Ferries are full to Bilbao or Santander, what is the alternative?

I think we will end up traveling via Portsmouth - St. Malo on the 19th of May, arriving at 8:15am and going to book a hotel for a return journey so that there wouldn't be any mad rush to get to the port on Sunday morning. So from St. Malo travel to western Spanish coast and from there go to the east coast (do a road or 1000 turns), then head in to France on the east coast, then start heading back via French side of the Pyrenees towards West coast of France and on to St. Malo. I think that is doable. What is camping like in the Pyrenees during late May? Wife will be complaining if it is to cold (10c). So I am thinking whether just stick with B&B/Hotels.

Book hotels on Booking.com, most can be cancelled a few days previous.
 
You leave a day or so earlier then fly your missus in via nearest airport ! Simples


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I think we will end up traveling via Portsmouth - St. Malo on the 19th of May, arriving at 8:15am and going to book a hotel for a return journey so that there wouldn't be any mad rush to get to the port on Sunday morning. So from St. Malo travel to western Spanish coast and from there go to the east coast (do a road or 1000 turns), then head in to France on the east coast, then start heading back via French side of the Pyrenees towards West coast of France and on to St. Malo. I think that is doable. What is camping like in the Pyrenees during late May? Wife will be complaining if it is to cold (10c). So I am thinking whether just stick with B&B/Hotels.


Your choice your trip, but why would anyone go to St Marlo, its a longer crossing than Cherbourg or Caen, its more expensive and its a hell of a lot more difficult to get where you want once your into France, its great for brittany, but if all your doing is landing and driving through france to somewhere else, it has far worse roads to get you onto the A10 to go south.
 
You leave a day or so earlier then fly your missus in via nearest airport ! Simples


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

thats what I did for Faro, she flew down and we rode, Caen to Biarritz day 1, Biarritz to Salamanca day 2, then Salamanca to Faro day 3.
 
Your choice your trip, but why would anyone go to St Marlo, its a longer crossing than Cherbourg or Caen, its more expensive and its a hell of a lot more difficult to get where you want once your into France, its great for brittany, but if all your doing is landing and driving through france to somewhere else, it has far worse roads to get you onto the A10 to go south.

Thank you for the heads up, something to think about.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
thats what I did for Faro, she flew down and we rode, Caen to Biarritz day 1, Biarritz to Salamanca day 2, then Salamanca to Faro day 3.

Hopefully she'll get the approval by the end of next week and we will be able to plan accordingly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Personally, if going for an overnight ferry to France followed by motorways, I'd go via Caen or Le Havre. You can get still get to the Pyrenees in two days without rushing – though it might still be a little demanding for a pillion who doesn't regularly do full days in the saddle. However, perhaps your wife would put up with two longer days if they're followed by a day off the bike completely if you're going to leave her on a beach while you go into the mountains (because the sea and the mountains are several miles apart - you don't leave your beachside hotel and within five minutes magically find yourself on a high-moutain hairpin). Which would also give you a day of riding solo.

If you want mountain-style riding that's closer than the Pyrenees, there's plenty in the Auvergne, the Limousin, or even the Cevennes at a slight push. Not as high or dramatic as the Pyrenees or the Alps, but not so far away. All are a relaxed two-days from the Channel coast (high milers will do it in one easily, but your wife will thank you for stopping halfway). You are looking for lakes and rivers rather than beaches, but there are plenty of suitable places: France's hydro-electric industry means lots of dams and lakes.

I wouldn't worry about taking three days to get down to the Pyrenees and back, though. If you stay off the motorways and head down across the Loire and through the lumpier bits in the middle of France - through the Limousin or the Velay and into the Midi-Pyrenees - you can have three excellent days on the bike, riding brilliant roads, seeing interesting villages and getting a real feel for the country. The holiday can start when you get off the boat, not two days later after you've slogged out 600 miles of autoroute to get to the Pyrenees. True, a cross-country trip isn't a week in the Pyrenees, but it's a week of amazing riding that includes the Pyrenees and isn't spoiled by mile after expensive, boring mile wasted sitting on Peage autoroute.
 
Supperb Suggestion Simon!!!

It is exactly how I feel about it but I rather spend a day off bike on the beach with my wife and it is true we can have a couple of days (maybe even three) in the mountains and still have a good time. I shall look in to various places to pop in to enroute to the Pyrenees.

Personally, if going for an overnight ferry to France followed by motorways, I'd go via Caen or Le Havre. You can get still get to the Pyrenees in two days without rushing – though it might still be a little demanding for a pillion who doesn't regularly do full days in the saddle. However, perhaps your wife would put up with two longer days if they're followed by a day off the bike completely if you're going to leave her on a beach while you go into the mountains (because the sea and the mountains are several miles apart - you don't leave your beachside hotel and within five minutes magically find yourself on a high-moutain hairpin). Which would also give you a day of riding solo.

If you want mountain-style riding that's closer than the Pyrenees, there's plenty in the Auvergne, the Limousin, or even the Cevennes at a slight push. Not as high or dramatic as the Pyrenees or the Alps, but not so far away. All are a relaxed two-days from the Channel coast (high milers will do it in one easily, but your wife will thank you for stopping halfway). You are looking for lakes and rivers rather than beaches, but there are plenty of suitable places: France's hydro-electric industry means lots of dams and lakes.

I wouldn't worry about taking three days to get down to the Pyrenees and back, though. If you stay off the motorways and head down across the Loire and through the lumpier bits in the middle of France - through the Limousin or the Velay and into the Midi-Pyrenees - you can have three excellent days on the bike, riding brilliant roads, seeing interesting villages and getting a real feel for the country. The holiday can start when you get off the boat, not two days later after you've slogged out 600 miles of autoroute to get to the Pyrenees. True, a cross-country trip isn't a week in the Pyrenees, but it's a week of amazing riding that includes the Pyrenees and isn't spoiled by mile after expensive, boring mile wasted sitting on Peage autoroute.
 
I have done the Bilbao ferry with the wife,
Never again, we were ill both ways, not sea dogs I'm afraid and left us weak and tired for riding.
Seriously considered riding back but regretfully didn't !

So my question is .....can you get the bikes down to the south of France on a train from say Paris ?

Or any other options ?

Thanks
 
I am almost 95% certain that we are taking an overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Caen and then taking in the countryside and leisurely ride to south east corner of Pyrenees in France. Then planing on staying at the B&B/Hotel for a minimum of two nights (maybe camping if weather is nice, as wife doesn't do cold and damp/wet). Depending on weather, we would like to cross over to Spain and ride GI-682 route as recommended here, and try to spend a day at the beach to. Then ride west through the Pyrenees, visit Angola and head home from there.
 
Then ride west through the Pyrenees, visit Angola and head home from there.

'Kinell, that's quite a trip from the Pyrenees to Angola, are you going Gorilla watching when you get there ?.
 


Back
Top Bottom