Narbonne to Roscoff: The Cheese Tour

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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MrsHJ
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Narbonne to Roscoff: The Cheese Tour

Post by MrsHJ »

I concluded some time ago that I like the zen element of river and canal riding. It’s not just the flatness and I definitely like a bit of variety so I’m relaxed about detouring away from the route and visiting interesting towns and sites. However, I quite like having the outline structure of a defined route and whilst if there are stressy/difficult bits in a tour (and I have carried my bike down a scree slope before!) I will deal I prefer not to have a lot of route complexity every day. Rather than finishing at Royan I’ll head up to La Rochelle as I have time, it’s more useful jump off point for transport and it’s a nice town. I’m also thinking of doing la Velo Francette sometime so it’s a neat link to that. On the start I’ve already done the Sete/agde/beziers part so I’ll kick off from port nouvelle instead.

So whilst it’s not for everyone the entre deux mers route remains on my strong possibles list for one of my tours next year. I like the mix of cities and towns it passes through, plenty of accommodation and things to look at in the evenings, rural tranquility most days. For the sections of not so good path I have a fairly robust bike or I can divert onto local roads. I definitely prefer staying in an attractive location in the evening whether it’s a city/town or village with pleasant accommodation.

A couple of route decisions I’d be interested for input on:
1. Coming into Bordeaux from the east around 50km of the recommended route is the roger lapebie rail trail. That looks lovely but there isn’t much accommodation any useful points (I target 65km days but vary that between 50km and 80km to make it work). The previous night is likely to be in Marmande, is the Roger Lapebie that good? It looks like there is a reasonable alternative going south on EV3 that is also pretty much all bike trail but has a couple of better located towns with accommodation- it’s 50km longer but I’m not really trying to minimise distance, just to have a nice route.
2. West of Bordeaux I’ve cycled down the west coast before and I was planning on crossing the Gironde at Blaye and cycling up the the north side to Royan. Again it is doable but it doesn’t look that great for accommodation and places to see. I’m wondering if I should head west from bordeaux to lacanau or through the medoc instead and cycle up to royan that way. It seems to give me better distances between overnights and puts me in royan overnight and then rochefort the next night which is somewhere I’d like to visit.

Here’s my current draft route.

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/371757

Possible alternative.

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/372185
Last edited by MrsHJ on 18 Feb 2023, 10:48am, edited 2 times in total.
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by Tigerbiten »

I did that route ~10 years ago.
Didn't have a guide/map of the route, so was following tourist info pamphlet.
Turned right up away from the river not exactly sure of where I was going, but found the ex-railway line.
Once in Bordeaux followed the satnav to a campsite.
Next day was out to Lacanau-Ocean and north through sand hills.

From what I remember the run down the ex-railway line was very nice.
But I'm also on a low recumbent trike, so don't see much of the surrounding countryside unless I stand up ..... :lol:

Luck ........... :D
bohrsatom
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by bohrsatom »

The Lapebie path is pretty nice. Between La Reole and Bordeaux you'll get to experience a varied mix of terrain - from open rolling countryside with views across vineyards to a path through a forest which is a little similar to the Two Tunnels route near Bath (although there's only one tunnel on the Lapebie). It's well set up for cycling so you'll find places to stop for a coffee/lunch, picnic areas, taps to refill your bottle, etc, which sets it apart from other veloroutes in France.

There's also the benefit of a simple, safe approach to Bordeaux, without the 'fun' of weaving your way through the industrial areas on the outskirts.

Could you make the mileage work out through changing where you stay? Not sure if you'll have a tent but there's a good campsite at La Reole, otherwise you could seek out accommodation along the canal. Alternatively, after La Reole, Sauveterre de Guyenne would make a nice overnight stop.

I have no experience of the southern route so that may also be a good option!
simonhill
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by simonhill »

How do you search for accomodation?

Your second route is blank and centres on Oxford, unless it's my phone.
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MrsHJ
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by MrsHJ »

It’s your phone! (Edit as I had inadvertently switched the route to private)

Accommodation- I try cycle.travel to start for for an indication of accommodation hotspots ( that gives booking.com and the youth hostel association links). Then as the cycle.travel automatic function doesn’t bring all of the places on booking I might have a further cast around there. Next is google maps which often has smaller places. Finally I have the chamina guide for this route and that sometimes has local recommended that need an email or a phone call.

No plans to take a tent on this trip. After research and from comments here (thank you) I think I am leaning to the Roger lapebie route with a stop at creon and I’m looking at tweaking a couple of the earlier days. That will leave me not staying at Bordeaux but on reflection I’ve stayed there before and I’m not a huge fan of the big city bike combo. I’ll look and see if I can select some nice left bank choices - likely to be centred around the wine industry rather than the coast I think.

I’m trying to head for nice places rather than doing a set distance and then stopping. Reflecting on whether I want to stop at Marmande and Agen or adjust my distances a bit but unless there are some strong alternatives I think I’ll stick with those towns for accommodation and accept some slightly longer/shorter days.
Last edited by MrsHJ on 15 Oct 2022, 5:04pm, edited 2 times in total.
Jdsk
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by Jdsk »

The first link shows a route in France. The second a map of southern England on which I can't see a route...

Jonathan
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MrsHJ
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by MrsHJ »

Sorry had accidentally switched the route to private. It’s public again now.
Jdsk
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by Jdsk »

And it works.

