Getting back from Paris

[Slowroad]

I'm hoping to do the French part of the Avenue Verte this late August/early September, just wondered what experiences people had had getting there. I'm thinking of train to Newhaven then ferry to Dieppe, cycling to Paris and train at least part of the way back. It seems that it'll have to be Intercite at least part of the way back, change at Rouen.
I'm a little wary of Eurostar with bikes...

[hamster]

I've had no problems using Eurostar, provided you book.

[ANTONISH]

I presume you are going back to Dieppe?
If you stick to ter trains you should be able to get back ok with your bike.
Current train times and routes are available on line which can also be accessed with a smartphone.
That would probably be cheaper than a one way with eurostar ( and the cost of your bike).

[Slowroad]

I presume you are going back to Dieppe?
If you stick to ter trains you should be able to get back ok with your bike.
Current train times and routes are available on line which can also be accessed with a smartphone.
That would probably be cheaper than a one way with eurostar ( and the cost of your bike).

Yes, that was the idea, but there only seem to be IC trains from Paris to Rouen. I'm looking for websites which allow one to specify TER right now!

[st599_uk]

I presume you are going back to Dieppe?
If you stick to ter trains you should be able to get back ok with your bike.
Current train times and routes are available on line which can also be accessed with a smartphone.
That would probably be cheaper than a one way with eurostar ( and the cost of your bike).

Yes, that was the idea, but there only seem to be IC trains from Paris to Rouen. I'm looking for websites which allow one to specify TER right now!

Doubt you can, it's a long way for regional trains.

Oui.sncf is showing the IC trains as accepting bikes with a reservation.

[nirakaro]

I did Paris-Rouen with my bike last June, problem-free. I think it was Intercite not TER, but whichever, I just turned up at the station and bought a ticket from the machine. If the ferry times suit, it's a nice afternoon's ride from Rouen to Dieppe IIRC. Surprisingly few places to stop for a coffee on the way though!

[ANTONISH]

I did Paris-Rouen with my bike last June, problem-free. I think it was Intercite not TER, but whichever, I just turned up at the station and bought a ticket from the machine. If the ferry times suit, it's a nice afternoon's ride from Rouen to Dieppe IIRC. Surprisingly few places to stop for a coffee on the way though!

That's interesting - I was under the impression that Intercite trains only carry bikes that have been booked.

I've taken ter trains without a problem and sometimes I've boarded at a rural stop without a ticket office - I wouldn't want to wait at a station and be refused boarding - not sure if IC stop at such places.
There are ter trains from Paris to Rouen (change at Amiens). Also ter Paris to Boulogne then ter to Calais.
It may be that IC trains have an off peak cycle carriage policy ?

[mjr]

https://www.sncf.com/en/passenger-offer ... e-on-board suggests you don't have to reserve a bike space on an IC train if the IC train does not require reservations. https://www.seat61.com/London-Paris-fer ... ven-Dieppe says the Dieppe-Rouen-Paris route does not require reservations.

[Bernard]

Paris to Dieppe. First you take a train “Intercity” Paris (Saint Lazare station) Rouen, where there are places for bikes without any reservation, them you change in Rouen station where you take a “TER” to Dieppe, where there are free places for bikes.

[Slowroad]

Thanks all, really useful! Feeling a lot more confident about it all now. But wavering about all the options!

[millimole]

If you use the journey planner on bahn.com (select your language!) and UNTICK 'fast connections' this will show you the non-TGV and most non-IC trains. You can further refine this my selecting 'bicycle carriage' in the additional options, although I've been told this option isn't foolproof outside of the German network.
You don't need to buy your tickets from bahn.de / bahn.com to use the planner. The bahn.com planner is pan-european, not just for Germany.

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly using hovercraft full of eels.

[Slowroad]

Thanks all - I learn so much on here!
I've tweaked my holiday dates to give me a couple more days, and got an excellent value advance train ticket to Newhaven. I'm staying overnight at a campsite very close for the ferry early the next morning. I'm planning to have time to do the whole loop through Paris and out again to one of the stations on the TER line to Dieppe and travel home the same way in reverse. (As it were...)

[old_skooler]

Hey Slowroad.

I'm doing a similar journey around the same time but I'm setting off mid August and I'm getting the train from Liverpool to Euston and then a train from Victoria to Dover and then the ferry to Calais all in one day. I was hoping to camp but for the first night I've decided to get an Airbnb for one night. Then I am riding to Paris where I am getting an Airbnb for 3 nights. From there who knows (I'm still working it all out).

This is my first time in France and my first proper biking tour and I am really nervous but also excited at the same time. I am going to make a separate thread to ask for some advice soon.

Good information here regarding the trains

[Welshman55]

Hi, I've just done the french bit of this ride. Camped for 2 nights and stayed in a cheap Premiere Classe in Cergy the third night.
Eurostar seemed way too fussy about an assembled bike so I took a TGV to Calais Frethun station (easy to book with fully assembled bike) and then the short sea crossing to Dover and Train from Dover Priory station which was easy to reach.

[Slowroad]

Came back from this trip just under a week ago. Caught the 9am ferry (don't really need to be there 7:30... but it meant I got chatting to other cyclists and met up on the ferry - the time whizzed by. Christoph, French guy, had cycled from London to the ferry, through the night. was going to cycle to Paris after getting off the ferry - London - Paris in 24 hours. For no particular reason other than he could!)
I did the longer eastern loop, didn't quite go into Paris, just to St Denis, then caught train to Pontoise. That meant I had time to do the western loop too - the wrong way round. I think it's the better one for cycling.
I had a relaxed journey home, caught the 12:30 ferry then camped not far from Newhaven and pootled on the train into Brighton the next day. Caught the train home in the afternoon, by which time my brain had caught up with where my body was. Arrived home feeling refreshed!
So I didn't need to get back from Paris after all!
Info on my campsites here viewtopic.php?f=42&t=132696