Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Some details for Day 1

I suggest that we meet at this hotel-restaurant. I'll be there, sipping a G&T! In fact, the car park might be more appropriate, after looking at the website! (see below) Start assembling from 10:00 but let me know if that's going to be difficult for anyone (Shawn?) I think we ought to climb the 107 metres of the Dune - hard work from memory, in the fine sand, but the views are awesome! Then we dip our wheels in the Atlantic, then set off eastwards any time after 11 (more likely 12) with a huge tail-wind! I suppose it would be an idea to bring sandwiches? Look forward to a pizza in the evening! (there's a pizzeria opposite the campsite, apparently)
Hôtel Restaurant La Corniche
46 Avenue Louis Gaume Pyla
33115 Pyla sur Mer
lacoorniche-pyla.com

The plan is to access the Aquitaine Coastal Greenway D804 which runs parallel to the main road D259 to La-Teste-de-Buch, then continue on this GW to "Kid Parc", where my IGN map shows it fizzling out. Then a minor road northwards (Ave de Césarée) to Gujan-Mestras, where I'm hoping we can quickly find the GW which passes through the Le Teich Ornithological Park  http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=70 (6 km long according to AF3V). After this, the map shows another short stretch of D804 going towards Facture. Unfortunately, it seems impossible to avoid a short bit of the D650 but, from there, there is a 4.5 km link, including a new footbridge over the M-way, to Mios and the ex-railway GW which we use all the way to St-Symphorien. Any questions?!
plus d'infosAdresse :

8 comments:

  1. If you use the Michelin maps (Google "viamichelin) you will see that there appears to be a cycleway right through to Facture. From La Teste it is shown beside the north side of the N250, then goes north to cross the D652 and then alternates going east then north to reach Le Teich finally looping round to join the D650 to cross the river Eyre to Facture. Shawn might well be able to ride this route in reverse on his way from Bordeaux to Pyla.
    Your RDV is great. Martin and I get into Gare Arcachon at about 09:30 and then have a very short hop around the coast (D650/D218) to Pyla sur Mer. Do they serve booze at 10 in the morning?? How about a full English (no tomatoes)??

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  2. Thanks Birdyred I had noticed the cycleway on my maps and checked them out on googleearth. I will use the cycleway alongside the slightly busy N250 and should make the rendez vous for 10:00 providing my map reading skills are up to scratch and breakfast is ready for 6.30 at the F1 in Merignac as promised. 65km in 3 hours should be managable but a sprint up the dunes I cannot promise!

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  3. Thanks for that, Pierre. You've mentioned this site a couple of times before but it's the first time I've actually had a boucher's at it; now all is crystal clear! Maybe we'll cut out the Ornithological Park greenway and just follow the cycle track shown on the map, as you suggest. This must also be the continuation of the D804 since it joins up all the other bits. This hotel looks like they would charge un bras et une jambe for a glass of water! If I find somewhere better to meet, and nearer to the Dune, I'll let you know. There is what I presume is another hotel before that (Oyana) which might be better. Why can't they have a fish and chip shop there? Obviously, we also need to have access to the sea. I'll let you know: if there is a change, it won't be by more than a few 100 m to a km or two, so nobody will get lost! BTW, we walk up the dune, yes? I was a bit worried that Shawn was going to do his Mark Cav impression up the dune! I think it would kill even Cav!

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    1. From the quality of the property along the seafront they probably eat their fish and chips with a knife and fork.

      Martin

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  4. Further to my last comment, if you use Street View in Google Maps at the seaward end of the Avenue du Casino, a short distance northwards up the coast from the Corniche hotel, there does seem to be access to the sea. We could reach the sea at the bottom of the dune, of course, but I doubt it's possible to take our bikes there (legally or physically).

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  5. Early hours of Sunday morning. I haven't found anywhere else to meet. Shall we settle for the Corniche hotel-restaurant car park? I see that there are two establishments on Google Maps called Oyana (was it always like that?)and that one of them seems to be the same as the Corniche. It's the one in the bend and closer to the sea (46 Ave Louis Gaume) Safe and pleasant journeys, everyone! See you Monday morning at Pyla.

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    1. Peter and I just managed to catch a Glasgow train out of Euston, first stop Tamworth. Should be home soon.

      Martin

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