Just got back from sunny France. Nearly didn't thanks to some fecking twat in a 205 who doesn't know what the stop line means in Ardres. I mean, how hard is it to see a six foot three fecking wasp on a bike??? My lucky six inches again!
Anyway, earlier, we passed by the new venue at Gravelines. It's large, looks brand new, in a fabulous location and the lake effectively joins the motorway at the south end of the town with the A road above it. Just short of Dunkirk, which has plenty going on and loads of shops. About twenty mins drive from Calais. I couldn't get in to the venue though, as I was only the passenger in the car and they had detoured so I could take a shufty.
The surrounding roads are lovely and smooth and mostly....drivers are bike considerate. Hills are non existent, but quite a few shortish drags up to a couple of miles or so which sap a bit? I could get up seated but puffing a bit on a Cross bike single speed 42/17 (or was it 18). Just checked Garmin, 100M a mile for 3 miles was the worst (any mathematicians?), Just worked it out, 6.25% (didn't feel like it).
Roads are wide and at least one side of the lake is at least partially protected from the wind by a massive earth wall tens of feet high. It can get a bit breezy though with a constant blow going seemingly all the time across very unprotected roads, mostly surrounded by flat fields and no trees.
In short, looks good. IMO.
