CITROËN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

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Citroenesque
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CITROËN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by Citroenesque » Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:01 pm

Calling all XM fans and Citroenistes... Oh, and Francophiles and driving enthusiasts... and lovers of fine food and wine; travellers of taste etc..

There is another Challenge set for June 2015.
Following in the footsteps of the 2009 BXagon Challenge, the Citroen Classic Challenge of 2012 and the Challenge Ecosse 2013, this second incarnation of the CCC2012 promises to be even more amazing. Lots to do and see, and at a time of year selected to give everyone on it an early taste of Summer.

Entry is open to any interesting Citroen prefer 20 yrs or older, but in the case of an XM all comers welcome! Fees only to cover the costs of car stickers and print outs etc. Plus a supplement to help cover the cost of getting the whole event professionally filmed in HD... if I can get it sorted. Even with the latter it's going to be less than £30 a head I'm sure. Then all you have to do is arrange car, crossing and Euros and off we go. (Well, as I'm sure you know there's a lot more than that to arrange, but you get my drift).

Please - LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED...

Image

ROUTE SUMMARY

Saturday 13th June 2015: 7:30am - Drive south from Calais to Gien via Abbeville, Gournay-en-Bray, Chartres… (As mentioned, this means that those crossing to Dieppe, La Havre or Caen have a chance of a rendezvous with those from further North). Overnight:http://www.bardelet.com/campsite-france.html

Sunday 14th June: Another early-ish start: The route takes us, (once again for the veterans of the 2012 event) up the Loire, via Sancerre to Nevers. Here we press on South to Vichy, via Moulins. and travel to our second night's stop over (Espalion near Rodez) via the town of Le Puy en Velay missing out Clermont-Ferrand and the ganglion of autoroutes there; we'll instead be driving through the Parc du Livradois Forez. Overnight:http://www.rocdelarche.com/index.html?lg=gb

Monday 15th June: Head for the Millau Bridge. Crossing that, the route splits, giving the choice of a coastal route or cross-country route, both of which have their advantages…
Either cut through the majestic landscape of the Parc des Grands Causses and into the Parc Du Haut Languedoc, passing Castres on the East side and on to the Medieval wonder that is Carcassonne. From there it's up into the Pyrenees foothills. Campsite in the Limoux/Quillan area.http://www.camping-quillan.fr/English/P ... psite.html
Or take the coastal route... This option has possibly some less exciting roads initially but once past Beziers things liven up as the route hits the Med. Along the coastal road to Perpignan and then heading up into the Pyrenees and arrive at the campsite from the South. This is likely to be the favoured option if the weather's nice :)

Tuesday 16th June: On this, Day Four there’s lots of choice; visit Cathar sites, muck about in Limoux etc. but I propose a ‘Raid on Spain’… well, an enclave in the Pyrenees: Llívia (a city at 4,000 feet). This 110-mile round trip will take us through National Park (Parc Naturel Régional des Pyrénées Catalanes) landscapes, along a lake (Lac de Matemale - which is over 5,000 ft up). Should be fun… The plan is to return to camp in time to go to a dinner at this place, for a group nosh-up: https://www.facebook.com/AubergeDesCathares ). The restaurant’s only 7.6 kms from camp.

Wednesday 17th June: Drive to Pau. Taking the mountain route via St. Girons and Bagneres de Luchon, Gourette, etc. Opportunities for getting off the track too. Overnight: http://www.camping-belair64.com/UK/Accueil.php

Thursday 18th June: Depart Pau. We travel to Agen via Eauze and Nerac and travel through lovely Bastide country to Cahors and the campsite near there. Timings mean a lunch in or near Agen (where I used to live) and afternoon tea in Cahors. Overnight: http://www.domainequercy.com/

Friday 19th June: Drive cross country to Angouleme and onwards to an overnight near Bressuire, via Parthenay. Overnight: http://www.camping-ptite-cuiller.fr/

Saturday 20th June: We can start by driving a short distance to the Heuliez factory at Cerizay, before continuing to Saumur (tank museum) and Le Mans in the afternoon. Overnight is the IBIS hotel, Alençon where we will have the Challenge Dinner.
There is a Camping alternative; Camping de Guéramé, (about 2.2km away).

On Day Nine, Sunday 21st June, the World is our oyster. Well, Normandy. We can drive though the huge Forêt d'Ecouves to Falaise then through the Suisse Normande to Bayeux and then do the D-Day bit and visit a beach, museum etc. If you book a crossing late in the day you’ll only need to leave the Caen area for Calais mid-afternoon.

