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Amenities and services

For a breakdown of facilities en route, see Appendix A. This list is not exhaustive but provides an indication of the services available.

Grocery shops

All cities, towns and larger villages passed through have grocery stores, often supermarkets, and most have pharmacies. In France, almost every village has a boulangerie (bakery) that is open from early morning and bakes fresh bread several times a day.

Cycle shops

Most towns have cycle shops with repair facilities. Locations are listed in the stage descriptions, although this is not exhaustive. Many cycle shops will adjust brakes and gears, or lubricate your chain, while you wait, often not seeking reimbursement for minor repairs. Touring cyclists should not abuse this generosity and always offer to pay, even if this is refused.

Currency and banks

The currency of France is the Euro. Almost every town has a bank and most have ATM machines which enable you to make transactions in English. However very few offer over-the-counter currency exchange. In London, Paris and port towns (Dover, Folkestone, Newhaven, Calais and Dieppe) there are commercial exchange bureau but in other locations the only way to obtain currency is to use ATM machines to withdraw cash from your personal account or from a prepaid travel card. Contact your bank to activate your bank card for use in Europe or put cash on a travel card. Travellers’ cheques are rarely used.