Further Information London to Paris This document has been compiled by our challenge leaders. Please do take into account your own personal preferences and common sense! We welcome feedback on how this document can be improved upon your return from the challenge. Starting from London, our 300 mile, 4 day bike ride takes us through the Kent countryside to Dover and across the Channel to Calais. We cycle along quiet French country lanes, through traditional market towns and past war monuments and cemeteries. The pièce de résistance of this cycle challenge is a spectacular view of the 324 metre high Eiffel Tower in Paris, which marks our finish line in the centre of this exciting, cosmopolitan city! The start venue is Holiday Inn, London-Bexley, Southwold Road, Bexley, DA5 1ND Tel: 0871 942 9006 / 01322 625540 Train transportation information is found below: Nearest station: Bexley Train Station Distance from hotel: 0.5 Miles / 0.8 KM Taxi fare from train station: approximately 6.00 There is limited car parking available at the start venue and participants can leave their cars here for the duration of the challenge. Please note that car parking availability is limited and will be given on a first come, first served basis please contact the Holiday Inn direct if you wish to reserve a place. Accommodation is available at your own expense for the night prior to the start of the challenge. Those wanting to stay at the Holiday Inn before the start should contact the hotel directly. Relevant information will be provided nearer to the event as we secure preferential rates for all riders. Your bicycles can be locked in our meeting room overnight, located in the hotel. There will be an event registration desk located within the hotel so please ensure you find this to register and also to collect your cycling pack. Registration for the event will be made available from 6pm to 8pm, the day prior to the start of the challenge. For those of you turning up to register on day 1, registration will be from 6am. We aim to set off on our cycling challenge no later than 7am prompt. Very similar to the South East of England i.e. it can rain at any time! Temperatures are on average 15-24 C (58-75 F) in the summer and 1-7 C (34-45 F) in the winter. The time in France is GMT + 1 hour
Whilst we are cycling, we will probably have open air buffets for lunch, however, this depends on the size of our group. If the group is under 25 cyclists, we may eat in local cafés/restaurants en-route. All dietary requirements can be catered for just ensure that you have filled in the appropriate section on the registration form. Remember, we are cycling for 4 consecutive days, and covering approximately 300 miles with some steep hills to conquer each day expect to be in the saddle for 7-9 hrs per day. Whilst training for this challenge, we suggest you try to target yourself to cycle at approximately 12/13 miles per hour. The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy this challenge. Cycling training tips can be found on our website to put you in the right direction and can offer training days and weekends to help you prepare - please contact us at enquiries@globaladventurechallenges.com. After breakfast at the hotel we leave for the day s cycling. We will have a water stop mid morning, lunch at an open air buffet and a mid afternoon water stop. We plan to set off at around 7.00am and arrive at our accommodation well before it gets dark. Briefings will be held each night, to ensure all participants are aware of what will be involved in the following day s challenge. Water will be readily available for you to top up your water bottles at our refreshment stops. There will be one scheduled stop in the morning, then one at lunch when we ll eat, and the final being mid afternoon. The refreshment stops are scheduled approximately every 20 miles cycled and will have fruit and snacks in order for cyclists to replenish energy. Traffic in France drives on the right hand side of the road. Naturally, we are going to meet traffic while cycling. We ask each participant to pay extra attention to traffic signals and road markings, making sure you stay within the law in both England and France. When cycling on the right hand side of the road, please pay extra attention. If and when we encounter large sections of traffic, we may close up the gaps between groups in order to stay as a unit. It is safe to drink the water from the taps in France. The route will be clearly marked and in addition, you will be supplied with a route guide upon registration. If you do get lost don t panic! Please call one of the challenge support staff - mobile phone numbers of the support team will be in each cycle pack distributed. Please don t worry - we will not leave anyone behind! 2
We would advise bringing a touring/road bike or if using a mountain bike, to have road tyres fitted. Upon arrival at our hotel in Paris, your bicycle will be securely transported back to London, ready to meet you the following evening. Please note, that whilst the utmost care and attention is made, Global Adventure Challenges cannot be held responsible for any damage incurred whilst bikes are being transported back to the UK. You will be issued with your Eurostar ticket on the challenge and it s your responsibility to be at the Eurostar terminal (Gare du Nord) in the afternoon of day 5, taking your luggage with you. Upon arrival at St Pancras, you will be met by our team and reunited with your bicycle. Alternatively, a transfer is available to Bexley for those riders who have parked there for the duration of the challenge. All equipment needed for this challenge is shown on the kit list. Each participant must bring their own bike, cycling helmet and a puncture