Le Mans and beyond

We took a fresh approach to our Le Mans tour this year. Rather than riding from one of the channel ports all the way to the circuit, we took the train with the intention of cycling on day trips in the Sarthe and the Loir.
Day 1: Train from Lewes, via Eastbourne, Ashford, Lille, and Le Mans. This itinerary involved some tight connections but worked like a charm. There was even time for a quick tour of the old town in Lille, a bit hazardous over the cobbles on our Brompton bicycles. Coffee at a pavement cafe prior to departure. On arrival at Le Mans we took the tram to the circuit, then cycled via Guécélard to our digs at La Flèche, 29 miles. We were staying in a trailer on the Camping Municipale de la Route d'Or campsite by the river, close to the centre of La Flèche. Good value at Euro 57 per night for three. Restaurant Le Gargantua, 6 place Henri IV, 72200 La Flèche. Pizza starter followed by pasta for hungry cyclists outdoors.
Day 2: La Flèche to Marcé to visit the aircraft museum situated at Angers airport, 46 miles round trip. The museum is well worth a visit at this casual location. Home of the third plane of René Gasnier, first successful aviator in Angers. On the way back I was quickly tailed off on the climb out of Marcé, and settled into my own rhythm on the bike, without a map. Keeping the sun behind me I was much later surprised to find my companions coming up behind me. We covered 20 miles of undulating roads in two hours. Restaurant Ô Patio Gourmand, 44 rue Carnot, 72200 La Flèche in the evening.
Day 3: Exit La Flèche via the old derelict station, on a tarmac cycle path on the old railway line to Le Lude. This delightful run was covered at some speed, with Richard adopting the aero tuck of a time-triallist. We bought supplies and took a picnic outside the Mairie in Le Lude. We back-tracked on the path for a short distance before turning south west on the road to Baugé, with a pitstop in town for drinks, while Jack rounded up bicycle oil and batteries. Return to La Flèche via another bike path, this time dressed in fine gravel, shady on a hot afternoon. 45 miles. Comptoir du Boeuf, 1 place Henri IV, 72200 La Flèche. Less than satisfactory restaurant, the food did not match the service or location.
Day 4: La Flèche to Guécélard, 34 miles. This trip started with a brutal climb on the D12 out of town with a sharp left at the top onto rural roads. Three Course traditional lunch in Noyen, 11.5 Euros. Good night at Club Motorsport in Guécélard. Live music by “The Wobblers.” Much beer drunk.
Day 5: Guécélard to La Flèche. We went bushwhacking back to our digs, west of the main road, reaching La Flèche in 26 miles. Tired. We watched the Le Mans race on the TV.
Day 6: Exploring La Flèche taking in a flea market, the lakes, then out of town on the bike path to Luché Pringé, with a picnic by the Loir. 29 miles in all. Back in time to catch the end of the Le Mans race, another Audi demonstration run. Rated by Richard as "the best meal in La Flèche" - Restaurant La bisquine - 11 rue Henri IV - 72220 La Flèche.
Day 7: La Flèche to Le Mans. We tracked east successfully avoiding a steep climb, via St Jean de-la-Motte. Stopped at some ancient standing stones, La Mère et La Fille, in the woods. We bought lunch at Cérans Foulletourte, crossing the main road and pausing at La Suze sur Sarthe. We took the bike route into Le Mans, following the river with marginal surfaces, at 43 miles. A stretch of canal put us on final approach. The Ibis Budget hotel was adequate but the check-in arrangements were chaotic. A bar in town gouged us at Euro 6 for a small beer. Dinner at La Tagliatella, 9 Boulevard René Levasseur, suitable. Assorted low-lifes were dealing outside and a bin-diving lady opposite was rescuing trash from the Galeries Lafayette.
Day 8: On our last day the SNCF were on strike. We therefore diverted via Paris, riding our bikes from Paris Montparnasse to the Gare du Nord and changing our tickets for Ashford, completed by Eurostar rapidly and with a minimum of fuss.

Total: 252 miles.
Plus Points: Collaborative cycling (peleton), suitable distances, cycle paths, day-trips meant less luggage, reliable Brompton bikes, isotonic drinks, fruit, La Flèche a good base, good- value digs, Eurostar flexibility. (Personally I was fitter, better-prepared and therefore I performed better.)
Downsides: SNCF on strike.
Learning points: Take less luggage, more-suitable clothing (again).
Overall: Well organised, good company, health benefits, roll on 2015.

The Road to Rouen

Small Wheels bicycle tour, June 2013
When touring on a Brompton the same incidents from previous years seem to happen all over again. First of all something drops off Richard's bike early on - this year it was a toe clip. Despite careful route planning we always seem to go off piste. We lack the foresight to carry basic supplies at all times and end up nearly "hitting the wall." We also worry too much about the weather. Dire forecasts of broiling sunshine and thunderstorms failed to materialise at crucial points. Overall it was a blast with only limited mechanical difficulties as we worked our way across the beautiful Normandy countryside to the Sarthe.
I am riding an orange long-wheelbase 'H' model Brompton, with custom handlebars and 6-speed Sturmey Archer gears, entered by Jack Kellett. Sadly Jack has to give this trip a miss so my partner in crime is Richard Banks aboard the familiar black 'P' model Brompton with butterfly handlebars and SRAM six-speed gears.
We set off from Lewes on the Sunday night by train reaching the port of Newhaven in plenty of time to catch the 23:00 ferry for Dieppe. We meet an assortment of other cyclists headed for unlikely adventures in la France Profonde. A lady of about seventy is riding to Versailles on a yellow Brompton 3-speed for charity. A younger couple are heading for Paris via the Voie Verte, having already completed the London-Brighton event. Bikes are banned on trains for the day of this ride, folders excepted, so they joke it will be easier to get back to London via Paris. An elderly gentleman is riding from Derbyshire to Avignon on a old road-racer - "I must get there as my wife is arriving." The camaraderie of cycling is infectious.
Stage 1
After some shots of Calvados in the bar we retire to our cabin for about three hours sleep. All too soon a man is making an unholy noise in the corridor urging us to rise from our slumbers. We are up and ready to rock, taking a quick coffee, then down the gangplank through customs and traversing Dieppe in the dark, on the ‘Road to Rouen’. We reach the D154 which gives us a relatively flat route south. The lack of traffic early morning makes for a relatively safe ride but of course no bars are open to take a drink or provide a croissant. We press on and after a couple of hours and sixteen miles I collapse into a chair outdoors at a café in the square at Auffay, being plied with Perrier and coffee, and after a change of shirt somewhat revived. We take trailfood en route and a pot of tea indoors in the rain at St. Victor, enjoying the Valley of the Scie and following the "iron compass," the railway built by the British in the pioneering days, on the D3 to Clères. There is an unexpected down hill section after the long climb from Torcy to Longueville, during which Richard stayed aboard. He has vowed not to get off on any hills and sticks to this. Chapeau.
We take the D155 to Montville and Malaunay, reaching the suburbs of Rouen, encountering the dreaded bendy-buses, then descend to the Seine, struggling to find our hotel on the west bank. A bus is honking at us as we enter an underpass in order to cross the river. Richard gives the driver an old-fashioned gesture. We are indoors at midday, our precious bikes safely folded in the hotel room at St-Sever. We take a rest and then struggle to find any restaurants serving food mid-afternoon. A veggie-burger and chips is scant reward for all our efforts. We tighten up the nut on the seatpost on the orange Brompton to counter a sagging saddle. Distance covered: 46 miles.
Rest day
Next day is a free day for sightseeing, starting at the archives for a quick bit of genealogical research. We take coffee at the fashionably-named Bar des Abattoirs, 33 rue Henri II de Plantagenêt. Richard acquires a new tour habit, adding a Calvados chaser at breakfast time. We walk into town across the river, seeing the Cathedral, Le Gros Horloge and the Printemps department store, and finding Rouen to be well worth a visit. Some small beers are followed by a trip to the Eglise Sainte Jeanne d'Arc and lunch al fresco at an excellent Italian restaurant, 40 Euros for two courses and a bottle of wine, including generous tip. We ride the tram back to our hotel, sampling some beers outdoors in the evening without venturing far. We dine at our hotel without breaking the bank: Hotel Rouen St-Sever, 20 Place de L'Eglise St-Sever, Rouen, 76100; Phone: +33235628182.
Stage 2
Next morning stage two takes us in the direction of Elbeuf, following the tram lines some of the way and avoiding the main roads. After another pot of tea in exurbia [Oissel] we divert on to a cycle path which rapidly runs out, another snafu at the chateau. We reach the Route des Roches guided by the Seine upstream in a towering limestone gorge. A right/left for Thuit Anger is the easiest route out of the Seine Valley that we can find, but still involves a long climb. We are making good time across the plateau among the wheat fields, via Iville, before desecending for pasta lunch at Le Neubourg, with its busy market, featuring many racks of clothes that have never been in fashion. Some irritating British old buffer tries to make fun of the Brompton bicycles, boasting about how he does nothing with his time in retirement. He doesn't know what he is missing. We wrong slot exiting Le Neubourg condemning ourselves to a windy ride across the prairie via Combon and Bray. We descend to Serquigny taking double-Orangina at a cafe where the patron produces two sugar crepes on the house. It is just amazing how fair people can be. We reach Bernay in good order riding across the cobbles, but there is a sting in the tail as we both climb out of town to the Hotel Acropole, 10 Rue Grande Malouve, Bernay, 27300; Phone: +33232460606. The adjacent restaurant provides beers on the terrace and we tuck in indoors while a thunderstorm erupts around us. Distance covered: 54 miles
Stage 3
Leaving Bernay, we choose the Voie Verte on an old railway line to Broglie. These bike routes are a mixed blessing, often among the trees with little to look at and cold first thing in the morning. This is cycling for softies, on routes, as in this case, which only go a short distance and are not worth a diversion. We acquire two bottles of Badoit at Broglie, needing the minerals in the water. An infusion at a café at Montreuil l’Argillé is most acceptable. We continue to Verneusses, then D232 to Huegon and Cisai-St-Aubin. A lady on the road stops me as she is anxiously looking for a lost dog. We take to the D338 south of Brionne where we quickly tire of the trucks on the main road, diverting to Le Merlerault for quiche and strawberry custard tart for lunch from a patisserie. A fountain in the village provides a welcome spray and wash. After Orangina at Sées, we take the quieter way, [D42, D309] via Bursard, arriving at Alençon running on empty late afternoon. Le Mans counterparts Dave Roadway, Martin Woodward and Stuart Batchelor join us for drinks at the bar. Hôtel Ibis Alençon, 13 place Poulet Malassis, Alençon, 61000; Phone: +33233806767. Recommended. Distance covered: 61 miles
Stage 4
We slip out of Alençon early via the historic centre, taking the D55 to Champfleur. There is a dilemna on this tour. Do you go bushwhacking and ride the quieter, more hilly roads with poorer surfaces or blast down the shorter main roads with the heavier traffic and their own long ascents? In reality you do a mixture of both depending on the mood. We reach Beaumont-sur-Sarthe on the main road heading for Montbizot. We choose to skirt Le Mans to the west, via La Bazoge and Allonnes. We meet Laurent Brochard, [1997 world road racing] cycling champion, and stop to chat. He is not riding a bicycle but a strange contraption with two paddles on which to stand. He quickly disappears up a hill. A pitstop for Orangina at a café and the patron insists on photographing the bikes and riders. We arrive at the Café de la Gare in Spay at 14:05. The boss, a veteran of Paris-Brest, fits us in for a late omelet lunch followed by tarte aux pommes. Distance covered: 48 miles. Total distance: 209 miles.
Postscript
On the Monday after Le Mans at Little Common when unloading the orange bike I notice it had sustained a puncture, subsequently found to be a nail through the tire. This happened right at the end of the tour, a relatively fortunate occurrence. At some point in France we fell to wondering why the orange bike did not coast as well as the black one. Back in Sussex I discuss the possibility of a dragging brake. Adjustments to the front brake by Jack produce a dramatic improvement in performance on a twenty mile test ride to Ripe, after the puncture was fixed. By the way Audi won the 24-Hours of Le Mans once again.

