London to Paris: Route Advice

Did they?

Yes, they did. Apologies for delayed response. Some needed a little more cajoling than others, and some made it despite having made some shocking bike choices. Two brothers made it all the way on £99 bikes from 'King Of Bikes' in Neasden. The bikes were utter crap, barely roadworthy. A demonstration though of their determination conquering their shortcomings in the kit dept.

We will have collected all monies sometime in Sept when term starts again. The estimated total is about £8k for charity, so a worthwhile endeavour. I am intending to mount another trip next year to a different destination. There was great value for the kids in learning not only some basic cycling and maintainence skills, but in what they could do if they put their mind to it (or, more realistically, I gave 'firm' encouragement knowing that they could do it). None of the 12 that we took had any real cycling experience beforehand (a rather sorry reflection of many children in London these days I suspect) and all expressed an interest in cycling as a regular activity now.

Yaks- sorry, I can't maake good on my initial offer of route files as am writing this from NYC and all the info is on my computer at home. Sorry and good luck.

Dieppe-Paris: I'm thinking of splitting the ride over 3 days, anyone have any tips where to stay (2 nights)? Ideally we're French cultural oases over grim suburban campsites, I think.

Dieppe-Paris: I'm thinking of splitting the ride over 3 days, anyone have any tips where to stay (2 nights)? Ideally we're French cultural oases over grim suburban campsites, I think.

Forge les Eaux and Triel Sur Seine have nice enough campsites. Clean, cheap and fairly pleasant locations. Forge les Euax is a nice market town with very good eating options.

I am pleased to see that people have been using my route to Paris using the forests that get you most of the way to the Eiffel Tower without serious traffic. I saw from this site that some cyclists had missed their way, and the difference between these paths and the chaotic main roads into Paris couldnt be greater! I have therefore revisited the route recently and greatly improved the directions, especially near Poissy where some people were going wrong. Also, I've given a series of "waypoints" - places every couple of miles in the approach to Paris that are well known and you could ask for if you did go wrong. But really, these directions should now be fine, if you are not in a terrible rush as one or two have been. Leave enough time and enjoy the scenery, and I guarantee you'll like this route. Access my full guide to it via http://www.donaldhirsch.com/dieppeparis.html . Have fun! Donald

thanks for the info donald!

the route i did was completely different from everyone else it seems!
Day1 London - Stelling Minnis (kent)
Day2 Stelling Minnis - Dover - Boulogne Sur Mer
Day3 BSM - Abbeville
Day4 Abbeville - Beauvais
Day5 Beavais - Paris

Did it totally unplanned and got very lost in Kent, but it was a bloody great laugh

We'll be doing a "Donald" in May, still looking for the quietest ( and flattest!! )route from London to Brighton / Newhaven though if anyone can suggest one

Looks like a great trip. I'm thinking of doing it in July this year, perhaps we could get a few of us going?

Hey, I was just wondering if any one had any routes for the London to Paris via Dover and any advice on the route, hills and B&B's. Thanks

im thinking about doing the same thing, any ideas?

Might as well take advantage of this post, rather than starting a new one! So ...

Current plan: April 7-9th, London to Paris with two friends. Camping near Ditchling and Gourney-En-Bray.

Dilemma: On Saturday, I loaded up my bike with some of the gear that I would take with me stuffed into a saddlebag. Total weight was approx 7kgs ... Still missing a tent and some other bits.

I cycled 48miles to Burgess Hill through driving rain and a constant headwind. Not fun. Fortunately, I had a warm, cosy place to stay. Spent the rest of Saturday zoned out on a sofa, gorging on mountains of food. Even after a quiet Sunday, I am still pretty zonked today. The thought of having to camp fills me with dread.

Question: Had anyone done London-Newhaven-Dieppe-Paris in 3 days and camped along the way? I want to have some fun on this ride and with camping involved, it seems like a lot of that fun is going to disappear.

