Channel to the Med – 14 Day Tour

Channel to the Med – 14 Day Tour Route

Fri: Arrival Day
Non-riding day
Arriving into Ouistreham by either the morning, afternoon or overnight ferry will see us safely in place ready for ‘Le Grand Départ’ the following morning. Accommodation on this day is not included within the tour price, but we can recommend places for you to stay.

Sat: Ouistreham to Bagnoles de l’Orne
Distance: 68 miles / 109km
Elevation: 3000ft / 920m
After the obligatory photographs and adjustment of Lycra we gear up for our Gallic adventure with a gentle start to the day along the Suisse Normand cycle way. This smooth tarmac surface follows the river Orne, meandering along the banks of the river. We will pass through Caen and follow the river through a lovely gorge surrounded by woodland. After lunch the terrain becomes hillier, but we round off the day making our way through the forest of Andaine to our first nights accommodation in the lovely spa town of Bagnoles de l’Orne.

Sun: Bagnoles De l’Orne to La Fleche
Distance: 79 miles / 126km
Elevation: 4500ft / 1350m
In contrast to yesterday morning’s cycling, today starts us off on hilly, undulating roads through the pretty villages and countryside of France. The undulations eventually give way to easier terrain and we stock up on energy for the afternoon with lunch by a lake. Today and tomorrow will see us putting some extra miles behind us to reap what we sow in days to come. At the end of the day’s cycling the grand buildings and gentle river of the smart town of La Fleche await our arrival.

Mon: La Fleche to Loches
Distance: 79 miles / 126km
Elevation: 2750ft / 850m
A long but easy day in the saddle today has us pushing on in the morning through farmland and orchards heading for the lovely, lazy Loire. After we have dropped down past the impressive chateaux at Langeais we cross this revered river and frivolously waste a good half mile cycling alongside it to our idyllic lunch stop, and why not? For those with the time there will be chance to visit the famous castle on the island at Azay le Rideau as we pass, before heading on to our evening at Loches, residence of the Kings of France.

Tue: Loches to Argenton-sur-Creuse
Distance: 51 miles / 82km
Elevation: 1750ft / 550m
Leaving Loches behind we will continue southwards alongside the River Indre. Passing through Chatillo-sur-indre our generally flat route takes us into the Brenne National Park. This calm, quiet area is known for its many lakes, interesting habitats and rare aquatic species. Further along we will join with the River Creuse and continue to the pretty town of Argenton-sur-Creuse.

Wed: Argenton to Aubusson
Distance: 76 miles / 122km
Elevation: 6250ft / 1900m
This is a fantastic day cycling but also one of the toughest with lots of ups and downs interspersed with a number of flatter sections. The day is characterised by rivers, woodlands and limestone gorges which we descend into, and ascend out of!! The River La Creuse will be ever present today and you will cross it a number of times. You will pass through a number of typically French farming villages and see a number of great views as we pass through this much painted and cherished region of France, also famous for the author George Sand. A nice day in the saddle will see us arrive at the attractive town of Aubusson which is know throughout France for its fine tapestries.

Thu: Aubusson to Le Mont Dore
Distance: 60 miles / 96km
Elevation: 5500ft / 1600m
We have a number of climbs as we cycle through this scenic region known for its volcanic landscape. We will cycle through a number of woodlands and forests amongst yet more stunning scenery and find ourselves in Le Mont Dore. Sounded by mountains Le Mont Dore acts as a ski resort in the winter and attracts many walkers and bikers during the summer.

Fri: Le Mont Dore to St Flour
Distance: 68 miles / 109km
Elevation: 5800ft / 1700m
The days starts with a climb followed by a number of ups and downs. As we approach Condat you will be greeted with a fantastic view over the valley before a long descent. After Condat you will have a substantial climb up to lunch followed by a 13 mile descent – woo hoo! We will finish our ride in the hilltop town of Saint Flour. Nicely situated in the Auvergne region the upper town affords superb views over the surrounding area.

Sat: St Flour to Mende
Distance: 50 miles / 80km
Elevation: 4800ft / 1400m
Once we have left St Flour a hilly road takes you over to the Viaduc de Garabit where the road descends to a scenic lake. A nice ride by the lake is followed by a big climb and a number of ups and downs before lunch. After lunch the ride is characterised by rolling forested countryside through a number of small hamlets. The day is finished with a long winding descent into the town of Mende.

Sun: Mende to Grospierres
Distance: 66 miles / 105km
Elevation: 3900ft / 1200m
Initially we follow the Lot River towards its source along a meandering valley. A lovely winding and undulating road continues through woodlands with some stunning views. Further along the route descends down a fantastic winding valley for 15 miles and we will pass by the impressive Chateaux de Champ before arriving at our lovely picnic spot overlooking the Lake L’Altier. In the afternoon the scenery is stunning as we cycle through the limestone gorges of the area into the Ardeche.