Plus Points: Collaborative long distance cycling, suitable distances, good-value hotels en route, reliable Brompton bikes, disposable clothing.
Downsides: Lack of sleep on the ferry, leaving Dieppe without drinks early morning.
Learning points: Feed before problems (again), stick with Badoit, more-suitable clothing, bike tune-up.
Overall: Well organised (many thanks for logistical support), good company, health benefits, roll on 2014.

Le Mans and beyond by Brompton

Small Wheels bicycle tour, June 2012

Mon 11 - Last minute repairs to the bikes at Future Cycles complete, we leave Lewes by train early evening. We were headed for the overnight ferry Portsmouth-Le Havre departing 23:00. Floods in the Chichester area divert us from Brighton via Clapham Junction, a shock for Jack who was looking forward to a break from commuting. We cycle from Portsmouth station to the ferry terminal checking in at 21:30. The catering arrangements put Portsmouth firmly in the craptown category: "The Carling is off" the barman announces triumphantly; chips but no fish; too late for pizza! Good old Blighty - rail chaos and slapdash service.
Tues 12 - A late night aboard ship is followed by an early start as we rig the bikes and head into the traffic in Le Havre, on the four Bromptons, in the wet. I was riding a 1999 short wheelbase 5-speed. The rest on more modern 6 speeds: Nigel on an 'M' model, Richard on a 'P' and Jack on an 'H'.
A driver with a swaying caravan needs admonishing. Nigel nearly takes a tumble hitting a wet drain cover but he wrenches the bike upright. We busk our way out of town finding cycle paths and then the D6015, D982 towards the Pont de Tarcarville. We are doing a steady 15-16 mph on the flat. We take our first pitstop at the Resto-Bar du Hode on the Route Falaises. The climb to the Tancarville sees me tailing off as I push the bike up the hill with the camions coming past. Great view of the Seine. We top 30mph on the descent, turning right and west on the D6178 into a headwind. We then turn left just short of the River Risle, on the D39 to Pont-Audemer. We are now in a rural delight where the pace slackens and the heavy traffic is left behind.

We take a restaurant lunch outdoors at Pont Audemer (pasta for me). We struggle to regain the D39-D137 to Pont-Authou. The derelict railway line adds interest. We pitstop for cherries short of town. Richard is suffering with his saddle, requiring constant careful adjustment. I am encountering a sagging seatpost. We then take the Voie Verte to Bec Hellouin, diverting to see the abbey. On to Bosrobert, at 49.2 miles, where a delightful chambre d'hôte run by a Swiss couple awaits. Some pear cider kicks off the celebration followed by a stroll in the garden. Supper consists of cream of courgette soup followed by Porc Normande in copious quantities. Wine and cheeseboard are demolished.

Marguerite & Roland Progin-Chopard, "Aux 2 étangs" 4, Route Moulin du Parc, 27800 Bosrobert Tel: 02 32 44 87 03
Wed 13 - 39.6 miles to night at Rugles. From Bosrobert we backtrack to Pont-Authou, then taking the road south to Brionne in the rain. We follow the River Risle on a marked cycle route, taking a right at the Viaduc du Bec. Before Beaumont-le-Roger we are passed by three serious cyclists as Jack, Nigel and Richard join the pursuit. Suddenly I am by myself as we head into town for a tea stop by the church. We purchase supplies at the Coccimarket.
Following a long descent we take a lunch stop at the mediaeval market hall in La ferrière-sur-Risle, buying more food at the boulangerie. Strawberries are most welcome. Back on the cycle route in hilly country even Nigel and Jack are off the bikes. We encounter soaking rain, diverting onto the D830 to Rugles, arriving at 15:00. The sun came out as we 'dried out' at a bar in town. Then to:

Mme Francoise Tobo Au jardin de Françoise 3 Rue G. Clemenceau 27250 RUGLES Tél: 02 32 24 76 24 Mob: 06 76 33 46 28 http://www.au-jardin-de-francoise.fr/

Our host is jolly and serves rice with the meal to stoke us cyclists. Some Ricard is also consumed.
Thurs 14 - 44.9 miles to Villaines-la-Carelle. Exit Rugles by a rural road following the Risle to L'Aigle for a tea stop in town, D3 to Moulins-la-Marche, D6 to Sainte-Scolasse-sur-Sarthe for picnic, we catch up with Nigel at Le-Mêle-sur-Sarthe, D4 to Blèves with stop for Perrier, Orangina and Pelforth, then long climb to Villaines-la-Carelle. We arrive in the village but the digs are still some way to go, down then up a long hill past a quarry. I'm fairly wasted on arrival in the farmyard but the B&B is run by a Dutchman and Heineken revives.
We take a truck to a Chinese restaurant in Mamers for late supper, where they are reluctant to serve noodles. We are joined by Helen, a Dutch person, who gives Jack a lift in her Toyota IQ. Home by taxi.

Bart & Gerda Huizinga Le Fay 72600 Villaines la Carelle Tel: 33-(0)243 97 73 40 GPS: 48.376334,0.297962
Fri 15 - 39.4 miles to Spay cabin. First off we take the truck to Villaines-la-Carelle, while Nigel climbs the hill on his Brompton. He arrives at the same time. We unload the bikes, exiting on the D202 to Vezot & Mont-Renault, turning right into a headwind on the D300 to Dangeul. After a tea stop we head for the valley of the Sarthe via Ballon, Montbizot, La Guierche, Neuville-sur-Sarthe and Coulaines, arriving at Le Mans. We take the tram to the circuit, for the short bike ride to Arnage and Spay. I take a short cut via the Mulsanne Straight to Hunaudières, through the chicane, arriving at Camping Houssay ahead of the pack. The Bar de la Gare beckons.
Sat 16 - From Spay to Club Motorsport at Guécélard by Brompton for tea and conversation with Pete Webber, beers at the bar in town followed by lunch at Le Peppino restaurant, an uncrowded joint on Le Mans weekend - recommended.
Sun 17 - Up early for the croissant run into town. From Spay to La Suze via Roézé-sur-Sarthe, relaxing with a beer at the Logis Saint Louis in the town square, and back. Andy joins us on the blue titanium Brompton. One way to Guécélard in the evening for supper, fold bike and return to Bar de la Gare with Andy in the Nissan March. Cheese platter and drinks.
Mon 18 - 43.8 miles to night at Tiercé, on the Sarthe. I manage a whole day in the saddle with no walking uphill. Depart Spay, D51 to Fillé, Roézé-sur-Sarthe, then left on the D23 to Malicorne-sur-Sarthe. We rendezvous with Andy at a teastop in the square. Back on the D23 we head for Durtal. Andy comes up alongside in the Nissan March while we are grinding out the miles. He scouts Durtal for us and guides us to Le Durestal restaurant for a pizza/pasta lunch, a bit spendy. We take the D68 to Tiercé among the trees, close by the River Sarthe but tantalisingly out of sight. On arrival we stop at an inhospitable bar opposite the Mairie, no cause to linger. Night stop with our genial host M de-Stoppani, who periodically plays the piano.

