Falco Invasion: France 2009

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Nooj · #46 Post by **Nooj** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 6:49 pm

Sent an enquiry for this place... BIKE FRIENDLY!

#47 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:01 pm

You're in an area of some wonderful biking roads there. Check Google maps...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab ... 0sur%20orb

If you grab the map and move it eastwards just a tad you should find the village of Pouzolles (just off the D15). That's our place, so only 20 minutes (or 10 if you're on the faster flamingo red/anthracite models) away...

Falcomille · #48 Post by **Falcomille** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:31 am

Is that Muscat country Graham? Looks awfully close if not.

#49 Post by **mangocrazy** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:08 am

It's very close to Saint Chinian (which is a predominantly red Appellation Controllee - and very good). But all that area has micro-Appellations so there could well be Muscat grown in that area.

There are a couple of vignerons within 3-4km of us that I buy wine from and they both have Muscat offerings, so it seems pretty common. Makes a lovely 'not quite dry' style of wine as well as the sweeter ones.

Nooj · #50 Post by **Nooj** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:24 pm

Not a big fan of French wine, usually find it a bit vinegary. Will the local stuff be better than what you get in Sainsburys?

Falcomille · #51 Post by **Falcomille** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:25 am

Oooh. The subject of French wine. Nooj, the Languedoc is the largest wine producing area in the world, literally vines for hundreds of miles around. Most villages produce wine which ends up in Co-ops, which goes to feed the wine lake, and is sold locally for 50 cents or so a litre. Quality-wise, it's poor to fair. However, most of the poor product (which has typically shipped abroad as cheap plonk) is being replaced by quality wines by smaller, independent Chateau's or the big multi-national wine producers (typically Australian) which costs a bit more to produce, but sells for much more money. My own favourite is from a small Chateau very close to Narbonne beach who sell a brilliant but small range of wines from 2 Euro's a litre, up to 75 Euro's a bottle. And they are Gold Medal winning wines. My own personal goal while living here is to find the perfect wine that I can afford. I think it will take many years! Then you've got the cheese.......and the black puddings, sausages...

#52 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:08 am

Nooj wrote:Not a big fan of French wine, usually find it a bit vinegary. Will the local stuff be better than what you get in Sainsburys?

To paraphrase Chuck Berry: 'Whatever you want you can find it right here in the South of France'...

Languedoc wine is ace. It kicks Aussie wine's butt, big style...

Aladinsaneuk · #53 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:40 am

as an aside, and accepting that others travel times do not fit in with what I have, I have been looking at a different option

Sort of itinery is :
Harwich to hook of holland ferry - overnight crossing on 20/6/9 arrive holland at 0730
return over night 27/6 again over night - arrive back in uk at 0630

found a campsite that seems to cover all options - http://www.lechanet.com/en/domaine.html
(camping, gites etc - arround 10 euro per person per night depending on numbers etc)

Because of the size of the site, others could wander along as they wished

area wise, I think that woulkd make a good base to explore some of the local area

a couple of none aprilia owning friends will be heading along with me - so four of us in total so far

#54 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:22 pm

That's a fair bit further north; in fact it's pretty much half way down France. Plus side is less travelling to get to your destination; minus side is that the weather is far less predictable than in the Languedoc. Wherever you go I think you'll have excellent biking roads.

From looking at the poll results, most people are broadly in agreement with respect to dates for this (last two weeks in June) and I would have hoped we could be fairly flexible with respect to arrival and departure dates, as long as someone is there to open up and close down the chosen property.

Is there something about the area we've chosen that you're not happy with, or is it just the distance involved for only a week's holiday?

Falcomille · #55 Post by **Falcomille** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:55 pm

Wow - that's near Dijon! Looooong way north.

D-Rider · #56 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:25 pm

Assuming I get the OK when I'm brave enough to mention it to the Mrs, I'd sooner go for the place we've all been discussing ... I know that nowhere absolutely guarantees good weather but I'm guessing south is better. Having friends from the forum that know the region is a big plus too.

I think that the place we've been discussing also opens the possibility of taking the ferry down to Bilbao or Santander (giving a bit of time to think about the holiday on the way cos I know I'll not have time to think before I leave), ambling across the top of Spain and arriving at the holiday base-camp.
Going back there's always the ferry for any that want or I'd probably ride on up.

Aladinsaneuk · #57 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:47 pm

no problem with the other option at all - but the travelling down for one week might be a pain....

(One of our party will be two up as well)

What may well be an option is to scrounge some floor for a night or so and wandering down for a night on Le Pisse....

:)

Nothing is set in stone for us as yet - just what we had been also considering

The harwich option may well make sense for other folks - the overnight crossing is a god send for the early start!

#58 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:46 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:no problem with the other option at all - but the travelling down for one week might be a pain....

Yeah - I can understand that. Last September I took my VFR down to my place in France (a hop skip and a jump away from the planned sites), and I sailed from Portsmouth to Le Havre on the overnight boat. This kicked me off into France at about 8 a.m. and I was in our village at about 7 p.m, so doing it in one day is definitely do-able.

I wasn't going bonkers; averaged between 75-85 (ish) mph and had plenty of stops. It was also pissing down most of the way, so I was slower as a result of that. I used the N roads from Le Havre to just north of Orleans and then hit the autoroutes. The A75 (that goes over the Viaduc du Millau) is still free at the moment and is the best M-way I've ever ridden by a long way. Scenery is fantastic and there are some serious bends on it (I kid you not). It takes you from Clermont to just outside Beziers.

Did I mention it's free?

Falcomille · #59 Post by **Falcomille** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:27 am

Have also done Hull - Zebrugge (in the car) a number of times. Good service (apart from last time when the bloody boat broke down in the Humber estuary). If going north, it can work out cheaper and quicker than hotel/fuel/pissing about around the M25.

Aladinsaneuk · #60 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:15 am

For those in the east harwich works out at 124 return and means no m25 - by the time you add petrol it is about the same as using the tunnel

I am also aware that not every one has the cash for a big expenditure , petrol cost being about 200 quid for the trip etc. All in I reckon my budget will be about 750