two nights a week to give me somewhere to get a good sleep and to have a wash and stuff

You'll get hot showers and laundry facilities on the campsites so it's just a matter of a good sleep then...

Seaneh

I couch surfed a few summers ago through spain and france and think its a great way to meet people as well, i was also plannin on wild camping as much as possible.

pinkie086

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

Personally I'd always try and go ferry out and fly home mostly because I'm paranoid about baggage handlers smashing my bike to smithereens while loading it into the plane.

The one time I started a tour by flying out it turned into a major stress-fest as one of my co-travelers had her forks destroyed and we had to spend a few extra days and a not inconsiderable amount of money in Barcelona trying to get her road-worthy again.

The tyre question depends on how much you plan on packing as well as personal preference. I don't see the need for anything more than 28mm's when touring in Europe but I stick to roads rather than cycle tracks and I tend to pack very light.

Cheers that was my thought to! Just wasn't sure which was the better route to take at that time of the year Roscoff to Biarritz / biarritz to Roscoff! You sound like you have done a fair bit of touring I currently have 25mm tyres will they do or do you think I should get some 28's? I am planning on packing light enough but will be hopefully all going well traveling for about a month!

merc230ce

cdaly_ wrote: »

If you haven't already got a camp stove, check out the Kelly Kettle.

That looks like a great bit of kit. I love gadgets like that: low-tech but cleverly designed and looks bulletproof too.

dc2

In case I can be of any help - I did a spin from Bilbao to Lisbon via Santiago last year using a combination of the Northern Camino route along the coast to Oviedo, then joined the Primitivo Route to Melide and then into Santagio on the 'regular' French route. see here http://march2011caminodesantiago.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/camino-de-santiago1.jpg. I then partially followed the Portugese Way from there to Lisbon.

Because I did a fair bit off-road I used a mountain bike. I had semislick 1.95 tyres on it. I did an average of 95km per day ranging from 17km to 147km. I brought a 1kg single skin tent and used it about 50% of the time. I mostly used campsites - mainly for the hot shower but wild camped a couple of times when there was nothing else. On the Camino routes the Albergues (like hostels) only cost about €5 per night, and and grand once you have ear plugs to block out the sound of people snoring. I think you need a 'pilgrims passport' to get in to some of them too. This is easy to get.

To save time I flew out and back. Flew over with bike in a cardboard box and ditched it in Bilbao. Flew home with bike unpackage - just bars turned sideways, reare derailleur off and loosely tie wrapped to bike, pedals off and a bit of cardboad over the oily chain. Flew Aer Lingus both ways I think.

pm me if you need to know any more.

Doug

dc2

Forgot to say total was 1517km and it took me 15 days from Bilbao to Lisbon. No real rest days but one short day of 37km. The 17km referred to above was just the firts day from the airport etc.

Tonyandthewhale

pinkie086 wrote: »

I currently have 25mm tyres will they do or do you think I should get some 28's? I am planning on packing light enough but will be hopefully all going well traveling for about a month!

I've met plenty of people travelling fully-loaded (although still with fairly light loads) on 23mm tyres for weeks on end with no problems. Last time I set off on the bike I was riding on 23mm tyres (2 weeks across the UK) but I was sleeping on couches rather than camping so pack weight was very light. I didn't have any tyre related trouble though and I'll probably be using 23mm's or 25mm's when I go away again this Summer.

EDIT: I'm talking about staying on roads/properly paved cycle-paths though. I don't see the point of following a eurovelo route if the road surface is going to be sub-par. If you want to tackle gravel and the like I'd say you'd want 28mm's at least although realistically anything under 32mm probably isn't going to make a massive difference.

Seaneh

pinkie086 wrote: »

Cheers that was my thought to! Just wasn't sure which was the better route to take at that time of the year Roscoff to Biarritz / biarritz to Roscoff! You sound like you have done a fair bit of touring I currently have 25mm tyres will they do or do you think I should get some 28's? I am planning on packing light enough but will be hopefully all going well traveling for about a month!

When I was looking into this I found something online that said that the French leg of euro-velo route 1, which they call Velodessey, has a lot of unpaved or roughly paved cycle tracks so it would be a horrible ride on anything less than 28c or even 32c on the rear if you ask me.

All the info is here:
http://www.velodyssey.com/

GreyEagle

Just back from a one week trip on Eurovelo Route 1(ER1). Took my old ’97 Dawes Super Galaxy from my son’s place in France and did the section from La Rochelle to Bordeaux, including the islands of Ile de Re and Ile D’Oleron.

Last week of June and everything was very quiet ahead of French school holidays which start this year on 5th July. From then until the last week in August it is usually very busy and accommodation can become quiet expensive. When I was there it was mostly retired folk like me and a few families with pre-school kids. Too short a trip to bring camping gear so I stayed in small hotels/pensions and a chalet on a camping ground. On the first 6 days the weather was excellent, if windy in the afternoons. Last day was overcast with light drizzle.

Day 1
Arrived by train in La Rochelle and took a look around the old port area before heading across the viaduct to the island of Ile de Re and reached the town of La Flotte on the north coast, picturesque fishing and boating spot with plenty of food options. A large group of Irish holidaymakers enjoying pre-dinner drinks in the sunshine by the harbour gave me the low down on where to stay. 33km.


Day 2
The island of Ile de Re is not on the ER1 but well worth a visit for the scenery. I toured the island along the cycle paths all the way to the lighthouse at the north western tip.

Contrary to an earlier comment on this thread the prevailing wind in this area seems to be from the west northwest, WNW, and blows strongest in the afternoon, worth keeping in mind when planning your cycles. I headed back across the viaduct to La Rochelle for another look around before heading south on the ER1 to Chatelaillon-Plage. 88km.