M de-Stoppani Chambre d'hôte et gîte rural La Drustière 49 rue de Porte-Bise 49125 Tiercé Tel: 02 41 37 07 73 Mobile: 06 98 99 14 24 http://www.chambre-hote-drustiere.com/ GPS: N 47° 37.468' W 0°28.146'
Tues 19 – 72.7 miles to Oudon, on the Loire. Trying to avoid the main roads we exit Tiercé on the D74 to Cheffes, then to Angers, via Cantenay Epinard and Avrillé, where we join the new tram route. A teastop at Angers and we divert into town for food shopping. We are guided by a cyclist to the south bank of the Loire at Les Ponts-de-Cé. We take a picnic by the river - real men do eat quiche.
We have strayed off our route and this proves to be the longest day. We climb to Rochefort-sur-Loire, stopping at the René Gasnier memorial, a pioneer aviator. I am hoping this is the last climb of the day - fat chance. Richard laughs as we blow through 50 miles and we are all in personal best territory.
We reach Oudon via Ancenis, but it is not over. A long climb to our digs flattens me. We then meet a Kiwi couple who are cycling from the Atlantic to Munich.
M et Mme Gauthier Sous les Pommiers Pierre Blanche 44521 OUDON souslespommiers@orange.fr Tel : 09 71 46 84 21 mob : 06 03 06 14 96
Wed 20 - 49.6 miles to Frossay. We are supposed to take the 'Loire a velo' route to Nantes, but sundry navigational snafus mean it is lunchtime by the time we reach the city, via Mauves. The midges by the river are an additional hazard. We are at the point where fatigue is limiting bandwidth. A steak sandwich and a couple of tinnies help. We pass the Secodi-Perkins diesel works in Nantes. We see ‘La maison dans la Loire’ at Couëron, where we catch the free ferry across the river to Le Pellerin, a chance to put our feet up. More shopping for our evening meal. We follow the canal and stop to ask a lady the way to Frossay. On exiting the town I feel like I am hitting the wall with cramp, so take the last mile or two very gently. The delightful chateau was a hospital during WW2, in the St Nazaire pocket. We have our own picnic indoors, then the patron invites us for a digestif in the cave below.
Chateau de la Rousseliere 44320 FROSSAY Tel: 02 40 39 79 59
Thurs 21 – A short morning hop of 17 miles to St Brevin-les-Pins on the Atlantic, via Saint-Viaud where we shelter from the rain. The boys duck into a supermarket on the outskirts of town and I miss them, rolling into the centre of St Brevin, taking tea at a cafe in the square. The toeclips have come into their own in the wet weather. I am sorry that the ride is all over. Nigel and Richard battle across the bridge to St Nazaire in the rain while Jack and I, reunited, catch the bus over the Loire, the driver dropping us near the hotel in Trignac. Fare two Euros. After lunch at Flunch we all take a taxi to the U-boat pens in town. We sample the bars and take supper at a Moroccan Restaurant.

IBIS Hotel, St Nazaire Trignac, 5 rue de la Fontaine Au Brun 44570 TRIGNAC Tel : 02 40 90 39 39 GPS : N4718’ 0.48 » W2 12’ 31.75”
Fri 22 - We cycle to St Nazaire station, which is rundown and grubby, not consistent with the TGV image. I buy a copy of L'Equipe. We take the first class train to Paris Montparnasse: 10.51 from St Nazaire, arrive Paris Montparnasse 13.45. We ride across Paris to the Gare du Nord, taking a beer nearby while avoiding panhandlers, pickpockets and pimps.
Delayed 16.13 Paris Nord, arrive London St Pancras 17.36. London has its own special form of unpleasantness and we are glad to catch the train south with our possessions intact.

Plus Points: Rain (little sunburn), collaborative cycling, long distance cycling, reliable Brompton bikes, Chambre D'Hotes, SNCF.

Downsides: Rain, iffy navigation (exploit height bank), variable state of 'Loire a velo' route (at best a work-in-progress), British railways, Portsmouth Ferry terminal, security scare at Gare du Nord, London.

Learning points: Feed before problems, try isotonic drinks (St Yorre, Badoit have high mineral content), more training, avoid off-piste digs where possible, take less luggage (disposable clothing a success).

Overall: Well organised, good company, health benefits, personal best performances.

Trolley trip in Philly

We headed out into the suburbs on this 1981 Kawasaki trolley car (begs the question where would you buy a tram in the USA?). We were going to the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. This proved to be a world class collection in a most unlikely spot. We walked some two miles into an industrial estate, out close to the airport, and there it was. We were greeted warmly and given a pretzel at the desk - Petey the dog eyed me throughout. They let us photograph beyond the ropes, took us backstage into the workshop, and gave us a lift back to the trolley stop.
This Porsche 917 is a Le Mans lap record holder.

We were also taken by the Allard-Cadillac on display and the unrestored Daytona Cobra, CSX2287, with Bonneville heritage.

I sent some Bugatti pictures to Joe Saward, who replied with many thanks.
Pics by Annette.

The things they carried...

One of the pressing questions on the Le Mans tour by Brompton bicycle was what luggage to take and particularly what bike spares and tools. We settled on one spare tyre, two inner tubes and a multi-tool. We experienced little difficulty. We pumped up the tyres prior to departure and left well enough alone, not wishing to provoke an inner-tube failure around the valve, not unknown to Brompton riders. My older machine required the rubber block suspension to be tightened en route, the handlebar gear-lever to be adjusted and the front luggage attachment to be tightened also. Hence the two machines covered 500 road miles (250 each) without any real trouble. Outstanding.

By Brompton to Le Mans 2011

The Le Mans tour 2011 started with a dress rehearsal at Gurston Down Hill Climb the Sunday before departure. £10 per adult for a pleasant afternoon of motor sport in the Wiltshire countryside. Don't let the farmyard location fool you into thinking this is not serious racing.

So after watching the gifted amateurs it was time to set sail for Le Mans to see the pros. Thursday June 3 we caught the 09:30 Newhaven-Dieppe ferry with our fully-loaded Brompton bicycles. I was sporting a new front carrier bag, lightweight sweater (borrowed) and high-viz waterproof. Jack is riding the long-wheelbase orange Brompton with custom built handlebars.

We cheated by taking the train from Lewes to Newhaven deeming the road routes too hazardous (I tackled the west bank in 2008. See PunchBuggy Passim.)
The ferry bar was soon out of baked goods to go with our coffee and Dieppe was reached after a light gargle. We were first off the car deck having followed an old hand to the correct ramp away from the trucks. We set off into Dieppe in the hot sun busking our way westward out of town. After a long descent and climb we diverted to Offranville in search of a bank and to escape the onshore wind. We were soon broiling in the afternoon sun and glad to reach Bénesville, after a pitstop in St Laurent-en-Caux. Orangina never tasted so good. We couldn't find our digs and I suffered two bouts of cramp in my thighs shortly before arrival - an occurence new to me - now I know why those guys are hopping about on the Tour de France. After twenty miles we found the delightful chateau for our night stop, madame serving Kir Normande as I flopped on a recliner on the lawn. A four course dinner followed: fish pâté, Coquille St. Jacques, cheeseboard and fresh fruit washed down with white wine followed by red and a shot of vintage Calvados and we were all set for an early night. Next morning after a splendid breakfast madame insisted we take bananas and bottled water for the route. Excellent value and highly recommended. Propriétaire: BEATRICE MAZURIER, Téléphone: 0663061805.
After a baptism of fire the first day the weather moderated and we took the routes du boeuf to Caudebec-en-Caux on the Seine, pausing for coffee and trail food en route. The descent into Caudebec turned hairy as I got onto the marbles at speed, letting a van pass, but gathered it up by not over-reacting. We arrived by 13:00 stopping for lager before checking in at the Normotel by the Seine. A frosty receptionist made us doubt the wisdom of staying in hotels when France is peppered with friendly Chambre D'Hotes. We did what sightseeing you can do in Caudebec, the day culminating in a pasta supper al fresco at a windy cafe.
Next morning it was across the Pont de Brotonne (no longer a toll bridge) and sharp right following the Seine downstream. An ominous chevron on the map told of a 300-foot climb to Bourneville. Jack won the Index of Performance by climbing the whole way while a push was rewarding for me, seeing two deer in the woods. Jack was already buying bananas when I reached Bourneville, but a pot of tea soon revived us. We took the country roads to reach the valley of the Risle at Montfort where we lunched in a bus shelter. The simple task of reaching Brionne was complicated by taking the voies vertes on an old rail line at Le Bec Hellouin and overshooting in the woods due to a lack of signposts. A moutainous diversion via Calleville added at least five miles to the day. We found a bar in Brionne, known to us, before reaching our digs at the Coeur de Lion. A snooze before dinner concluded the longest day of the tour at about 35 miles. See here for B&B.
The weather was wet on departure next morning but the rural route was clearly signposted all the way to Rugles, a timesaver as we did not have frequent stops to check the map. A pot of tea at Beaumont-le-Roger was most welcome - no milk for me as the hot milk served is unappetising and black tea proved the perfect antidote to dyspepsia. Unaccustomed to cycling hard right after breakfast my stomach was grumbling. But I was beginning to hit my stride, side drafting the Kellett Express in our own version of the flying wedge. Charitable Frenchmen yell "Bon regard" and "Chapeau" when they hear we are going long distance. On arrival at Rugles the town was closed, as on every Monday, and we were shown the door in the bar after a short stay. Madame at the digs slipped us a bottle of cider to compensate - no charge.
The fifth day felt like the moment of truth. It is one thing to go cycling and quite another to keep going day after day. We set off down the main road right after breakfast and it was taking me an hour or so to hit my stride. An early stop at L'Aigle was suitable for tea and market shopping. I took a photograph of Jack posing with a plaster Maitre D outside our café. Then on quieter roads to Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe, taking a rural set lunch en route. Arriving mid-afternoon we lodged the bikes in an outhouse at the Hotel de la Poste before doing the bars and a creperie. Appetites multiply on a bike tour. Again the hotel seemed something of a letdown after the more attentive alternatives. Wifi was most welcome.

