Dear riders.  Does anyone have any experience of road racing in France?  I’m a 4th cat, I’m getting on a bit but still keen.  I’ve tried looking online, but French cycling sites seem very vague.  The reason why I’m asking us we are considering moving g to France soon so I would like to keep racing, but do I need to be at Bardet level to even enter?  If anyone has any info I’d be most grateful.  Thank you.

You’re English….do you like bidons of wee being tossed at you?

Varies a lot by region. Some départements have a busy racing scene (either FFC or FFCT) wherever you go there will be a few clubs. You’ll need to find the ones that do races.

Might be able to get race results and club names from thé régional ffc website.

That’s reserved for Froome thou.

Probably best to google riding clubs where your planning on living/riding and asking them.

Or wait and chat to the locals when your out riding over there.

(I’m doing this when I finally end up in Spain.)

Yeah, I think the “go there and wing it” approach is likely the most productive.  I’m from North Wales, so I may get some residual piss thrown at me, I’ll be going slow enough for me to be an easy target.

Lots of different options, several fédérations, but for FFC, it is similar system with catégories and you get points.

Look for local clubs in the area you want to move.

Yes. Lots of experience. As you are a UK 4th cat I would advise either a Ufolep or a FSGT club and licence. Ufolep wise you would automatically be put in cat 3. Cat 4 is for veterans and those who demand to go down. FFC pass cyclisme is in theory similar to uk 4th cat but my experience suggests not. Ufolep and FSGT is far more friendlier and not surrounded by hangers on who treat you like something they stood in because you get dropped…. ( Other people’s experiences may be different ).  Best bet is to go to the ufolep and FSGT website for the departement you are moving to and then decide between FSGT and ufolep on the basis of the nearest club to you.  Which dept.  are you moving to?

10 years ago I knew a few lads who were living & working in France (Brittany) and were riding for local clubs & getting all their kit funded by the club!

2 of them were in their 40’s and said there was never any animosity towards them, might have changed since with the Sky dominance.

Piss bottles aside 😉 my sis is a (now retired) pro triathlete. She lives in Montpellier, and raced for a French domestic team and for the national team (2 Olympics baby!)

In the off season she used to occasionally train with a local road club to keep her bike fitness and speed up, and practice her bunch riding (Tri at elite level isn’t ITT anymore so this helps).

No animosity for being British afaik, and I know they were generally impressed that a ‘mere’ girl could keep up with them.