PBP 2015 - Are you doing it?

[marcusjb]

I'd probably camp rather than faff with F1 hotels (missed out on Trappes but Plaisir was fine) and hoping a consigne exists.

I think this demonstrates the difference of mindset between regular campers and ... er the rest of us:

How ON EARTH can checking into a hotel be more faff than installing yourself in a campsite?!? There's a bed, already made up, right there ... floor space to sling your clothes ... and a bathroom accesible without going outside ... and everything! 

The walls of an F1 make tents look sturdy though!

(I agree though!)

[Bikeabilityman]

Go on then, what's an F1 hotel?

[shyumu]

Think Abyss (I mean ibis).

[bikey-mikey]

I'm staying at one of those on Friday, in Cardiff 

[Exit Stage Left]

http://www.hotelf1.com/gb/home/index.shtml

Ibis are a step up. Premiere Classe are another.
http://www.premiereclasse.com/en

[Andrew]

F1 are functional. Ibis a luxury in comparison (albeit samey generic identikit)

F1 used to well cheap but not so much these days. They're basic, intended only really as a 'pit-stop'. Check-in late, kip, up and away. Ideal for the on-route stopover but you'd not holiday in one.

Ibis are fine for the long weekend city break kind of thing but nothing exciting.

Both are preferable, in my book, to a sleeping bag and tent - but needs must and cost & location are obviously factors.

[Redlight]

It is ridiculously early to be thinking about such things, but my current thinking is to book accommodation reasonably near the start and travel to Paris and back on the train, as I think Eurostar will now take a number of pre-booked bikes. Much as I like the idea of cycling the whole thing, holiday time is at a premium and even cutting everything fine requires a week off.

One accommodation option I'm looking at is Huttopia, which is a campsite that also has cabins. I may book a cabin for the week, in which case I'll be looking for at least one other person to share.  But that decision is at least a year away….

[Gus]

Been listing positiv and negativ things, found out I'll rather ride 60 days in India or save a little more so the trip goes to Tierra del Fuego instead.

[citoyen]

F1 are functional. Ibis a luxury in comparison (albeit samey generic identikit)

Ibis also have a budget range. We stopped over in one last year on our way down to Italy, not realising it was the budget version until we got there. Just as cheap and tacky as an F1, but also just as perfect if you all you want is somewhere to put your head down for the night.

[Exit Stage Left]

Ibis Budget used to be Etap, much like F1 but en suite.

All the cheap chains are usually concentrated in a sort of semi-industrial, semi retail zone close to a motorway junction. That pretty much sums up St Quentin en Yvelines, where PBP starts, a sort of French Milton Keynes. That's what modern France is all about. PBP is an excursion into an older France, which is more like the France of the imagination.
I like to mix and match, using Lidl and Netto during the day and Bar-Tabacs at night. I'm not sure that I'll ride PBP again, I've sustained my interest in it by documenting it, but everyone is doing that now. I might get my arm twisted by Heather, she likes the atmosphere, and my riding means she's not simply a spectator. There's always volunteering though, a team LEL at PBP might be fun.

[Bikeabilityman]

Good hotel info. Now for the big question. Is PBP suitable for vegetarians? I couldn't find fault with the LEL food.

[mattc]

Good hotel info. Now for the big question. Is PBP suitable for vegetarians? I couldn't find fault with the LEL food.

Do you like cheese baguettes?

...
I'm not sure that I'll ride PBP again, I've sustained my interest in it by documenting it, but everyone is doing that now. I might get my arm twisted by Heather, she likes the atmosphere, and my riding means she's not simply a spectator. There's always volunteering though, a team LEL at PBP might be fun.

I'll definitely ride again. But if I don't ride 2015 it's due to some other involvement - volunteering could be fun.
Damon: what's their expense scheme like?!?

[Hummers]

Good hotel info. Now for the big question. Is PBP suitable for vegetarians? I couldn't find fault with the LEL food.

The questions to ask yourself are:

• How strictly vegetarian are you?
• How good is your French?
• Can you eat cheese?

From what I have experienced of riding with vegetarians (in France), the French are not as accommodating as the UK in hotels/restaurants and the actual event catering is a lottery.

H

[LittleWheelsandBig]

LEL made a big effort to suit vegetarians. PBP doesn't. You'll survive but have to adapt and adjust somewhat. That goes for meateaters too - the all-day breakfast or even beans on toast is surprisingly unavailable in the home of the Michelin star...

