Special events

Planning is now well advanced for our 14-21 June 2025 cycling week based at Domfront in Normandy.

The Club Indépendant Bordelais (CIB) is inviting CTC members to join them. They have organised accommodation, and are planning to share meals as well as rides, walks, and visits together. They hope you can join them:

Accommodation: a gite has been booked at a fixed total price. You can sleep in a real bed in what was previously a hotel. There is potentially room for a total of 32 people in 11 bedrooms, each with private facilities.

Beds in the gite are still available, including double rooms each with private bathroom.

Cost about 120€ per person for the week, possibly less. Each additional person will reduce the cost for everyone. You can find your own accommodation if you prefer.

CIB are negotiating a plan to share evening meals in a local restaurant. They expect to ask each participant to pay an equal share of the total cost of this. Amount to be finalised, but about 120€ per person expected.

The gite has a kitchen and dining area where all can prepare and eat breakfast and prepare picnics. And where evening aperitifs will be shared before dinner.

If you come by car or campervan, there is a parking area behind the gite. But it is a parking area only, not for sleeping in vehicles. More importantly (perhaps), there is also a bicycle garage. 

Rides, walks and visits are being planned with the aim of providing activities for cyclists as well as for non-cycling partners.

So come and join a week of cyclo-tourisme, French style.

For more information, please contact Ed Hitchcock at edfhit@gmail.com.

Domfront is situated in the southern part of Normandy. Border country with both Bretagne and Anjou.

It's a small fortified town on a hill not unknown in English history:

In 1162 Thomas Becket had a last try here to reconcile the English crown with the Holy See.

The countryside of Domfront-en-Poiraie is above all known for its "Poiré" ; a cider made of pears. 

It is mainly a rural area with all the Normandy classics: Cidre, Calvados, Camembert and butter. But it does also have an industrial past with forges and ceramic manufacturing.

Slightly north of Domfront is the town of Vire (in)famous for its Andouille Bagnole de l'Orne, some 20 kilometers east of Domfront, is a small Spa resort with a botanic garden and the pavilion of Sweden from the world exposition in Paris 1900. To the south the valley and the city of Mayenne with some interesting remains from carolingian times and near by the foundations of a roman city (Jublains)

Our plans for the week:

As in Dorset last June our intent is to propose three levels of routes each day of the week:

• A shorter one, 20-30 kilometers combined with a walking trail.

• A medium length, 50-70 kilometers with a visit of a local attraction (castle, museum, garden, cider house or cheese producer).

• A longer distance, around 100 kilometers not necessarily with a visit.

If you have had enough of your bicycle saddle, Domfront with surroundings offers quite a few marching trials to ease the pain.

Domfront is about 100 kms by bike from Caen, Ouistreham, but trains can reduce the riding distance.

If you are interested please contact Ed Hitchcock at edfhit@gmail.com or if you would like to speak to one of the CycleBristolCTC participants please feel free to contact Nick Horne at nick.horne1@googlemail.com.

The Tour des Trois Vallées Cycling Weekend

Explore the hidden depths of Dieppe, an enchanting coastal town that blends history, natural beauty, and delectable cuisine. Journey with us through rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, and quaint streets. Indulge in mouth-watering culinary delights, and be captivated by the charm of this gem on the French coast. Dieppe is a beautiful town with a long esplanade, a castle, a marina, an amazing Saturday market and an excellent selection of bars and restaurants.

2025 will be the 53rd anniversary of the first Dieppe Raid cycling weekend based on the Dieppe Tour des Trois Vallées event. Each year around 250 travel from the UK to France to enjoy a very warm weekend of cycling around Dieppe.

The event is a series of cycle rides organized by Cyclo-Club Dieppois based on the country roads and lanes in and around Dieppe, offering various distances (from 30k to 140k) to suit both families and cycling enthusiasts. A walk is also offered for non-cyclists. The Tour des Trois Vallées is an international event started in 1972 by Neville Chanin, a well-known cyclist who travelled the world by bicycle. It was established in commemoration of the Dieppe Raid in 1942 where horrific losses were suffered by the British and Canadian allies. Neville continued to participate in the event every year until his sad death in 2010. 

The Tour des Trois Vallées is a great way to introduce less experienced cyclists to cycling in France and every year we have people who really enjoy the experience. On the other end of the spectrum, many experienced cyclists also return every year. Rides can be ridden on any type of bike and children are welcome.

For further details go to the following website: https://www.dieppetour.com/

CycleBristolCTC contact: Nick Horne nick.horne1@googlemail.com.

There are several of us going to the 2025 Cycling meeting with Club Independant Bordelais, then staying over in France to do the Dieppe Raid.

A Shakespearean camping trip to Painswick to see 'Much to Do About Nothing' at Rococo Gardens. There will be two rides of around 65 km. Riding out on Saturday 28th of June and returning on Sunday 29th  of June.

Meet Winterbourne at 9am. 

Buy tickets here: https://www.handlebards.com/show/much-ado-about-nothing-painswick-rococo-garden-sat/ (they usually sell out).

Book camping pitch here: painswickglamping@outlook.com ; you'll have to make a bank transfer. 

Contact Mick Ellis for details: mickellis202@gmail.com

This year's event is being held in Prayssac in the Lot Department of France. 

More details about the event can be found on their website: https://uect.org/en/ but registration has now closed.

Any further details contact: mickellis202@gmail.com

We will be arranging and leading a 3-day tour from Bristol to Caerphilly, then to Ross-on-Wye, then back to Bristol.

• Day 1 - Bristol to Caerphilly via Gwent levels to Newport, then skirt Newport to Caerphilly. There are plenty of accommodation options here, such as Premier Inn, Travelodge etc.

• Day 2 - Caerphilly to Ross-on-Wye, cycling up through Wales and the borders. Again there are plenty of accommodation options here.

• Day 3 - Ross-on-Wye back to Bristol.

Daily mileage will be approximately 50 miles. We will be staying in budget hotels such as Premier Inn and Travelodge etc. Participants will be responsible for arranging and paying for their accommodation. We will plan to eat / socialise together in the evenings.

Interested? Please contact Nick Horne 07769158356 email Nick.horne1@googlemail.com.