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Completed a London To Paris and back bike ride a week ago, in less than 24hrs!!! and just wanted to offer some advice for any others considering.
First thing we found, was to carry as little weight, preferably none on your back, after long periods of riding, it gave us some serious back ache, and this became the biggest problem! Having to stop every 10-15 miles just to stretch your back out!
From London, we started at Millennium Bridge, and navigated purely by a road map, It was very simple and one road took us straight out of the city, and surprisingly it wasn't too busy! Then through Dartford, Gillingham etc
Dover to Paris, I have to say by the route we took was not the best of journeys! It involved following a coastal road which was absolutely disastrous, with a strong headwind whipping straight across, it was absolutely draining! So try to get inland as soon as possible!
On approach to Paris, make sure you have a really well planned and thoroughly checked route to your destination! There are a massive amount of Motorways and Busy Ring Roads, and it can be very very tricky to get into the city, so try to arrive in Daylight! Arriving at night like we did made it near on impossible!
I should also point out, all or navigation was done with a Garmin Edge 200, which despite its basic navigation successfully took us the whole way, getting lost only once! But make sure if planning on Garmin Connect, not to have cycle routes enabled. We found occasionally it would take us up some strange cut through's, and farm tracks which seemed to be very rural!
If you plan to do it non stop like we did, which in hindsight i wouldn't recommend then make sure you stock up massively on water for the night! The French seem to close EVERY shop early in the evening and open late, and hence we were left with no water! If you do get stuck in a position like so, look out for the farmyards, they were always very happy to help us!
The way home we took a route from Dieppe to Newhaven, This was in our opinion a much more enjoyable route, with stereotypical straight french roads and rolling hills it passed some fantastic scenery! And its virtually one road all the way from Paris! The longer ferry journey is a nicer break and gives you a chance to charge your electronics!
Taking bicycles on the ferry was very easy, and they'll let you embark first and disembark first!
We stayed at Hostel du Montclair which had very secure storage for our bicycles in the back courtyard and was fantastic for the price, just a 5-10 minute metro ride from the centre of Paris.
We stayed for two nights before returning.
From Newhaven we traveled to Brighton, and then virtually followed a National Cycle route on well maintained paths through Crawley and to London!
My biggest recommendation would be to do it slower, stop along the way and enjoy the little villages you pass through. We didn't really get enough of a chance to do this, which is a great shame! Passing through some of the Somme memorials and some great little typical french villages!
And the French do seem to look after there fans a lot more than we do! The roads were brilliant, and at times cyclists get there own little traffic lights!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/209499432 1st Half Of Paris to Dieppe
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/209499432 2nd half of Paris to Dieppe
1st Half of Calais to Paris http://connect.garmin.com/activity/209499530
2nd Half Of Calais to Paris http://connect.garmin.com/activity/209499493
There may be sections of the journey missing, as at times we turned off the GPS to save battery!
This is the course I Plotted for the way there http://connect.garmin.com/course/1807982
Doing that early September, hope the weather holds?
But we're doing it over four days. Day one 120 miles, day 2 160 miles, day three 110 miles and day 4 120 miles. Obviously our route is a bit convaluted.
That ferry things isn't always true. They usually put you on first, but often they want the cars and lorries off and out of the way first.
A day in France can be quite cheap. We drive to Dover and park up and cycle onto the ferry. I think it's under £15. We get into France for about 10am and ride until 6pm. Not sure what the mountain biking is
like just there though?
Edit; That coastal road always has a headwind on it, never once in all the times I've ridden it has it been still.
[i]On approach to Paris, make sure you have a really well planned and thoroughly checked route to your destination! There are a massive amount of Motorways and Busy Ring Roads, and it can be very very tricky to get into the city, so try to arrive in Daylight! Arriving at night like we did made it near on impossible!
[/i]
I take it from this that you'd never been to Paris before..., its 'hinterland' is quite foul.
The donald hirsch route from Dieppe to Paris is absolutely fantastic, some of the nicest riding i've ever done. Takes you through the old royal forests into Paris and avoids all the shit roads