Cycling UK Forum

slowpeddler wrote:Sorry to be a pain, but it isn't easier to go to the local tourist office and find the nearest camp site?

Go on, give it a go and practice a little French. I've never (ever) not found a site this way. You can over-plan a cycling trip and part of the joys of cycling in France is the sense of discovery.

I prefer camping municipal because of they are usually lower cost (and even the Camping Michelin recommends them.)

John

I was going to do exactly what you suggested until I discovered this great little feature on the device. I will see how it pans out, nothing is straightforward so the discovery aspect wont be lost. Even in the UK i plan my tour by camp site, I research them and draw dots on my map in the approx area I am heading for- gives me peace of mind as I hate trawling or hunting around for a decent campsite. This thing does it for you - even has the municipals listed!

Thanks for that, I have about 10 days, first 2 or 3 days in the Pyrenees so i guess I will be using the more direct routes thereafter.

The Michelin map of France is kind enough to tell me the difference between the busy D roads (Red) and the not so busy (Yellow). I will be ploughing straight through the middle of rural France South to North keeping away from any conurbation / Cities.

When planning or deciding your route do you go for the non busy yellow routes or the unclassified roads. How busy are these so called non busy yellow D roads? Are these the empty roads everyone raves about? It would be great to use the unclassified roads but they are hardly direct and I have a bit of a time limit , or do you just suck it and see.

joegallus wrote:Hi Ossie

I am touring in France this summer and would be really keen to use the OSM to find campsites. I suspect I am even newer than you to all this! I have a garmin GPS and I have used your link to request the tiles. Can I ask how do you get the OSM map onto the GPS?

Thanks

Joe

Im not sure about the 705 but this is how I do it.

Once you have been e mailed the tiles you need to convert the img files to see them on mapsource. I use mapset tool kit, this converts the files / maps to appear on mapsource. Once on mapsource use the 'map tool' key to select the tiles and transfer them to your device. In mapsource you can also plot and download your tracks / routes / waypoints etc. I can download straight to the Etrex via the sd card but prefer to see what Im downloading as you cant add to maps that are already downloaded, any new map wipes the others!

Its taken me a few weeks to work this out .. I struggle with technology

Topeak Mountain morph has done me ok for a few short tours and a years worth of commuting. They claim 160 psi I got about 80 which is quite acceptable I should think. It acts like a mini track pump as stated in post 2 and will fit in a pannier.

Re the GPS . Im off next week from Spain to UK and decided to get an Extrex Legend Hcx. Its taken me a few weeks to get used to it, downloading external maps etc but having used it to commute and plan my route through France its looking like a decent investment. Im learning things about it everyday, indeed as I mentioned in another thread using Open Street Map it is telling me where the nearest camp sites are to any particular location, which takes a great deal of guess work and stress out of finding somewhere suitable to stop for the night.

I dont intend to stick religiously to the route but its been great fun spending several nights planning stages and downloading them and like you say the battery issue is a real positive.

It looks like there are split opinions on using technology.

I donwloaded the tiles from here (apologies I am new with all of this)

http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

When i open the maps in mapsource if you right click on any location and look under 'Find nearest places' / lodgings its lists camp sites amongst the hotels etc. Also appears on the Etrex as a list when searching on find lodgings. Just click on a tent and it takes you there. I have tried it on my Etrex for my local area in Dorset and all camp sites are listed relative to my location although some are un named.

I am picking locations on my route in France and small tents (camp sites) are shown when zoomed in on the OSM map. I presume when I am over there if I look on Find lodgings I should get the same result with directions - invaluable and takes all of the guess work out of finding somewhere to stay (i hope)

Appears like this on Mapsource.

I have an E trex Legend Hcx and have downloaded the OSM of France and UK to it. I have found that camp sites are listed under 'Find - Lodgings' including what appears to be many municipal camp sites, with distance and directions etc. This is a brilliant tool but I was wondering if anyone has used it in France for camping and how accurate it is.

I have experimented with the OSM maps and have picked locations on my route that are quite rural and it seems to deliver no matter what location i pick. As this will be my only camp site finder (apart from asking- i dont speak a word of French-its following the directions I might struggle with )

Anyone used this?

Paul A wrote:Get the yellow Michelin 1:200 000 road atlas (A3 size approx 200 pages) mark out your route and rip/cut out the pages you need and boldly number them in the order that you'll need them. 16 or 17 pages were all that I needed on my North - South French coast to coast trips. Fold them in half and they'll all fit in an A4 plastic sleeve.