repair kit with at least 2 spare inner tubes. You will need a large suitcase/holdall for your main luggage which will be transported by our luggage vehicle from accommodation to accommodation and a small backpack/bumbag while cycling to carry essentials sunscreen, camera, wallet, tissues, etc. Each participant will travel back to the UK on the Eurostar with their luggage, so pack light! Leave valuables at home if possible. One main, important rule if you don t need it, don t bring it! Overnight, your bicycle will be locked in a secure room located in each hotel used en route and each day your main piece of luggage is transferred securely in our vehicle. The advice given is this section is a guide only. You must discuss your own particular needs and contra-indications to vaccines or tablets with your doctor or practice nurse. Immunisations confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended for life in Britain. Participants must have and carry their EHIC (European Health Insurance Card the replacement of E111) with them for the duration of the challenge. Application for the card, if you have not already got one, is free at www.ehic.org.uk. Please note, this is not a replacement for your travel insurance which is still required. 3
There will be a comprehensive First Aid Kit carried with the group at all times. All Global Adventure Challenges leaders are 16 hour Outdoor First Aid qualified. We will never be more than an hour from a hospital. A support team from will be in attendance throughout the trip. At least one support vehicle will be following the group at all times and another will be floating to provide support as and when required. A bicycle mechanic will be travelling with the group in a support vehicle, providing help and expertise if needed on more serious repairs. We will supply spares at cost. We will endeavour to provide toilets at waterstops/lunch stops, however this is not always possible and it may be necessary to use public toilets/the great outdoors /cafés en route. It is wise to carry your own supply of tissues, but please dispose of these appropriately! All hotels will have en-suite bathroom facilities. Accommodation will usually be twin, sometimes triple share rooms for the duration of the challenge. We will be staying in local hotels en route, each with en-suite washing facilities. Details of each hotel used will be supplied in your cycling pack, which we will give you at registration. The challenge support crew are in constant contact via mobile phones these numbers are supplied to each rider upon registration. We try to cater for any ability of cyclist; therefore riders can cycle at their own speed to each refreshment stop and then continue on to the lunch stop where we plan to stop as a group. We ll then set off again cycling to our hotel for the evening this routine ensures we do not have cyclists split over a very large distance. You will need to bring your passport which must be carried on your person on day 1, ready for check in at the ferry port. Participants should bring both GBP and Euros. Obviously as we are spending more time in France, more Euro s will be needed. Participants need to budget for the evening meal on day 1 on board the ferry. In addition, lunch and dinner on day 5 whilst in Paris are not included and need to be budgeted for. We recommend participants bring approximately 50 Sterling and 100 in Euros but this depends on how many presents you wish to bring home! 4
The average cost of a beer or a coffee is more expensive in France than in the UK, eg the average price for a small beer is 3-4. Every participant must be covered for the activities throughout the itinerary. A comprehensive travel insurance policy is available through at a cost of 31. A travel insurance application form will be sent to you approximately 14-16 weeks before departure. If you are opting to use your own personal travel insurance then details of your policy should be sent to. Participants must have and carry their EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) with them for the duration of the challenge. Please be aware that the EHIC does not cover travel delays, loss of possessions or repatriation to the UK in case of an accident, therefore it is not a replacement for your travel insurance. Tipping your guides/support crew is appropriate, customary and always appreciated. Your guides work in teams and evenly split all gratuities they receive. Your gratuity should reflect the quality of service you received and anything special your support crew did to enhance your trip. The local people in the North of France are generally very welcoming and cyclist friendly! We pass through towns and villages on this route and would ask you to show respect to the local residents by acting responsibly. Please don t leave any litter and don t block footpaths and roads with your bikes. If you plan on using any new equipment, eg. saddle, pedals, energy drink powders, etc, make sure you use them when training to see if they suit you. Don t leave it till the actual ride to realise your saddle chafes! Some useful French words: bonjour = hello, s il vous plait = please, merci = thank you Mobile telephone signals are available all over France, though naturally they vary with terrain. We recognise our responsibility to the places we visit, and also the local people. We believe that we need to preserve and respect the locations in which our challenges take place in order for future generations to experience the same fantastic times and views as we do. More information regarding our Responsible Tourism policy can be found on our website. 5
Full country name: French Republic Population: 65.4 million Capital City: Paris Currency: Euros Language: French 6