Background...

SAM will be visiting Blois in the Loire Valley in May 2007.

Here is your opportunity to savour the delights of France with colleagues from the Club.

This is Pete Craddock: tour organiser and ride leader. Pete is already in gastronomic training for this trip.

SAM visits the Loire Valley in 2007 - and you can come too!

Itinerary

The group will travel down to Portsmouth on Thursday 3 May 2007 and catch the 23:00 ferry to Le Havre. We will arrive at approximately 07:30 on Friday 4 May.

We will take a slow route through France arriving at Blois at approx 12:00 (French Time). We will be staying in an Etap Hotel.

A rideout will be arranged for the afternoon of Saturday 5 May, allowing for some sight seeing in this beautiful town during the morning.

Sunday 6 May will see a day-long trip with hopefully an evening meal get together in a local restaurant (to be arranged).

Monday 7 May will be an afternoon rideout.

Tuesday 8 May the group will take a slow gradual journey back to Le Havre in order to catch the 17:00 ferry back to Portsmouth arriving at 21:30.

Sounds great, but wozzit cost, Pete?

The ferry crossing is at the moment £40 return for bike and rider or £55 return for bike, rider and pillion.

The hotel room cost (2006 prices) is 34 euros per room for one person, 40 euros for two persons. This doesnt include breakfast which is approx 3.80 euros each.

Brilliant! What do I do next?

Contact me (Pete Craddock) on 01453 766 055 (home), 07989 388 580 (mobile) or cradds2005@yahoo.co.uk so I can arrange to take your deposit.

The cutoff date for letting me know if you are coming and giving me a cheque for your ferry crossing is Wednesday 10 January 2007.

Arrange Friday 4 May and Tuesday 8 May as holiday (Monday 7/5 is a Bank Holiday).

I will then arrange your ferry. The rooms will have to be paid by you prior to departing the room on 8 May 2007.

I am looking at approx 20 bikes and 30 people but this is totally dependent on the hotel and room availability. I will not know until January 2007. I already have 15 bikes booked at the time of press - these people have paid their ferry crossing.

This Tour has been broadcasted by myself at the last 2 meetings but to make sure that every member has had the opportunity to hear about the tour it is now being put on the website and in the January Journal (there is no December issue- sorry).

I look forward to seeing you on the trip-happy biking.