Next morning I sat on the wall outside the hotel in the sunshine guarding the luggage while Jack rushed about fetching the bikes and settling the bill. On to St Mars Sous Ballon via Mamers, where we take tea. Brother Julian is texting us for news. We have left Normandy behind and are heading for Le Mans. After boozing in the hilltop town of Ballon we spend an evening in a rural restaurant, gazing out at a trout pond. We are the only customers. Delightful. Restaurant: Les Nymphéas Creperie Saladerie Grill, L'Auberderie, 72290 Saint-Mars-sous-Ballon. Téléphone: 02.43.25.21.15. Accomodation: Jean-François LEMAIRE, Les chambres du Verger, Le Verger, 72290 Saint-Mars-sous-Ballon. Mobile: 0671040513.

An early start next morning (Day 7) and we are shortly in the suburbs of Le Mans at Coulaines. Then we burst onto the quai in the centre past the cathedral by the Sarthe, wrong slotting on the exit of the city and taking a hair-raising ride on the périphérique to recover our way. An early paella lunch at Casino in Allones and Jack races ahead to get the keys to the cabin at Camping du Houssay in Spay at 12:30. We have ridden some 185 miles so far, and there is more to come.

We stock up the cabin with food and drink before heading to Guécelard along the back roads to see Pete Webber, taking a bow for our exertions. There is a noticeable lack of punters in the bars and restaurants compared to previous years. The bars in Spay are empty/shut on race weekend and the strip in Arnage is a shadow of its former self on Saturday morning. The £5 pint of lager and some gouging on food is driving folk away. The ACO have added insult to injury by hiking the general admission price for the 24 Hours from 57 to 67 euros - not the year for a near 20% increase. (I scored a discounted ticket at 50 euros.)
Dave Roadway appears mid-evening Thursday and we head off by car to Mouliherne and Saumur on Friday, with bike rides in both places on our folders. Dave is aboard the Dahon 16spd with 26" wheels. A visit to the Loire valley is an unexpected bonus and I get my washing done to boot.
Friday James and Ian show up from the UK, with an intriguing gearless folding bike made in China. Jack and I watch the start of the race at Arnage which is fairly full but not unpleasantly so - the big screen shows the battle between McNish and Bourdais - a classic which was cut short by a massive shunt by the Audi driver which left the car wrecked and some brilliant photos for the Sunday papers. Mike Rockenfeller later bit the armco quite viciously and Audi were down to one contender. But the car of Treluyer, Fassler and Lotterer soldiered on to win. Peugeot did just about everything right and came up 13.8 seconds short.
No rushing off before the finish this year as we go the distance at Mulsanne. A wet visit to Guécelard on Sunday night to watch the Canadian GP is unrewarding as we head home in the red flag period and miss the outstanding drive of Jenson Button. The generous hospitality at Club Motorsport is considerable compensation.
By early Monday we are down to two at the cabin and we head for La Suze sur Sarthe, reaching there in a shower. We stop at Roézé-sur-Sarthe on the way, for tea, and you half expect Steve McQueen to be heading up the road in a Porsche 911. Jack points out the many French classic bicycles, including Motobecane, which are unloved and now overwhelmed by a flood of cheap imports.
The trip ends with a ride into Le Mans on the Tuesday, TGV to Paris, a ride across Paris to the Gare du Nord and home by Eurostar via Ashford. We have ridden 250 miles (400km) in all.


Plus Points: Long distance cycling, reliable Brompton bikes, Chambre D'Hotes, SNCF.

Downsides: French hotels, Le Mans ticket prices, closed bars and cafes, Radio Le Mans (dull as usual), no wifi on SNCF.

Overall: Well organised, good company, health benefits, superb race, roll on 2012.

Only one Audi

Peugeot were a real threat to Audi at Le Mans - they beat all the German cars bar one - but the German diesel driven by the Dane Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello of Italy and Allan McNish of Britain finished first, to thwart the French team which fielded the fastest cars on the track.
The annual tour from Sussex started early this year with an advance party leaving at 12:00 on Thursday 5 June. Les frères Thomas were headed for the Brompton Tour de Normandie. The sailing from Newhaven to Le Havre on the M/V SEVEN SISTERS of LD Lines, followed a gentle eight mile run from Lewes. Two single tickets for foot passengers with bikes cost £34. Pasta Carbonara on the boat was ordinary at £6.95, but the ship was pleasantly uncrowded. The two red Brompton bikes were first off the boat at Le Havre where after recceing the town we inadvertantly opted for a stay at a brothel near the bus station. We retreated to the Navy Bar round the corner. A quick breakfast outside the railway station was followed by an early departure at 07:10 by bus for Caen, which put us ahead of the other patrons. The bikes folded neatly into the belly lockers for the trip via Honfleur.
On arrival in Caen we headed for Tourist Information which put us on track for the Archives du Calvados for some family research. After lunch we checked into the Hotel des Quatrans, 17 rue Gémare, where the Bromptons slotted one-by-one into the world's smallest lift. We dined at the Saigon Restaurant, and finished off the evening at les Touristes cafe. Caen presents a chic face to the world after the dock town low-life of Le Havre.
Leaving Caen next morning we climbed out of the town in heavy traffic, heading south-east reaching St Sylvain for lunch, beer and a sandwich au jambon. We completed the afternoon run to St Pierre sur Dives for two nights where we dined luxuriously at the hotel the first night and found a creperie on the Sunday night after a frantic search for somewhere in France still open. We made a side trip to Cambremer and a visit to Madame Huet on the farm at "La Vignerie" 14340 Saint Laurent du Mont Tel: 02 31 63 08 65 on our day off. Julian wanted to visit a bar in Crevecoeur, remembered from a previous tour, which proved to be heartbreak hotel as they blanked us at the bar after one drink. We moved on to Cambremer where I took Sunday lunch at Au P'tit Normand [02 31 320 320], a splendid omelet paysanne with wine, €20 including a generous tip. The lady pursued me out of the restaurant to express her gratitude.
We are getting into hilly country with much push and glide progress. We climbed to Le Billot next day where we had the lunch uniquement of horsemeat, fried egg and frites. Two nights at Vimoutiers with the Brit expats at La Couronne, 9 rue du 8 mai, [33 (0)2 67 21 49]. We walked to Camembert in the morning where there was no bar/restaurant so we beat a hasty retreat. We reach Gacé via Le Sap where Julian falls off the Brompton in the town square with no real harm done. We check into Castel Morphee, 2 rue de Lisieux, for two nights, grateful to reach our rendezvous without any serious bike trouble. The front luggage carriers on the Bromptons proved well up to the task. We spend time at the Café de la Gare which is a time-warp establishment run by a splendid old lady. Sadly the old station building has been demolished since our last visit. We face the usual rudeness at the L'Etoile d'Or, best avoided when in Gacé.
We meet up with the tour party at the Restaurant Tahiti, which has changed hands after many years in the same family. They arrive in good time in the Mercedes V220 CDI and Land Rover Freelander. The Merc left Little Commom at 05:45 for a Channel Tunnel crossing at 07:20 and an RV with the Freelander at Cheriton. Shopping at the Intermarché and the run into Spay, by the canal and the River Sarthe, for check-in at Camping Houssay. There is a computer glitch which causes a short delay; how camping has changed over the years. We soon take possession of chalet No 4 "Mimosa" and after a barbecue we assemble the bikes for the run to Guécelard, where Kyla Brox is entertaining the punters at Club Motorsport. Numbers are somewhat down on previous years.
Bryan Hurt is aboard the Haro DX with Shimano 21 spd, Dave Roadway sports the Dahon 16spd with 26" wheels. On the tiddlers are Nigel Lewis with the infamous Bugatti Royal, Jack Kellett with the magnificent 2007 Brompton Titanium 6 spd, Richard Banks with the familiar Pashley Fold-It, Andy Thomas on the Universal, and the two red Bromptons for the remaining Thomas brothers. On our return Julian punctures, Nigel loses his chain [and marbles] and Richard sheds a small but vital part of the Fold-It so we are down to seven bikes next day. Despite an extensive search the petite pièce cannot be retrieved. Jack soon mends the Brompton puncture with a new tube.
After purchasing our tickets at the track - Dave scores a bootleg pass at €30 - we take lunch at the Bar Le PN Restaurant by the level-crossing at the top end of Arnage prior to the start of the 24 hours. Jack retrieves a rucksack left there the year before. We watch the start of the race from the Porsche curves before cycling to the ACO clubhouse to meet Matthew Marsh, 2007 race competitor, for a brief chat. Back to Spay and Saturday evening at the Cafe de la Gare, an old tram stop. The younger element walk to the track and back - about 8 miles - and reappear in the small hours. Sunday we head to Mulsanne for the now traditional end of the race which finished this year at 15:00. Overall the race does not seem to be buzzing with spectators by comparison, although 250,000 are claimed by the ACO and the standard of actual racing is well up. Radio Le Mans continues its sad decline - the dreary Geordie proving unlistenable with the usual advertorial blather.
We leave for the Coeur de Lion B&B at Brionne which we reach in good order with plenty of time in hand. Pre-dinner drinks in the bars of the town. Supper at our usual pizzeria was not quite up to snuff compared to previous years and we resolve to try the creperie next year. After a more than adequate breakfast we depart for Calais, via Rouen. The satnav lady guides us through the morning traffic as we cross the Seine on the last leg of the tour. There are clear glimpses of Blighty with the White Cliffs of Dover from the the French motorway. The usual lunch at Flunch at Cité Europe, good value, followed by supermarket shopping. I research the price of cassis at Carrefour and purchase a couple of bottles for good measure. Back to Kent via the tunnel after a short delay, loaded with booty in cardboard boxes.

Plus points: superb cycling, no serious breakdowns, live-music [Kyla on best form yet].
Downsides: price of admission at Le Mans continues to climb at €62 for Enceinte Générale; Radio Le Mans; rudeness at L'Etoile d'Or in Gacé [best avoided]. Greatly increased prices in France due to Euro inflation.
Overall: A classic race in mixed weather conditions. A fifth Audi victory in a row. A well-organized tour.

