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hats
branwen
@branwen and I just got back from a London to Paris in 24 hours. It was very good fun. Nice half day on the Friday starting from Cycle PS in Camberwell at 3pm and the backwoods route into Brighton via Farthing Downs and avoiding the B2112 (despite always wanting to take it just for the Rush references eg I LOVE YOU NEAL PERT!) and ensuring a roll down Slugwash Lane. Which turned out to be the most beautiful moment of the trip, as all the leaves had fallen and there was a lavender sunset sky and owls were weaving over and across the lane and rushing on the downhills and it was incredible. Arrived into Brighton in about four hours so we had time to enjoy/destroy a massive cooked breakfast at Buddys on the beach and then take the coastal road to Newhaven for the 11pm ferry. I'd recommend doing it this way (Brighton and then over to Newhaven instead of direct) because there is fuck-all to do in Newhaven and it is sort of scary and the only food near the port is McDonalds and KFC which I normally love but was definitely not interested in having inside me before an overnight-cross channel ferry.
The boat ride was comfortable as you would imagine it to be. Which is to say not very.
4am and rained on us for the first 35 miles out of Dieppe and on the Avenue Vert but it didn't matter really. The AV is sort of boring, ever so slightly uphill and there is lots of organic rubble on the cycleway. So a bit of drizzle didn't actually make it any better or worse. A big MEH really. Finally escaped it around Forges-les-Eaux and with a few espressos in the Hotel St Denis while watching the locals play Keno at 730 in the morning our spirits lifted for the rest of the day and I would say we enjoyed the rest of the roll into Paris. After 95 miles we could see the route taking a big dog-leg to west and then rolling into Paris, so we said fuck that, cut 20 miles off the course and did our best to dive straight into the top of Paris and right through to the Eiffel Tower. I think we missed off some nice woods I think, but I was happy to be in the hotel with a clean ass and some food in my face sooner than later. At the hotel for 2:30, so half an hour to spare to make it under the 24 hour mark.
I would say the scenery is pretty unremarkable unfortunately. I think it's being spoiled with great routes around England, and the variety of lanes, coastal paths, woods etc that I've seen in England but as my first proper ride in France this route was just sort of normal, if slightly misty and atmospheric. A few chateaus here and there, but it's mainly just some corn and maybe fields of potatoes? A good challenge logistically, but no need to do it again. Also It takes aaaaaaagess to get into central Paris because there are – and I counted – over one bazillion pedestrian crossing lights.
But most importantly @branwen is a gent and an outstanding cycling partner, nifty with knowledge about where to track down the best falafel in the Jewish Quarter and kind enough to roll along at my amateur audax pace (ie a little slow) without any complaint. Awesome fun. We also saw @hats in the Citi Metro station for 10 minutes! That was pretty boss.
So incredible the attractions!
Actual proof.
Here I am again in love with the French countryside on the way home.
