Originally Posted by Biker_Billy (Post 1376398)

Mornin' all...

To try to keep on top of the post Christmas blues, I'm looking at going to Europe in June. The family are renting a villa in Limoges, and I'm thinking of riding down to meet them there, rather than getting the flight.

I live in Plymouth, and have been looking at the following routes:

1- Ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff, cost £160 return, duration 6 hours. Benefits are that I wouldnt have to trek to Dover, and I'm already on the Western side of France. Total 424 miles.

2 - Ferry/Tunnel from Dover / Folkestone, cost £50 return (ferry) and £60 return (Tunnel). Total 719 miles.



At the mo am thinking of leaving home early in the morning, catching a ferry to be in France by mid afternoon. This leaves a couple of hours riding before settling into a B&B for the night. Then carry on in the morning to Limoges.

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this? Which route would you do? Also, Autoroute is sending me via Paris if I get the ferry from Dover. Has anyone any experience of good biking routes from Northern France to Limoges area?, as well as suiable B&B's / hotels with parking for a bike?

Thanks in advance,

Billy.

Originally Posted by Biker_Billy (Post 1376598)

Thanks for the reply...

To be honest, I'm leaning towards the Plymouth Roscoff ferry - even though the cost is higher, its offset by the cost of petrol to get to Dover or Portsmouth. I only live about 40 mins from Plymouth - they also do a night crossing which arrives at Roscoff at 0800 - meaning that I might be able to make Limoges in a day, but might end up taking a scenic route along the coast and stretching it out to 2 days.

Anyone know any places to stay about halfway which have storage for bikes?

Ta muchly...

Originally Posted by ejohnh (Post 1376777)

we did a day crossing from Dover to Calais, then rode 440 miles to Bussiere Poitevine in pssing rain. Roscoff to Limoges in a day? A doddle.. ;)

If you wanna do a wussie stop there are loads of formule 1 motels in France.. But really, you need to get down Limoges way as quick as you can.. Roads down there are fabulous!! :flower:

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde (Post 1376962)

if your going through on the ferry from Dover, Limoges is in the next region on from where we went last year. you can get through AVOIDING paris altogether. Get out on the A16 for starters, something like A28 then A10. Its hard to describe the route on line in detail. If a Dizzyblonde can get all the way to St. Jean d'Angelay without getting lost with two blokes following I'm sure you can. We did it in a day. BUT it was tiring and very long way. If you need to book a biker friendly B+B half way down check out this link
http://www.bike-stay.net/france/index.html
we used one from here in Peuplingue( as from Halifax we weren't going nowhere without a kip)
you will probably be aiming on a mitchelin map, calais, abbeville, Rouen, le mans, Tours, Poitier and for you the end will be different. We followed this route on the Peages, first time trip would have been difficult on B roads- I'd have got lost. If you play around with the michelin route planner you'll get the general idea

Hope this helps in some way
p.s we did around 1600 mile round trip.....easy if it didn't rain for 500 of it on the way home!

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde (Post 1377235)

not really. up to La Rochelle is as far to the coast as I've been. My best mate lives in Les Nouillers near Tonnay Boutonne. As we came through Dover we skirted away from the coast. We been up to Ile D'Oleron( fort Boyard) but as said we kept more to Rochefort, and round there. However if its any help, my best friends husband is a trucker and he planned our route for us, knowing the safest quickest direct route down there, so I could ask him for you. In and out of all ports in the Uk and France has a distinct advantage, and being an ex-motorcycle instructor, and badass biker, he'd be more than happy to help