Adam Ruck, The Daily Telegraph, October 16, 2014
Alan Johns writes
I wish to cycle from GB through France and Spain to Malaga. What would be my best route and how long should I allow for? I plan to go in October 2015. What budget accommodation is best and what bicycle would you recommend for the trip?
Adam Ruck, cycling expert, replies
You have said nothing about your priorities, so these suggestions are speculative, but I hope helpful. Route: Eurovelo Route 1, the Vélodyssey ( velodyssey.com ) follows the Atlantic coast of France, starting from Roscoff in western Brittany, served by Brittany Ferries ( brittanyferries.co.uk ) from Plymouth. If you prefer a different ferry crossing, plot a cycle route from your French port to Nantes using viamichelin.fr and join the Vélodyssey there.
The eurovelo routes through Spain are still on the drawing board. From the Spanish border at Hendaye I would go via Pamplona, Soria, Segovia, Toledo (avoiding Madrid), Ciudad Real and Cordoba. Provided you ask it in chunks of less than 200km at a time, viamichelin will suggest cycle routes on minor roads.
Accommodation: for France, velodyssey.com has information about bike-friendly accommodation. See also Logis Hotels ( logishotels.com ): those with a one-chimney rating are inexpensive and pretty reliable. To my knowledge there is no comparable organisation in Spain.
How long? The journey is about 1,300 miles: that’s three to four weeks’ cycling at 55-60 miles a day, plus two or three rest days. Adjust accordingly if you want to hurry or take it more slowly and see more along the way. Which bike? A solid touring bike, such as the Dawes Galaxy range, with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres.
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About Adam Ruck
Adam Ruck is the author of France on Two Wheels, published by Short Books (£8.99; france2wheels.com ).
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This article was written by Adam Ruck from The Daily Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
