Randonnée Vienne-Nantes - May-July 2014

[Wirelizard]

Does anyone here know anything about - or is planning on joining - the AF3V's Vienna-Nantes semi-supported long distance ride at the end of May next year?

Having bought a new bike and finally started properly equipping myself for bike touring this last summer, I tripped over the website - http://www.af3v.org/Nouvel-article,428.html and it's really captured my imagination! I've done a couple of backpacking trips to Europe, badly want to go back, and the opportunity to combine it with an epic bike tour is too good to resist.

I sent one (English-language) email to the AF3V way back in mid-August and got back an automated email saying they were closed for summer holidays, then nothing further, but the website for the ride is updated regularly so it's obvious planning is progressing. I need to get off my butt, brush up my high-school French and send them another email, bilingual this time!

The basic plan is Vienna to Nantes over 45 days, ~2300 km total so about 40-70 km per day, which is a nice easy day's ride and almost all along the EuroVelo 6, which is apparently a lovely cycling route. 20 Euro per day gets you two meals and some sort of lodging, which sounds mostly like campsites or school gyms. Coming from western Canada, I'd be doing an open-jaw ticket into Vienna and out of Paris; it look like KLM through Amsterdam both ways might be the best bet, but I'm leaving serious flight planning until January.

I can swing the eight weeks off work, and I actually have about three-quarters of the money I'd need in the bank, so this is actually looking doable.

Anyone else here heard of this ride and planning on joining, or considering it?

[trailrunner]

There are 3 of us that are interested in this ride. I sent an email and the secretary did send me a nice note, in English, in response. She said that she would add our names to the mailing list and keep in touch with us . I sent another email the other day but figure this wasn't a good time of year as I haven't heard back this time . I did find a website with info that I hadn't seen before. It states that only 50 people will be taken and that the first 40 will need to be members of the VVV. It is 17 euros to join. Also some places say they provide breakfast and dinner and the other place with the number limitations states breakfast only. It says as many others are welcome to join the ride but will have to find their own places to stay. All that makes this considerably less likely that we will be able to do this from so far away. I am still going to pursue more info and registration starts January 2014 . Here are a couple links:

( shows breakfast only )
http://www.af3v.org/IMG/pdf/Vienna_Nantes_english_program_V11-2.pdf

( info that states only 50 people etc)
http://www.af3v.org/-Randonnee-Vienne-Nantes-2014-.html

If you get any other info would be glad to hear of it. Thanks c

[Wirelizard]

I'd noticed the change to specifying breakfast-only, which is a bit disappointing but not surprising.

The 50 people max limit is, frustratingly, only in the French-language info and has not been translated into the English-language section as I write this, which is why I'd missed it before. (mind you, pity the Germans more, the brand-new German language section of that website is even skimpier than the English section...)

I just sent off another (mostly English) email to the new email address they've posted, so we shall see.

If this Europe trip falls through I'll probably do a BC/Washington/Oregon trip closer to home, so I'll be hanging around this forum a while yet!

[trailrunner]

I just used the automatic \





I have an automatic translator that comes on so when I clicked to that website I was able to read it ...I am very disappointed also. We were counting on the evening arrangements for camping etc to make this more doable...rather than finding our own in that season...might be hard to do...ah well. I shall pursue it again with the new email address....I have this one from the secretary...secretariat-national@af3v.org. what one did you use this time ?  thanks and hope it works out !  c








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[Wirelizard]

The first email I sent, back in August, was to the generic info@a3v address; the one I just sent today was to the new one now listed on their Vienna-Nantes page, croisiere_cycliste.2014@af3v.org.

I'm not expecting a reply until after New Years, obviously, but I'll keep this thread updated!

[trailrunner]

I used the new email address and got a nice reply in English from Marc Linsig , yesterday. He said registration is not open yet, but will be soon and that all questions about breakfast etc would be answered and that there was definitely room for my group of 3 to be in the tour. So did you hear also ? 