Mon: Grospierres to Vaison-la-Romaine
Distance: 69 miles / 114km
Elevation: 3700ft / 1100m
We will cycle past the iconic rock arch, the Pont d’Arc, and follow the Ardeche along a superb road with fantastic vistas around every bend. Further along the road descends and we will pass through St Martin before we catch our first glimpse of Ventoux, the mountain that will be ever present for the next few days. Further along we will cross over the River Rhone and enter the wine growing region of the Rhone and pass through vineyards and orchards.

Tue: Vaison to Sault (Mount Ventoux)
Distance: 38 miles / 61km
Elevation: 6200ft / 1900m
After a short ride to Malaucene you will follow in the footsteps of some of previous Tour de France greats and begin your climb of the iconic Mont Ventoux. This classic ride is a tough climb but you will be rewarded with fine panoramic views over area. A long descent takes you down into Sault where you will have a well deserved rest. For those who don’t fancy Ventoux there is an easier route to Sault (28 miles) which is also a fantastic ride.

Wed: Sault to Les Salles-sur-Verdon
Distance: 78 miles / 126km
Elevation: 4800ft / 1450m
With the ever present smell of lavender we will leave Sault and cycle through the delightful lavender fields of Provence. Further along we will pass through a number of ancient towns and villages and you will also notice the landscape change too as the scented lavender fields are replaced by steep sided valleys and stunted old trees. As the afternoon approaches a number of fantastic views opens up as we get closer to the picture postcard town of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Perched on a cliff face it is well worth a visit, before we get to our hotel in Les Salles-sur-Verdon, near to a lake with a stunning view of the gorge.

Thu: Les Salles-sur-Verdon to Castellane
Distance: 44 miles / 71km
Elevation: 4700ft / 1400m
One of the most spectacular days cycling of the tour awaits as we venture into the Gorges de Verdon. This stunning gorge is the 2nd largest gorge in the world after the Grand Canyon in USA and makes for some truly memorable cycling. The azure waters of the Lac de Saint Croix marks the start of the glorious ascent to the top of the canyon. After lunch the route is mostly flat and down hill as the route takes us along the top of the gorge then down to the strikingly aquamarine Verdon River which we follow to all the way to Castellane.

Fri: Castellane to Nice
Distance: 50 miles / 80km
Elevation: 3300ft / 1020m
Our final day in the saddle is another stunning ride. A climb away from Castellane reveals superb views back over the town before the road flattens out and continues along a lovely valley surrounded by mountains. Further along we will cycle along the top of the Gorge de Loup and descend for about 20 miles all the way down to the Mediterranean sea. The scenery is stunning on our ride to the coast. As we near our final destination we will meet the coast and cycle along the sea front beaches and soak up the sun and maybe a dip in the Med before out final photo’s and group meal.

Sat: Departure Day
Non-riding day
Following our final night’s accommodation near Nice, today is departure day. The guides will be leaving around 8am as they have to drive back to the UK but Nice Airport is within easy reach from the hotel you will be staying at and public transport and taxi’s are readily available to transfer you there.

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What’s Included?

The tour price includes 14 nights accommodation, 14 breakfasts, 14 lunches, snacks throughout the day, full trip support including a tour leader that cycles at the back of the group, two back up vans with spare parts and a few spare bikes, we will even take your bikes over to France for you and bring them back at the end of the tour (there is a £60 charge for this, and you would need to get your bike to us in Derbyshire or meet us at one of the pick up points en-route). We provide GPX files, detailed route notes so that you can cycle at your own pace, a Peak Tours cycle shirt, certificate, luggage transfer each day, lots of fun!

What’s Not Included?

Evening meals, cycle hire (available for a fee), transport to Caen, transport from Nice.

What happens at the start of the tour?

We will start the tour from near Caen (Ouistreham) in France. The first day cycling is on Saturday so it is advisable to get to Caen either on Friday or early Saturday morning.

To get to Ouistreham you can take the ferry from Portsmouth. The guides will be around on the Thursday evening for any bike hand overs but will need to get the overnight ferry on Thursday to make sure they are in place and can get all the bikes set up in Ouistreham ready for our first cycling day on Saturday. Most people will choose to get the ferry from Portsmouth to Ouistreham on Friday, ready to start cycling the following morning at around 08.45 on Saturday morning. Details of ferry services can be found here Brittany Ferries

Accommodation is included on the Saturday night but the ferry fare or Friday night Ouistreham accommodation isn’t included in the tour price. A guide to Ouistreham accommodation is provided.

