EXPLORE "LOST FRANCE" WITH YOUR OWN 4X4

STOP PRESS:

FOR THOSE OF YOU WE CANCELLED ON THIS YEAR, PLEASE ACCEPT OUR APOLOGIES,

HOWEVER THE GOOD NEWS IS, AFTER A BRIEF STAY IN HOSPITAL, NICOLA GAVE BIRTH TO OLIVER ON 17 MAY

ON THE FORGOTTEN TRACKS OF

CLIQUER DANS LE IMAGES AU-DESSOUS AGRANDIR, POUR UN VERSION EN DETAIL

THE 'RAID' WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND INACCESSIBLE (WITHOUT A 4x4) LANDSCAPES IN FRANCE.

THROUGH ANCIENT AND REMOTE GALLIC SETTLEMENTS, ROMAN TRACKS, ROUTES OF THE PILGRIMS AND INACCESSIBLE MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS WHERE THE RESISTANCE HELD OUT AGAINST AND WREAKED HAVOC ON THE NAZIS DURING THE LAST WAR.

USING A 4x4 AS YOUR MEANS OF TRANSPORT AND YOUR TRIPMETER AND ROAD BOOK FOR NAVIGATION, YOU WILL DRIVE THROUGH BEAUTIFUL FORESTS AND FIELDS WITH THE MOST AMAZING WILDFLOWERS, BIRDS AND WILDLIFE.   CREST 1500m plus (5000ft) MOUNTAINS OF THE MASSIF CENTRAL AND DISCOVER REMOTE VILLAGES, STANDING STONES AND BURIAL CHAMBERS PROBABLY BUILT BY ASTERIX HIMSELF. AS WELL AS SEEING THE AMAZING ARCHITECTURE OF CHURCHES, MONASTERIES, CHATEAUX, TOWERS, CITADELS AND BRIDGES FROM PRE ROMAN TO THE AMAZING 'PONT BE GARABITT' (DESIGNED AND BUILT BY EIFFEL)

EACH DAY YOU CAN PURCHASE DELICACIES FROM VILLAGE BUTCHERS, BAKERS AND EPICERIE, FOR YOUR PICNICS AT BREATHTAKING SITES , SUCH AS THE GORGE DU TARN. (main picture above)

PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON THE RAID,  YOU WILL BE GIVEN INFORMATION ON, AND DIRECTIONS TO YOUR RENDEZVOUS POINT, WHERE EVERYONE WILL MEET (MAX 7 CARS, or 14 PEOPLE)

RENDEZVOUS AT 10.00am ON THE SUNDAY MORNING, READY FOR THE BRIEFING AT 11.30am. THEN AT 12.00 noon, EACH CAR WILL BE GIVEN A ROAD BOOK TO FOLLOW THROUGHOUT THE DAY UNTIL YOU ARRIVE AT A NIGHT HALT.

YOU WILL BE GIVEN DETAILS OF YOUR ROUTE IN "ROAD BOOK" FORMAT,  DON'T WORRY! IF YOU HAVE NEVER DRIVEN / NAVIGATED ON A RALLYE-RAID STYLE ROAD BOOK BEFORE, WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME HELP & A FEW TIPS ON THE FIRST AFTERNOON, AND DON'T WORRY, WE'VE WRITTEN IT IN BOTH FRENCH AND ENGLISH.

EACH DAYS ROAD BOOK WILL HAVE JUST ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR YOU TO NAVIGATE SUCCESSFULLY AROUND THE GREEN LANES, FORESTS,  MOUNTAINS, AND VILLAGES OF ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL REGIONS OF FRANCE.

EACH PAGE OF YOUR ROAD BOOK WILL HAVE UP TO 16 TULIP DIAGRAMS, LIKE THE ONE ILLUSTRATED TO THE LEFT, (AND SUPERIMPOSED ON THE IMAGE BELOW LEFT). YOU FOLLOW THE ROAD BOOK, USING YOUR TRIPMETER.

AVERAGE DAILY DRIVING DISTANCE IS approx 120km (75mls)

AT THE END OF EACH ROAD BOOK (YOU GET A NEW ONE EACH DAY) WILL BE DIRECTIONS INTO YOUR STOP OVER FOR THE NIGHT. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE WHOLE PROCESS IS REPEATED, STARTING FROM YOUR NIGHT HALT, AND WORKING THROUGH TO YOUR NEXT EVENINGS STOP OVER.  AS WE DO NOT TRAVEL CROCODILE (IN CONVOY) YOU ARE THEREFORE FREE TO STOP AND LOOK AT CHATEAU, CITADELLES, FLOWERS, BRIDGES, RIVERS, TOWERS, STANDING STONES, OR WHATEVER TAKES YOUR INTEREST, THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE LEFT TO SEE A ROAD BOOK JUNCTION IN DETAIL

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

HOTEL

IS IT A RALLYE OR COMPETITION?