[Wirelizard]

I got a similar reply in English from the same guy, saying pretty much the same thing, just two days after I sent another email over the New Years holiday.

I've replied asking to be emailed as soon as registration opens, and I'll be keeping an eye on the A3V website as well!

Hopeful this actually works so I can put myself and my bike on a plane at the end of May this year!

[trailrunner]

Me too  !!!! Let me know when you hear about registration and I will do the same. As an aside, Air France is the only airline that still has free bicycle transport! Also they use/allow the big box like on Amtrack so no tearing down the bike..just turn bars and remove pedals . So you will want to check that. It is on their site under sports equipment. Happy New Year! c

[Wirelizard]

I looked at the Air France website, and they mention 150 USD/per leg from the US or Canada to Europe, and €100 outbound from Europe to North America.

KLM's website, when I looked at over December, says the bike fee is 100 of (local currency), so Euro, USD, CAD, etc for North America to Europe. http://www.klm.com/travel/ca_en/prepare_for_travel/baggage/excess/baggage_piececoncept.htm#p4

A lot of the AF flights I saw on a quick search using a Vancouver-Vienna inbound and Paris-Vancouver homebound flight were codeshares/partner flights by KLM that involved a change in Amsterdam anyway, so I think I might actually go KLM instead of AF... (plus, KLM's flight-picking website is a good bit easier to use...)

Must admit I'm checking the AF3V website twice a day right now, waiting for news that registration has opened... Marc was pretty vague when I asked for an exact date in our email exchange, so I'm antsy...

[trailrunner]

I see that I was mistaken...I didn't read the Zone 3 correctly !  Ah well...there is no free lunch is there ? I have not checked back on their site. If it happens then it does and if not we will just make other plans. Our flights are direct from Atlanta on Air France or we can do KLM. It is all the same and prices all seem to be about the same as well. They are cheaper up to mid May and then rise a good bit after that date, as the Summer fares start then.So you might want to look into going sooner than end of May. I hope that this works out !   Keep me posted and I will you also. c

[trailrunner]

Did you get the info today about the registration ?  It didn't come through from Marc...if the woman hadn't cc'd me I wouldn't have gotten it even though my email is listed. Not sure where it went. Anyway have concerns because it is so expensive to wire funds for the fees. It is $45 US everytime one sends a money wire. I have written to Marc to ask if we can use a postal money order and send it snail mail. The money adds up so fast !  Look forward to hearing from you. c

[Wirelizard]

Got that email this morning my time (I'm on the West Coast) and did the print-and-scan thing to send off both application forms just this afternoon by PDF. Tomorrow on my lunch break I was going to go talk to my bank about the whole money transfer thing, I've no idea what it costs from my bank.

Pity they don't just take Paypal for the membership fee!

[trailrunner]

Not sure why I never got the most recent email. My name is in the list but it has never come through. I sent off an email to Marc and asked if they could work out something to limit the charges on money transfers. He said to just send the forms for now pdf and they would look into a way to limit the charges. So I wouldn't do a money transfer just yet. You can email him and let him know that paypal would work....maybe they haven't thought of that. For now I am not sending any money. All banks seem to have a fee of $45..I found a list on the net when I Googled....let me know if you find a solution. THANK YOU ! The gal this AM emailed me and said she sent cash...a 20 euro note ....I am not sending cash. I will keep you posted if I hear anything. c

[Wirelizard]

My (Canadian) bank will do International Wire Transfers online thru their website for $13, which is still steep on a 17 Euro (~26 Cdn) fee, but closer to reasonable, at least for a bank, so I've just done the transfer using the IBAN/SWIFT info on the AF3V membership forms and it went smoothly enough.

Now I guess we wait and see!

[trailrunner]

That is great.At the worst I will combine the first 30% payment and the 17 Euro dues and send together. Will wait to hear from Marc. I am sure it will work out. Let me know when you hear. I never got the email on Tuesday....my name is in the address list but it never came. I don't want to be missed!!! thank you. c