What happens at the end?

At the end of the tour we will finish in Nice and have a celebratory last night meal and no doubt a few drinks as well.

The final Friday is superb! The last 40 miles are mostly downhill so we should be at the finish point in really good time, usually by 15.00. We will have a final lunch in the lovely village of Greolieres before hitting the coast and cycling along the promenade for a short distance where we will finish our tour and there will be chance to take our end of tour photographs and skinny dip (last part isn’t mandatory)!

We will take our group photo’s then the guides will be scurrying around organising while you take your time and get ready for the final meal. We will meet for a final group meal at 19.30 and walk to our restaurant followed by group conga and a techno club (the last two are optional).

If anyone needs to fly back on Friday, then they can have a shower at the hotel before jetting off. The guides and vans will be around Friday evening sorting out bikes etc and can help with any packing etc.

Nice has a large train station, with direct trains to Paris taking 6hrs, then the Eurostar from Paris to London, which takes between 2-3hrs.

Nice Airport also has flights to various different UK airports. It is only a 4-5 miles from the hotel to the airport. Often customers join in together to share a taxi. Usually the guides will start the drive home early on Saturday morning. Generally it takes two days to drive from the south of France back to our HQ in Glossop. Generally the van with the bikes in will cross the channel from Calais to Dover on Sunday morning and continue to Glossop during the day. We can meet people to drop bikes off at various service stations en-route to Glossop or you can collect your bike from Glossop from Monday afternoon onwards. Usually the van will drive from Dover to the M25 and anticlockwise around the M25 and up the M1 back to Glossop but this can very depending on the tour. The route specifics will be confirmed during the tour and we will update people during the journey back so that anyone collecting bikes at a motorway service station can plan ahead.

How do I transport my bike?

As always, if you can get your bike to Peak Tours HQ in Derbyshire, or meet the vans en-route down to Portsmouth, then we can take it and bring it back for you. There is a small fee of £60 per bike to cover the post Brexit paperwork (ATA carnet) that is required. If we take your bike for you then we would also need to bring it back. We can’t take bikes one way I’m afraid. This is due to the post Brexit paperwork that needs to be completed. Please note that Peak Tours will not be held responsible for any damage cause in the transportation of the bikes, problems are very rare indeed and we have a very safe, tried and tested system. Any bikes with electronic gears need to bring their chargers with them for the trip and riders also need to be aware that it may be necessary to remove the saddle and in some cases with Di2 gears, unplug the cable (although we try to avoid this). We also remove the front wheel of most bikes being transported and place them in wheel bags, if anyone has a wheel that requires a specific tool you would need to provide that too please.

If you are flying with your bike then you will need to box your bike or put it in a bike bag before you board the plane. If you choose to do this then please be aware that there is only room in the vans for a limited number of soft cases that will fold down. Hard cases are not generally taken as they take up too much room but we have made exceptions for people in the past in mitigating circumstances. If you use a cardboard box for your bike we can easily fold that down and lay it flat on the floor of the van.

If you would like us to post the bike back for you after the trip to your home address the way it works is that the bikes will be boxed (this usually means that they will remove the front wheel, pedals, saddle & turn the handlebars) and posted to your address. The price for this service is available on request. If you would like to use this service please let us know & we will book it in for you.

Route

Covering approximately 870 miles over 14 days, we average around 62 miles a day with some longer days in the flatter areas and some shorter days in the hillier areas especially when we climb Mont Ventoux (there is an option to cycle round it).

How difficult is the tour?

The tour is comparable to the Lands end to John o’Groats tour but it is a bit less taxing due to easier gradients. The first week is slightly easier but the second week is harder as there are a number of long climbs as we cycle through the Massif Central, The Ardeche, Provence etc. Covering approximately 870 miles over 14 days we average around 62 miles a day with some longer days in the flatter areas and some shorter days in the hillier areas especially when we climb Mont Ventoux (there is an option to cycle round it).

The fitter you are and the more training that you do beforehand will add to the enjoyment of your tour and improve your chances of succeeding the challenge. If you need any advice about fitness please contact us and we will be happy to discuss any questions and concerns that you may have.

Climbing
Although it will probably make some of our customers a little nervous having a section of the trip logistics dedicated to the amount of climbing being undertaken on the trip, the idea of this next bit is to take some of the trepidation out of the challenge and give you a rough idea of what to expect so you can start to prepare yourself physically and mentally for the journey we are about to take together.

There are certainly undulations, short, steep rises and gradual long climbs on even the flatter, earlier days of the trip but you won’t reach a “climb” climb (if that makes sense!) until the back end of Day 6, going from Aubusson to Le Mont Dore where we ascend the steady climb of the Col de Guery, which has a very manageable average gradient of 4½%.