It is that time of year

Fifty-five Le Mans entries for Le Circuit de la Sarthe. Entry list here.

Heading for Daytona

Tomorrow I'm leaving a snowy Toronto behind and flying down to Florida for the Daytona sportcar race this weekend. Following his successful debut in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2007, Matthew Marsh will drive a Ferrari F430 in the Rolex Daytona 24 Hours at Daytona Beach, Florida on January 26/27, 2008.
He will be sharing car #56, a Ferrari 430, with reigning FIA GT champion Thomas Biagi, Christian Montanari from Italy and Spaniard Luis Monzon. The car will be run by the Italian Mastercar team.
Matthew will share the track with NASCAR stars Juan Pablo Montoya, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and AJ Allmendinger. Last year's Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti is also in the field, along with Dan Wheldon and Alex Lloyd. Helio Castroneves, a two-time Indy 500 champion and winner of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" in November is also entered. Watch out also for Andy Wallace and Milka Duno – both stars of my smart car to Le Mans film.
The race will start on Saturday January 26th at 1:30 pm with qualifying held on Thursday January 24th. Matthew drove car #83 at the 2007 Le Mans, a Ferrari 430 GT of the GPC team, which retired after 21 hours.

You can follow the progress of the event here: http://www.matthewmarsh.net/
I will be blogging live from the circuit.

Plan B at Le Mans

Depart Lewes at 06:05 for Little Common with Nigel Lewis and Richard Banks in a Ford Mondeo 2 litre Zetec estate. Listening to Terry Garoghan, with his Brighton comic songs; magpies and rabbits by the roadside. Arrive at Jack Kellett's and transfer to 2003 Mercedes 'V' Class diesel. Quick look at Porsche 911/964 Targa in the garage. Pick up Tim Pepper at Bexhill.
Arrive at Channel Tunnel at 07:25 after 50 miles with the sun trying to break through. Avoid the Cheriton Services rip-off, with juice and croissant kindly supplied by Jack. Listening to Dave Edmunds "Sweet Little Lisa" with Albert Lee on guitar. Depart 08:25 with more music - Willie Nelson, Steve Forbert, Danny Gatton as we emerge from the tunnel. Lose an hour, watches forward.
Lunch at Restaurant Le Berbère in Neufchatel-en-Bray. Set lunch €11.50, total bill €84. France seems diminished without the Franc.
A serious navigational error has us going round in a circle and back to where we started. We then get the hammer down via Rouen on the motorway to Gacé. Heavy rain sees us abandoning plans for camping and we check into a Chambre d’Hôte, Castel Morphee, at 2 rue de Lisieux. Beer in the sun at the Bar de La Poste in the Place de la Libération after supermarket shopping. I chose a Pinot de Charente to start the picnic. We sat under a balcony at the hotel and had a jolly meal, despite the intermittent rain. We withdrew indoors when it got cold to play pool with coffee and calvados. The boys drink Irish Paddy Whiskey and are regretting it next day. In bed by midnight. The rooms in the quaint hotel had names - mine was Reverie. Splendid continental breakfast in the Salle a manger, looking forward to the France-Ouest newspaper. Gacé, a traditional stop on the tour: the more we stay here, the more we get to like it.
The 'V' Class has suffered from a pneumatic failure in the rear suspension. We call out the emergency service via England which arrives promptly at our rendezvous in the Place de la Libération. Arnaud, the driver, rapidly transfers us to the M-B dealer in Alençon. So no Folding-Bike Tour de Normandie or blow-out lunch at the Restaurant Tahiti. Quel chagrin!
We take lunch at McDonalds in Alençon as Dave Roadway, tour counterpart, catches up with us in his Toyota Avensis diesel. He presents our apologies at the Restaurant Tahiti, on a quick pitstop prior to meeting us in Alençon. We are delayed at the dealers by the French two-hour lunch break at Normandie Etoile Automobiles but the wagon is fixed by 15:30. I photograph the new smart car and Renault Twingo while we wait.
We fill up with diesel in Spay and head to the campsite. By good fortune we are offered a chalet called "Mimosa" which is cheap but very cheerful. We get organised in time to cycle to Guecelard, to see old friend Pete Webber and the Kyla Brox band. The runners and riders are:

Jack Kellett, Brompton titanium 6-spd 2007, blue [Owner J. Kellett]
Rupert Lloyd Thomas, Brompton 3-spd 1997, red [Owner J. Kellett]
Richard Banks, Brompton 5-spd 2007, green [Owner J. Kellett]
Nigel Lewis, Pashley Fold-It 5-spd 1997 [Owner J. Kellett]
Neil Turpin, Raleigh RSW16 folder/compact c.1964, silver/grey, owner/rider
Bryan Hurt, Haro DX 2007 21-spd folding mountain bike, owner/rider
Dave Roadway, ancient Universal 3-spd, 1 gear working, red
Tim Pepper, Toreador 6-spd c.2006, black & red [Owner J. Kellett]

The cycle ride substitutes for the cancelled event in the morning - Nigel Lewis is man-of-the-match for his powerful efforts on the Pashley Fold-It, Dave Roadway gets best efforts on the Universal, while Jack Kellett and Richard Banks carry off the new teamwork award. Kyla Brox is already in full flow when we arrive and the live music is the best yet seen at the campsite. Kyla gives me a CD to play on Rocket FM.
Saturday morning we take breakfast at the Café Le Physa'lis in Spay and then we head to the track to meet Matt Baile and Colin Marsh who are supporting Matthew Marsh in his first Le Mans attempt in the Ferrari 430 #83. There is last minute angst over who gets to drive the car first.
We retreat to the Bar Le PN Restaurant by the level-crossing at the top end of Arnage for lunch prior to the start of the 24 hours. We are the only occupants of a large dining room in the back and we wonder where all the punters are. We cycle to Arnage curves for the start of the race where a bumper crowd gets first sight of the cars. After about ninety minutes we return to Spay for a barbecue on a brilliantly improvised stove consisting of bricks brought from England along with Woolworth's trays and some square drainage pipe scrounged at the site. The Thomas brothers appear in the red VW Lupo after a two-week camping trip. I'm bushed so retreat to the bar in Spay and watch the race on the big screen while the younger element return to the track. Richard Banks comes a cropper on his Brompton in the notorious culvert in the lane running alongside the garage bleu. While rather battered thank goodness there are no broken bones.
On sunday we derig and take the truck to Arnage where we unload the bikes for the Porsche curves. No sign of the Ferrari #83. Rain is ever threatening and we sprint back to Bar Le PN Restaurant just before the heavens open. We sit under the awnings outside while prodding the canvas periodically as gallons of water pours from above. The race goes under the safety car at the end and we abandon any idea of returning to the track. Audi win the race once more but without the crushing superiority of years gone by.
We drive through the centre of Le Mans and take the A28 north to Brionne. We search for a hotel without success until a stop at the Restaurant du Havre for drinks turns up digs at Le Coeur de Lion run by a young Scottish couple by the lake. €21 each including breakfast, highly recommended. We reserve a table for ten at the Restaurant Don Camillo, known to us from years past. Next morning via Bourg-Achard and the Pont de Brotonne to the motorway, listening to Kevin Ayers and Françoise Hardy on the road to Calais. Lunch at Flunch at Cité Europe at Cocquelles and the train through the tunnel.

Plus points: Good digs, cycling, live music, camaraderie.
Downsides: Lousy weather, no cycling in Normandy, no Restaurant Tahiti, Cheriton prices [again], Radio Le Mans [again].
Overall: Weather failed to dampen our spirits.

Ambition achieved: Matthew Marsh at the 75th Le Mans

Achieving the ambition of a lifetime, Matthew Marsh will be racing in the Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time. The Ferrari 430 GT of the Italian GPC Sport team has the current driver line-up of Matthew Marsh [Hong Kong], Carl Rosenblad [Sweden] and Jesus Villarroel [Spain]. Marsh started the build-up to the big race at the test day today, completing 12 laps and pre-qualifying for the race. He has previous experience at the circuit having competed in the Le Mans Classic.

Matthew has guested on the drivetime show on Rocket FM, the cult Sussex radio station, talking about his outstanding achievements in racing Porsche cars in Asia and elsewhere. He specializes in the classic tracks including an appearance in the Porsche Carrera Cup at the Monaco Grand Prix. Last year he finished tenth, and second in class, in the Nurburgring 24 hour race held on the famous Nordschleife circuit.

He will once again race in Germany the week-end before Le Mans thus competing in two 24 hour events on successive week-ends. Coming back from injury after a high-speed crash in Macau at the end of last season we wish him well in these two Grand Prix d’endurance. Watch out for the Ferrari at Le Mans with the Bauhinia, the flower that symbolises Hong Kong, on the roof.

