CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

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citroenesque
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 400
Joined: 28 Feb 2008, 19:16
Location: Essex
My Cars:
x 4

CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by citroenesque »

Calling all 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. 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...

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For those on FB - more information: https://www.facebook.com/CitroenClassic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Summary:

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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" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 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" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ). 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" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Friday 19th June: Drive cross country to Angouleme and onwards to an overnight near Bressuire, via Parthenay. Overnight: http://www.camping-ptite-cuiller.fr/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... pierre.htm

Day One stop-over alternative: http://www.hotelducerf.com/en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Day Two: http://www.hoteldefrance12.fr/english/eng-index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Day Three and Four: http://www.hotel-restaurant-canal-en-py" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... athares.fr

Day Five: http://www.closgourmand.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Day Six: http://www.orangetree.fr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Day Seven: http://www.hotel-lesporting.fr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Day Eight: http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-0982-ibis-" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... ndex.shtml
1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Diesel hatch, white, 92k
*SOLD* 1998 Citroen Xantia Ser.1 Turbo Diesel manual, Desire Limited Edition hatch, Mauritius Blue, 118k
2003 Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur SE Tourer auto, BRG, 135k
citroenesque
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 400
Joined: 28 Feb 2008, 19:16
Location: Essex
My Cars:
x 4

Re: CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by citroenesque »

Putting together the details of entry now. There is a charge, but as the decision has been made not to hire a film outfit to shoot the event (there's something else instead) the cost will be back down to more realistic levels.

Cost of entry will include:
12-page route plan book.
Car sticker set (1 large (bonnet), 3 medium (doors and rear) and 2 small 'plaques', a windscreen strip and a rear window sticker and a sponsor's sticker)*
An event-branded t-shirt (choice of sizes)
A limited-edition quality keyring
And post-event: a Souvenir bound Photo album/book.

Entry is PER CAR, so if desired extra t-shirts and so on can be purchased on top (prices TBA).

*In addition, I will be organising large Citroen Logo/Chevron stickers as done for the 2012 event. These are not cheap - possibly another £30, but if I get people's orders in sufficient numbers I should be able to get a reasonable discount.

So, cost of entry per car/team is going to be £85. Registration/entry will start in June this year. Final entries need to be in - and paid for - by the end of January 2015.

This compares extremely favourably with similar events... There's the Funball Rally this year for instance that is similar to this sort of Challenge in that no accommodation/crossing etc. is included (as they point out: "Full Payment covers the cost of entry ONLY and no other associated costs of the Rally which will be the sole responsibility of the Participant or the Participating Team") and that's £199 plus.

There needs to be an Entry Fee as there are costs involved but with the unique bundle of goodies on offer, hopefully nobody's going to feel it's unreasonable.
Last edited by citroenesque on 19 May 2014, 11:53, edited 1 time in total.
1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Diesel hatch, white, 92k
*SOLD* 1998 Citroen Xantia Ser.1 Turbo Diesel manual, Desire Limited Edition hatch, Mauritius Blue, 118k
2003 Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur SE Tourer auto, BRG, 135k
citroenesque
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 400
Joined: 28 Feb 2008, 19:16
Location: Essex
My Cars:
x 4

Re: CITROEN CLASSIC CHALLENGE 2015

Post by citroenesque »

I really think 'staging a rally' (ie road trip) - sorting the route out and printing stickers and the like, is something that can carry a fee, and all events of a similar nature cost something to enter. This event, http://funballrally.com/faq" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; at £225 (£225 per team of two, additional passengers are only £50pp it says) is representative and yet I struggle to see the rationale for the extra cost pp. :/? And at that price I might expect a paid-for meal/party or a crossing included...

Anyway, good luck to them... and as for the Challenge: well, AT ONLY £85 PER CAR it shows what good value it is! And it really IS.
1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Diesel hatch, white, 92k
*SOLD* 1998 Citroen Xantia Ser.1 Turbo Diesel manual, Desire Limited Edition hatch, Mauritius Blue, 118k
2003 Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur SE Tourer auto, BRG, 135k
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