Day seven sees us starting with a tough 1450ft (440 metre) climb of five miles out of Mont Dore. Those riders who have climbed “The Lecht” on  LEJOG tours will be glad to know it’s not as tough as that!!

As we move further South the terrain gets more dramatic and, naturally, hillier but we reap the benefit of having done the earlier longer days by being able to keep a lot of the latter stages down to a shorter mileage. There are two notable climbs of 800ft (240 metres) in among the rest of the ups and downs from day eight to day ten to tackle.

Try not to be overwhelmed by reading a list of these climbs though as there are really long ten- and fifteen-mile descents and flat sections mixed in, plus our lovely brew stops, lunches, rests, long lazy evenings and hopefully ice creams interspersed among all this climbing!!

Day eleven is our Moby Dick! The “great white whale” of Mont Ventoux has been looming ever larger on our horizon as we start to reach the latter stages of our epic challenge, but do you know what? It’s nothing to worry about for a variety of reasons. One, we will be tackling the challenge together as a group and helping, encouraging and generally cajoling each other skyward. Two, the magic van will be there to provide support and supplies and a push if you need one! And lastly, we don’t want anyone in our cycling family to feel pressured in to this challenge within a challenge as it will not be as appealing to some as to others so we have a shorter, scenic, still hilly, alternative way around for those that don’t fancy it. Whatever you choose to do we will all be in Sault for a good old knees up in the evening.

Bear in mind that if you do choose not to ascend Ventoux and take the alternative route then you should make sure you have some food on you and plenty of drink. The alternative route is only 28 miles around so you should be in Sault to grab something to eat in good time but the vans will be busy supporting on Ventoux, as ever, if you do need assistance just ring us.

The Ventoux day is very short at 38 miles or even less at 28 miles if you decide that climbing a big hill (albeit a sacred hill to the French!) just for the sake of it isn’t for you. This will leave you with time in Sault to recover and enjoy the atmosphere.

Some of our Peak Tours riders have, on previous tours let their excitement get the better of them and attempted two or even three ascents in the same day!!

While we at Peak Tours wish to do all we can to support our cyclists in having the best holiday possible, we strongly advise against attempting a challenge within a challenge (Mad men of Ventoux which is all 3 ascents in a day) that people train specifically for and then fly out, fresh legged, specifically to tackle.

We will be two thirds through a long tour when we reach Ventoux and we have seen very strong rider’s legs turn to jelly after attempting two ascents, never mind three! To our minds it puts our riders’ safety at risk attempting more than one ascent and we advise against it as part of this trip and would suggest coming out to Provence again in the future to give it a go if you have ambitions in that direction.

We certainly don’t want to dictate to anybody, but it must be made very clear that we cannot provide support for second and third attempts up Ventoux and as we have a duty of care to our riders that are cycling our route from Malaucene.

Why France?

France is a wide and diverse country which contains a variety of different and changing landscapes. France is also 1/4 as densely populated as the UK and much more rural so the roads are quieter and cyclists are treated with much more respect.

France is the cultural home of cycling and everyone has heard of the Tour de France. We will cycle through some of the iconic landscapes that you will have seen whilst watching the tour and most notably we will take in Mont Ventoux and the Gorges de Verdon en-route to Nice.

France enjoys much better weather than the UK so chances of a dry and sunny tour is much more likely than if tackling LEJOG although it must also be noted that it can get very hot in the summer months, especially in the South.

France is also well known for its gastronomy and also fine wines and we will do out best to ensure that you sample plenty of the delights on offer. Added to that a rich culture, medieval villages and stunning architecture all of which makes France an ideal place for a long distance cycle tour. Covering the country from the English Channel to the Mediterranean enables you to visit many of Frances beautiful and interesting places.

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Support

Usually each tour has 3 guides*:
– One guide drives a van that provides refreshments during the day. We call this van the ‘brew van’. Generally we have a mid morning stop, a lunch stop and an afternoon brew stop. The brew van provides hot drinks such as tea and coffee, water and a range of snacks such as fruit, dried fruit, biscuits, local specialities etc.
– One guide drives the ‘luggage van’ – transporting your luggage from hotel to hotel, as well as setting up your lunches on picnic days. We aim to put your bags in your rooms for you each day although this isn’t always possible.
– One guide cycles at the back of the group. You are provided with detailed route notes and gpx files so that you can navigate yourself. It is important that you cycle at your own pace – we don’t cycle as one big group. There could be an hour or two between the front and the back rider. Our cycling guide will always stay at the back of the group.
– Mechanical support: We carry a range of spare parts so that repairs can be made en-route and we will have some spare bikes available in the event that your bike has a serious breakdown. If we can’t fix your bike then we will try to get it to the nearest bike shop for repair.
– Each guide will be contactable by phone during the day so if you have any issues you can get straight in touch with them.

