Channel to the Med

[Zawn Kellys]

Planning to ride this with my daughter this summer. We are completly flexible about our routre at the moment but thought we would start at Dieppe or Caen, and would take about two weeks. We thought about finishing around Narbonne via Carcassone, but are flexible.

I am looking for tips on the return journey please. I would prefer not to dismantle the bikes, so not a flight or trains that require this. Has anyone got any advice or experience of doing this - or of how to find and book trains that don't require being boxed / bagged. I have tried Trainline.com but there don't seem to be many services that do this. Is it a certain type of train service/company i need

The Bike Express service is booked up, but also didn't work with our dates. Are there any other bus services like this?

Hire a car in the south and return to Dieppe with the bikes in the back? probably expensive.

I did also wonder about changing the route, and going to Bilbao or Santander and getting a ferry to Portsmouth. Has anyone experience of this?

Any tips/advice would be much appreciated.

Peter

[b1ke]

I've taken the ferry from Santander to Portsmouth a few times. No problem with bikes and you can just roll them on and off.. I don't think the Bilbao service takes bikes.

[bikepacker]

Having done both your suggestions a few times both ways I think it is easier to go South to North. That way heading for Caen you have three ferries a day to choose from.

Saying that, if you decide on finishing near Narbonne your options for returning are limited. By train you would not be able to use the TGV unless you could bag your bikes. The only bus service I am aware of is the Bike Express and that is not an option for you.

If Avis have a car rental office in Narbonne you can get some good deals on one way hire to Caen. It is a long way so unless both of you are driving it will take a couple of days as after two weeks cycling you will get very drowsy in a car. Get a hatchback and put the bikes inside but don't let them know. Their drop off point is in the centre of the city which is no problem as you have the cyclepath to the ferry terminal. I have used these once from Perpignan but made it a two day drive.

Going to Santander is a nice ride but does not have the magic of Channel to Med when relating you tour to others. Ferry option is normally easy from here.

[simonhill]

How much dismantling don't you want to do?

Easyjet take bikes in plastic bags. Turn handlebars and remove pedals. Not a lot of dismantling and you would have to do similar or more to get 2 bikes in a hatchback.

You may find a bike shop that will box your bikes for you. You'd have to research this first or it might take a while to arrange once there.

I also like the idea of 'riding home' as this gives you more flexibility.

[ossie]

Agree about going South to North. You can fly down to Carcassonne with Ryanair for example, just get a couple of old bike boxes from a bike shop, as stated pedals off and turn bars..or as you mentioned Santander and cycle back.....just stick Santander in the search box and you should get plenty of results.

[MartinBrice]

The CTC bike bag is easier to use and safer as if the bike is hidden inside a box thehandlers won't know it's a bike. If you want to do it more cheaply just buy some plastic sheeting at a DIY store. I've flown loads of times and so have thousands of other cyclists.
But i agree about south to north, beware it can be bloody hot in the south of france in the summer. we had 38 degrees, but alongside the canal du midi it was flat, traffic-free, shaded and next to water and of course we had a self-induced 10mph wind to cool us off. when we reached st malo it was september and a bit chilly and damp.
would see if EBE can get you there then ride home, that way you won't fret about the return journey all the time on the way out.

[robing]

I did Bayonne to Dieppe last September. Got the bike bus to the start and cycled home. Mostly flat, glorious weather. I really enjoyed the Dieppe to Newhaven crossing. Previously I have hired a car one way from south of France to St Malo with Europcar. Was quite expensive but not prohibitively.

[simonhill]

The CTC bike bag is easier to use and safer as if the bike is hidden inside a box thehandlers won't know it's a bike. If you want to do it more cheaply just buy some plastic sheeting at a DIY store. I've flown loads of times and so have thousands of other cyclists.

I think the jury is out on which is best, box or bag, plenty argue and have good/bad experiences each way. For me, the best thing about the box is that it is never denied carriage, whereas there are occasiional reports here of having problems with bags, even on carriers that say they accept them.

