Paul & Richard do France E2E

STAGE 1 (Day 3): Bray-Dunes to Albert Le Grand  Départ   Distance:           100 miles      Climb:               3593  feet  Moving Time:  8hrs 28mins The true first day of our north-to-south adventure across France, and the second 100-mile  étape of our charity cycle challenge. This stage sees us revisit some of the landmarks of our  WWI Memorials and Monuments   training ride earlier in May.   FUN FACT:  The route passes through Lens which, in 1526, was made part of the Spanish Netherlands under the ownership of the French monarchy, and only passed back to France in 1659 with the Treaty of the Pyrenees (named after the mountain range straddling the French/Spanish border where our journey ends on 11 June). Today's destination of Albert is twinned with Ulverston, a market town Cumbria, which lies a few miles south of the Lake District National Park...

DAY 2: Canterbury to Dover - Dunkerque to Bray-Dunes France, here we come! Distance:           21/19 miles Climb:                 1400/60 feet   Moving time:    3hrs 15 mins   Short but sweet After yesterday's tough ride, we're thankful that today brings what will be our shortest stint by far, with only 40 miles of pedalling  –  consisting of two 20-mile stints sandwiched by a 2-hour cross-channel ferry ride.   FUN FACT:  Bray-Dunes, situated on the Belgian border, is the northernmost point of France, and the site of many casualties during World War II as a result of the Dunkerque Evacuation. Codenamed Operation Dynamo, a fleet of small boats and ships rescued more than 338,000 Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour. DAILY DEBRIEF:  Let’s parler Franglais It was a jour de two parts either side of the Manche Anglais. The premier part of notre voyage began on ...

DAY 1: Farnham to Canterbury The Canterbury Trials Distance           114.37 miles Climb 4800 feet Moving time 10:33 hrs Not quite the Pilgrims’ Way The planning app initially routed us on much of the historic pilgrimage route from Farnham along the North Downs to Canterbury. But the prospect of facing a daunting elevation of some 6000ft on our first day in the saddle proved too much. Instead, we’re opting for a flatter but busier profile that takes in the sights and sounds of London - wish us luck.   FUN FACT: The Pilgrims’ Way starts at Winchester Cathedral, follows much of the modern A31, and ends at Thomas Beckett's shrine in Canterbury Cathedral.  DAILY DEBRIEF:  A rousing send-off at hospice HQ, canal tow paths, the King's birthday parade, a buzzing central London, the M2 and a  climb  up to the village of Dunkirk (Kent) . Not bad for the first day of our challenge. Tomorrow we head to Dunkerque (France). How best to s...

  TRAINING: WW1 memorials and monuments In the week of VE Day (celebrating the end of World War II in Europe), alongside cycling chums John and Steve, we visited France and Belgium to cycle around World War I cemeteries and memorials.  There should have been five tourists, but post-Brexit passport issues meant we were a man, who shall be known as the unknown warrior, down before we left home. Riding gravel bikes and carrying our luggage, cycling 250 miles over four days proved a great warm-up for our France End-to-End fundraising challenge  for Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice . With John plotting the routes, Paul was especially pleased to be absolved of any blame, questions or moaning along the way. Still reeling from the loss of one of our party before cars had even left driveways, more drama hit en route to Dover. While we enjoyed a Franglish athlete’s lunch of half baguettes filled with farm-fresh eggs and bacon, John and Steve experienced the perils of going tubel...

  What have we been up to? Since cycling 1,139 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats ( LEJOG ) back in June 2023 we have not rested on our laurels or let our trusty bicycles – or legs – seize with rust. Here’s a brief glimpse into how we kept their legs limbered up in 2024: MAY: Known as King Alfred's Way, we completed a 207-mile loop around historic Wessex (the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Alfred the Great). Joined by cycling chums John, Jim and Steve we tackled this tough  3½  day  off-road adventure. JUNE:  Following in the tracks of some turbulent uprisings since trailblazing Boudicca, we were joined by our own warrior queens (wives) to cycle 249 miles of The Rebellion Way – and if you think Norfolk is flat, then think again! Paul then took on the Flandrien Challenge, conquering 258 miles of 59 iconic Belgian bergs and cobble segments in less than 72 hours, earning a personalised stone on the wall of fame in the Centre Ronde van Vlaanderen in Oudenaarde JULY: Ri...