*For smaller groups you might only have one guide that cycles with the group and one back up driver or two back up drivers without a guide cycling at the back of the group. For groups of 10 or less just one tour leader will provide back-up for you.

FAQ: Does the support vehicle follow the group?
No, the back up van doesn’t drive behind the group at all times but the van shouldn’t be too far away if you require assistance. On most tours we have two back up vans. The brew van stays out with the group throughout the day, stopping for a morning refreshment stop, lunch and on most days an afternoon refreshment stop as well. Usually the luggage van will go on ahead to ensure that your luggage is ready for you when you arrive at your accommodation.

FAQ: Can I get in the van if I am tired and unable to complete the day’s riding?
Ideally you would complete each day’s ride however you can get in the van as a last resort if you are unable to complete that day’s ride. We ask that riders who sign up for the tour are able to complete each day of riding, and don’t see the vans as a ‘strategy’ for completing the tour – e.g. if you are considering signing up for the tour and riding half of each day, and then getting in the van, then perhaps the tour is not quite for you yet, but once you’re confident that you can complete each day on your bike we will gladly welcome you.

If you have a contagious illness and can’t ride on any particular day then getting in the van isn’t an option as the chances of passing the illness to the guide driving the van is high. This has happened on many occasions in the past and then the guide has passed the condition to others in the group. It is for this reason that we don’t allow anyone with a contagious condition to ride in the van with the guide. If this happens then we will help arrange alternative transport to the next stop.

FAQ: Can my non cycling friend/partner book onto the tour and ride in the van each day?
No. We may need the space in the van to pick up riders who have had an accident or need mechanical assistance so we need to keep the space in the van free for emergencies.

FAQ: What are the groups like?
Obviously each group is different but generally they are a fun, friendly, helpful and adventurous bunch. There will be people of all ages and from all walks of life. We tend to get quite a few older riders although there will always be a few younger riders as well. The average age for our riders is people in their 50’s and 60’s. We think that a group of 20-25 is ideal as there will be plenty of people with similar interests and character without being such a big group that it becomes too much. Generally the group will be split 50/50 between people travelling alone and people that travel as a pair such as two sisters, two friends, two partners etc. There will be plenty of people to socialise with throughout the day and in the evening.

ACCOMMODATION

B&B OPTION & DOUBLE OR TWIN/TRIPLE
If you choose the B&B only option you will stay in a mixture of B&B’s, guesthouses and hotels. If you are travelling with a friend then you will be roomed together in a twin or if you’re with your partner then you will be in a double room (or a twin if you prefer). If you are travelling alone then you will be roomed with another member of the group in a twin or triple room (same sex). The actual stopovers may change from the advertised accommodation providers, if this happens then an equivalent standard of accommodation will be used nearby. The majority of the rooms you stay in will be en-suite however you may stay in a couple of rooms that are not en-suite, although this is rare for the double/twin room option.

SINGLE ROOM OPTION
If you choose the single room option, you will have your own room for the duration of the holiday. This will be in either a single room or single occupancy of a double room. Usually rooms are en-suite however there maybe the occasional room that is not en-suite.

SOLE USE OF A DOUBLE ROOM OPTION
If you choose this option, you will have a guaranteed double room to yourself throughout the tour. You will always have an en-suite each night of your holiday. Occasionally you may have a twin room to yourself if a double room isn’t available but again, this is rare.

YHA (YOUTH HOSTEL) OPTION
This option is only available for the fourteen day 14 Day LEJOG tour. If you choose the YHA option you will stay in a mixture of hostels, hotels & B&B’s staying in dormitory rooms, single rooms, twin rooms & triples.

FAQ: What happens if I’ve booked a twin room option but decide that I want a single during the tour?
We will try to find another room for you each night however any additional room costs would need to be paid for by you. It may be that some accommodation providers don’t have any extra rooms available, in which case you would need to stay in a twin room.

FAQ: What can I expect the quality of my accommodation to be like?
Most of our accommodations are either 3 or 4 star which we have hand picked because of their location, high quality facilities and great service standards. You will experience a variety of accommodations throughout the regions you’re passing through each one being different to the next. Where possible we try to steer away from large corporate hotels and lean towards local family run businesses to provide a more authentic experience. Occasionally, in rural areas, the infrastructure isn’t as developed as in other areas so there isn’t an abundance of accommodations that are able to host a large group of cyclists with bicycles. On these rare occasions the group has to be split between two neighbouring villages.