NO!!! DRIVING, ON AVERAGE, APPROXIMATELY 130km / DAY ON ROAD BOOK, IT'S A WAY OF SEEING PARTS OF FRANCE THAT WOULD NOT NORMALLY BE ACCESSIBLE TO YOU IN AN ORDINARY CAR, AND A WAY OF COVERING GREATER DISTANCES THAN WALKING. (click on the image left)

A 9.00am START EACH DAY IS PRECEDED BY THE DAYS BRIEFING AT 8.45am, WHERE YOU WILL BE GIVEN YOUR ROAD BOOK FOR THE DAY.  ALLOWING APPROX TIME FOR PICNICS, SIGHTSEEING etc YOU SHOULD STILL ARRIVE AT YOUR NIGHT HALT FOR APPROX 6.00/6.30pm. HOWEVER, YOU HAVE YOUR ROAD BOOK AND IF YOU WANT TO STAY OUT SIGHTSEEING, THAT'S ENTIRELY UP TO YOU!

DURING THE RAID YOU WILL ENCOUNTER SOME QUITE TRICKY SECTIONS, (river crossings, the 'rock' etc) WHILST WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO HAVE A GO AT ALL THE SECTIONS, IF YOU DON'T FEEL UP TO IT OR DON'T WANT TO DO THEM, THERE'S NO PRESSURE, WE ALWAYS PUT AN OPTIONAL DETOUR (DELASTAGE) IN YOUR ROAD BOOK, FOR YOU TO HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE.

EVEN THOUGH THE DRIVING IS DIVERSE, FROM ROCKY AND BOULDER STREWN TRACKS, TO CRAWLING UP MOUNTAINS, CROSSING RIVERS, NAVIGATING THROUGH DENSE FOREST AND WORST OF ALL FRENCH ROUNDABOUTS!! WE WOULD STILL ANTICIPATE THAT EVERYONE WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR SIGHTSEEING, PHOTOGRAPHY AND PICNICS DURING THE DAY.

THERE IS NO COMPETITIVE ELEMENT TO THIS RAID!   IT IS A TEST OF YOUR SKILLS AS A TEAM, DRIVER AND NAVIGATOR, TO FIND YOUR WAY AROUND DIFFERENT TERRAIN, WITH THE MINIMUM OF FUSS AND MAXIMUM OF ENJOYMENT. IF YOU WISH TO TRAVEL AS A GROUP OF TWO OR THREE CARS TOGETHER, THAT'S OK BY US, AND CAN ALSO BE A GREAT WAY TO ENJOY THE RAID.

A SENSE OF ADVENTURE AND HUMOUR!   YOU WILL UNDOUBTEDLY MAKE MISTAKES, TAKE WRONG TURNINGS AND GET LOST, BUT THAT IS ALL PART OF A RAID -- TAKING EVERYTHING IN YOUR STRIDE -- YOU WILL ALSO NEED YOUR CAMERA, CORKSCREW, POCKET KNIFE (for your baguette) AND A SENSE OF BON AMBIANCE!

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE MEGA PREPARED, THE EMPHASIS IS ON HAVING AN ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY !!

HOWEVER IT DOES NEED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION, SERVICED, AND ON GOOD TYRES.

THE VEHICLE YOU ARE USING HAS TO BE ROAD LEGAL AND INSURED IN THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, AND INSURED FOR TRAVEL IN FRANCE  (GREEN CARD FROM THE UK, CART GRIS FROM FRANCE etc)

UNLESS YOU ARE VERY, VERY UNLUCKY (OR SILLY) YOU WILL NOT SUFFER PANEL DAMAGE TO YOUR VEHICLE, HOWEVER, YOU WILL HAVE TO GIVE IT A RUB DOWN WITH POLISH WHEN YOU GET HOME, IF YOUR THAT WAY INCLINED.

(including bedding and cooking equipment).

YOU ARE CAMPING FOUR OUT OF THE SIX NIGHTS, SO TRAVEL AS LIGHT AS YOU CAN, YOU WILL HAVE TO PACK YOUR TENT AWAY EACH MORNING.

EVER THOUGHT OF AN OZTENT?

THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM;

A TRIPMETER,

TYRES, MINIMUM REQUIREMENT IS 'GOOD ALL TERRAINS' FOR THE LATE SPRING, SUMMER AND EARLY AUTUMN. MUD TERRAINS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR   (that includes the spare!)

A GOOD TOWROPE minimum 8m (PREFERABLY 10m) 

CB RADIO, ON FRENCH AM CHANNEL, TO CONTACT OURSELVES AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS, IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO YOUR MATES THEN WE SUGGEST YOU USE A SECOND RADIO IN YOUR VEHICLE, ON UK FM or EUROPEAN CEPT FREQUENCIES, SO YOUR BANTER DOESN'T PERMANENTLY INTERFERE WITH GROUP MEMBERS WHO MAY NEED TO TALK TO US URGENTLY. (talk to us if you need advice)

SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, WE ARE, QUITE LITERALLY - BEHIND YOU ALL THE WAY.

FUEL & FOOD FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, IN THIS REGION OF FRANCE 24/7 GARAGES DON'T APPEAR TO EXIST - SUNDAY, SIESTA, HOLIDAY & IMPROMTU CLOSURES ARE ALSO VERY COMMON.

DAILY ROAD BOOKS WILL SHOW ANY FUEL STATIONS & SHOPS EN-ROUTE.

A GPS RECEIVER IS UNNECESSARY, THEY ARE NOT ACCURATE ENOUGH FOR THE TRACKS YOU WILL BE DRIVING, DISTANCES ON THE ROAD BOOK CAN BE AS CLOSE AS FIVE METRES, PARTICULARLY IN THE FORESTS.

YOU WILL BE ASCENDING AND DESCENDING QUITE HIGH MOUNTAIN RANGES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, WITH HEIGHTS OF OVER 1500m (5000ft) SO REMEMBER TO PACK A WARM JUMPER OR FLEECE, EVEN IN SUMMER THERE CAN BE A FEW DEGREES DIFFERENCE IN TEMPERATURE ON THE TOPS. ON THE OTHER HAND, REMEMBER SOME SUN BLOCKER, IF YOU ARE EASILY AFFECTED BY THE SUN.

FROM THE UK, WE PREFER THE FRIDAY OVERNIGHT FERRY - PORTSMOUTH TO LE HAVRE - GET A REASONABLE NIGHTS SLEEP ON THE BOAT, THEN SPEND A LEISURELY SATURDAY DRIVING TO THE SOUTH OF CLERMONT FERRAND FOR THE EVENING. THIS WILL LEAVE YOU WITHIN EASY STRIKING DISTANCE OF THE RV POINT, READY FOR THE MIDDAY START ON SUNDAY.

TO THE RV PT, FROM LE HAVRE, IS APPROX 730km (450mls) AND IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE IN A DAY USING THE MOTORWAY NETWORK. (remember toll charges may be incurred on some motorways)

YOU CAN MAKE THE JOURNEY LONGER OR SHORTER, IF YOU PREFER TO TRAVEL BY "N" or "E" CLASS ROADS, HOWEVER IT WILL TAKE MORE TIME AND FUEL.

IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING FROM THE UK, WE CAN OBTAIN A FERRY TICKET FOR YOU, (TO INCLUDE CABIN OR RECLINING SEAT) - HOWEVER, THESE DAYS THE WWW.WONDERNET IS YOUR ANSWER.

HOTELS, GITES, CHAMBRES D'HOTES AND CAMP SITES ARE PLENTIFUL ON THE ROUTE DOWN TO THE RV PT, HOWEVER IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON STOPOVERS, PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOU BOOK.

FINISHING MID-DAY THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY

                      2009                                                                                                

SUNDAY MAY 17 -- to -- SATURDAY MAY 23     SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION

SUNDAY MAY 24 -- to -- SATURDAY MAY 30     SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION

ALL YOU NEED TO FIND, APART FROM YOUR WAY TO THE RV PT, IS YOUR FERRY, AND CONSUMABLES, IE, FOOD, FUEL AND BEVERAGES.

CAMP SITES ARE PAID FOR AND A FEW IMPROMPTU APERITIF'S, AS WELL AS AN ODD EVENING MEAL, AND FAREWELL DRINKS ON THE SATURDAY.

WEDNESDAYS' ROAD BOOK IS ONLY 75km approx,

£685.00 per 4X4 (BASED ON 2 PEOPLE)

PLEASE CONTACT US FOR GROUP/CLUB DISCOUNTS

"NEW PICTURES"

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