Some notes on our route

1. The distance from the Dune du Pilat (or Pyla – there are two different spellings) to Arcachon varies according to what you read or measure! My IGN map makes it 9 km; an approximation to the greenway on Autoroute Express, but using ordinary roads, calculates it as 12 km; and the AF3V website mentions this link to the Arcachon Basin greenway and gives the distance as 15 km! I’m giving the total from Pilat to Facture as 30 km now, instead of my previous 28 km.
2. When we leave Pilat, we can ride the Arcachon Basin Greenway as far as Facture, then follow a linking piste cyclable to Mios and the start of the Mios – Bazas Greenway. For those riding from Arcachon railway station, you could make use of this GW, rather than ride on the road. Finally, if Shawn wants to ride from Bordeaux station, he can pick up this GW at Biganos (near Facture).
3. The Arcachon Basin GW forms part of that 1200 km cycle route from Roscoff to Bayonne.
4. Peter has identified a F1 hotel at Bordeaux. There are also two youth hostels, one near the St Jean railway station, the other further out at Blanquefort.
5. We want to stop at Carcassonne. I suggest therefore that the 7 days be split as 5 days from Pilat to Carcassonne and 2 days from Carcassonne to Sète. With distances of 430 km and 152 km respectively, this gives averages of 86 km per day for the first 5 days and 76 km per day for the last two.
6. We could use the youth hostel at Carcassonne.
7. Toulouse also has a youth hostel, so maybe we should stop there too. Toulouse to Carcassonne is 105 km – quite do-able. Then we could have a short day the day after this, which would allow us to look around Carcassonne.

French C2C first meeting Thurs 13 Oct 2011

Maldwyn, Peter, Shawn, Martin and Clyde met this evening at the Flowerpot to discuss some initial details of next year's ride. It will probably be late May/early June, midweek to midweek, avoiding bank holidays, and last 7 days. The idea is to start on the Atlantic coast, possibly at La Dune du Pilat (at 107 m, the tallest dune in Europe) and, riding the Mios to Bazas greenway, followed by minor roads to Castets en Dorthe, we will ride the towpaths of the Garonne Canal and the Canal du Midi, stopping at (approximately) Castets, Agen, Toulouse, the wonderful canal basin of Castelnaudary, the fairy-tale city of Carcassonne, Béziers and Sète on the Mediterranean. Distance is about 560 km. There is a lot to see and sample on this ride, including the famous three-way circular lock at Agde, the aqueduct at Agen and the delicious cassoulet of the Lauragais region and perhaps a glass of Noilly Prat at Marseillan. And our route takes us right through a motorway service station!
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Dune_of_Pyla
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=68
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=17
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=240
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=188
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=197
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=5
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=6
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=26
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=39
http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=280

A proposal for the 2012 Dragon Ride

Clyde has proposed that we do the French equivalent of the C2C (Coast to Coast). In brief, this would be on a Greenway from the Bassin d'Arcachon (Atlantic coast, not too far from La Rochelle) to the Garonne Canal, then along the canal to Toulouse, finally following the Canal du Midi to Sete on the Mediterranean Coast.  Clyde reports that he has 2 booklets on the route, including places to stay, assuming a start from Bordeaux (via two different routes). There is a third way, in many ways more obvious, starting from the Atlantic: a greenway from Mios to just before Bazas (76 km)

http://www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=17

 There is an extension to this, taking the rider to Roaillan. Then it's only a few km by minor road to Langon and Castets en Dorthe, where the Canal de Garonne begins. Almost all the rest is by towpath.

When Clyde is back in GB a meeting will be held on a suitable Thursday evening in the Flower Pot pub in Derby to assess demand for this ride and to consider any other suggestions. Please watch this blog for an announcement from Clyde.

Day 7

Maldwyn and Clyde took the straightforward road to Sligo, the N15, while the others took the official cycleroute (part of the North-west Trail). This proved to be quite arduous for, although there were no serious hills, we were riding into a relentless headwind for most of the journey. This beautiful mountain is Benbulben, seen shortly before Sligo. Other pics: our bikes on the train to Dublin; O'Connell's statue, Dublin; the Spire of Dublin, O'Connell Street; Ryanair HQ, Dublin Airport.

Day 6

Some pictures of Donegal, at the end of today's ride: monument in the town center; harbor.

Day 5

Only a short ride today, to a brand new, purpose-built An Óige hostel, Errigal, also in County Donegal. Just as well: it rained much of the time and we were riding into the wind a lot. Photo-opportunity somewhere on the road, before the rain, and a picture of the Errigal mountain, after the rain.

Day 4

A political relic from the twentieth century and cannon from the seventeenth century, defending the city of Derry. We saw this loco on the Foyle Valley Railway as we left Derry on NCR92. This sandy bay was at Downies on the Rosghuill peninsular, where we had a wonderful meal with a glass of wine. Finally, our hostel for the night, a building designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and donated to An Óige (Irish equivalent of the YHA), situated in a remote and windswept corner of the north Donegal coast.