Search found 314 matches

by jamesgilbert
2 Feb 2020, 5:44pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Mont St Michel ?
Replies: 28
Views: 1857

Re: Mont St Michel ?

I haven't used it personally but there is an official place to leave bikes now, near P10 on this map: http://www.bienvenueaumontsaintmichel.c ... active-map
by jamesgilbert
1 Feb 2020, 12:46pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Jardin de Tuileries
Replies: 8
Views: 848

Re: Jardin de Tuileries

In Paris these days you're more likely to be telling the heavily armed anti-terrorist soldiers that you don't speak French :wink:

I think you'd be fine pushing the bike through the Tuileries. It wouldn't be much fun cycling anyway, with all the gravel, cobbles and tourists.
by jamesgilbert
25 Jan 2020, 9:16am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Bikes no longer permitted on western TGV services
Replies: 40
Views: 3298

Re: Bikes no longer permitted on western TGV services

bohrsatom wrote:Which leaves the alternative of having to pack your bike in a small bag, like the Ground Effect Tardis, to continue to take the TGV or, as Simon suggests, fly.


Or to travel with just your luggage and hire bikes at your destination...
by jamesgilbert
24 Jan 2020, 7:47pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Bikes no longer permitted on western TGV services
Replies: 40
Views: 3298

Re: Bikes no longer permitted on western TGV services

simonhill wrote:Does anyone know why they are no longer permitted?

At a time when flying is being discouraged, what a crazy decision. I can fly from my local airport (Southend) to Bordeaux in just over an hour. Easyjet loves bikes because they are a good earner.


I think it might be because all these routes have recently been made significantly faster, the SNCF is now running 100% double-decker TGVs on them, which don't have any bike spaces (but obviously carry many more passengers). If the demand for high-speed routes continues to increase, I'd imagine that single-decker TGVs will eventually disappear completely.

This might be an unpopular view on here, but while I think it's important for TER trains to have room for bikes, I don't see it as any kind of priority for TGVs to carry them.
by jamesgilbert
27 Feb 2019, 7:50pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Cycling out of Edinburgh Airport
Replies: 8
Views: 1533

Re: Cycling out of Edinburgh Airport

I don't really understand the question, are you worried about disposing of the bike box or cycling away from the airport? I remember it being a very easy airport to cycle from, although I did go down the pavement beside the A8 (heading for Oban).

I often see people saying that a bike is less likely to get damaged in a bag than in a box, there's a very long thread about it on here somewhere...
by jamesgilbert
7 Jun 2018, 10:36am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Crossing continental USA
Replies: 22
Views: 2214

Re: TransAmerica Trail Variants

@jacksonz Sorry to highjack the thread, but what route did you take from Jasper to Flagstaff?

@MrsHJ Thanks for posting your thoughts, the TransAmerica is also something I'd love to do one day.
by jamesgilbert
14 May 2018, 1:18pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Switzerland in May: Geneva-Lausanne-Neuchâtel-Biel-Delémont
Replies: 2
Views: 771

Re: Switzerland in May: Geneva-Lausanne-Neuchâtel-Biel-Delémont

No-one replied but I thought I'd post the final route that I did over 6 days last week: https://cycle.travel/map/journey/62016

We used WarmShowers for three nights, and had three nights on campsites. The only campsite I'd recommend is the camping municipal in Joncherey, near Delle ( https://joncherey.fr/category/camping/ ) - good value, friendly, and free eggs from the free-range campsite hens!

I was impressed by the cycle route signage in Switzerland, we barely needed a map and never got lost. Most of the route was on quiet roads; there were several sections off-road with some surprisingly rough surfaces in places. Overall I'd definitely recommend the route which has varied scenery and goes through some interesting towns.
by jamesgilbert
5 Apr 2018, 1:04pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Strikes in France - train travel
Replies: 6
Views: 768

Strikes in France - train travel

I'm sure most people are aware of the current strikes in France, I just wanted to post a heads up for anyone hoping to make use of trains as part of French tours for the next 3 months.

