SNAILS AROUND FRANCE

The Tourmalet, in the cloud

A TANDEM CYCLING TOUR AROUND THE WHOLE OF FRANCE

By: John Bosley

Retirement allowed us the time and space to plan and ride, unsupported, around the whole of France, just over 7,000 kilometres. The challenge started in May 2023 near Dunkirk, France; travelled anti-clockwise around France and eventually returned to Dunkirk in the middle of August, about 80 days later (a few people expected us to be back home after a few weeks, having failed). 

Start from home (a friend, David, joined us for the first week)

Kate has some visual impairment; consequently, this was to be on a tandem, and her Guide dog would be unable to join us, but she had me 24/7, which I think is a good deal. 

“That’s amazing. Do you take turns on the front?”!

Mont Saint-Michel

The first 30 days of cycling took us along the North and West coasts of France down to the border with Spain, where we turned left into the Pyrenees. Our pace slowed a little as the roads went sharply up, and the weather came sharply down until our next left turn at the Mediterranean. It wasn’t a great year for nice weather this year. Even a snail escaped the rain by hitching a 40km lift in my helmet! But we now met this year’s heatwave as we sped along the Mediterranean coastline to the border with Italy. It was time for another left turn into and over the Alps to Lake Geneva, and then, the weather was generally wet again, continuing North over the Jura mountains and then back West again to complete the circumnavigation. 

L’Iseran

Before you ask, no, we didn’t camp – basically, I booked accommodation ahead of the tour to provide us with reasonable comfort and a good night’s sleep each night – while emptying my retirement fund!

Mont Blanc from the Col de Joux Plan

If anyone wants to find out more, we have a Facebook page, Snails Around France  https://www.facebook.com/tandemride