Final note: I am riding single-gear, other two are geared ... but I have done much more training! :)

Sounds like you need to get a few more miles in your legs before trying it for real.

The only real issue with camping for me is I like having the tent setup while it's still light out whereas you can rock up to a youth hostel/hotel at any time and just flop down. Oh and you have to carry another couple of kilos of kit. If you're fit enough, geared appropriately then you should be ok.

Thanks for the prompt response hippy.

Setting up the tent while light is a concern. We are catching the 9.30 ferry on day 2, which gets us to Dieppe by 14.30. Would want to cover at least 50miles, so looking at over 4 hours cycling which is taking us very close to sunset... That is considering everything goes smoothly (off ferry, no punctures, right direction!)

My rides so far have been: 42, 68, 65 and 48 miles. Only the last one was with some weight on bike.

The other two have done ... 24 miles ...

worried

I am pleased to see that people have been using my route to Paris using the forests that get you most of the way to the Eiffel Tower without serious traffic. I saw from this site that some cyclists had missed their way, and the difference between these paths and the chaotic main roads into Paris couldnt be greater! I have therefore revisited the route recently and greatly improved the directions, especially near Poissy where some people were going wrong. Also, I've given a series of "waypoints" - places every couple of miles in the approach to Paris that are well known and you could ask for if you did go wrong. But really, these directions should now be fine, if you are not in a terrible rush as one or two have been. Leave enough time and enjoy the scenery, and I guarantee you'll like this route. Access my full guide to it via http://www.donaldhirsch.com/dieppeparis.html . Have fun! Donald

Donald, that's great, thanks!

It was all probably our fault, anyway - we did Brighton to Paris in a day, so were pretty sleep deprived (we didn't sleep on the ferry like we thought) when we got near Paris. Couldn't even hold the map the right way up!

M

Donald, you're a legend. It was only around Poissy that we went wrong, so thats a massive help.

my epic fail food wise wasn't helping much either!

Donald FTW

Managed London to Paris in three, relatively comfortable, days. Quite possible on a single-speed bike, carrying some camping gear.

Highly recommend Donald Hirsch's route - Bring some technology with you though ... It gets a bit confusing at times! :)

I'm planning to do the Donald Hirsch route in July with a friend. He's going geared and will have panniers. I'm going fixed. My friend will have panniers, but I don't want to load him up too much! Soo..

Any suggestions on a large (40 - 50 litre) cycle friendly rucksack for no more than £50?

Thanks

London to Paris Route Advice: Head south, you can't miss it.

Well I realise 50 litres may be a bit optimistic for £50 but I want to see what I can get in region. I've done all the googling but wondered if any of you veterans had any recommendations.

cycle friendly rucksack

No such thing. Panniers or a big saddlebag FTW.

I'd go with a saddle bag mate, get yourself a carradice or something similar and pack light.

+1 for saddle bag

I used a Carradice Nelson for my trip in April. Perhaps a little on the small side but you really want to keep the weight down if you are going fixed!

Not using it any more, so happy to donate it to you HamishW - Let me know!

Carradice SQR tour, brilliant, simple design, enough room for a few days' worth of supplies.

There are a few hills through the south downs, and btween Calais and Abbeville, pretty flat from there on in though.

We followed the Colts tour on bikely. It was a good route, mainly on quiet roads, through some lovely countryside. And the route into Paris wasn't too busy.

Managed London to Paris in three, relatively comfortable, days. Quite possible on a single-speed bike, carrying some camping gear.

Highly recommend Donald Hirsch's route - Bring some technology with you though ... It gets a bit confusing at times! :)

hi Fjor

in your 3 day journey did you spend a night in New Haven or Dieppe? if so ... any recommendations as to where?

Hey Dayabay

1st night we stayed near Burgess Hill at a campsite called Blackberry Wood (http://www.blackberrywood.com/)

2nd night we stayed in a friendly 2-star hotel in Gournay En Bray (http://www.lecygne.c.la/)

Put a little write-up together at: http://l2p.fjor.info/