Vorsprung mit Audi

Depart Lewes 05:35 in the Audi A3 2.0 litre turbo FSI quattro sportback. Is this a clue to the winner of this year's Le Mans twenty-four hour race? We'll soon find out. After wrong slotting at Little Common we arrive at Jack's house to meet up with our tour leader.
We park the Audi and I board the Mercedes 'V' class in my now customary front passenger seat and Dave Roadway joins the tour with his Toyota Avensis diesel.
We pick up Tim and Darren at Brede and arrive at the Channel Tunnel at 07:48 for an 08:29 departure. We are behind a black Corvette C5 in the queue for the
car-carrying train. There are plenty of other exotic cars joining the exodus for Le Mans. We grab a coffee at the terminus at Cheriton - an eye-watering £2.35 for a 12oz coffee and pass on a croissant at £1.65. Rip-off Britain lives.
There is a short delay on the train as they have to manually wind down the shutters due to a fault. While aboard we receive a free Audi gift pack which includes a copy of Autosport and a radio. We are listening to Danny Gatton, the king of the telecaster, as we emerge from the tunnel courtesy of an I-Pod shuffle loaded with Jack's vast collection of music. We make a quick pitstop on the other side for gas at "Bonjour" where I purchase a croissant for €1 (70 pence). We rendez-vous with Dave at Aire des deux caps - he is achieving 46 mpg on the highway. Enjoying Rosanne Cash and "Seven Year Ache."
Lunch at Abbeville, the plat du jour at the "C'est la Vie" Bar-Brasserie in the Rue Boucher de Perthes - a stop on the 2003 tour - but not as good the second time around. Much conversation about past trips to Pau and Croix-en-Ternois. The navigator (me) snoozes after lunch and we make a navigational error wrong-slotting toward Amiens. We are soon back on track and cross the Pont de Brotonne - there is no longer a toll to cross the bridge. We turn right through the Foret de Brotonne to Pont Audemer. We reconnoitre Orbec and deem it a good stop for the return journey. We arrive for overnight stop at Gacé at 18:00 in time to watch the football at the Bar Chez Roland: England 2, Trinidad & Tobago 0. Roland dispenses free snacks, unlike some British pubs that are charging for entrance.
Back at the campsite and the Tesco and Sainsbury's instant barbecues are letting us down. Neil struggles to cook the sausages while Richard improvises a bellows with a bike pump. Another rip-off. Dave Roadway produces a spare z-bed and I get a decent nights kip in the self-erecting tent. We are back chez Roland for al fresco breakfast under the sun umbrella with sweet peas growing up the trellises.
Back to the campsite for the start of the annual Folding-Bike Tour de Normandie. The entrants are in two classes for bikes with gears and those without:

GEARS

Jack Kellett, 1997 Brompton L3
Rupert Lloyd Thomas, c2000 Brompton L5
Bryan Hurt, 1970's Universal 3 spd (Polish design)
Dave Roadway, 2005 Dahon, 26" wheels, 16 gears, gripshift, personal import from U.S.
Richard Banks, 1998 Pashley Fold-It, 5 spd with drum brakes

NO-GEARS

Neil Turpin, c1966 Raleigh SW16 ¾ size (Sturmey-Archer gears defunct)
Darren Batchelor, late 90's Bugatti Royal of Chinese origin
Tim Watts, 60s Dingo from Italy, integral monocoque construction


NON-STARTER

Roger Still, Brompton L5 5spd

We head out past the old Gacé station which has broken windows and is surrounded by an old scrapyard full of tractors and backhoes. Trains have not stopped here for some time. There is a splendid café across the street for a later pitstop. Darren Batchelor wins the 'man-of-the-match' award for the long climb of the col following the station hairpin. He gets the best from the Bugatti Royal with a cadence dictated entirely by the single-gear machine, the yellow bike handled memorably by Nigel Lewis and Tim Pepper in previous years. Darren said "I just carried on when others stopped. I set my sights on the top of the hill and went for it."
Bryan Hurt wins the Best Efforts award, reacquainting himself with a bike on the tricky hills of Normandy. On the long descent we spot an old man in a gunmetal Citroën 2CV with beret, and he gives a cheery wave as he heads up the hill.
We return via the Café de la Gare where a splendid old lady serves us drinks. We derig at the campsite after completing 6½ miles, and burning 400 calories.
A quick drink at L'Etoile d'Or is spoilt by hostile service so we find another bar nearby who want to take our money. Soon it is time to join Le Patron, Madelaine and Simone for lunch at the Restaurant Tahiti. The usual warm welcome and a blowout set lunch for €110 for eight, including copious wine and the tip. They set a standard which is hard to match later in the tour. The race crowd are thinner on the ground than usual, perhaps by-passing Gacé on the newly-opened motorway.
We take the motorway to Spay, within cycling distance of the Le Mans track, but curiously cannot find our intended campsite by the river, and end up on the municipal site in Spay - £5 for two nights each on a big pitch by a pond. [Domaine du Houssay, Rue d'Arnage, Spay. email: camping-spay@wanadoo.fr]
In the evening we ride to Guécelard to visit friends running a campsite. They have two live bands with the Kyla Brox Band opening the show. Recently featured on the Paul Jones blues show on Radio 2 they are the real deal. Another act to play on Rocket FM in the autumn. We return to Spay in the dark down the back lanes. We breakfast at the Café Le Physa'lis: rather strange ham and eggs something like an English breakfast. We ride to the track and watch two Brit victories in the Le Mans support classic car races. Radio Le Mans, sadly in decline, ignores these races favouring advertorial blather over proper reporting. Bring back Titchmarsh. Lunch in Arnage at the Bar Restaurant "La Croix de Paris", €10 per head including wine. We cycle to the Arnage curves for the start of the race and then back to the campsite for an evening nap.
The Joest-Audi R10 TDI with the diesel engine is heading for the race victory and we take the van back to the circuit for a couple of hours spectating opposite the pits in the fading light. The crowd is quite thin compared to some years and the newbies get a good view, helped by the giant Diamondvision screens. The Charlatans are somewhat improbably playing a gig next to the track.
On Sunday morning the Café Le Physa'lis is not open as advertised so after a couple of croissants we adjourn to Arnage for coffee and juice. We cycle to the Porsche curves via Maison Blanche. We stop by to see 'The Chef' in his RV, camped in a front garden, where we have stayed in years gone by. We return to the campsite to pack after a pitstop at the boulangerie in the Avenue de la Liberte in Arnage. We are exchanging instant messages with Matthew Marsh in Germany, as he drives to tenth place in the Nurburgring 24 Hours. As the bikes are packed away we have completed 40 miles using 2400 calories.
We drive to Mulsanne for an expensive lunch and watch the race on the big screen in the bar - some of the party take a last look live at Mulsanne Corner before we head up the motorway to Orbec. We walk in to town but most places are closed on a Sunday night. We choose the Restaurant l'Orbecquoise with good food and hit-and-miss service. The apple sorbet with calvados was a highlight. The town seems geared to an English holiday clientele. Unfortunately a thunder storm washes a couple of our tents out and I end up sleeping in the van. Next morning we drive into town for a quick breakfast and rapid sight-seeing. Certainly a place worth a second visit. The ex-Guy Ligier Ford France GT40 is revving in the high street searching for 98-octane gas, on the way back to Blighty.
We are back on the motorway to Rouen but detour via the Pont de Brotonne on encountering signs saying "24H DU MANS - CIRCULATION DIFFICILE." Jack switches
on the cruise control and we head for Calais, stopping at Abbeville for gas. Lunch at Flunch at Cité Europe and last minute shopping. Total cost of trip £178 plus race ticket and personal spends making for a grand total per person of around £300. Through the new self-service check-in for the tunnel and back in Bexhill having covered 700 miles round trip.
Plus points: more cycling, less excessive drinking, no breakdowns (bikes or vehicles), faster roads when required, live-music, bike-friendly track, historic diesel victory.
Downsides: thunderstorm, Cheriton prices, racetrack prices, dud barbecues, Radio Le Mans, noisy at Spay on the Friday.
Overall: Took Le Mans to new level.

Honda to sportscars

News of Honda going head-to-head with Porsche in the American Le Mans series in 2007. Is this part of a long-term plan to win the Le Mans 24 Hour race? Seems like a good way to go about it.

Le Mans or bust

I've just been Instant Messaging with Matthew Marsh on arrival in Istanbul, where the first round of the five-race Le Mans series takes place this week-end. He is negotiating for a drive in the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Seems the hardest part of competing at Le Mans is getting an entry.

Dr Diesel vindicated

After well over one hundred years the diesel engine reaches the front rank of motor racing. Multiple-winners Audi will compete in 2006 in the Le Mans 24 Hours at the circuit de la Sarthe with a diesel-engined contender, which must start the race as favourite. All credit to the ACO organisers for framing the rules to permit such experimentation. Much of racing has lost its glitter due to overly-restrictive rules stifling the creativity of the engineers. The Telegraph has the story.

Sussex wunt be druv

Looking forward to interviewing Matthew Marsh on the Drivetime Show on the phone in Hong Kong tomorrow. He is going to be talking about plans of the Hong Kong Le Mans team to race in the 24 hour race in June. Also look out for old pal Jack Kellett, Sussex musician, and long-time Le Mans fanatic on the show.
Good to see Eric Eggleston and Pete Webber in the Rocket FM guestbook.
Anybody can have a go so please sign in and let us know what you think.
Partying last night as my mum and dad celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary - 60 years! Good to have a break after the first week on Rocket - ahead is a brutal week with the Drivetime Show weekdays and the Bonfire Show next Saturday plus BBC Southern Counties Radio in Brighton on Friday morning from 07:00. Thanks to Dilly Barlow for sourcing "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs - the top selling single in the US in 1963 - and recorded in the Norman Petty Recording Studios in Clovis, New Mexico. The Brylcreem boys were hot before the British invasion changed everything.

Le Mans 2005 - phew what a scorcher!

