Author Topic: Places for food along PBP route  (Read 7681 times)

Places for food along PBP route
« on: 21 July, 2019, 02:21:22 pm »
Before I start googling for every Carrefour and boulangerie along the PBP route has anyone ever produced a list of useful stopping points for provisions?  Especially important are those that might be open all hours. Thanks.

S

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Diesel

  • or Richard
Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #1 on: 21 July, 2019, 06:21:13 pm »
Hope you get some replies in this as it will be useful info - I've yet to find the first Wetherspoons that we'll pass...

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #2 on: 21 July, 2019, 07:26:02 pm »
Food queues at official PBP controls take *ages* that's why I always take a stove and an air rifle with me so that I can bag food along the way.
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #3 on: 21 July, 2019, 08:50:29 pm »
I have identifies the following places for possible food/shops based on 18:00 start on Sunday.
I have included the controls/food - rests stops

0   RAMBOUILLET
118   MORTAGNE-au-PERCHE                     
218   VILLAINES-la-JUHEL                         
273   Gorron
293   Le Loroux
307   FOUGERES                             
312   McDs/Supermarket
315   Romagne
337   Sens-de-Bretagne
352   Dinge
362   TINTENIAC                             
382   Medreac
388   QUEDILLAC                       
397   Saint-Meen-le-Grand
447   LOUDEAC                               
491   Saint-Nicolas-du-Pelem   
524   CARHAIX-PLOUGUER   
547   Huelgoat
576   Sizun
613   BREST - Lycee Kerichen       
620   Guipavas
632   Landerneau
650   Sizun
698   CARHAIX-PLOUGUER                       
720   Rostrenen
731   Gouarec
742   Saint-Nicolas                         
787   LOUDEAC                                 
848   QUEDILLAC                           
875   TINTENIAC                             
929   FOUGERES                         
943   Le Loroux
962   Gorron
978   Ambrieres-les-Vallees
989   Lassay-les-Chateaux
1001   Le Ribay
1019   VILLAINES-la-JUHEL                         
1040   Souge-le-Ganelon
1068   Courgains
1079   Mamers (Centre)
1104   MORTAGNE-au-PERCHE 
1181   DREUX                               
1226   ARRIVE                                                       
                 

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #4 on: 22 July, 2019, 07:01:21 am »
At many places there are informal foodstops along the route. Over the years I've made loads of waypoints in my Garmin where I'd seen and used foodspots. Some return each year (as the traditional crêpe spot in La Tannière), some don't return.
In general, don't be afraid, you'll find many along the route.

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
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Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #5 on: 22 July, 2019, 08:54:49 am »
The queues at the controls aren't so long
The route often goes through villages and towns with shops and cafes

In the middle of the night often the tabacs in villages are open at unusual hours during PBP

A few people offer roadside coffee from their houses, sometimes at late hours

Getting fed isn't a problem

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
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Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #6 on: 22 July, 2019, 08:57:22 am »
Food queues at official PBP controls take *ages* that's why I always take a stove and an air rifle with me so that I can bag food along the way.

+1 this.  Fill one bidon with wine for deglazing the pan                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #7 on: 22 July, 2019, 09:13:33 am »
Provided you're omnivorous, then you'll be fine.

Aside from the controls (where often there will be a faster option to grab a bagette if you don't want a full on sit down meal):

Plenty of villages will use the ride to raise funds and will have a tent with stuff.  All part of the fun at 2am is dancing and laughing with the locals (who, by that point, are way too pissed to be dealing with open flames and cooking but whatever).

Boulangeries on route - you need to get lucky as they may be picked bare, so don't rely on them; there are several not far off route.

Tabacs and so on.

Restaurants - again, maybe picked bare; but I have had some good formal dining experiences on PBP!

There are a few McDs not far off route.

But don't overplan it, make sure you've always got some bonk rations because the most rewarding and fun places to eat are those you can not predict - especially people's houses.

Many of my best food memories of PBPs are in people's gardens.


Obviously, if you are not omnivorous, then plan for your own requirements.

