European Virgins *snigger*

[Mogster]

are ther any virgins out there?

Yes! the time has come to start to think about next years first trip over the channel!....

Me and Smarty usually organise a couple of weekend trips to France a year, one in the spring (april) and one in the autumn (september) we have been doing this for about 4 years now.

Sooooo we like to gather as many like minded people together as we can and have bloody good time. If you have never been over to europe this is a great way to 'bust ones cherry'

The tips will run from either Nehaven to Deippe (ferry £45ish per bike) or the tunnel (75ish) and we usually pick a destination around 200 miles from the coast, somewhere thats fun to ride to and has sumit to look at when ya get there. we usually pick hotels with secure parking (Ibis mostly) and the cost is around £40 per night.....

The idea is to have a cracking ride down to the hotel, drink beer and eat fine French cusine, mooch about town or go for a ride out the following day. drink more beer eat more fine food... and then come home on the Sunday evening.

If you fancy coming along and want to have a look at the trips we have done gisa shout, its a great way to start the spring off.

Mogs

[GTRPete]

Done a fair bit of euro stuff but not for a few years.  Count me in for the next one

[Cartman]

Spent a good few months in Europe over the last few years, which just makes me want to go more ;D

Subject to dates I'm in.

If you haven't popped your cherry, a weekend is a great way to start

[routemaster]

Could be interested depending on date, although I have already pencilled in two European tours for next year.

One question you said the Euro Tunnel fare is £75ish, why so high? The one way/overnight tickets are now £14 each way ie total of £28 which is what we normally use when going to Europe.

Steve

[Mogster]

Could be interested depending on date, although I have already pencilled in two European tours for next year.

One question you said the Euro Tunnel fare is £75ish, why so high? The one way/overnight tickets are now £14 each way ie total of £28 which is what we normally use when going to Europe.

Steve

the price is higher cos we do 2 nights away and also do the 'Flexiplus' ticket... which means that we have a much larger window for getting on the next train. yes it is pricey but we have found that with a larger group. 'specialy if we have euro noobs along, we don't have the added pressure of gunning it back to the port to be on time.

Cheers for the tip though steve, me an smarty will deffo use that when we dash across for a quickie!

[2kwacks]

have done a few europe trips but they have been for a week at a time. its a long away to go for a few days, but a few days is better than no days I suppose. was planning on going next year again to the french and swiz alps and maybe even make italy again, but my mate as a big family holiday planned, so not sure if he can or even afford to go. either way, I would not refuse a trip over to france, so depending on dates I would be most likely be up for that, if it was for nearer the full week well I would defo be up for that :)

[Cartman]

I suppose on where you start, I take Mrs Woman for lunch in Le Touquet as we live 80 miles from the tunnel so it's easy. Not much further to the tunnel than my commute. But if you live north of Watford it's a different matter entirely.

[Boomer]

I grew up in Belgium, live 70 miles from Folkestone, and visit my Sister in Brussels and Dad in Luxembourg fairly regularly.
That said, I could be interested but due to a new job starting 1st Dec. and ongoing financial issues will not know if I can join ya until at best a couple of weeks before.

Also, if yer into riding in France the GTR Club Europe is organising the latest "Tour de Twist" in the Vosges region.
https://sites.google.com/site/tourdetwist2012/home
Yeah, some of them ride ye-olde GTR1000 but many 1400s and even some other bikes.
I'm hoping to go next year (May 17-20) as I have missed a few TdTs.

[Hans]

Fun! Many of you mention Europe as "a place" which does not concern England. I live in Denmark and do not travel to Europe. I travel to Germany, France, England, Belgium, Holland, etc. As incidentally are all part of Europe!  8)

@Mogster:  When was this trip to "Europe" ??

[Cartman]

Fun! Many of you mention Europe as "a place" which does not concern England. I live in Denmark and do not travel to Europe. I travel to Germany, France, England, Belgium, Holland, etc. As incidentally are all part of Europe!  8)

;D yup it's only a small body of water but it does seperate us from mainland Europe, hundreds of years of habit is hard to break. Europe is an abstract concept anyway, Switzerland is in Europe but not the EU, so does that make it not a European country? 8)

Anyway I have been to France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Portugal in the last few years, so yes saying Europe first and specifying countries later just makes life easier. Oh and all my Kiwi, South African and Aussie mates make the same distinction so the 'English' are not alone. (or Welsh, Scots, N.Irish, Channel islanders etc)

[mecki]

Europe is an abstract concept anyway, Switzerland is in Europe but not the EU, so does that make it not a European country?

So England isn't a European country then?
I prefer the term 'going to the continent'.

[Cartman]

/quote]

Much better  ;D

[kwarrgtr]

"Breathing new life into an old thread alert"!!!!
okay, so I am quite new around here, and obviously new to the gtr. i am NOT a virgin or newbie, but to get the most out of my sports tourer..... I'd like to do more continental (is that the right word now....) sports touring  :D  :D  :D  :D
Did a 5 day trip to germany last year and 10 days to france and spain the year before. Have two hops to france pencilled in, but they could all go tits up, so IF any trip / weekend is confirmed, I'd deffo like more info as in the south and just a short blat from the ports

[Boomer]

The UK is part of the European Continent so even using the term "The Continent" or "Continental Europe" is wrong.
Me I usually refer to it as "mainland Europe".

As for the British attitude toward "mainland Europe" it is entirely earned.
Ever since the French/Germans "started" the EU they have done their best to exclude the UK forcing us to accept less favourable terms than other countries for many years, and even now we are a net payer (we get back less than we pay in) by quite a margin. Funnily enough France has always been a net receiver.

Now before anyone starts on me as a Euro-sceptic, I'm not. I was born in Germany, speak several languages and lived in Belgium for over 10 years. I am about as multi-cultural and pro-European a Brit as you will ever meet but what started out as a good economic idea for several countries to band together to create a "Common market" has evolved into a European government, which we in the UK do not want, never have wanted, and never will accept.

If we had wanted a Federal Government telling the UK government what to do we would have asked the USA to accept us as State #51 back in the 60s instead of joining the EU.

As for the proposed trips to the "mainland", I'm still interested but can't commit until you have fixed dates.

[2kwacks]

"Breathing new life into an old thread alert"!!!!
okay, so I am quite new around here, and obviously new to the gtr. i am NOT a virgin or newbie, but to get the most out of my sports tourer..... I'd like to do more continental (is that the right word now....) sports touring  :D  :D  :D  :D
Did a 5 day trip to germany last year and 10 days to france and spain the year before. Have two hops to france pencilled in, but they could all go tits up, so IF any trip / weekend is confirmed, I'd deffo like more info as in the south and just a short blat from the ports

"continental" (is that the right word now....)? "bet your sorry you asked now" ;D I do have a french and swiz alps trip planned for around late july early august. not defo thou, mate as a 3 week family disney holiday planned, so he may be to skint to go :( don't really fancy it on my own. but if we do go, your welcome to tag along :)