Depart Lewes 05:50 on Thursday morning in a Ford Focus, arrive Little Common, switch to Mercedes V Class, pick up the rest of the party in Bexhill. To Channel Tunnel via Hastings seafront, Winchelsea and Rye. Quick trip through the tunnel and we are departing Calais at 10:15 local time - pitstop for gas and a sandwich. Ogling Lamborghinis and other exotica.
A car is overturned in the other lane as we head south-west past Boulogne and Abbeville (a stop on previous tours). Much Brit traffic on the road to Rouen. Across the Somme listening to John Prine and Georgie Fame. Midday at the junction for Rouen-Le Havre - we take the northern route arriving Yvetot at 12:30 for lunch. Get some Euros out of a cash machine and lunch at the Hotel du Havre - €119.75 for a party of five. South across the Pont-de-Brotonne to Pont Audemer, to recce a campsite for the return leg, which we decide is not inspiring. Then via delightful fast 'D' roads to Gacé, arriving 16:30 in bright sunshine. Shopping at the Intermarché, in the Rue de Cisau, followed by a barbecue at the Camping Municipal, which is in a convenient central location. Up next morning for the now traditional bike ride in the Normandy countryside. We experience the usual mechanical maladies - I am riding brother Andy's red Brompton L5 folder and am taking it easy. We climb up a steep hill and have a long descent before returning to town via a long flat stretch along the main road - I pick up a tow from Richard Banks on the Fold-It. A Brompton L3, a mid-70's Universal and the infamous "Bugatti Royal", a gearless Chinese contraption, follow behind.
We derig at the campsite in short order in time for an early lunch at the Restaurant Tahiti - we sing happy birthday for Simone, who works there, in what is becoming an annual event. I am sleeping in an American-made self-erecting tent which is spring loaded - stand back while it puts itself up!
We depart for La Suze sur Sarthe, a delightful small town in the valley of the Sarthe and a short drive from the circuit. We shop in town and have a beer in the town square. The campsite, by the river, has a splendid little café - "La Suzeraine" - which serves an excellent omelette breakfast at reasonable prices. An evening visit to friends running a campsite at Guécelard proves diverting with the rock band warming up the racegoers and the management wondering if the beer will run out. The hospitality is warm and we kill a few cans.
Next morning we depart for Arnage using local knowledge to dodge the grid-locked traffic. We park in a side road and unload the bikes. Up to the circuit passing lines of traffic to sort out tickets and then back to Arnage for a relaxing lunch.
Unfortunately the "Bugatti Royal" folding bike picks up a puncture which defies attempts to mend it. We vow to carry spare tubes in future. We head to Mulsanne for the start of the 24 hour race - it is more crowded than I have seen it in blazing hot conditions. The Pescarolo cars make the early pace. We opt for an afternoon nap at La Suze followed by the evening at the Arnage curves. An exotic kit-car rips out the sump and oilpump entering the circuit car park. We have a Chipo-Frite supper washed down with chilled Cote du Rhone. We move on to the Garage Vert inside the circuit and the boys go walkabout while I stay with the van, with Radio Le Mans and a bottle of Rosé for company.
Sunday morning and it is time to derig already - we opt for croissants at La Suzeraine then back to Mulsanne for the race finish. We watch the race on the big TV in the bar for a spell. It is still too hot to be outside for long - I can feel my legs burning. Audi are wrapping up another race victory with teutonic efficiency - Tom Kristensen cruising to his seventh victory along with JJ Lehto and Marco Werner. By the 16:00 finish we are already rolling, listening to the end on the radio, and head up the N138, running the gauntlet of the speed cops who are pulling over hapless Brits with sickening regularity.
We take to the backroads to Bourg-Achard, our stop for the night and venue for the end-of-tour dinner. We dine at the "Le Fleur de Sel" creperie, €40 per head, with a generous helping of Calvados. On arrival Bourg-Achard lacked the charm of the many towns and villages traversed on the way north but the campsite at "Le Clos Normand" proved shady and the restaurant most acceptable. We linger next morning breakfasting at "Le Bistrot Gourmand" on the pavement in the main street. A short hop back across the Pont-de-Brotonne and we take the autoroute to Calais arriving at Cité Europe at 01:15. Lunch at Flunch and some quick shopping and back in Folkestone at 15:40 local time. Overall the timetabling and arrangements worked well, reflecting many years experience travelling to La Sarthe, but with temperatures in the 30's spectating was curtailed. No matter as the atmosphere was as good as ever and there is always next year.

Hong Kong revs up for Le Mans

A Hong Kong team is poised to make history by flying the bauhinia flag at the world’s greatest sports car race – the Le Mans 24 Hours.



It will be the first time ever that a car owned and sponsored by SAR companies and piloted by Hong Kong drivers has gone wheel to wheel with the world’s best in the famous endurance classic.

The ambitious HK$12 million project is being spearheaded by Hong Kong driver and reigning Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia champion Matthew Marsh.

“It’s all systems go – we have an agreement for the car, we have secured the bulk of the sponsorship and we are in the process of finalising the three-man driving team,” Marsh told the South China Morning Post.

“We intend to prove that Hong Kong can compete on the world stage. It is an enormous challenge, but we have the drive, the ambition and the talent to succeed.”

Marsh’s team, Noble Group-GruppeM Racing, will be driving a Porsche GT3 RSR with a distinctive yellow, white and red livery that features a large bauhinia on the roof.

Marsh expects to announce his two co-drivers within the next few weeks. Those in the frame include Hong Kong racing legend Charles Kwan Siu-cheung, current Formula BMW Asia champion Marchy Lee Ying-kin, Hong Kong-based Porsche driver Darryl O’Young, Chinese racing sensation Tung Ho-pin and Macau driver Andre Couto, who finished second last year in the Japan GT Championship.

Marsh is hopeful former Porsche champion Kwan will put off retirement plans to be involved in the most exciting project in the history of Hong Kong motorsport.

The duo teamed up successfully in a Ferrari for last November’s FIA GT season-ending race at Zhuhai and Marsh is anxious to renew the partnership. “Charles would bring invaluable driving ability and experience to the team,” he said. “I’m hoping the Le Mans campaign will stoke his competitive fires to such a degree that he can’t resist joining us!”

The road to Le Mans will begin with four races this year in the Le Mans Endurance Series in Europe – each event is 1,000km and lasts about six hours – followed by a trip to the 12 Hours of Sebring race in Florida next March. Good results in those five outings will be enough to secure an invitation to the Le Mans 24 Hours in June 2006.

The project has been made possible by the support and enthusiasm of two Hong Kong companies – Noble Group and the William E Connor Group – and the Chinese-owned GruppeM Racing team.

Noble Group, a global commodities firm, has been heavily involved in motorsport since 2001, when it joined forces with the GR Asia team at the Macau Grand Prix. Most famously, the Noble Group-GR Asia Honda touring car driven by Simon Harrison challenged BMW for victory in the Guia race of 2003.

“We are delighted to be a part of the Le Mans project which will make history for Hong Kong and Chinese motorsport," said Noble Group CEO Richard Elman. "It's a logical extension of our continuing involvement at Macau. We look forward to flying the flag for Hong Kong at Le Mans and showing the world that Hong Kong-style initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship can compete with the very best.”

GR Asia owner and Hong Kong shipbroker Tim Huxley, who was instrumental in bringing Marsh’s team together, added: “This is more than just a race, it's a massive adventure which we hope all Hong Kong's sports car enthusiasts will get behind.

“Our priority has been to been to put together the most competitive and professional package possible, and we believe we have achieved that. Over the course of this year, the team will gain the experience and credibility to do the job at Le Mans next June.”

The William E Connor Group, one of the world's largest privately held
trading firms dealing in consumer goods and commodities, is the team patron.

CEO William E “Chip” Connor, in addition to being an avid racer of vintage cars and a participant in this year’s Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia series, was team principal in Barron Connor Racing, which last year fielded two Ferrari 575GTCs in the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Le Mans Endurance Series, finishing second in the GTS class. Connor brings to the team support, experience and the Porsche GT3 RSR which the team will use.

The car will be prepared and run by UK-based GruppeM Racing – one of only two teams worldwide to carry Porsche “factory supported” status and winners of last year’s British GT Championship.

"We are honoured to be so closely involved in this project – it will be good to make a little bit of history," said GruppeM Racing owner Kenny Chen, a Taiwanese-born property developer who has lived in the UK for the past 20 years.

Marsh, a 14-year Hong Kong resident, has endurance racing credentials. He helped drive a BMW Z3 M to finish top of its class, and fifth place overall, in Australia’s Bathurst 24 Hours in 2002 and was part of a three-man team that piloted a BMW M3 to second in its class at Germany’s famous Nurburgring 24 Hours in 2000.

"Le Mans is the ultimate test for a sports car driver," said the 36-year-old Briton. “It will be a dream come true for me personally but, more importantly, it will be a team effort. This project will put Hong Kong motorsport in the global spotlight.”

