looking at ways to get to Bayonne to start our tour in june.
one option is ferry to Bilboa, but the 175km route from there to the french border looks pretty tough. and a mate told me it is used by a lot of heavy goods vehicles.
anyone ridden it.
another option is the bike bus, but 24hrs on a bus does not grab me.
Would be mostly a nice ride tbh. You have to know where you're going, it's easy to stray onto a motorway in places if you're not keeping and eye on the signs.
I'd be happy to ride it with you, certainly the middle third as I live in San Sebastian.
Alternatively, bus from bilbao to San Sebastian with bikes underneath (no need to dismantle but bring bubble wrap), from there ride 1h or train to Hendaye and change for Bayonne train.
There is technically a train from bilbao too but it's a single line jobby and takes about 2h longer than the bus.
French trains are pretty good with bikes.
Howabout Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth - Caen.
Then train down to La Rochelle or Bordeaux (have to change in Paris but looks easy enough) and then a pleasant bimble down the La Vélodyssée - https://www.velodyssey.com to Bayonne.
Sorted !
it is the velodyssey we are doing, but back to st malo. we did the brittany section last year. very nice too.
bob summers, sounds good, just trying to get a price for the ferry to bilboa. i will mail you if we decide on that option..cheers.
Nice journey ..enjoy ! I'm eyeing up La Vélo Francette - Cean to La Rochelle for sometime this year.
Yep get in touch. I don't know if you're avoiding flying but Ryanair fly to Biarritz, so about half an hour on bike from there to Bayonne.
Ton - mail me for a 10% discount code if its Brittany Ferries.