[Hot Flatus]

I'm veggie and I lived in France a few decades ago. You'll get to eat some decent food, but you won't find it in the controls. I was amazed at just how bad the food was in the controls, and were I ever to do the ride again I'd be avoiding them

[mattc]

I'm veggie and I lived in France a few decades ago. You'll get to eat some decent food, but you won't find it in the controls. I was amazed at just how bad the food was in the cintos, and were I ever to do the ride again I'd be avoiding them

"controls"?!?

If you eat chicken, and love ham/cheese baguettes, the control food is pretty OK - but very repetitive (and I miss my beans-on-toast ). LEL 09/13 were both a lot better.

Of course there is tons of stuff available on the road, but you tend to be forced to eat control food at night. You have to take a very different mentality to make the most of a scavenging approach. The old Audax proverb of "just ride to the next control" is a bit useless if you're stopping 10km before/after many controls to eat.
I'm at a control, and hungry, and there are queues - how far to the next non-control food?!?
And buying food in shops/restuarants is generally slower than in the controls (you have to stop and park-up at every control anyway).

This is what makes the ride unique, so best to just embrace it somehow!
(I eat meat.)

[Ivo]

I've done it 5 times as a veggie. No problems with that. You might have to ask once or twice if the food contains meat. That said, I rely less and less on the control food. Too slow (long lines if you're in the bulge) and overpriced. In contrast, at the roadside there's plenty of choice. Nearer to the start it would be good to start a thread on the best roadside spots for eating. At night there are less but still enough for your needs. Even some supermarkets stay open all night. My plan will be to dash through the controls, only get my card stamped and some basic needs settled if needed. Once or twice a kip at a control and for the rest I'll make use of the enormous lot of facilities offered by the locals. That's one of the joys of PBP.

[Hot Flatus]

Of course there is tons of stuff available on the road, but you tend to be forced to eat control food at night. You have to take a very different mentality to make the most of a scavenging approach. The old Audax proverb of "just ride to the next control" is a bit useless if you're stopping 10km before/after many controls to eat.
I'm at a control, and hungry, and there are queues - how far to the next non-control food?!?
And buying food in shops/restuarants is generally slower than in the controls (you have to stop and park-up at every control anyway).

This is what makes the ride unique, so best to just embrace it somehow!
(I eat meat.)

Night?

[red marley]

I'm a veggie and didn't mind the food at the controls at all. Plenty of salads and bread and random milky puddings. The quality (and price) of the controls does vary a bit with the best being at Villaines and the worst at Brest, but being a veggie is unlikely to prevent you finding something to eat.

[Exit Stage Left]

It's worth pointing out that nothing is included at PBP, the food, sleeping and showers are all paid for seperately. So it's not a case of the organisers providing vegetarian food for a known number of participants, and non-veggies eating that as well. People buy what they want, and it might not be worth catering for small numbers of special diets. But it does mean that you aren't losing any value by not eating or sleeping at controls.
There are some obvious places to pick up food, Lidl in Gorron, Netto in Tinteniac, which are on the route and cheap, they are also quick, saving time if you just have a coffee and a sandwich in the snack bars close to the check-in rather than at the sit down cafeterias.

[Bikeabilityman]

I struggled a bit cycling around Benelux and France 20-odd years ago, surviving on fruit, bread, cheese, chips and mayo. I will have forgotten more French than I remember.

[Greenbank]

How ON EARTH can checking into a hotel be more faff than installing yourself in a campsite?!?

It's not the hotel, it's the left luggage problem; and a tent is more stuff to carry on the bike when riding to/from PBP.

It was a gamble to rely on there being a consigne but it worked out for me in 2011. With a tent you just leave your stuff in it (I was carrying what little valuables I had on the ride anyway).

My F1 hotel was €25. A proper hotel with a good left luggage facility would be more than that.

I suppose a cheap and reliable option is to do both. F1 hotel for the night before (bit more comfortable for those not imbued with the spirit of camping) and use a tent as guaranteed left luggage storage whilst on the ride. A B&B with arranged left luggage (it was only a large rucksack) is another option, or piling in with someone else on something like Huttopia, but that's getting more and more expensive.

I think I spent €150+ during the ride at controls and other stops (cafes, bakeries, etc).

[mattc]

OK, see what you're saying now; if I'd known what a consigne was, your post would have made more sense. This is an English language forum, dammit man. Less of this foreign mumbo-jumbo please!

( I had to explain to some of LWAB's countrymen what a "left luggage" facility was. It was a very confused conversation, even without any francais involved ... )

[LiamFitz]

Last time the hotel was very happy to stick my stuff in the left luggage store for few days

[Ian gaggiaport]

Good hotel info. Now for the big question. Is PBP suitable for vegetarians? I couldn't find fault with the LEL food.

Non!
there are some good controls but its mostly grim even for omnivores.