MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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My girlfriend and I are planning to rework our summer camping holiday a bit.
The original idea was to go Calais (not ideal departure point, but fixed due to a wedding down there), Pyrenees, Northern Spain, Santander ferry home.
However due to a couple of unforeseen circumstances we are looking to stip out some cost and the biggest ticket item so far is the Biscay ferry home. So I am looking for other ideas.
We already have all the camping kit so will be Camping.
What we want to get out of the holiday is;
1. I want to ride a Hors Cat road climb.
2. GF want's to spend a couple of days chilling out on a beach(if this could be tied concurrent with 1 then all the better!)
3. Some culture, towns to wander round sight seeing etc.
4. some easy bike rides for the pair of us to enjoy. GF currently walks on the green @ Glentress so it has to be really easy going.
5. General stuff to do like hiring a canadian canoe, walking etc. We don't want to spend more than a couple of days lounging as we get bored!
I will hopefully be taking both my road bike and either my Full Sus or geared Pompetamine depending on terrain / suggestions. So if some bonus mountain biking can be factored in, all the better.
We have 2 weeks off work last week of Aug / first of September.
What regions & campsite suggestions do you have wise ones?
Thanks
Alps and Cote d'azur should cover all the bases
Follow the original plan but turn around and drive home.
Head for the southern Alps. The campsite in Embrun on the lake for example. You can ride the Isoard, raft the Durance... .
For really easy (and very pleasant) going, Il d'Oleron and Il de Re on the west coast are unbeatable, nice beaches too, but it rather fails on the HC stakes (although the Pyranees aren't THAT far away). Loved Oleron, few less cycle paths but far more trees than Re, bit less up itself too.
Pondo, I agree with you that part of France is brilliant. Alas I spent 2 wonderful summers living there; La Tranche & Marrennes. During my stay there each summer I covered about 1k on the bike so I know that part of the world quite well. Or at least did, it was a few years ago now.
The Campsite Municipales are great. Cheap, clean and often in great locations in my experience.
Most of the Hors Cat climbs are in the Alps. There are a few in the central Pyrenees and one in the Massif Central (Puy de Dome). If you want (1) and (2) on the same day, you'll have to look at somewhere like Lac d'Annecy (Semnoz for the Hors Cat climb and Saint-Jorioz or similar for a sandy beach).
The Alps offer loads of activities (rafting or canoeing down rivers, hiking, caving) but less of the culture. Also less "easy bike rides". You could spend a week in the Alps followed by a few days on the south coast doing beaches, cities and the Verdon Gorge?
Alternatively, the west coast offers miles of empty beaches and very easy (flat) biking along the coast and forests whilst the central Pyrenees offers mountain biking and your Hors Cat climb as well as pretty spa towns and Carcassone.
Note that the French will be on holiday until 1 September so factor that in, especially with regard to the south coast (gets mentally busy).
See the cave art (amazing) and canoe in the Dordogne. Isle de Re is great and offers excellent seafood. Bear in mind the motorway tolls. Last time I drove to the Pyrenees I think it cost me £100 each way in toll fees but the motorways are the fastest and safest way of doing it. Oddly, I always felt I got better fuel consumption in France in the summer despite bikes and surfboards on top.
Camping Ascou la Forge outside Ax les Thermes covers all you want except the beach.Regularly on the TDF route in the Pyrenees with road routes around there which will test you.
The owners run outdoor sports,canoeing,canyoning etc.Went on one of their canyoning trips and really enjoyed it.They have a big room full of info for the campers.Walking distance on footpaths into Ax.
Best sanitary facilities i have been to in France.Campsite really is just a big grass field and being Dutch owned English is spoken.
Joeegg, your suggestion of Camping Ascou la Forge sounds superb. Thanks.
Hope its still the same owners scruff.Andres and Helga i think.