But so long as you have some bonk rations, you'll always find somewhere soon enough - even if it's the adventure of being led into someone's back yard for the most delicious bread and butter with jam I'd ever had in my life.
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

bairn again

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #8 on: 22 July, 2019, 09:24:36 am »

But so long as you have some bonk rations, you'll always find somewhere soon enough - even if it's the adventure of being led into someone's back yard for the most delicious bread and butter with jam I'd ever had in my life.
:thumbsup:

Last time I was somewhere between Carhaix and Loudeac on the way back and was struggling a bit.   I was invited into a house to join the family of five for dinner, a lovely coq au vin dish followed by crème brulee with a ceremonial measure of wine.   

My French was only a little better than the childrens English but we chatted away.

The father said that he hoped that the meal would help me find the strength to finish.   

I wasn't any faster afterwards but it was 30 minutes very well spent. 


Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #9 on: 22 July, 2019, 10:34:05 am »
Obviously, if you are not omnivorous, then plan for your own requirements.

That's why it'd be nice to have a list of predictable food sources near the route (supermarkets etc). You can't carry bonk rations for four days, and relying on something to just turn up if you have specific requirements is madness.

I guess a starting point would be having a backup for each control - what's the next place to get food if you turn up and there's a massive queue and nothing looks edible (to you) anyway?

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #10 on: 22 July, 2019, 11:02:35 am »
You can't carry bonk rations for four days

Most bonk rations will keep for weeks or months - if you carry an emergency gel, then those will last for years in many cases.

All depends on what you're into for bonk rations.  I wouldn't carry bonk rations for PBP that I knew might be off/stale by the end.

relying on something to just turn up if you have specific requirements is madness.

Obviously, if you are not omnivorous, then plan for your own requirements.

Obviously we agree on this matter - those with requirements need to plan accordingly - depending on those requirements, France may not do what you need.
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #11 on: 22 July, 2019, 05:28:32 pm »
As a not too strict vegetarian I had no real issues with the road side food offers.

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #12 on: 23 July, 2019, 02:06:43 pm »
As Chris Crossland said to me and a few others the night before a qualifying event the first time we did PBP over a few concerns we had was, "Don't worry about it, everything sorts itself out", they were immortal words and spot on, everything does sort itself out. As for food and water, I planned on it as I would a 600, carry plenty of "bonk rations" just in case. But in reality on PBP, I did not need it, on the route out to Brest, I was amazed at how available it is and when I got to Brest, I had in reality "recced"  almost the whole route back and decided that I may as well just eat everything I was carrying just to lighten the load and just kept a couple of gels just in case. It can be easy to get confused with a 240 or 600+ in the UK where you may go through the night and see nothing open so hence you always ensure you have food with you just in case, PBP is different I found, I never went hungry or without water, your never far from it, distance or time wise.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #13 on: 23 July, 2019, 05:17:44 pm »
In 2015, the man who did best time ever did it on the croissants & coffee on offer at the controls. Bloody good croissants they were too.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
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Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #14 on: 23 July, 2019, 09:50:20 pm »
In 2015, the man who did best time ever did it on the croissants & coffee on offer at the controls. Bloody good croissants they were too.

He was ahead of the bulge and ate all the good stuff :)

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #15 on: 27 July, 2019, 09:05:08 am »
Thanks for replies. All very helpful - sounds like everything will indeed sort itself out, and I'm looking forward to the randomness of what might be on offer along en-route!  I'll just have to cycle fast enough to make sure I don't miss the last croissant.

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Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #16 on: 10 July, 2023, 09:15:46 pm »
At many places there are informal foodstops along the route. Over the years I've made loads of waypoints in my Garmin where I'd seen and used foodspots. Some return each year (as the traditional crêpe spot in La Tannière), some don't return.
In general, don't be afraid, you'll find many along the route.

La Tanniere will be open again this year

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #17 on: 10 July, 2023, 10:28:02 pm »
Google maps is not very helpful for "La Tannière", unless it really is this spot; I would appreciate better coordinates for food and other things that are worth stopping for (even when not bonking).