Feedback welcome :)

IN ADDITION
I have now got Hotel alternatives for each of the camping stop-overs:

Calais: We start from the same place as the 2012 Challenge started and there’s a B&B Hotel there: http://www.hotel-bb.com/en/hotels/calai ... pierre.htm

Day One stop-over alternative: http://www.hotelducerf.com/en

Day Two: http://www.hoteldefrance12.fr/english/eng-index.htm

Day Three and Four: http://www.hotel-restaurant-canal-en-py ... athares.fr

Day Five: http://www.closgourmand.com

Day Six: http://www.orangetree.fr

Day Seven: http://www.hotel-lesporting.fr

Day Eight: http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-0982-ibis- ... ndex.shtml
Last edited by Citroenesque on Wed Feb 05, 2014 10:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
1995 Citroen ZX 1.9D Avantage 3 door, white 106k miles.

mds141
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by mds141 » Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:03 pm

Cheers Phil. :)
Mark Smith.

2000 XM VSX 2.1 td auto. Rouge Magenta. RP 8542.
1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine.
1997 Honda Firestorm.

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Re: CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by Citroenesque » Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:48 am

I've just been speaking to a friend of mine in France and he's looked at the route. This - he tells me - is going to be one hell of a tour with some truly amazing places and terrain on it.

So - I know it's a long way off but - can you XMers and general Citroen nuts try to put aside time and money for this unique event. It'll be brilliant!

And, in the meantime, HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
Last edited by Citroenesque on Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1995 Citroen ZX 1.9D Avantage 3 door, white 106k miles.

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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by xmexclusive » Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:52 am

You will find the 2012 Challenge postings further down the page.
Both run by the same organiser.
Phils Challengeer name will get swapped back to Citroenesque once one of us Mods works out how to do it.

John

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Re: CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by Citroenesque » Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:21 pm

Cheers! I might update the 2012 Challenge thread with some pictures and a post-event report.

It should inspire. I do hope we get an XM or two doing the 2015 event. 8-)
Last edited by Citroenesque on Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1995 Citroen ZX 1.9D Avantage 3 door, white 106k miles.

mds141
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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by mds141 » Tue Dec 24, 2013 3:42 pm

If I'm feeling brave enough Phil, I might leave the valver at home this time and take the XM. :-)
Mark Smith.

2000 XM VSX 2.1 td auto. Rouge Magenta. RP 8542.
1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine.
1997 Honda Firestorm.

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Re: CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by Citroenesque » Wed Dec 25, 2013 1:47 am

Hope so! It'd be great. Merry Xmas :)
Last edited by Citroenesque on Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1995 Citroen ZX 1.9D Avantage 3 door, white 106k miles.

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Re: CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by Citroenesque » Thu Jan 30, 2014 2:06 pm

On the cost angle, it's encouraging to note that the trend for Euro exchange rates is working in our favour with it standing at (tourist rate) £1.00 = €1.1949. So that means at today's prices - and at a Supermarket - you're talking the equivalent of £1.23 or less a litre for unleaded and 1.17 or so for diesel. A petrol car doing around 32mpg will cost around £400 in fuel for the trip and a diesel doing 42mpg will be £300. Seems a lot but not too bad for the sharp end of 2,300 miles in France. Add to that the crossing (£70?), camping budget of around £120, end of event bash at another £70, unavoidable tolls and miscellaneous other costs say £40, food and meals another couple of hundred and the total for the trip (from Dover and back) will be - at today's prices - around the £800 mark per car/team.

OK that's not exactly small change, but for over a week in France with mates and some cracking drives it's a bargain :)
Last edited by Citroenesque on Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1995 Citroen ZX 1.9D Avantage 3 door, white 106k miles.

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Re: Tour du Coeur Classic Challenge *NOW 2015*

Post by Dieselman » Thu Jan 30, 2014 7:32 pm

I've done £500 so far this month anyway. If I get time I could go for this.
92 2.1SED M.RP5740 ECZ Sable Phenicien
92 3.0 V6-24.Rp 5713 EXY Black
92 2.1SD M.RP 5685 ENT Blue Sideral
Prev
90 2.1SD M.RP 5049 EJV Mandarin
92 2.1SD A.RP 5698 EJV Mandarin
94 2.1SD A.RP 6218 ERT Triton Green
91 2.0SI M.RP 5187 EWT White

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Re: CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by Citroenesque » Thu Jan 30, 2014 7:34 pm

Please do! You won't regret it.


NOTE REBRANDING :) Plaque design to follow....

Citroën Classic Challenge 2015
Last edited by Citroenesque on Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1995 Citroen ZX 1.9D Avantage 3 door, white 106k miles.

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