Camper van cycling road trip France a two week trip with 4500KM of driving and a few hundred KM of cycling up some epic French mountain passes.
Start off with a 328KM drive to Rosslare for the Irish Ferries boat to Cherbourg
Waiting to board
Crossing was rough.
The cabins are very good, great night sleep 13 hours non stop.
Entry to Cherbourg, I guess Napoleonic Fort
First stop “Chez Ginnie” a friend of Nadette’s who she met in India.
“Drink”
Then on to Baudelys “chez Jean”
Sardines and squid
Saturday Market
Neil cycled up the Pic de Nore two times in two days, the second day was a French race he entered. There were some issues with his UCI licence but it all worked out in the end. 24KM of uphill all the way.
Jean shows Neil his vines
Jean Sandrine Neil Richie and Nadette
Cycling past this sign, it aint no 2 minutes 😉
Stopping for lunch on the way to Mt Ventoux
Drying Tilleul in the sun, whilst Neil and I ride the Mt Ventoux from Malaucene
Getting ready
Made it, very hot I was slower than last year at 2hours and 10 minutes. Neil was 1 hour thirty five
Shadows
Lunar landscape at the top of Ventoux
Neil does Ventoux second time from Bedoin, 90 minutes, one of the fastest on that day.
Looking down from the top
Proud Mum
We stayed for a few days “Chez Fabienne” in a tiny hamlet, Provence near Buis le Barronils.
“Chez Fabienne”
Unlike Ireland, French people are still driving their old cars, if they pass the MOT why not. The most ecological car is an old one. Not consumerism
Night talking
Scorpion
Lunch stop on our way to Col de la Bonneta
Top of Col de la Bonneta almost 3000 Meters
Found a great place to stop the night 2500 meters
Spot the MArmot
Road blocked at the very top
Neil searches for a mobile signal to upload his Strava time for the climb
Campsite for the night
Watch a short video here Col de Bonneta
Plenty of natural beauty
Breakfast
We then moved on to the Col de Galibier
Tough climb my sixth in seven days. Neil was much faster than me…
Looking down the Col de Galibier
Evening Meal at Alpe de Huez
Nice evning meal, were going to camp here the night but tractor started cutting grass very late. So moved down to campsite at foot of Alpe D’huez
Breakfast before cycling up Huez
Neil under the hour me 75 minutes
Last few days in the Jura with Catherine, Lionel and Augustin.
When in France
Lots of cows in the Jura, the home of Compte Cheese
Last spin in France
Boat trip home
Camper van cycling road trip France
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