To the South of France on the train

Next August, we'd like to go to La Colle Sur Loup in the South of
France:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl...le+sur+loup&sl
l=54.162434,-3.647461&sspn=20.524072,34.848633&ie=UTF8&ll=44.12 7028,5.96
0083&spn=3.130704,4.356079&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=1

The nicest way would be with our bikes, on the train, all the way from
Cardiff.

Eurostar goes to Avignon, but then we'd have to change for services to
Nice and then something local. We'd also have to change in Paris or
Lille.

It would also be desirable to have the bikes looked after, so we don't
have to drag them around between trains, and also to book everything
from one point.

Not having attempted anything like this before, I'd be keen to know how
easy it is and practical with the bikes.

Daniele

D.M. Procida wrote:
Next August, we'd like to go to La Colle Sur Loup in the South of
France:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl...le+sur+loup&sl
l=54.162434,-3.647461&sspn=20.524072,34.848633&ie=UTF8&ll=44.12 7028,5.96
0083&spn=3.130704,4.356079&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=1

The nicest way would be with our bikes, on the train, all the way from
Cardiff.

Eurostar goes to Avignon, but then we'd have to change for services to
Nice and then something local. We'd also have to change in Paris or
Lille.

It would also be desirable to have the bikes looked after, so we don't
have to drag them around between trains, and also to book everything
from one point.

Not having attempted anything like this before, I'd be keen to know how
easy it is and practical with the bikes.

Daniele

Dunno how set you are on travelling by train .. but a friend of ours
sent four bikes and four sets of luggage by courier/pallet to a hotel in
Nice, then flew el cheapo airlines direct to Nice, Taxi to hotel, hour
of spannering to rebuild bikes and distribute luggage and holiday on
bikes under way, in the South of France, in less than five hours of
leaving his doorstep.

We won't see them for a week or so but I'll try to get more details if
you like.

--
Paul - xxx

D.M. Procida wrote:
Next August, we'd like to go to La Colle Sur Loup in the South of
France:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl...le+sur+loup&sl
l=54.162434,-3.647461&sspn=20.524072,34.848633&ie=UTF8&ll=44.12 7028,5.96
0083&spn=3.130704,4.356079&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=1

The nicest way would be with our bikes, on the train, all the way from
Cardiff.

Eurostar goes to Avignon, but then we'd have to change for services to
Nice and then something local. We'd also have to change in Paris or
Lille.

It would also be desirable to have the bikes looked after, so we don't
have to drag them around between trains, and also to book everything
from one point.

Not having attempted anything like this before, I'd be keen to know how
easy it is and practical with the bikes.
http://seat61.com/Europe.htm#Bicycles
is useful
also
http://www.fubicy.org/ancien_site/train/bike.html

in French there is
http://www.velo.sncf.com/
No problem on TER getting from Avignon to Nice.

Paul - xxx wrote:

The nicest way would be with our bikes, on the train, all the way from
Cardiff.

Dunno how set you are on travelling by train

We don't want to fly, I am afraid, despite the handy proximity of Nice
airport.

Daniele

Paul - xxx said the following on 31/08/2007 14:32:
D.M. Procida wrote:
Next August, we'd like to go to La Colle Sur Loup in the South of
France:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl...le+sur+loup&sl
l=54.162434,-3.647461&sspn=20.524072,34.848633&ie=UTF8&ll=44.12 7028,5.96
0083&spn=3.130704,4.356079&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=1

The nicest way would be with our bikes, on the train, all the way from
Cardiff.

Eurostar goes to Avignon, but then we'd have to change for services to
Nice and then something local. We'd also have to change in Paris or
Lille.

It would also be desirable to have the bikes looked after, so we don't
have to drag them around between trains, and also to book everything
from one point.

Not having attempted anything like this before, I'd be keen to know how
easy it is and practical with the bikes.

