Citroën Classic Challenge 2015

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Tim Leech
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Tim Leech »

2015 is a goer for me, 2014 wont be as Im having a "year off" camping!
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Des Smith
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Des Smith »

Tim Leech wrote:Im having a "year off" camping!
Crikey Tim, I know camping can test one's sense of humour at times, but a whole year off to recover? :wink:
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Tim Leech
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Tim Leech »

Des Smith wrote:
Tim Leech wrote:Im having a "year off" camping!
Crikey Tim, I know camping can test one's sense of humour at times, but a whole year off to recover? :wink:

Yes it was that wet!

Weve decided to rough it in 4 star hotel somewhere hot instead... 8)
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citsncycles
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by citsncycles »

Oh I dunno, we managed to put the tents up in the dry most days, they just never came down dry!

What you need to do is go over to France and bring back a nice Ambulance, which you could then drop a Xantia TD engine into and kit out with enough facilities to put Timex to shame!
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Tim Leech
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Tim Leech »

I quite like a night or maybe two at shows, I will be using my pop up at the National and CXM but a week is too much for me.
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by mds141 »

I like the idea of a XM ambulance conversion. At least you'd have somewhere to kip when it breaks down. :-)
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1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
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Philip Chidlow
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Philip Chidlow »

ROUTE MAP UPDATE
3,500 kms in 9 days. That's gonna be a bit of a challenge in itself; we're not using toll roads (other than the Millau Bridge) and auto route use will be kept to a minimum. The dash south is always a bit mad: that's 510 kms on the first day :)

Two versions: one gives an idea of the topography too.

Image

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Des Smith
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Des Smith »

Looks good. Pont de Normandie is a pretty pricey toll bridge, but probably some people would want to do it for the craic. The Tancarville bridge is cheaper and then again you could wiggle inland a bit and pay nothing. I would be up to do this, but I would probably duck out after Quillan. A must-do drive is the road through the St Martin-de-Lys defile to Axat, and on along the N117 along the Fenouillede valley en route to Queribus fort. Since there's a day set aside, that should work very well.
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Philip Chidlow »

Hi Des, yes indeed a day set aside for some particularly memorable driving. Being June I hope the weather will be kind.

I agree about the Pont de Normandie although for those who haven't done it, it's worth doing once. Effectively it'll be a bit of a free-for-all after Flers with only a nominal route set. This is the same as previous events, people tend to have their own crossing timetable/itinerary.
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Philip Chidlow »

Another note for those familiar with N.France; Rouen can be a bottleneck which is why I have a fairly detailed route plan to skim around it... (I'll post it along with other more detailed route information in due course).
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Des Smith
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Des Smith »

Philip Chidlow wrote:Rouen can be a bottleneck which is why I have a fairly detailed route plan to skim around it...
I did spot that. Very wise move indeed. Travelling through Rouen can be a short cut to complete mental breakdown, but like a moth to the flame, I inevitably find myself drawn to it... ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by mds141 »

I'm glad it's just not me that finds Rouen a complete nightmare. Got hopelessly lost there last year. The Tom Tom had smoke coming out of it after a while!! :-D
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.

1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
Tinkley
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Tinkley »

Been through Rouen about half a dozen times in BX and C4. Even stopped to buy some stuff. No problem at all..
Actually first time it was so early in the morning I sailed through with the boat on the back, on my way to Garda. :lol: around 6.45 am..

You do have to be alert for the signs and route numbers though, especially if like me you don't want the Peage, or at least can't be arsed to pay for it :lol: Wasn't too bad really just follow the river and turn off where needed.
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Des Smith
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Des Smith »

Well, this summer the Pont Mathilde has been closed and there's a real 'mare of a diversion that even has the most seasoned travellers wailing and gnashing their teeth. It's the main bridge across the Seine and the one you would normally use if you drive down the N28 and follow the Rocade into the city, so the alternative is to follow the 'deviation' signs which simply disappear. Happily, we don't own a satnav and Louise was using a road atlas to re-plot a route, so we figured out our own way through the mayhem. I would say, beware the underpass system on the south bank, because that did for us on the way back home.
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Philip Chidlow »

I've had reasonable and bad experiences, but it is a lottery and not something I'd do for fun if there was a more pleasant alternative...

So this is the proposed work-around: (Perhaps if someone's heading to that neck of the woods in the next year they could test it out?)...

Calais to Abbeville via Montreuil, then follow route Aumale to Gournay-en-Bray, and on to Entrépagny, to Vernon, to Pacy-sur-Eure, Oulins and on to Dreux...

Then, in a change to the last Challenge too: Dreux to Chartres but avoid Orleans by going to Toury, Pithiviers and on to Boiscommun and Ouzouer-sur-Loire, Benne before arriving in Gien.
• 1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Hurricane
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