FOOD

All of your breakfasts and lunches, unless otherwise specified in specific tour information, are included in the price of the trip. Lunch will be provided each day in a café or restaurant or picnic lunches provided by the guides. Evening meals can be bought at your accommodation or in a nearby restaurant. We also have tea, coffee, fruit, biscuits, cake, nuts etc in the back up van that you are welcome to fill your pockets with at the morning and afternoon ‘brew stops’. We don’t provide gels or powders – only real food.

FAQ: What if I have any dietary requirements such as being Vegetarian or Vegan, Gluten or Dairy Free?
Usually on each tour we have people with specific dietary requirements, and we are able to accommodate these without a problem. Sometimes in the more rural areas our tours visit there may not necessarily be as wide a variety of food (e.g. for Vegans in France or Portugal) but we always inform each café or restaurant well in advance.

FAQ: WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EVENINGS?
Once you have arrived at your accommodation you should have chance for some time to relax, have a shower etc before the evening meal. We will often arrange somewhere to eat for the evening meal so that we can all get together and you won’t be left alone if you would like to eat with others. We don’t arrange a group meal every night to allow for flexibility and exploration but there will always be somewhere at your hotel or close to your accommodation for you to have an evening meal.

Other Costs
We often get asked about estimations for spending money for your evening meals over the length of the tour to help people budget. This is sort of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question, as some will eat and drink much more than others, but as a rough guide we would recommend budgeting around £30 / €35.00 per day per person for a 2-3 course evening meal plus a drink and, knowing yourself what you are likely to eat and drink, you can adapt that accordingly.

BIKES

Our tours are generally designed for the use of hybrid/road bikes with most riding surfaces being that of smooth tarmac road. Occassionally there may be stretches where it’s necessary to use cyclepaths that may be hard compacted gravel or similar, but these instances will be for a very short stretch usually to avoid an unsafe alternative route.

UK TOURS:
You can transport your bike in the following ways:
– bringing your own – most people using this option will take a train or have a friend or relative drive them to wherever the tour starts. For some tours we may be able to offer some en-route collections before the tour. This will usually be at a motorway service station along the route between our HQ in Glossop, Derbyshire and the start point of the tour.
– those arriving into the UK from overseas with their own bike generally tend to transport their bike in a bike bag / box. We have a limited number of spaces in the vans to store such bike boxes / bags during the tour so please contact us if you are thinking of bringing your own bike.

EUROPEAN TOURS:
You can transport your bike in the following ways:
– bringing your own – most people using this option will take a train or plane, with their bike in a bike box or bag. We have a limited number of spaces in the vans to store such bike boxes / bags during the tour so please contact us if you are thinking of bringing your own bike.
– we can transport your bike for you, for a £60 charge. You can either get your bikes to us in Glossop in the Peak District, or you can meet our guides at a convenient location (usually a motorway services) for them while they are en route to catch the ferry.

Post-tour we can courier your bicycle back to you for a fee to cover handling, packaging and posting costs. We aim to return your bike to your chosen address (UK mainland only) within 7 – 10 business days. These times may differ throughout peak season, please contact us if you require your bike within a certain time frame prior to choosing this option. More information on this service can be found on our Cycle Service Centre web page.

It should be noted that bikes travel with us/our courier service do so at your own risk. It is very difficult for us to provide insurance for your bike during transit, so you need to insure your bike in the unlikely event that your bike is lost or stolen or damaged.

Please note – Generally this isn’t necessary, but for some of the larger bike frames we may need to lower/remove your seat posts in order to pack all the bikes into the vans. We take great care packing the bikes and we will mark seat posts with tape to ensure seat heights can be restored. We are aware that some of you will have Di2 battery systems in the seat posts. We can disconnect these carefully and reconnect them when we unpack the vans.

Please ensure that your bike is fully serviced and in good working order before the start of the trip. It is advisable to have your bike service a few weeks before the start of the tour. This will allow time to ‘bed in’ before you start your ride. Our Cycle Service Centre can offer this service for you both before and/or after the tour. Please see our Cycle Service Centre web page for more information and pricing.

Alternatively you can hire a bike from us, please see our website for more information.

FAQ: Can I use an electric bike on your tours?
E-bikes are welcome on all of our tours, please let us know if you are intending to ride an e-bike, and whether it has to be charged in-situ, or if the battery is detachable, so that we plan accordingly. Bicycles with retro-fitted/after-market electical conversions must be kitemarked and manufacturer approved to comply with current health and safety regulations.