Day 3
I headed for the Nature Reserve of Marais D’Yves before realising that I missed the signs for the ER1 and had to backtrack and search for the signs again. On to Rochefort by lunchtime and a trip across the river on the Pont Transbordeur. This is a platform that crosses the river suspended by cables from a giant gantry spanning the river. Same problem finding my way back onto ER1 at Saint Agnant. It’s like they are keeping the information for those who are on the route to the exclusion of those who wish to join or rejoin it. An English lady cyclist asked me what I thought of the signage on the route so I told her about my experience. She said the French have a word for this, they call it Déjà vu! Very French.

The route passes through the Marennes region famous for shellfish, mussels and oysters especially. Across another viaduct onto Ile D’Oleron where I spent 2 nights in chalet style accommodation. 72km.

Day 4
A short trip around the local area before heading for a tour of the entire island on well marked cycle paths all the way to the lighthouse. I seemed to be specialising in lighthouses on this trip. The road up the centre of the island is quite busy and not wide enough for safe cycling, in fact cycling is banned on certain sections so it’s best to stick to the excellent paths provided. Plenty to see and do around this place if you are into wildlife, water sports etc. Once again, this island is not on ER1 but well worth a look. The resort had moules and oyster tasting sessions each evening either free or a very modest charge but you gotta be there on-time! 76km.

Day 5
Off the island early and back on ER1 at Marennes, heading for Royan and the ferry terminal. Well worth stocking-up on food and drink at Ronce-les-Bains as there is a long stretch till the next town.

Most of this section is newly laid tarmac through the forest. The forest itself is partly cleared and replanted so the effect is partly shaded, ideal for cycling.

Care is needed to stick to the ER1 signage to make the best time to Royan. The ferry crossing (€3 per person incl bike) takes about 25mins and leaves you at Le Verdon sur Mer. After some searching around I got a room for 2 nights in Soulac-sur-Mer, a good base for touring the north end of the Medoc wine region. 81km.

Day 6
Down along the coast road as far a Montalivet.

Once again the wind was out of the north west. Then I crossed over to the wine producing region of the Medoc as far as Saint Christoly before turning north west along the banks of the Gironde and into the headwind. A little wine tasting at the Chateau Tour de By and back, slowly, to Soulac. 98km.

Day 7
All day cycle down the main road from Soulac-sur-Mer to Bordeaux in a light drizzle. Just a case of pressing on, reasonable hard edge for cycling but the traffic was fairly light anyway. Train back from Bordeaux. 100km. Trip total about 550km in 7 days and most enjoyable. Met a French cyclist on the train just finishing 3 weeks tour from Brittany with tent etc. He had endured 2 weeks rain before the good weather arrived.

Sites;
http://www.velodyssey.com/
http://experiencefrancebybike.com/cycling-the-atlantic-coast-likes-dislikes-and-what-i-would-do-differently/

QueensGael

GreyEagle - the trip looks fantastic! I'm planning to do pretty much the same route in Sept. What kind of tires did you use for this? I was planning on using my existing 24s, but it seems to be a topic of debate on this thread

GreyEagle

QueensGael wrote: »

GreyEagle - the trip looks fantastic! I'm planning to do pretty much the same route in Sept. What kind of tires did you use for this? I was planning on using my existing 24s, but it seems to be a topic of debate on this thread

I used 700 x 28c. That was plenty big enough for the paths, not so good for the short sandy tracks to the beach. I kept the weight as light as possible. 2 x 5.5kg panniers on a 14kg bike plus myself.

JMcL

Lovely. We stayed in D'Oleron a couple of years ago and the cycle paths there are just heaven (though leave any aspirations to be doing interval sessions at home :-) )

Taking the bikes down to Nantes (well, near Nantes) next month so looking forward to a bit more of the same

petethedrummer

More of this type of thing.

GreyEagle

JMcL wrote: »

Taking the bikes down to Nantes (well, near Nantes) next month so looking forward to a bit more of the same

I found this on http://en.eurovelo6.org/rubriques/gauche/the-stages/loire-valley/saint-nazaire-nantes/?set_language=en May be of interest if you plan to cross the big bridge at St Nazaire

To reach the official starting point of the EV6 at St. Brévin-les-Pins, you have to cross the famous Saint-Nazaire bridge on the D213. It is possible to cross on a bike, but is still somewhat hazardous, in spite of improvements made in 2010. For families, we recommend taking bus No. 17 from Saint-Nazaire station to Saint-Brévin (approx. one bus every 30 minutes). It is possible to attach up to eight bikes to the back of the bus, and the trip takes a quarter of an hour.

cdaly_

Sounds like a brilliant tour, well done. Some day, some day...

GreyEagle wrote: »

On the first 6 days the weather was excellent, if windy in the afternoons.
Contrary to an earlier comment on this thread the prevailing wind in this area seems to be from the west northwest, WNW, and blows strongest in the afternoon, worth keeping in mind when planning your cycles.

This is more than likely a sea breeze. 10/20 km inland and it would have been much less. Basically, the land heats up during the day, heating the air above which rises. Cooler air blows in from the sea and a circulation starts up. It gets strongest in the afternoon simply because this is the hottest part of the day. You'll sometimes see lines of showers inland as part of this process.

JMcL

GreyEagle wrote: »

I found this on http://en.eurovelo6.org/rubriques/gauche/the-stages/loire-valley/saint-nazaire-nantes/?set_language=en May be of interest if you plan to cross the big bridge at St Nazaire

Thanks for that GreyEagle, we'll be just south of the bridge between St. Brevin and St. Michel, so that page is right on the mark. Since we'll have the kids with us so it'll be more a case of short leisurely day trips (though I have already looked up the location of Decathlon in St. Nazaire :-) )