Cycle London To Paris 24hr Express

Itinerary

Stage 1 - London to Newhaven (apx 60 miles)

We’ll meet you at the London Eye at 1pm and after a safety briefing from the Adventure Café team we’ll head to Big Ben for the chime of 2pm … & we’re off!! Your leaders will guide you south through the city and out into the countryside past Biggin Hill, East Grinstead and Lewes, then finally  to the Sussex coast arriving at Newhaven. We’ll have time for our evening meal at the local Brewers Fayre before boarding the overnight crossing to Dieppe. 

Stage 2 - Dieppe to Paris (apx 115 miles)

After a quick roadside breakfast we are back on the road, following the Avenue Vert through beautiful French countryside, all the way to Gournay en Bray. We will stop at cafes or the support vehicle for snacks and breakfast top ups along the way. Our ride becomes more undulating as we leave Gourney en Bray before dropping down to the river Seine at Pontoise. From here we loosely follow the course of the river into central Paris, lapping the Arc d’Triomphe before arriving at our final destination the Eiffel Tower.

Next Day - Travel back to London
10:00 - Checkout of hotel and a brief couple of hours enjoying Paris.
Timings tbc - Assemble at Gare du Nord Intl Rail Station to return by Eurostar**
Timings tbc - Arrive at St Pancras rail station - collect bikes
**Special Note - The time of departure by Eurostar to London is subject to availability, however, Adventure Café will endeavour to meet necessary travel requirements for the trip.

Accommodation

1 night accommodation in Paris

We will be staying in Twin rooms at our hotel in central Paris. If you require a single room please contact us for the single room supplementary fee for your trip. 

Cabins on board the ferry are generally in very short supply and difficult to pre-reserve. Although reclining seats, if you bring a small travel pillow and blanket can suffice for the purposes of this challenge.

What is a Level 4.0 Cycling Challenge Like?

You are now moving into the realms of serious cycling challenges. Cycling days will be up to 10 hours (stops included), or slightly less if the event stretches over several days. You should have very good cycling fitness, with good leg strength, and you should be used to putting in regular training rides most weekends - with some good long rides. Most folks will consider these rides very long, and very challenging. Expect a mixture of length and terrain (think hilly!).

How Fit Do I need to be to join a Level 4.0 ‘Bike Ride’?

To participate in these events you need to be in good cycling fitness. You probably are capable of riding at high speeds for 2 to 2.5 hours, around 23 - 25 km/hr. And you should be used to riding long distances and over hilly terrain. If you do not cycle regularly you must be of very high fitness level - and should think about converting as soon as possible and getting on to a bike - you will need to develop your specific strength and cycling technique. Do not come on these challenges without having spent plenty of time in the saddle. Training rides should be up to 60 or 70 miles, and you should have done a few like this. You should be getting out on your bike most weekends in the run up to your event, seeking out longer climbs to improve your climbing fitness for the event.

Visas / Redtape

Please ensure you have organised a visa , should you require one.

Included In Trip

(cabin subject to availability)

Excluded From Trip

Excluded / Optional Extra:

London 2 Paris 24

(Aluminium road bikes from £65)

(Set Menu)

Equipment Required

Kit lists specific to your trip dates and location will be issued upon enquiry...below is our guide advice to give an idea of what you should bring on a multi--day ride in Europe

Bike Items
Road Bike / Hybrid Bike (with puncture resistant tyres) - please call us for guidance on type of bike on a trip by trip basis
2 X Water Bottles (bladder system/cycle water bottles)
Cycling Gloves, Bike Lock, Neck Scarf, Inner Tubes*, Multi-Tool (with allen keys)*
Day Bag for support vehicle, Small Holdall (for overnight gear)
Bike Lights (front and rear, head torch can be worn)
Saddle Bag (recommended - can be used to carry asterisk* items)
Puncture Repair Kit*, Spare parts for your bike (specialist parts and spokes), Pump (suitable for your valve type)

Helmet (compulsory)
Personal Medikit  Suncream, Plasters, Vaseline, Painkillers, Sunbloc, Insect Repellant

Washkit

Warm Clothing Medium Weight Softshell, Long sleeve Jersey / insulating layer Lightweight Gloves.

Cycle  Clothing
Padded Lycra Cycling Shorts, Cotton Shorts, or Long Cycling Trousers (Tights/Tracksuit Bottoms)
Short Sleeve Cycling T-Shirts (wicking type material) or Cycle Top with rear pockets
Cycling Shoes (approach shoes or sturdy traners suitable), 

Spare Shoes/Sandals for after ride

Casual Evening Wear - tracksuits, jeans, T shirts, fleece ...

Waterproof Clothing
1 Outer Fully Waterproof Jacket (gore-tex, e-vent) - comfortable to cycle in

Other
Travel Documents, EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) Credit Cards, Cash, Local Currency, Mobile Phone, chargers, EU plug adaptor, Sunglasses
Snacks for Cycling Days (dried fruits, nuts, flapjacks, cereal bars etc)
Travel insurance (not included), Passport

Important
Make sure you do not ‘over pack’ - bring only what is essential for the trip. It is advisable to check that your travel insurance covers the value of any expensive items of kit that you chose to bring along with you. 

A final kit list will be provided in your ‘Final Joining Instructions’ pre-departure

Safety Information

By nature all activities contain an element of risk.Your leader will be first aid qualified and will carry the appropriate safety kit for the activity. Safety equipment carried will be appropriate to trip. The leader's primary role is to ensure your safety, but it is your responsibility to listen to their guidance and instructions.

Weather

Expect warm weather but possibly rainshowers. Expect cool temeratures riding through the small hours into the morning. Plan for these conditions, and if we encounter anything more benign, then that will be a bonus for us! You should plan to carry a shower jacket with you.

Notes on Cycling Events

This is our standard range of Cycling Challenges in the UK, Europe and further afield. However, we offer completely tailormade itineraries to your specification. Call us to discuss! Please note that for overseas point to point cycling challenges we can transport soft cases for bike transport - but not hard cases, due to space limitations on board our support vehicles. On all our cycling events, please pack sensibly and bring a reasonably sized soft holdall type bag. To participate in an overseas Adventure Cafe challenge - you must carry Travel Insurance (to be for the activity you are participating in, and to include repatriation to the UK). Please also note that you should have a good level of cycling experience and be competent to handle your bike. We ride on roads shared with other vehicles - and you need to be able to deal with this safely.

Adventure Cafe Booking Terms and Conditions

To Reserve Your Space on this Challenge