Day out - Boulogne 25 August

[Andrew G]

Round 2 of Dueling Panniers?

I booked straight away as I thought even if it was just me it'd be a nice ride around down there. Really enjoyed the last little sodjourn to France for the day and it'll be nice being down in Boulogne - so long as the weather plays ball. For £20 I don't think it can be beaten for a different day out on the bike.

BTW if it's just the 2 of us is there any chance I could scrounge a lift to Dover?

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

I have scheduled to give Paul on a Pearson a lift .....if he;s still coming, otherwise, sure you can.

[Paul on the Pearson]

Yes I'm definately still coming along Paul. Ive booked the speed ferry.
Thanks again
Paul

[Andrew G]

Okay then that's 3 of us. Anyone else booked? I'll be driving now so have a space in the car.

[Marky Mark]

Have a good time you Gang..

[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2301/1806664188_6c12600a3e.jpg[/img]

[Andrew G]

Not at all my good man.

A great day out led by PVT. Speedferries to Boulogne-sur-mer which is only a 50 minute crossing and costs ten quid each way with a bike, bargain. If you do it and suffer from any form of travel sickness then pop a couple of pills though as being light with two narrow hulls you rock n' roll a bit.


We went down from Boulogne to le Touquet, stopping briefly at the Etaples cemetery for a couple of pics and wonder in awe at the sheer scale of just one of the war graveyards. In le Touquet we had some lunch before going across to Montreuil where we stopped for a coffee.

It's a nice little village which has a really rather rough cobbled road/hill that we went up and down a couple of times to shake any loose fillings free . Willie arrived as we were having a coffee to start setting up his fair. This involved wrestling enormous lorries with two trailers through a small village square. Lots of galic shrugs and things were moving, and so were we.

We now started to head back cutting up through Parenty, Samer and Carly along a lovely rolling valley road before dropping back in to Boulogne. We got a bit wet on some of the return run in but only fairly light and not enough to ruin the day. Just enough time for a croque monsier and myself to do a raid on a splendid fromage shop. A rack pack full of fromage, said sarnie accompanied by a beer later and back to the vomit comet (as the speed ferry is sometimes known apparantly) for the return to Blighty.

[url=http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/invitation/dashboard.mb?episodePk.pkValue=6609741]Garmin[/url] info which has a map of where we went - if you click on "Larger Map" then it'll open it up in Google Maps. There are some noodling around bits at either end when we rode round in a circle trying to find the road we wanted out of port, and then when I forgot to turn the Garmin off when we were looking for a sarnie vendor at the end.

Etaples Cemetery
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/1415ArchandgravesatEtaples.jpg[/img]

Cheerful looking bunch ain't we . (Bloke who took it caught us slightly unaware as he was taking it between dodging Willie's lorries)
[img]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n315/andrewgreen23/1423Agreeable3atcoffeestop.jpg[/img]

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Not much to add to . - shame you didn't have a Pearson though!!!

Great day out, run like clockwork. Parked all day for free in the station car-park as it was a bank-holiday - bargain!!

Priority boarding and embarkation both ways

French drivers were their usual courteous selves, even reversing out of our way so as not to impede progress of the Tunnell train, cheery waving form the Gendarmes on motorbikes and a gallic shrug as we passed a police car on a one-way street (we were going the wrong way looking for a restaurant!)

Food and beer was pretty good and widely available.

An enjoyable day out on the bike in France in great company - what more could one ask for?

Guru P

[Paul on the Pearson]

There's not too much to add to that. A great day out. Made a nice change to be passed by cars without drivers advising us to pay road tax etc. In fact they give you such a wide berth its not really worth shouting Car Up, even when riding 3 abreast you only get a polite little toot and you more often than not get a wave as they go by. A great day out was had by all, but beware, the Speed ferry may be quick, but whilst out on the high seas, in fact even whilst still in the harbour it can bounce about a bit.
Thanks again Paul for the lift and the French. All I can say is................

M. Mersault est dans le jardin avec du fromage et un poisson and theres not too many opportunities to use that.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

To rephrase...

M. est dans le jardin avec du fromage et un poisson caché dans son saddlebag and theres not too many opportunities to use that.

Guru P