French Frolic 2023 Edition

[Andy G]

Well after this years epic I thought the best thing I could do was book up and pay for the 2023 version so its feels like a free trip by the time it arrives, until the fuel bills, booze and peage charges arrive the month after anyway!

https://www.lotus-on-track.com/lotshop/ff-2023/

Looks epic as usual, with the finish being so close to the Spanish border a post Frolic adventure to the Pyrenees seems inevitable, and then a ferry back from Spain?

Should make for a tremendous laugh again, and I suspect the twin Atom trailer movement might be rolled back out for it!

Trying to recall who told me they had booked so far but;

1. AndyG
2. Robin
3. Graeme A

[campbell]

Certainly thought of the ferry back from Spain angle

Mulling it all over …

[alicrozier]

1. AndyG
2. Robin
3. Graeme A
4. Ali

Post Frolic also here now:
The French Frolic Trackdays finish in Pau so scope for a few days in the mountains afterwards. Maybe then ferry home from Spain to Portsmouth...

Not routes but some initial thoughts on possible target Cols:
https://goo.gl/maps/oMVgucZV84jtUuSm8
https://goo.gl/maps/YHEE3CKqMnZ6K7nH9

Further East...
https://goo.gl/maps/82xd1PAeDqgPp8VWA

[Dark]

1. AndyG
2. Robin
3. Graeme A
4. Ali
5. Mark (Dark)

[campbell]

Reminded it’s our 20th anniversary 2 weeks later. So I’m oot. Enjoy it boys!

Crossing Pyrenees via Monte Perdido and Pic du MIDI d’Osseau ( Biescas / Jaca roads?) was sublime in 1997 …

[Clarkie]

1. AndyG
2. Robin
3. Graeme A
4. Ali
5. Mark (Dark)
6. Clarkie

[greyrigg]

1. AndyG
2. Robin
3. Graeme A
4. Ali
5. Mark (Dark)
6. Clarkie
7. Malcolm

[Andy G]

chaps - just checking everyone saw the Le Mans addition and added it?

Its going to be epic

[philthy]

Saying sold out already?!

[greyrigg]

chaps - just checking everyone saw the Le Mans addition and added it?

Its going to be epic

I have booked Le mans.

Malcolm

[alicrozier]

I have a diary clash so have to head out to France at the start of August and unfortunately miss Le Mans. Also going to boost home straight after so won’t terrorise the Pyrenees. Need to briefly show face at work before DN…first world problems eh!

[Dark]

Ferry options, assumes starting in Le Mans and a few extra days in Pyrenees.

Outbound

Fri 11th August - option#1
Eurotunnel, £150 (£50 with Tesco vouchers). Website says "busy weekend"
Then drive Calais to Le Mans, 425km / 4 hours

Fri 11th August - option#2
Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth to Caen, £200
Dep 08:15, arrive 15:00 OR dep 14:45, arrive 21:30
Then drive Caen to Le Mans, 175km / 2 hours

Homeward

Tues 22nd August - option#1
Drive Pau to Calais, 1080km / 10 hours
Eurotunnel, £110 (£35 with Tesco)

Tues 22nd August - option#2 (same most days)
Drive Pau to Caen, 825km / 7.5 hours
Brittany Ferries, Caen to Portsmouth, £200 (+£75 for cabin if required)
Dep 08:30, arrive 13:15 OR dep 16:30, arrive 21:15 OR dep 23:00, arrive 06:45 (next day)

Tues 22nd August - option#3 (only sails Tues or Sat)
Drive Pau to Bilbao, 260km / 3 hours
Brittany Ferries, Bilbao to Portsmouth, £512 (+£150 cabin if required)
Dep 13:00, arrive 20:45 (next day)

Wed 23rd August - option#4 (only sails Wed or Sun)
Drive Pau to Santander, 350km / 4 hours
Brittany Ferries, Santander to Portsmouth, £500 (+£150 cabin if required)
Dep 14:00, arrive 20:00 (next day)

For reference the longest drives last year:
Calais to Dijon, 570km / 5 hours
Dijon to Orange, 400km / 4 hours
La Clusaz to Reims, 600km / 5.5 hours
Orange to Calais, 960km / 10 hours (plus punctures....)

[campbell]

Pau to Bilbao or Santander could be turned into an EPIC driving adventure. There is no contest.

Do it.

[Andy G]

Yeah the dates for the DN Event are getting in the way of the extended trip a bit.

The ring is Aug 31/1st Sept and suspect the limited Ferry dates might bugger things up.

Bloody typical = last years DN dates were ideal.

[Clarkie]

Similar distance to Portsmouth or Folkestone from this neck of the woods
5h 45 mins on the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen then 1hr 40m drive but just over 4 hrs driving Calais to Le Mans, In terms of timings/costs probably go with Eurotunnel outbound 11/8 on the 10:00 to 11:59 shuttle?

Enjoyed last years sortie in the Alps, wished I'd stayed longer, so 100% up for a few days in the Pyrenees back 22nd/23rd

Ferry back from Spain does save the trek all the way back to Calais