Clubs in Paris region

Does anyone know of clubs/training group/riders in the Paris region that would welcome an Orwell guest for several weeks - to hook up with for training spins, and that are familiar with good training routes in the area??

Where in the Paris region will you be based? Paris is BIG

Caroline,

in the city centre - good for everything but cycling ;)

www.citesport.com/fr/cyclisme/club/recherche/paris.html

If you need help with contacting them in French, give me a shout.

Caroline,

that's pretty good - thanks. Is there one you'd recommend? Do you know any of them? I'm going over to learn/improve my French, so a bit of chain-gang chat in the lingua franca would also be a bonus!

Recommend? Me? Paris? NOOOOO
Us south west people don't mix with the Parisians.
Just go for the nicest kit ;)

I have heard of a club called ACBB, located in Paris. Actually found that out from reading 'Rough Ride' by Paul Kimmage...

Hey Caroline, Ruth and Julia,

thanks all for your useful suggestions.

I'm going to try contacting some of those clubs, to see what's on offer.

Cheers,

Peter

Caroline wrote:

Recommend? Me? Paris? NOOOOO
Us south west people don't mix with the Parisians.
Just go for the nicest kit ;)

Where in the south west? I'm just on my way back from a few weeks in the mountains near Pau. Do you know any Orwell-friendly cycling clubs near there for next year?

Here's where its at - a 3/4km circuit around the (horse) racecourse at Longchamps:



A bit less bumpy than the champs elysee, and no sign of any Cav-types ;-)

Bordeaux is where I am from ( not a hill in sight there ) but I do travel further south where my mother is based in the foothills of the pyreenees.
I can do some researches. Might be a good idea to get in touch with clubs there and send them stagiares in the summer :)

Caroline wrote:

Bordeaux is where I am from ( not a hill in sight there )

Bordeaux! Aaargh! For some reason every time I drive near there I take a wrong turning and end up going round and round the city centre on small little one way streets unable to find a way out.

Bordeaux, the home of good whine...

Caroline,

just back from the trip away. Thanks for your really useful advice - contacted a club there, and then got the low-down on the Longchamps circuit. Worked out a real treat - a fantastic training set-up. All you do is arrive at the circuit (3.5 km), set off, and wait for a group to come by, jump on, and drop off whenever you want -and there's groups at all speeds, so you'll get a workout at whatever intensity you feel like. There ought to be something like that here in the Phoenix Park - a closed loop exclusive to cyclists. Until we get one, you'll have to head to Paris.... Would recommend it to anyone heading over there with a road bike.