Off-roading in France June 2016 anyone?

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V

Vincemcdonald

Active Member
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Location
Southampton
Gentlemen,
After my reasonably successful trip to Portugal earlier this year I intend to do a similar thing next year but to cut down the mileage a bit. So France it is and as last year I am looking for a few like minded people to join us.
I'll be getting the ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre on the 7th of June and returning on the 18th.

The offroad routes I am still putting together using WIKILOC maybe going as far down as the Vendee.

Accommodation will be at campsites unless it's chucking it down in which case we may use a hotel. Ideally I would like to stay at a campsite for several nights and have days out off-roading rather than dismantling and erecting tents every day.

Let me know if you are interested.

Cheers, Vince.
 
I could well be up for this, years since I did any off roading in France. Just a sugestion but if you want a base for a few nights with lots of fantastic routes on the door step take a look at Val d' Isere. There is a good campsite just to the West of town http://campinglesrichardes.free.fr/ although, being out of season, hotel accomodation can be cheaper than camping!
 
MrIFan said:
I could well be up for this, years since I did any off roading in France. Just a sugestion but if you want a base for a few nights with lots of fantastic routes on the door step take a look at Val d' Isere. There is a good campsite just to the West of town http://campinglesrichardes.free.fr/ although, being out of season, hotel accomodation can be cheaper than camping!
Click to expand...
Excellent. I'll put you down as a 'maybe'.
I wasn't planning to go as far East as Val d'Isere but as my route is still in its infancy, anything could happen.
 
Vincemcdonald said:
Excellent. I'll put you down as a 'maybe'.
I wasn't planning to go as far East as Val d'Isere but as my route is still in its infancy, anything could happen.
Click to expand...

I'd say a more than likely, but won't be able to commit 100% untill 6-8 weeks before the off due to the nature of my business and it's fluctuating finances!!
I've only ever done a few routes along the coast of Normandy on two wheels so I'm happy to explore anywhere. Just threw Val d' Isere in there as I've stayed on the campsite and was amazed by the number of tracks dissapearing into the mountains. Spoke to an English guy who ran a bar in town and he reckoned there was no restriction on using them, unfortunately it wasn't really viable on a Kawasaki ZX10.
 
Hi Vince,

Can we also provisionally put our names down? Provisionally as I am doing a 6 week rally to Mongolia in a VW Polo in July, but if we manage to sort out time off and monies we will def be up for this.

Oh, and did you get a Delica??
 
james6546 said:
Hi Vince,

Can we also provisionally put our names down? Provisionally as I am doing a 6 week rally to Mongolia in a VW Polo in July, but if we manage to sort out time off and monies we will def be up for this.

Oh, and did you get a Delica??
Click to expand...
Hello James,
You're pencilled in. I did wonder if my dates would conflict with your Mongolian adventure. Maybe you could bring the Polo to give a good test run before your big trip.
Yes I managed to get a Delica. Never known a diesel with such a huge apatite for fuel, Landry V8 territory I reckon. Thinking about turning it into a camper van now.
 
Vincemcdonald said:
Hello James,
You're pencilled in. I did wonder if my dates would conflict with your Mongolian adventure. Maybe you could bring the Polo to give a good test run before your big trip.
Yes I managed to get a Delica. Never known a diesel with such a huge apatite for fuel, Landry V8 territory I reckon. Thinking about turning it into a camper van now.
Click to expand...
Really? I did not expect that. Will you be bringing it on the trip?

Nah, I leave on the 17th July I think. Would be hilarious to try it in the Polo!

I have a contingency plan where if I can't make it, Sarah is going to come anyway with my sister.
 
Gentlemen,
Well I have (mostly) finalised the route.
Starting at Le Havre, the route goes, Rennes, Nantes, Les Sables d'Olonne (where I've pencilled in two days of rest) then heads north back to Le Havre via Le Mans area.
The route picks up 9 off-road sections sourced from WIKILOC, 8 of which are classified as 'medium' difficulty and vary from 33 to 55 miles long.
I have not specified any campsites (or hotels) for accommodation as I have found in the past that it's easier and more flexible to do it on the day. However, (depending on the amount of interest) I may have to specify a meeting place which could well be a campsite.
The dates are the same, 7th to 18th June.
James, MrIFan & mikescuba, has your interest status changed at all?
And is there any one else out there interested to join us?