Strikes are taking place on 2 out of every 5 days. On the "strike days" services will be minimal, and on some lines no trains will run. Trains that are running are likely to be very full and bikes will not be particularly welcome... On the other 3 "non-strike" days, services should run as normal.

The details of which trains are running are only being published at 5pm the day before each strike day, on the SNCF website.

If you already have tickets booked for one of the affected dates, you can transfer them to another day free of charge (but you won't be guaranteed a seat or space for the bike) or get a full reimbursement.

For more information (in French) and the affected dates: https://aide.trainline.fr/article/93-gr ... boursement
by jamesgilbert
3 Apr 2018, 9:10pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Leaving a Bike In Europe
Replies: 9
Views: 1460

Re: Leaving a Bike In Europe

I know people who've used WarmShowers for this - you're probably more likely to find someone who has room to store a bike outside of the big cities...
by jamesgilbert
23 Mar 2018, 1:17pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Switzerland in May: Geneva-Lausanne-Neuchâtel-Biel-Delémont
Replies: 2
Views: 771

Switzerland in May: Geneva-Lausanne-Neuchâtel-Biel-Delémont

Hi all,

I haven't posted on here in a while, I'm currently looking at doing a short tour in Switzerland, over a week in May.

The route would be something like this: https://cycle.travel/map/journey/59601

It's mostly flat but with a few hills to get back to the French border as I'd like to get the train home from Montbéliard. I will be camping and towing a small child in a trailer, so may take a train to avoid some of the steep bits, especially just after Biel.

I'd be interested in any nice campsites, things to see, alternative route suggestions as I've never really cycled in Switzerland. Thanks!
by jamesgilbert
7 Sep 2016, 11:21am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Buying French train tickets online
Replies: 10
Views: 1041

Re: Buying French train tickets online

Yes, nothing's changed yet other than the website address and the colour scheme.

However, the last paragraph of their latest blog post says:

"In time, our website and apps will merge with the services of Trainline, to offer a single and comprehensive booking platform for all trains in Europe."

For me that means booking fees but maybe I'm being pessimistic...
by jamesgilbert
28 Aug 2016, 2:22pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Buying French train tickets online
Replies: 10
Views: 1041

Re: Buying French train tickets online

@andymiller Yep, the SNCF travel agency website does now let you book bike spaces, but it wasn't the case when Captain Train first launched.

@Mick F Sounds very good value to me, and the advantage of booking it all through Eurostar rather than separate tickets is that you should be okay if, for example, the TGV was delayed and you missed the Eurostar back. Or maybe it was the direct London to Marseille train anyway?
by jamesgilbert
28 Aug 2016, 12:24pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Buying French train tickets online
Replies: 10
Views: 1041

Buying French train tickets online

In the past I, and others on the forum, have often recommended Captain Train as a very straightforward way of buying train tickets in France, including booking bike spaces (which was not possible on the 'official' SNCF website).

As a result of their success, Captain Train has recently been bought by the Trainline and will be changing in September: https://blog.captaintrain.com/12625-becomes-trainline

This might be bad news, it will be interesting to see if they start applying the booking fees that the Trainline does in the UK.
by jamesgilbert
3 Feb 2016, 9:52pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: WESTERN ISLES
Replies: 28
Views: 2094

Re: WESTERN ISLES

For some excellent (and cheap) accommodation, check out the Gatliff Trust hostels: http://www.gatliff.org.uk/

You can't book, but there's usually room!
by jamesgilbert
15 Jan 2016, 1:12pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Russia
Replies: 17
Views: 1898

Re: Russia

pwa wrote:I don't want to lecture anyone, but I avoid visiting nations with foreign policies I have trouble with. Russia's very popular president, with the heartfelt backing of his people, has been stoking up a civil war in the Ukraine for the last few years and that would keep me from taking my holiday money there. Russia's backward stance on gays also bothers me. I think we should be ethical when we choose where to go on holiday, and I would give Russia a miss for the present.


On the other hand, cycle touring is one of the best ways I know to actually visit a country and form an opinion for yourself rather than relying on secondhand reports or, worse, press coverage. I also think it's unfair on the average Russian person who might benefit from your holiday money, and has essentially no say in how their country is run.