London to Paris 2023 - For Princess Alice Hospice

Yes indeed, that time has come for us to announce our plans for the sixth London to Paris bike ride for Princess Alice Hospice following our unfortunate postponement of 2020’s ride.

London to Paris 2023 will take place on Thursday 8th June, arriving in Paris on Saturday 10th June and returning to London via Eurostar on Sunday 11th.

The schedule:

8th June 2023 - Princess Alice Hospice > Newhaven / Dieppe

9th June 2023 - Dieppe > Beauvais

10th June 2023 - Beauvais > Paris

11th June 2023 - Return to London St Pancras via Eurostar

Fancy doing something amazing in 2023 to help reach our £100k target?

Get in touch to find our more.

Kevin, Matt, Mick, Gaz & Chris

COVID-19 - Important Update

COVID-19 Update - Please Read..

Hey guys & girls,

After much deliberation, and taking into account a huge number of factors, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone our scheduled London to Paris bike ride for Princess Alice Hospice until next year.

We are sure for many of you it will come as a big disappointment, it is for us too and we have not taken this decision lightly. The uncertainty of the current health situation in both the UK and France presents us with logistical difficulties and the possibility that if it were to take place in July, it could be cancelled with no money coming back from hotels, ferries and Eurostar.

All things considered, it makes the most sense to delay things until the situation is a bit clearer. We will be in touch soon with more information.

Thanks,

Kev, Matt, Mick & Gaz

London to Paris - FAQs

So you have questions? Well let’s hope we can answer some of them here…

How far is the ride?
Approximately 300km over 3 days

Do I need a road bike?
Yes

Do you do training rides?
Yes, for more information please check out our Facebook page as details of training rides are posted on there.

What about if I’m a beginner?
The ride is challenging for a beginner but doable. It’s relatively easy for a regular cyclist. Joining our training rides, particularly the Saturday Social rides are a great way to build your fitness and confidence on a bike. We take on all comers but do expect a level of commitment to training - that might be in the gym / spinning classes and some weekend rides.

Do you stop on route?
Yes normally we stop 3 times each day, once for lunch and the other two times for comfort breaks / water top up etc depending on weather.

Do you have support people?
Yes, we have medical and mechanical support on the trip but you are expected to be in good shape, as is your bike.

Can I pay by instalments?
Yes we offer payment plans in the run up to the ride, please get in touch using the contact forms and we’ll work something out for you.

If you have any more questions please get in touch and we’l be pleased to help.

London 2 Paris 2018 <===== DONE

Well, we finally made it.....280km of cycling, 30 riders, 4 support vehicles and over £21,000 successfully raised for Princess Alice Hospice. Well done team, what a great effort on all counts. So here's how it went...

Day One
Leaving Princess Alice Hospice just after 9am following some last minute technical issues with James Fildler's bike, we headed down to Boxhill via Esher and Leatherhead stopping once for our first and only puncture of the trip (Rory).

Princess Alice Hospice - 30 Riders about to take on London to Paris 2018

A quick stop at the top of Boxhill, we trundled through the countryside, around the back of Gatwick Airport and up our second hill to Tulley's farm for a quick coffee and pit stop. It wasn't long before we hit the rain, not for long though and with lunch only 25 km away we were looking forward to some food....not helped by Gary missing a turn in Lindfield!! After lunch, it was heads down to reach the ferry in time, a quick check in and shower on the boat to freshen up. On the boat we also had Kevin shave off half his beard and Gary create a mohican for an extra £400 to Princess Alice Hospice! Barely off the ferry and John Carpenter has his first drama, leaving his passport on board. Delaying us a few minutes and we were on our way having picked up another rider, Amagoia (aka Lucy) from Spain, or should I say Basque Country. A short cycle up the hill to the hotel and it was time for bed.

Day Two
Breakfast at 8am and Kevin Petersen was already doing messages in preparation for our 100km ride to Beauvais. Off we went, chugging along the Avenue Verte to Neufchatel-en-bray with plenty of rolling hills to our lunchstop in Gaillefontaine. After that, a quick smash down to Songeons, a comfort break and into Beauvais for food and a well earned beer (or two). 

Day Three
Beauvais to Paris, that was all the was left, 80km of relatively calm cycling turned into a challenge for our slower riders who set off early in an attempt to beat the faster group to the lunch stop...and they made it, great effort and rewarded by a fantastic lunch from the support crew. Those Nutella Donuts were amazing!!! After lunch, we safely navigated our way to Paris, winding our way down one way streets until we reached the Seine. From there we followed the river to the Financial District, chucked a left onto the famous Champs Élysées, right at the Arc de Triomphe and we were almost there. 