: - )

Jonathan
simonhill
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by simonhill »

You seem to have all searches covered for accommodation. I'm searching at the moment but somewhere else.

I find a straight hotel search for Google only reveals some. If you zoom in on towns, villages, etc others pop up. Very annoying and somewhat tedious to manually search. Plus of course lots of red herrings. I open, then look for latest review. If pre 2019 I'm sceptical it has reopened.
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mjr
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by mjr »

The Château de Crécy near Romagne was great when I stayed there, but that was in 2016.

Yes, the Piste Lapebie is good but Sauveterre de Guyenne is exceptional. Créon also good with more shops and a bike shop, but not as well-preserved.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Tiggertoo
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by Tiggertoo »

simonhill wrote: 15 Oct 2022, 5:58pm You seem to have all searches covered for accommodation. I'm searching at the moment but somewhere else.

I find a straight hotel search for Google only reveals some. If you zoom in on towns, villages, etc others pop up. Very annoying and somewhat tedious to manually search. Plus of course lots of red herrings. I open, then look for latest review. If pre 2019 I'm sceptical it has reopened.
Google maps are on average 1 - 3 years out of date. It would be nice to have one singe source for finding accommodation on the fly.
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MrsHJ
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by MrsHJ »

Notes on access to Port Nouvelle by train with bike:

Direct trains all stop at Narbonne I think and there is definitely a direct train from Toulouse. It’s only 15 mins by train from Narbonne and the trains are roughly hourly.

From Paris Austerlitz:
Intercity de nuit runs to Narbonne on Friday and Sunday nights. Looks very good value- 55 euro with the bike and a couchette. May not sleep!
Intercity de Nuit runs to Toulouse every night.

Regular TGV services run direct to Toulouse from Montparnasse and are frequent and take about 3.5 hours.
TGV with bike to Narbonne is via Lyon/Montpellier from Gare de Lyon and takes a lot longer. Probably as easy to go via Toulouse or even Bordeaux as the Bretagne trains go into Montparnasse.

Need to line up ferry times and TGV from Morlaix times to decide the best option. The romantic in me wants to take the night train, the pragmatist wants some sleep so the Toulouse TGV. Might need to get a taxi from the ferry to Morlaix to get to Toulouse in a day.
Current draft: Looks like Thursday night ferry, cycle to Morlaix, afternoon TGV to Paris, cycle across Paris, night train to Narbonne arriving 7:10 am Saturday and 9am TER to Port La Nouvelle for a short cycling day. On way back short day to Nantes, lunchtime train gets in to Morlaix around 4, cycle to say St Pol de Leon for a hotel that afternoon and catch 9:45am Sunday morning ferry next day from Roscoff or relax timing a bit and catch 3pm ferry. There is a bank holiday the following Monday so no need to rush.

The range of TGVs and intercities now available to cyclists is getting noticeably better to a good range of destinations.
Last edited by MrsHJ on 23 Oct 2022, 11:56am, edited 5 times in total.
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MrsHJ
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by MrsHJ »

Any thoughts on this updated version as I gradually refine it? I thought I may as well push on to Nantes which is just about doable with a slightly long fortnight for the whole trip including travel to and from as it’s then on the edge of the easy train access back to Morlaix and Roscoff for the ferry home. I can do that in an afternoon (or an evening but don’t want to have a really late night into Morlaix as I want to go for crepes!).

Wondering if on the La Rochelle to Nantes section might be nice to do a bit more of the velodyssee on the coast. Still haven’t quite resolved the left bank/right bank issue in the Medoc from Bordeaux to Royan. Any nice areas/towns that I’m missing? Chuckling as this is 950km with 1500m of climbing but getting to and from the ferry Roscoff-Morlaix-Roscoff In Brittany is less than 60km but 500m of climbing.

Short first day as I think I may be tired if I’ve got the overnight train to Narbonne, even with a couchette. Target days are likely last 2 weeks of May 12-28 or so. Could be a bit rainy but prefer that to really hot.

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/374032
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Last edited by MrsHJ on 9 Nov 2022, 8:23pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by Tigerbiten »

MrsHJ wrote: 22 Oct 2022, 6:46pm Any thoughts on this updated version as I gradually refine it?

https://cycle.travel/map/journey/374032
I've just checked your whole route and a heads-up/word of warning.

Some parts of the track alongside the Canal Du Midi is just a muddy single track with tree roots, think a bad Sustrans route ... :(
To see where it might be look at the route on the "Open Cycle Map", if it's dotted then it could be bad.
Also see this journal from 2019 -> https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o= ... 20953&v=Hc
That may give you an idea of that section of the route.
So have a back plan/on road route just in case it is very bad and you have to bail away from the canal.

Luck ......... :D
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MrsHJ
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Re: Canal Entre Deux Mers Route

Post by MrsHJ »

Thank you. I’ve got the chamina book for entre deux mers which marks the not great sections and I’m totally happy to move into local roads. The cycle.travel route marks the unpaved sections in as green instead of blue I think.

Thé lady in the link is even slower than me! I am in no way a dedicated to the route person- perfectly happy to use it as a loose guide and mostly stick to local roads.
Last edited by MrsHJ on 23 Oct 2022, 12:44pm, edited 2 times in total.
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