Cheers, Vince.
 
We are still interested, but will let you know closer to the time cos Sarah is starting a new job and I'm trying to save some time off...

Any way we can fit it around weekends a bit more? Or could we meet you for some of it

Also, I'm planning on swapping my 90 for something a little more road biased like a Subaru XV crossover thing. That should make it with some off road tyres shouldn't it?
 
Last edited:
james6546 said:
We are still interested, but will let you know closer to the time cos Sarah is starting a new job and I'm trying to save some time off...

Any way we can fit it around weekends a bit more? Or could we meet you for some of it

Also, I'm planning on swapping my 90 for something a little more road biased like a Subaru XV crossover thing. That should make it with some off road tyres shouldn't it?
Click to expand...

I'm afraid that the ferry is already booked so my dates are fixed. But as you mention, you could join us for part of it.
Could you not take Sarah's Freelander and keep the 90? Seems a shame to sell it after all the work you've done it but a Subaru would cruise the French motorways a lot easier.
 
Vincemcdonald said:
I'm afraid that the ferry is already booked so my dates are fixed. But as you mention, you could join us for part of it.
Could you not take Sarah's Freelander and keep the 90? Seems a shame to sell it after all the work you've done it but a Subaru would cruise the French motorways a lot easier.
Click to expand...
Sarah's Freelander has been swapped for a Volvo V40 for the imminent new job, nice car.

Not had any interest in the 90 yet, so I might still end up in that, but I just don't use it enough to justify keeping it. My plan was to swap my car and the 90 for one decent car.
 
james6546 said:
Sarah's Freelander has been swapped for a Volvo V40 for the imminent new job, nice car.

Not had any interest in the 90 yet, so I might still end up in that, but I just don't use it enough to justify keeping it. My plan was to swap my car and the 90 for one decent car.
Click to expand...

Are you still doing the VW Polo to Outer Mongolia thing James?
 
Vincemcdonald said:
Are you still doing the VW Polo to Outer Mongolia thing James?
Click to expand...
Yep :)
Still loads left to sort, we are doing quite a few media things and some fundraising at the moment. Today we are doing a video with another team where we have to eat some disgusting foods. Yay.
 
I'm picking up a Mazda CX-5 today, so it's unlikely that I'll still have the 90 by June.

I reckon with some slightly oversize AT tyres and maybe some guards it might make it. What you reckon? The ground clearance on it is quite good, it's just the lack of low range or diff lock.
 
Vincemcdonald said:
Gentlemen,
Well I have (mostly) finalised the route.
Starting at Le Havre, the route goes, Rennes, Nantes, Les Sables d'Olonne (where I've pencilled in two days of rest) then heads north back to Le Havre via Le Mans area.
The route picks up 9 off-road sections sourced from WIKILOC, 8 of which are classified as 'medium' difficulty and vary from 33 to 55 miles long.
I have not specified any campsites (or hotels) for accommodation as I have found in the past that it's easier and more flexible to do it on the day. However, (depending on the amount of interest) I may have to specify a meeting place which could well be a campsite.
The dates are the same, 7th to 18th June.
James, MrIFan & mikescuba, has your interest status changed at all?
And is there any one else out there interested to join us?

Cheers, Vince.
Click to expand...
Hi Vince, do you have the route plotted on the map that we could study ? so I could transfer it onto my pc.
 
I would be up for this except I'm off to Brittany on le bike just before then. Coming home on the 7th. My bike isn't really built for off roading otherwise I'd just stay there... :p
 
FlyingPete said:
I would be up for this except I'm off to Brittany on le bike just before then. Coming home on the 7th. My bike isn't really built for off roading otherwise I'd just stay there... :p
Click to expand...
I think our plan is to come down on the 10th/11th to save time off, so you could do something like that too :D
 
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