Daniele

Hi Daniele,

Train is the sensible, environment-friendly choice. To get to Nice
rather than use the Avignon train (great as it is) you can change at
Lille and then get a direct TGV to Nice. The downside to the Avignon
train is that it goes to the central station in Avignon, whereas the
TGV's only stop at the TGV station outside the town. (although as
another poster has said you can get the slow train, which has bike racks
I think)

If you book early you can get "prems" fares which are pretty cheap,
bearing in mind that the airlines will charge you plenty to take your
bikes these days. Bikes are free on Eurostar/TGV as long as you put them
in a bag - the best ones I've found are from Mike Dyason -
http://www.mikedyason.com/ When changing trains you can just put them
on a luggage trolley and wheel them to the next train, and Eurostar/TGVs
have plenty of room on the luggage racks. Remove mudguards from bikes
before leaving and you'll be fine - you don't need them in France
anyway! (or you could fit some lightweight racing -type ones)

The train stops at local stations along the coast so you probably
wouldn't have to go all the way into Nice - you could get off somewhere
close and cycle up, or get someone to pick you up.

I have done this several times in France with no hassle. In fact it is
particularly satisfying sneaking onto the TGV with your bags whilst
others are being told they can't bring their bike on board! Once on
board you can relax with your favourite tipple whilst the French
countryside hurtles by.

Alternatively you can book your bikes on the Eurostar/TGV's but it will
cost you - £20 each way on Eurostar, not sure about TGV's and they are
not guaranteed to arrive before 24 hours after you arrive, and then
sometimes at a depot on the outskirts of town having been truckeddown
separately.

RailEurope will sort you out:- http://www.raileurope.co.uk/
and the Man in Seat61 has good advice:
http://www.seat61.com/Europe.htm

Getting from Paddington to St. Pancras, there is a signed bike route -
you don't need to pack up your bikes until you get to check-in.

Any other questions, ask via the newsgroup & I'll try to help.

Simon






--
"Just because the world's getting hotter, you can't pin that on global
Warming!

Paul - xxx said the following on 31/08/2007 14:32:
D.M. Procida wrote:
Next August, we'd like to go to La Colle Sur Loup in the South of
France:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl...le+sur+loup&sl
l=54.162434,-3.647461&sspn=20.524072,34.848633&ie=UTF8&ll=44.12 7028,5.96
0083&spn=3.130704,4.356079&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=1

The nicest way would be with our bikes, on the train, all the way from
Cardiff.

Eurostar goes to Avignon, but then we'd have to change for services to
Nice and then something local. We'd also have to change in Paris or
Lille.

It would also be desirable to have the bikes looked after, so we don't
have to drag them around between trains, and also to book everything
from one point.

Not having attempted anything like this before, I'd be keen to know how
easy it is and practical with the bikes.

Daniele

Hi Daniele,

Train is the sensible, environment-friendly choice. To get to Nice
rather than use the Avignon train (great as it is) you can change at
Lille and then get a direct TGV to Nice. The downside to the Avignon
train is that it goes to the central station in Avignon, whereas the
TGV's only stop at the TGV station outside the town. (although as
another poster has said you can get the slow train, which has bike racks
I think)

If you book early you can get "prems" fares which are pretty cheap,
bearing in mind that the airlines will charge you plenty to take your
bikes these days. Bikes are free on Eurostar/TGV as long as you put them
in a bag - the best ones I've found are from Mike Dyason -
http://www.mikedyason.com/ When changing trains you can just put them
on a luggage trolley and wheel them to the next train, and Eurostar/TGVs
have plenty of room on the luggage racks. Remove mudguards from bikes
before leaving and you'll be fine - you don't need them in France
anyway! (or you could fit some lightweight racing -type ones)

The train stops at local stations along the coast so you probably
wouldn't have to go all the way into Nice - you could get off somewhere
close and cycle up, or get someone to pick you up.

I have done this several times in France with no hassle. In fact it is
particularly satisfying sneaking onto the TGV with your bags whilst
others are being told they can't bring their bike on board! Once on
board you can relax with your favourite tipple whilst the French
countryside hurtles by.

Alternatively you can book your bikes on the Eurostar/TGV's but it will
cost you - £20 each way on Eurostar, not sure about TGV's and they are
not guaranteed to arrive before 24 hours after you arrive, and then
sometimes at a depot on the outskirts of town having been truckeddown
separately.

