I have just returned from a trip to France, the Marais Poitevin, Perigord, Southern Burgundy, and then around Orleans for a couple of days, and everywhere I was able to get out on the bike each day and ride on dedicated bike routes or on re-surfaced old railway lines away from traffic. What a pleasure. Why can`t we be this organised here in the UK, some of the bike lanes near me are probably all of 50 metres long and others have dotted white lines and so cars can park on them.
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The shortish answer Badger is the Brits don’t care about their communities or each other like the French do. This why France has an overall feel of being a much nicer place than the UK.
I also love the little green signs directing cyclists onto quieter lanes where there are no cycle tracks.
Having taken my bike on our tour of Brittany rather half heartedly, I rode it almost every day for two and a half weeks, discovering pretty villages, secret coves, secluded lighthouses and ancient farm buildings simply by following the green signs (the routes are also shown on the IGN rando app). Some of the road surfaces would not be ideal on a smart road bike but are absolutely fine for a gravel, hybrid or touring bike. I wasn't very sure about cycling 'on the right' but would recommend it even to the most nervous cyclist ! Still not sure where's the best place to carry a baguette on a bike - putting it in my rucksack meant it kept bopping me on the back of the head !
------------- Seeking luxury in unexpected places
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Excellent routing driven by low vehicle traffic rather than popularity with cyclists (which gets skewed by commuters). You can select paved, gravel or mixed routes, and there are iphone and android apps with turn by turn navigation. Also integrates quite well with Garmin.
Really good though interface is a bit clunky looking. Has revolutionised my weekends. Enjoy!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Bike Routes
via mobile 14/9/2023 at 9:15am
