Ride the Roubaix
 

hello fodorites,

I am a bus league cyclist here in the states with little chance of making it too Europe and the big show. I will be heading to Paris in April, one week after the famous Paris - Roubaix bike race. However, after watching it on tv for years, I figure I should see just how hard the cobbles are. My question is therefore, does anyone know who I could contact about renting a good road bike and getting to somewhere near the Forest of Arenberg (pardon the spelling). Would love to ride the last 100k or so of the race and just see what the "hell of the north" is all about.

Thanks for the help. And if you have no idea what I am talking about, check out this video from the 2001 race. This is real bike racing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGfq1khuYGU

The French word for rental is location (yes, the same as "place" in English), and a bike is a bicyclette. So use Google with those two words plus the town names where you think you might get to and want to try. And use Google Maps or www.viamichelin.com for distances and maps and "From-To" step-by-step directions.

I too am a fan of the Roubaix....am thinking about checking out the Forest and maybe staying in Roubaix. Is Roubaix worth the visit after the race is done? Anyone been there that can recommend what its like and where to stay to see the cobblestone and get to the forest?

I leave in 2 weeks...YIKES...help!

Mike

I think you'll have better luck searching if you use velo instead of bicyclette.

I don't believe the Forest of Anrenburg (sp?) is open for cycling except for the race.

Take a look at www.velorental.com as a starting point.

if you go to www.letour.fr/2010/PRX you can find exact locations and lengths of the pave sections. Velorentals would seem like a good place to start or you could try contacting a cycling club along your route. What a great idea, hope you enjoy? the pave.