London to Paris Winter Challenge Recce

We have just returned from Paris after completing the final recce on the new London to Paris cycle route via the Portsmouth to Caen ferry crossing.

Some things of interest that happened on the recce:

·       Searching for the top bunks on the ferry. After a 10 minute search, I heard my wife’s voice in my head “just read the instructions”! The beds magically appeared from the ceiling

·       Enjoying French cuisine and wine

·       Towing a few cars up hills to assist with the French transport system after 20cms of snow fell overnight at Evreux

·       Driving through a medieval arch between Normandy and Bretagne

·       Searching for the actual road surface when the quiet route we had chosen travels across open countryside and both the fields and road look the same with 20cms of snow over them

·       Enjoying French cuisine and wine

·       Passing the famous Bec Hellouin Abbey

·       Driving through the “Valley of the 7 Hills” finding a great cycle route that avoided all of them

·       Oh – did I say enjoying French cuisine and wine?

·       Discovering a fantastic 40km cycle path that is both flat and has beautiful views

·       Knowing that when asked for a wine choice, they really mean only French wines!

 p.s. Enjoying the French cuisine and wine.....