FAQ: Where will my bike be stored overnight?
Our accommodations are sourced specifically based on the requirements of our tour and groups, part of these requirements is ensuring there is suitable secure storage storage for your bicycle throughout your stay. Most accommodations we use haven’t been designed to host a group of 25 cyclists in mind so the bike storage solution we arrange can differ from place to place. Usually there will be a room/garage/shed where the bikes can be stored securely and out of the elements. When travelling through rural areas, we use local B&Bs which are unlikely to have the ideal large indoor storage facilities we’d like. In such circumstances bicycles are stored outside under a tarpaulin secured with a cable lock(s) around the back of your accommodations or behind locked gates. If you’re considering booking a tour that travels through rural areas and wish to discuss this in more detail, please speak to one of our team members. Occasionally we keep bikes stored in our back up vans.

CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

A full kit list, including clothing and equipment (personal spares and repairs) can be downloaded here for our 10 – 14 day tours or here for our 7-9 day tours or here for our tours that are less than 7 days.

Helmets are a requirement on all of our tours.

LUGGAGE

The ideal size for luggage is 70 x 50 x 30 cm and a weight of 10 to 15kg (or less). You will also be able to have a smaller ‘day bag’ which you can access during the day.

Where possible, your luggage will be put into your room at the end of each day, but please note that if your luggage exceeds the 15kg limit then this may not be possible.

FAQ: Are there any places to wash clothes during the tours?
This varies from tour to tour, but there will be a note made in your route notes. Often the towns you will stay in will have a local launderette, or sometimes there are self-service washing machines at fuel stations or in supermarket car parks (this tends to be more common on our European tours.) Most people will tend to wash their own clothes during the tour using some travel wash gel or soap in their hotel bathroom – this can be done quite effectively meaning no need for a launderette.

FITNESS

Each of our tours has a grade. Our grading system is explained here

We offer two different training weekend options, which can be found here. If you are booked on to one of our longer tours then you may wish to do one of our shorter tours first, to get a feel for how things work. You can see details of our shorter tours here.

In addition to this we send out a training plan for each tour once you have booked on.

FAQ: What if I am very slow during each day?
We ask that each rider completes each day of riding by 18:30, to allow you to have enough time to rest, socialise and eat before heading to bed. This helps you to get maximum enjoyment out of the tour, rather than each evening becoming a rush! Whilst on tour, if you are coming in late then we will try to accommodate this by perhaps setting you off early. As per the booking conditions, if you finish your day’s cycling beyond this time period, it shall be at the tour leader’s absolute discretion as to whether you are at a sufficient level of fitness to continue with your chosen holiday.

MECHANICAL KNOWLEDGE

We don’t expect you to be an expert bike mechanic but there are a few simple skills that will be a great benefit to you. It is essential that you know how to fix a puncture. It is quite likely that at some point you will have a puncture or two so it is essential that you carry a puncture repair kit and a spare tube or two with you. It is also helpful if you know how to change your brake pads and adjust your brakes and gears, however this isn’t essential. Our guides will help you with any repairs and adjustments en-route.

FAQ: What if I can’t change a puncture?
We recommend that you practise this before coming on tour. There are a number of Youtube videos out there to help, and your local bike shop will be able to offer advice and show you in person. If you arrive at the tour and you still don’t know how to change a puncture, then our guides will show you at the beginning of the tour. Changing a puncture is a quick job: it should take at most 10 minutes, even if the tyres are tricky to get on and off. If you have to wait for one of our guides to assist you, then it is likely that you may be waiting longer than 10 minutes depending on where they are, so it makes sense for you to master this skill so you can get back on the road sooner rather than later.

NAVIGATION

We provide detailed route notes and also GPX files for all tours. If you would like to hire a Garmin Device from us, with all of the routes loaded, then we have them available for hire. These can be booked through the Tour Extras section of our website, or by getting in touch with the office.

FAQ: What if my own navigation device fails on tour?
We have a number of spare Garmins which we carry, with all of the routes loaded on. In the interests of fairness to other customers who have hired a Garmin, if you have to use one of ours then we would ask you to pay the same fee that they have paid (or contribute towards some costs depending on how many days you have had to use it for).

GROUP SIZE

Our tours operate with group sizes of a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 25 people. We don’t cycle as a large group, smaller groups naturally form along the way. We feel that this size of group works best as there will always be enough in the group for some good company but there won’t be so many people that it becomes overcrowded.

FAQ: What is the usual age and make up of your groups?

Typically most people are aged around 45 and above, and generally on each tour there is a split of around 40% women and 60% men. That does vary from tour to tour however, and we have had riders from ages 15 to 87!

FAQ: Can I come with my child who is under 18?
Yes, however you will be responsible for your child’s safety throughout the tour. Our guides do look after all of our riders but they will not act in loco parentis.