Last year's atlas is usually available from Amazon for less than a tenner. The type of roads we cyclists use don't alter much in decades so you won't need the full price new edition.

Paul.

http://www.francecoast2coast.co.uk

Thanks for all of the advice, I will do the cutting / ripping out method. I have the Yellow Michelin 1:200 000 2011 map (£8.44) which I thought was a good price, although mine has 462 pages.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/2067 ... ss_product

Im doing Spain to the UK starting a week sunday for a few weeks. I have a Garmin Etrex Hcx with OpensStreetMap downloaded but have purchased a Michelin 1:200000 map book as an overview / back up. Its a nice looking book, all 462 pages of it and naturally its quite weighty, £8 from Amazon. The alternative were the IGN maps at £6 each and I guess I would have needed quite a few.

Im just interested in what others have done in a similar situation ie do you rip the pages out of the book and laminate / plastic folder then bin when used (as I have done for UK tours with an old map book ) or photocopy / laminate preserving the integrity of the book for future use..or just take the whole book (too heavy). I would need at least 60 pages looking at my approx route, however my approx route might change??

plus I dont have a lamination machine ..I usually stick them in plastic folders..cheaper for me but I end up losing pages and ending up with pages all over the place

andymiller wrote:

Big T wrote:

ossie wrote:One of the problems you will have, if camping, is being able to charge a Garmin Edge. A full charge only lasts for about 16 hours riding and it has a dedicated internal battery, so you can't swap the batteries. If you are staying in hotels, it's not a problem, but you may struggle if camping.

You may wish to consider a Garmin HCX Legend or Vista instead. These have similar route finding capability to the Edge, but you can use normal batteries. The Edge is really directed at racers and has functionality that you won't need. A Legend or Vista will be cheaper.

I agree with the advice - except that I would definitely not trust any Garmin to find a route (unless it's somethin basic luke Portsmouth rail station to the ferry terminal). They are definitely worth buying as a reliable way to find out where you are - but don't rely on them to tell you where to go.

Buy an HCx Legend or Vista (NB NOT an HC). Then download the OpenCycleMap topographic map for France, transfer to a micro-SD card and Bob's your proverbial. But always carry a decent Michelin, or equivalent, map.

You could use rechargeable batteries. A pair of decent ones will last a couple of days.These will save you money as well. Most campsites will probably recharge a couple of batteries for you if you ask nicely.

Ive recently done exactly that! I got the Hcx Legend a few weeks back, downloaded the OCM maps for France and have plotted a rough route from Gerona to Bergerac (so far) using Mapsource.Its just a guide but its great fun planning it. I had some rechargeable batteries lying around and the first set are still going strong after 2 weeks. Obviously it hasnt been on constantly but an hour or so each day so am really impressed with it.

Im using the track method of planning on mapsource with the downloaded OpenCycleMap rather than the route method. I was finding on bike route toaster for example that if I set say a 60 mile leg, it would only download say 10 miles if the route was twisty which I put down to the track point limit?? With tracks I obviously get straight lines but can download a much longer course - up to 250 points per track ....I am I right in what I am doing here?

Anyway Ive got a Michelin 1:200000 map as back up and my flight is booked for 5th June. Route so far is Gerona / Olot / Ille sur tet / Limoux skirt East around Toulouse and up to Bergerac ....then North. Strangely enough I have found its £20 cheaper to sale from St Malo to Poole rather than Cherbourg / Poole..which is a much shorter crossing. Condor Ferries dont charge for a bike which is nice of them!!

Does anyone else just use bunjees ? I find them more versatile (and cheaper) than luggage straps.

I would love a Surly LHT and indeed one day I will buy a frame and slowly build one up as per this lucky chap.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=47667

I actually priced up my ideal components and it didnt come far off the stock price, although I would have to ask my LBS to fit the headset and a few other things. In the mean time Im slowly converting my Specialized Tricross to a touring bike when i really should just stop and start spending the money on the LHT.

.

I was reading that thread last week. Having been to Florida in Feb for the second time I totally agree. For cyclists you really are taking your life in your hands on some / most of the roads. The amount of motorists on mobile phones was shocking, we couldn't believe it. This combined with the general impatient attitude of motorists and a high number of tourists who dont know where they are going, makes for some interesting driving.

Their 'average' road makes the M25 in the rush hour look civil.

I saw very few cyclists in or around Orlando and down to Tampa or even in the Cocoa Beach area. My guess is that they stick to the quieter roads away from the horrendous highways.