Most in France

Fantastic trip to France - flew to Nantes from Gatwick on BA and picked up Citroen C2 rental car - spent the first night in Ibis hotel at La Roche sur Yonne. Visited the Musee Automobile at Talmont-St Hilaire in the Vendee next morning, with picnic lunch, and then to La Rochelle where we spotted a Chiasson bicycle shop - tracing the Mrs's name and the Acadian connection became a theme of the trip. Hot and bothered in the traffic at La Rochelle so continued south to Chatelaillon for two nights. Took the bus into La Rochelle (1 euro, 20 each) which took half an hour and freed us from parking tickets and breathalyser tyranny. Visited the Musee de Nouveau Monde, near the Place Verdun, which was more of an art gallery but yielded more Chiasson discoveries and a recommendation to visit Brouage later in the tour. Visited the market area and had a good lunch at the Teatro Bettini-Accademia in the Rue Thiers, pasta with vin de maison, beginning to get in the holiday mood. A stroll round the Vieux Port, where musicians were going through the sound check for an evening concert, and caught the bus back at the magnificent railway station. Stopped off in Chatelaillon Plage to do some shopping, pleasant sitting on the boulevard under the trees sipping a drink and watching the motorhomes arriving from points north. Next morning we backtracked to photograph the Chiasson bicycle store and then set off south for Brouage, a mediaeval walled city in the salt marshes and home port of Samuel Champlain. There was an outdoor Acadian Exhibition which consisted of large waterproof photos, with captions, displayed on the ramparts - surprisingly effective. We'd already booked into a hotel at nearby Marennes so after an al fresco lunch and a walk around the city walls we headed for the Isle d'Oloron and Saint-Trojan-les-Bains. Here I couldn't resist the train touristique, a narrow-gauge diesel train which took you through the pine forest and down to the sea. Parts of the forest had been destroyed in a great storm in 1999 - the train driver explained that what the wind didn't get the salt finished off. We photographed stands of dead pine trees - the good news is the forest is regenerating - as it will.
Marennes felt closed on our return and we just managed to get a sandwich in a bar while the patron brought the tables in from outside. There were pictures of Johnny Hallyday all round the walls. I had to re-open the bar when we got back to the Hotel Le Commerce - faintly scandalised the barman by demanding beer after nine o'clock when the dining room was still in full flow. Sat in the foyer gargling before turning in. This hotel turned out to be the bargain of the trip at less than 45 euro for bed and breakfast for two. Next morning we diverted into the marshes where we saw storks, herons, stilts and egrets - we were heading for La Tremblade and the Train des Mouettes (the seagull line), a steam train that follows the Seudre estuary. It seemed fairly newly-opened as none of the stations had name boards and there were no souvenir shops. Signboards boasted of state and EU money - a sort of dirigiste tour paid for by Brussels, a state-directed jolly. Doubtless they are wasting their money on worse projects than this - anyway if there is a subsidy going might as well have the benefit. Turns out the train is operated by Connex - I shudder - which explains the lack of commercial nous. Nonetheless we had an open carriage to ourselves in both directions - the ride took a bit over an hour one way - and we had a delightful view of the estuary and the backs of the houses with their large veggie gardens. The French countryside seemed blessed with fields of sunflowers blowing in the breeze. All for 12 euro each.
In the afternoon we drove on to Saintes where we visited the Roman Amphitheatre - a snip at one euro per head - and made an overnight stop. What did the Romans do for us anyway? Next day through the vineyards to Cognac - we stopped off in a small village at the bibliotheque where we checked our email. No charge. We diverted down by the Charente where I helped a rather clueless family with their hireboat through the lock. From there to Angouleme for two nights at the Hotel de France, part of the Mercure chain, where I had stayed some years before. Right in the centre of town on the hill with underground parking and views of the surrounding countryside this marked the southern point of our tour. We splurged 103 Euro per night but breakfasted round the corner for about one third the hotel price. We needed to regroup by now so it was off to the launderette - which turned out to be a comedy of errors as the soap-dispenser kept jamming and more and more disgruntled punters arrived to find they could not do their washing. We explored the town more thoroughly than in the past - there are lots of good restaurants within a short distance - and saved the best till last with coffee at Les Halles, the beautifully restored market opposite the hotel, on the morning of our departure. We headed north via the Val de Vienne, lunching at the racing circuit at Le Vigeant and stopping at Chauvigny where they have the intriguing Velo-Rail - a sort of pedalo that goes along an old railway line - unfortunately it was raining so the line was hors-de-combat.
We called in at the old Acadian settlement at Archigny to discover that no Chiassons were here and continued on to the Acadian Museum in the Pays Loudunais - our gushing guide was so eager to tell us everything about the district I thought we'd never get away - she certainly was a credit to her calling - I was getting twitchy as we needed to find somewhere to stay and get fed. We arrived at Loudun about seven o'clock and headed straight to the Hotel Renaudot - another snip at 48 euro for bed and breakfast for two. A sign in the lift directed us to a pizza restaurant round the corner so our bacon was saved.
To Guecelard via the Loire valley and four nights under canvas - our friends run a campsite here chiefly for the Le Mans 24 hours but open at other times. They have kindly set up a tent for us so we are all set. The chef goes out of his way to make sure the Mrs is supplied with veggie meals. We pal up with Malcolm Cambridge who is a motor-racing nut on tour from New Zealand.
The Le Mans Classic is a retrospective race meeting for old Le Mans race cars - it is pleasantly laid back compared with the 24 hours. You can watch from Arnage and Mulsanne without buying a ticket - but we get the full set at 30 euro each as we wish to meet friends in the paddock. We promptly bump into Angelo Barretto, driving a Porsche 906, from Manila - an old chum from the Macau Grand Prix. I also succeed in tracking down Mauro Bianchi, 1966 Macau GP winner, and Anil Thadani driving a Ferrari 275 GTB out of Singapore.
One morning we sneak off to La Suze-sur-Sarthe - town square, bibliotheque, hotel, small super, a couple of bars with the river nearby, easy free parking and mouth-watering real estate at affordable prices. What's not to like?
After leaving the campsite we explore down the Sarthe and stop off at Malicorne, famous for its earthenware. There is an old station with the rusty tracks still there - trains haven't run here for years - I am already opening a tourist railroad in my head. We follow the tracks to Mazeray where the old station is now a private house. Out into Brittany and we are running into British tourists, not encountered further south. We stop off at Chateaubriant at the three-star Le Chateaubriant hotel, comfortable with secure parking at 86 euro for b&b. We head for a Vietnamese Restaurant, always a treat in France, where the Brits at the next table are demanding chicken and chips. I try out what is left of my limited Vietnamese which is well received and a complementary rice wine comes up at the end of the meal - big face all round.
Next morning to Loheac which has a car museum - this is a cracker, much better than anticipated, something of a hidden gem. There is almost too much to take in in one go but the Alpines and Panhards catch our eye. We try for a late lunch at the local restaurant where they say they have no omelettes but I look downcast and they relent. Menu fatigue is setting in.
We reach Nantes in the late afternoon and head smartly for tourist information to track down the Rue des Acadiens which has murals of the departure (and arrival) of the deported Acadians as they set off for New Orleans. We stop at the ubiquitous Ibis, 57.50 euro including parking and dine in the Rue Jean Jaures at a Pizzeria for 34.35 euro. Driving in Nantes is a nightmare - you are better off on the tram which we caught back to the hotel. Up early next morning to see the murals and have breakfast at a street cafe - buy your own croissants at the patisserie across the street. Sort the car out and head out of town to Ste-Luce-sur-Loire where we have delicious galettes to round off the tour. Time to gas the car, hand it back and check-in at the airport. All good things must come to an end.

Le Mans 2003

After planning to take the Smart car to France, possibly to Pau, I canned the whole idea and opted for the luxury of the Mercedes 'V' class of my friend Jack for the annual trip to Le Mans. Being a passenger has its attractions and I rode up front on the tour.
As has become the custom we packed an assortment of folding bikes for the trip anticipating a ride in the lanes of Normandy and trips from bar to track at the races.
I overnighted with Jack on the Wednesday and he took me for a spin in his Honda Insight, his hybrid electric daily-driver used for commuting from Sussex to Gatwick Airport. His Brompton folding bike rides in the back and he boards the Gatwick Express train for Victoria station and a short bike ride to the office in London. I was impressed by the lively performance and handling of the Honda which coupled with the economy makes it an ideal long distance commuter. The car is three years old with 72,500 miles on the clock and is the highest mileage example he has come across.
We arrived at Folkestone at 08:15 to a scramble at services with long queues - managed to grab an orange juice - and we reached Sangatte via the tunnel at 10:08. We stopped over at Abbeville for the plat du jour at the "C'est la Vie" Bar-Brasserie in the Rue Boucher de Perthes. Stuck in traffic approaching Rouen we take a deviation on the S2, slow moving as we approach the Seine crossing. Listening to Pat Metheny on the stereo in the 'V' Class.
We reach the camping municipal at Gacé late afternoon and I struggle to put up the Swiss 'Outwell' tent - it is easy when you know how. Time for a quick beer at the Bar de la Poste "Chez Patricia" followed by Toulouse sausages and Cote du Rhône.
Next morning we pack up and Jack marshals us for a bike trip with modern Bromptons, a sixties Raleigh RSW16 and a "Bugatti Royal" Chinese folder. A circular route on rural roads is punctuated at the rural Hotel du Relais at St Evroult de Montfort. We all choose Orangina - it is too hot and we're too thirsty for alcohol. A long climb follows which sorts out the men from the boys.
We are back in Gacé for lunch - time for a quick beer at the L'Etoile d'Or where the classic car crowd are gathering with their expensive motors. Quickly on to the Restaurant Tahiti, an old favourite, for the set lunch. We sit outside this year and the cheeseboard and atmosphere is as good as ever.
We make good time to Guécelard south of Le Mans where friends have a campsite then on to our camping spot near the Porsche curves in the front garden of Monsieur Hamelin. Travelling via Arnage there are large crowds on the strip, some Brits making mischief squirting motorists with giant water pistols. We avoid the crowds by cycling to the Bar Restaurant "La Croix de Paris" - our old favourite the "Bar des Sports" has changed hands (and names) so it is time to move on.
Our new bar is by the level-crossing with two-car diesel SNCF trains zipping past and we are back there by bicycle for breakfast before eight o'clock and the boys help set up the tables on the pavement. A café grand crème is most welcome after a fitful night sleeping through fireworks and general partying.
After breakfast we cycle up to the office of the Automobile Club de L'Ouest to collect my membership card - we repair to the clubhouse to watch the Legends of Le Mans race - the weather has turned wet and a spell indoors is most welcome. Back outside and my bike punctures - it is a long walk back to the campsite. Thanks to the persistence of all concerned we mend four punctures - turns out I've been running the tyres drastically underinflated.
The weather turns hot and you cannot stay out in it for too long - the Bentley team starts to run away with the race, the only question being which of the two cars will reach the finish first. We all pile into the van for the evening at the Arnage Curves, the newbies among us are getting into the atmosphere.
Sunday we head for Mulsanne in scorching weather for lunch on the strip and a last look at the race - we head off around 15:30 the race already won by Bentley. A stop at Le Mele sur Sarthe is aborted as the Hotel de la Poste is closed. We press on to Brionne noting Police pulling over the race crowd on the N138. A check on our favourite pizza restaurant and it is booked out for a private party, we phone another place but no dice. After a very welcome shower Jack and I cycle into town and secure a table for nine at a creperie which turns out to be a very acceptable substitute and a fitting end to our French tour.
Next morning after coffee and croissants we head for Calais via the Pont de Brotonne, thereby avoiding Rouen - we have a salad lunch at Flunch in Cité Europe and head for the train back to Blighty.