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #18 on: 11 July, 2023, 06:05:34 am »
Google maps is not very helpful for "La Tannière", unless it really is this spot; I would appreciate better coordinates for food and other things that are worth stopping for (even when not bonking).

Be patient, I've not yet finished writing my PBP tips&tricks series for Randonneurs NL.

felstedrider

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #19 on: 11 July, 2023, 09:02:38 am »
Last time round I carried enough bars and gels to see me through the first 220k and then for mid stage sustenance.  I then had a decent meal at every other control.  I used the baguette stands the rest of the time.

I’m probably a bit more laid back this time and might stop a bit more but it’s a time suck.

I recall stopping at a secret in 2015, getting my card stamped, and seeing a chap making crepes so I asked for one.  He started cooking it, decided he didn’t like it and threw it away.  He then checked the jug of batter, found it empty, and walked off.  15 minutes later he returned.  Probably 30mins lost on a 5min stop.  As a good friend of mine says some helpers appear surprised that riders on a 1200k event are 1) hungry and 2) in a hurry.

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #20 on: 11 July, 2023, 09:57:39 am »
My experience from two PBPs is that it does depend a lot on when you start. 

Food was never a problem on my first one, which was a 90h start where I was always ahead of the bulge.

My second was an 84 hour start and food was much more of an issue, but even then I didn't go hungry.  A couple of the controls on the way back had run out of food by the time I got there.  I ate a lot of the ham baguettes from the control grab and go, and found they gave me multiple mouth ulcers.  Ended up finding a greengrocer after the control in Villaines and getting a bunch of bananas, which saw me through to Dreux - which always seems to have plenty of good food.   

Outside the controls, food (for cycling) is harder to get in France.  Supermarket opening hours are shorter than in most other countries, they stock fewer sandwiches, and petrol stations only sell petrol.  Boulangeries are great but they have short hours and run out. And the street food options are great to see but not really my thing.  I normally just make sure that I carry a bit more than I would in the UK.

Wycombewheeler

  • PBP-2019 LEL-2022
Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #21 on: 11 July, 2023, 10:58:31 am »
When I did PBP in 2019
I always got food in less than 10 minutes at controls
I stopped at Gorron outbound for frites, this was not quicker than controls
I stopped at at least two crepe stalls beside the road, one boulangerie and a bar on the return can't remember where, there were many other opportunties I passed up.
places to get food were plentiful, cafes stayed open overnight, villagers set up stalls, boulangeries, bars etc. I never felt like I was hungry and it took ages to reach a control to get something to eat.

tl:dr  don't worry, there are no food deserts along the course, it's not like LEL with some long remote sections in Scotland, Pennines and Yorkshire to traverse. Carrying a bag of sweets or chocolate would not be amiss, but I would do that on a 200km ride.

Eddington  127miles, 170km

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #22 on: 11 July, 2023, 12:04:13 pm »
Le Ribay 1001kms
Is a great stop especially if you happen to have the need for 30mins sleep and some food before Villanes

My favourite food stops are Flunch.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete

  • Miles eaten don't satisfy hunger
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Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #23 on: 14 July, 2023, 11:34:12 am »
I've eaten at the controls in 2007, 2011, and 2015, and not had a problem.  I've occasionally topped things up from cafes along the way and do carry some bonk rations.  If they get low I just pop into a supermarket, there's a few along the way and re-stock.  I won't be doing much forward planning this year.  I'll ride from control to control and see how I go.  The only bit that might need some thinking is the stages either side of Brest which are longish and hilly.
Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

Re: Places for food along PBP route
« Reply #24 on: 14 July, 2023, 01:11:49 pm »
That's always been my strategy as well but I've always managed to saty ahead of the bulge by not sleeping until Brest.
The stage before Brest is usually very early hours so nothing is open.
Coming out of Brest , there were a few bakeries along the route that served coffee and then there was Sizun.
Need to look at this years route now.