RailEurope will sort you out:- http://www.raileurope.co.uk/
and the Man in Seat61 has good advice:
http://www.seat61.com/Europe.htm

Getting from Paddington to St. Pancras, there is a signed bike route -
you don't need to pack up your bikes until you get to check-in.

Any other questions, ask via the newsgroup & I'll try to help.

Simon






--
"Just because the world's getting hotter, you can't pin that on global
Warming!

Getting from Paddington to St. Pancras, there is a signed bike route -
you don't need to pack up your bikes until you get to check-in.


If you don't want to cycle, or are pressed for time,
you can take bikes on the Circle or Hammersmith and City Lines to St
Pancras.
There are lifts at St Pancras up from those platforms.
There is one at Paddington too, but I've never seen it working.

D.M. Procida wrote:
Next August, we'd like to go to La Colle Sur Loup in the South of
France:

I've just down York-Valance with the bike, so here's some thoughts.

1) Change a Lille not in Paris. Changing at Lille is at worst a change
of platform. In Paris, it's across town.

2) Bikes must be bagged up on the TGV and Eurostar and the bag
musn't be too big. Most soft bike bags are fine, most hard shell
bags are too big.

What I did was packed the bike up at home, popped it in the
guards van to London, wheeled/lugged the bag on the underground
to Waterloo and then put the bag in the luggage area on the
Eurostar/TGV.

On local French trains (RER) you don't have to bag a bike, but
you don't want to go all the way down except on a TGV unless
you have much time to kill.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
The struggle of people against power is the struggle
of memory against forgetting - Milan Kundera

John Hearns wrote:

If you don't want to cycle, or are pressed for time,
you can take bikes on the Circle or Hammersmith and City Lines to St
Pancras.

I was hoping to be honest that they could be checked onto a train at
Cardiff and handed to us in Nice (or wherever), without our having to
manhandle them across cities or even stations if we can avoid it in the
interim. We'll have quite enough lugage of our own to deal with!

Daniele

D.M. Procida wrote:
Next August, we'd like to go to La Colle Sur Loup in the South of
France:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl...le+sur+loup&sl
l=54.162434,-3.647461&sspn=20.524072,34.848633&ie=UTF8&ll=44.12 7028,5.96
0083&spn=3.130704,4.356079&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=1

The nicest way would be with our bikes, on the train, all the way from
Cardiff.

Eurostar goes to Avignon, but then we'd have to change for services to
Nice and then something local. We'd also have to change in Paris or
Lille.

It would also be desirable to have the bikes looked after, so we don't
have to drag them around between trains, and also to book everything
from one point.

Not having attempted anything like this before, I'd be keen to know
how easy it is and practical with the bikes.

Other advice on bags and "man in seat51" is sound.

I travel to France fairly frequently, though without bike if going by train.

Change at Lille is easier than Paris if you've lots of luggage, worst is a
platform swap. Its a new station with lifts as well as escallators.
There are TGV's all the way to Nice, though have slowed down a fair bit once
on the south coast.
Think there will be some all the way from Lille, otherwise I'd suggest:
London-Lille, Lille-Lyon, Lyon-Nice (or similar, not all the fast trains to
the south go into Lyon, there is now a TGV "bypass").
Avignon TGV is in the middle of nowhere, outside the town, fine to change a
train, but not somewhere to wait a long time.



I find that unless your chosen destination is on one of Eurostar's direct
ticket options, its quite difficult to get optimally cheap tickets yourself.
This is because the windows for booking the tickets is so wide.
(Something like Eurostar 3 months, TGV 2 months. So for a two week trip, the
outbound Eurostar can be booked on day -90, the return Eurostar on day -84,
the outbound TGV on day -60, and the return TGV on day -46, by which time
all the cheap seats on the Eurostar and outbound TGV have gone !).

So, I find its a lot easier to use an agency to book the tickets and pay
their small fee. They are able to hold cheap seats from the day they become
available until the entire itenery is put together. I usually use
Ffestiniog Travel, I think the booking fee is either £5 or £10.



- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/