I doubt even the dumbest baggage handler wouldn't realise it was a bike in the box. There is usually a big picture of a bike on the box.

Flying out a box can be easily sourced, packed, etc. Coming back a plastic bag may be better as you can carry with you.

For even cheaper plastic sheet, go to a bed shop. New mattresses arrive in these and they will usually give you one free.

[whoof]

In agreement with much of the above. If you are hiring a car you would probably need to take off the wheels to get them in which you also need to be able to do if you are riding in case you puncture. Removing pedals is done with either one 15 mm spanner or a 6 mm allen key and takes one minute.

I've flown many times and on the outward journey put my bike in a cardboard box from a bike shop and on the return use some decorators plastic sheeting, a tarpaulin or other piece and plastic bought from a large Le Clerc or other supermarket for a few euros.

As to whether a box or bag is best for not getting the bike damaged. A box does give some form of protection over a bag. If a baggage handler can see a bike in a bag they may take greater care with it, but if they are rushed or don't give a damn they won't. You can also put some pipe lagging around the frame although this can be hard it come by in Southern Europe.

The worst damage I've had flying with a bike (both myself and other's I've been travelling with) in over 25 years is a lost end plug on the handle bars.

[nirakaro]

If you're not in a hurry, just about every train in France other than TGVs will carry bikes without charge, reservation or dismantling.

[bigjim]

There is a direct train from Beziers to Clermont Ferrand that you can just wheel your back onto. So halfway across France already.
I always box the bike on the way out. I carry the £5 bag pictured with me. Very light to carry. It gives no protection to the bike at all, so I wrap cardboard around the vulnerable parts. It does get you past check-in though. They have never pointed out that it is not a bike bag or refused. Unlike the CTC plastic one. It is often a bit torn when I get back, so I just throw it away. Worth a fiver to me for peace of mind.

[ANTONISH]

My experience of recent flying with my my bike in a strong bike bag - plenty of padding -bubble wrap - pipe insulation etc (easyjet both times)
To Vienna - return journey no damage to bike
To Alicante - return journey - outward no damage - return both wheels slightly out of true - malfunctioning gears - nothing serious but I think air travel is a bit "pot luck" and a lot depends on the baggage handlers rather than the airline.
There is some limited bike space on TGV's and it is apparently now possible to book bike spaces online (the last time I went to the SNCF office in London to make the booking - unfortunately on the day of travel there was a train strike )
If you are confident of dismantling and re-assembling your bikes you could take them on as luggage on the TGV. Size limits I think are 120 x 90 - but I can get my small 50cm touring bike into less than this.
My preferred route is Dover to Calais ferry ( there is never any problem with getting a bike on to South Eastern trains )- then TGV to Lyon via Lille - avoiding crossing Paris. From Lyon (or possibly further south _ somebody will know) you would probably need local trains to Narbonne.
IMO Dieppe is a good place to head for from Narbonne - I have plans to do this in the near future - but obviously your UK location will influence your decision. I like the Dieppe - Newhaven ferry and you can take an assembled bike on the train from the adjacent station at Newhaven.
I think travelling air or train the well padded and disposable cardboard box would be my preferred option.
Bike bus is OK but dates aren't always convenient and it's an overnight coach trip.

[thegreatpan]

I cycled Dieppe to the med last year. We did a one way car hire with a single overnight stop. Airport to Airport gave by far the cheapest rates, so we did Montpellier to Paris Beauvais and rode home along the Avenue Vert, to return to Newhaven, good for us as we live in Sussex.

I'm doing the same trip this year starting May 14th but flying down with Sleazy Jet, bike and passenger £75!

I have routes on gpx format if you need them, send me a pm

[Zawn Kellys]

Thank you all for your responses - very useful and much appreciated.

We have now narrowed it down to car hire and drive back with one over night stay or flight from Montpelier to Gatwick. We have found a bike shop close to Montpelier Airport that looks good for sourcing a couple of boxes.

Just as an aside, the Santander ferries seem to book up quickly. They were booked up on our dates.

Cheers