Seeing the Tour de Eiffel after 3 days of cycling is amazing, arriving virtually under it for photos and hugs was a fitting end to an amazing trip.

Until next year!!!

The Dream Team of 2018

Your L2P Checklist...

With just over a week until we roll out of Princess Alice Hospice there are a few things you need to get sorted before we leave.

1. A Bike Service
It's really important that your bike is OK to ride 280km as the support we have is limited. If you can, get your bike serviced by a qualified bike technician / local bike shop before we leave!

2. Bike Lights - Front & Rear
At the end of Day 1, we ride in the dark. It's only a short ride but getting off the Ferry at around 10pm means there will be lots of vehicles around. Working lights are imperative - if you haven't got them, you'll be in the back of the van.

3. High-viz gilet
As above, there are 30 of us riding together so we want to be seen. You can buy them from any of the online cycling retailers relatively cheaply but you will need one, otherwise you'll be in the van.

4. Spare inner tubes & CO2 canisters / pump & a Multi Tool
You need a couple of inner tubes plus some CO2 canisters or a pump as the support van won't always be driving behind us. A good idea of how to use them is also a good idea, there are plenty of videos available on Youtube. 

5. Waterproof Gear
For the last 3 years we've been mostly OK with the weather but we have also got soaked on occasion. Bring the right gear with you, these are long days in the saddle and you need to be able to carry everything you need. If you have any questions about what clothing to bring, give one of the guys a shout.

6. Other stuff
You'll also need some Euros, Sunblock, Your EHIC Card, Drink Tablets and if you want to keep your phone dry we'd recommend a Zip-lock sandwich bag in your back pocket.

7. FINALLY - Day / Boat Bags
On the Ferry we have booked 5 x Cabins which have changing and shower facilities.  On Day 1, it's a good idea to have a change of clothing, some wash stuff and a towel in your day bag. That way you can freshen up before dinner on the boat.

Any other questions, please just ask one of the team.

Pippa's Story

For those of you looking for a bit of inspiration, this powerful video gives you an idea of the valuable work Princess Alice Hospice do and why we are doing our best to raise £20,000 this year. Please do your bit and reach out to as many people as you can so we can smash our record and make an even bigger difference this year.

Top Tips for Group Riding by GCN

Hopefully by the time we head off to Paris, you will all be used to riding in a group. If group riding is new to you, or you'd just like to understand more about group riding etiquette then have a watch of this video from GCN. It will give you the basics and if you're not sure about something then ask one of the guys.

How To Fix a Puncture - Video

Fixing a puncture on the road normally means changing an inner tube, it's the fastest and easiest way to get you moving again. To do this you'll need the following:

1. Spare inner tube
2. Tyre levers
3. A pump or CO2 canister

Watch this video by GCN and hopefully you'll be on the right track.

The Importance of Bike Maintenance

The bike ride to Paris is a long one, 280km in fact and if you've been training properly by the time you reach the 7th June, your bike will have been through it's paces and will be in need of a service.

It's absolutely vital that your bike is in good shape before we leave for Paris. Whilst we have mechanical support, it really is for emergencies only so a pre-trip service is a must.

We've teamed up with Lky7.com of Ashford who really know what they are doing and will look after you a treat if you say you are cycling to Paris with us.

For more information, please get in touch with them below:

http://www.lky7sports.com/contacts 

First Official Training Ride - 4th February 2018

Yes, it's finally here! Our first official training ride for our London to Paris 2018 trip. All the important details are below, you'll probably be out for just over 2 hours with coffee at Carlucci's Walton on Thames afterwards.

When?
Leaving 8.30am 4th February 2018

Where?
Walton Bridge Cafe, Walton on Thames, Surrey, KT12 1BH
CLICK HERE FOR MAP

What to Bring?
1. Road bike in decent condition
2. Cycling Helmet
3. Spare inner tube with pump or CO2 canisters
4. Spare change for coffee afterwards. (£2.65 for a latte in Carluccio's)

We will be heading out through Pyford, Ripley into the Surrey Hills, take on at least one decent hill and then head back for coffee. Beginners will be looked after and nobody will be left behind.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday.

Ocean Cycling Club