SAFETY

Emergencies
112 is the emergency number for Europe. The number 112 can be dialled to reach emergency services – medical, fire and police – from anywhere in Europe. This Pan-European emergency number 112 can be called from any telephone (landline, pay phone or mobile cellular phone). Calls are free and you can ask for an English-speaking operator.

GHIC – European Health Insurance Card
This card entitles you to greatly reduced or free state medical services throughout Europe, including Switzerland. We recommend you send off for one of these before the trip and carry it with you. It’s important to bear in mind that these cards are not a substitute for travel insurance and adequate travel insurance is compulsory for this tour. This link will give you all the information you need about the EHIC – Apply for a GHIC Card.

Tick-borne encephalitis
In general, no special immunisations or medications are necessary for travel to Europe but it may be worth immunising yourself against ticks as, in many countries, in wooded areas and rough pasture with long grass, ticks can be found. The risk is very low but it is possible to contract Lyme disease, tularaemia, tick-borne encephalitis and rickettsia diseases from these little critters in the warmer months.
If you find a tick attached to skin, promptly remove it. Grasp the tick using fine-tipped tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure, do not twist or jerk the tick. After removing it, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands. If you begin to experience a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your health care provider.

Cycling Tips for mainland Europe
We’ll start with the obvious one, cycling on the right-hand side of the road. You will be surprised at how many times you are cycling along thinking “somethings not quite right here” only to find a Renault heading in your general direction!

It takes time to break the lifelong habit of cycling on the left-hand side and it would be worthwhile keeping this ever present in your minds for at least the first few days.

Instinctively, at junctions and roundabouts, we Brits look for cars coming from the right. This habit must also be broken and great care taken at junctions and roundabouts to look for the cars coming from your left and giving way to the left at roundabouts.

Another tricky manoeuvre that is counter intuitive to the British brain is turning left. This is perhaps the most confusing as we are so used to simply turning left.

To turn left we must cycle past the first half of the junction and turn left into the second half while at the same time taking great care for oncoming traffic (there is usually a blue arrow sign to remind you).

By law, you need to have a bell on your bike in France, you can find small ones that don’t take up too much space.

INSURANCE

We strongly recommend that you take out adequate insurance for your tour which, as an absolute minimum, should cover accident & medical expenses if you are travelling within the UK or outside of the UK for our European tours, cover for your bike and belongings and cancellation cover in the event that you have to cancel your tour for unforeseen circumstances.

You should be aware that if you have an accident or fall ill while on the tour you will lose the money paid for the trip. A travel insurance policy would allow you to reclaim most of the money as well as providing insurance in case you lose your bags or if your bike is stolen, broken etc.

Your policy should also cover cancellation costs if you cancel the tour within 8 weeks of departure. If this happens we will try to fill your space and return your funds to you but if we are unable to fill your place you will lose the funds paid for the tour.

We’ve partnered with Yellow Jersey and agreed a 10% discount off their travel insurance products, both available on a short term or annual basis for all our clients. Once you have booked onto your tour with us, you will receive a discount code. We would recommend that you also take a look at what other products are available.

FAQ: What if I don’t have insurance for my tour?
Adequate travel insurance is a condition of your contract with us. You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident or illness. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

For information on our Booking Conditions, please see here.

FAQ: What do I do if I lose my passport?
1. Go to the police and get an incident report: You need to do this because The British Embassy (or Embassy of the country your passport is from) will not issue you with a new/replacement travel document without a police report and your travel insurance policy will not reimburse you for costs incurred without a police report.
2. Go to the nearest British Embassy: Once you have filed a police report, head to the nearest British embassy to get the necessary paper work. This includes an LS01 form, which cancels your current passport and prevents crooks from using it for identity theft.
3. Emergency Travel Documents: In the event of an emergency (like your flight home leaving that afternoon), travel documents can be issued for those who need to fly home immediately. For an emergency passport to be issued, you will still need some form of identification and a police report – for security reasons. This is not a replacement passport though – it will only be valid for your flight home.
4. Check your travel insurance as some insurance providers cover situations like this so it is worth ringing them up to find out.

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The latest blog by a customer who completed the Channel to the Med tour in May 2016 can be viewed here:

Vajrin’s C2M Blog May 2016

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To view photos of the latest tours please click here:

May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 2015 Best Bits

May 2016 June 2016 June/July 2016 July 2016 August 2016

May 2017 May/June 2017 June/July 2017 August 2017 September 2017

May/June 2018 June (1) 2018 June (2) 2018 August 2018 September 2018

May 2019 May/June 2019 June 2019 July 2019 July/August 2019 September 2019 Sept/Oct 2019 Best Bits 2019

May 2022 June 2022 July 2022 July/Aug 2022 September (1) 2022 September (2) 2022

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