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 | International Tandem Rally 2019Saturday 24th. - Saturday 31st. AugustCamping du Lac |  |
_place_centrale.jpg) Marciac - Place Centrale |
 Heading out from Marciac |
 Porte in town wall |
 Eglise Sainte-Marie de Mirande |
 Bassoues |
 Church |
 Pilgrim Gate, Montesquiou |
 Montesquiou from afar |
 Tillac, a small Bastide |
 Watering Hole, Tillac |
 Pyrenees - Col de Peyresourde |
STOP PRESS: ROUTES ARE NOW AVAILABLE. An email with a link to the downloadable routes has been sent to all those booked on the rally. You will need to download / print your own copies of the route sheets / tracks. For TC members here.
The 2019 International Rally is being held at Camping du Lac, Marciac in Gers, just North of the Pyrenees. Don’t panic - this beautiful area is not one of 2000m peaks. Marciac is situated on the Boués, one of many river valleys in this area that run from south to north, eventually finishing in the Gironde. The ridges between the valleys are typically 40 -100m high and many are covered with extensive oak forests.
Undoubtedly it’s one of the best areas in Europe for cycling. Traffic volumes are very low, there is no gravel and the area is one of the least windy in France. Many of the local towns and villages, including Marciac date back to the 13th century, constructed as fortified bastides. There are beautiful old buildings everywhere you go.
Rally Site
Camping du Lac is located just outside the ancient “bastide” or fortified town of Marciac, about 60 miles from Toulouse & the Atlantic coast and approximately 1 hour’s drive from the spectacular Pyrenees mountains. Marciac holds an internationally renowned jazz festival every year in the first half of August.
Marciac itself is a short 800m cycle ride away with a good range of shops, a good sized supermarket, restaurants, a bank, pharmacy and post office, and has a regular Wednesday market in the town square. The Lac de Marciac is 300m from the campsite and has water activities.
The tranquil campsite is spread over 3 hectares of green, wooded land (plenty of shade). The site has 71 touring pitches, 50 of which have electricity. There are 21 tent only pitches on (low) hillside terraces. The facilities are modern and clean. There is a shop, bar/restaurant with nice terrace. There is also a children’s playground and outdoor swimming pool.
Additionally, the campsite has a variety of accommodation available, from Lodge Cabins through to various sizes of modern mobile homes ranging 18 m2 to 32 m2. The mobile homes are very nicely appointed. The campsite website has full details including photos, layouts and details: Camping du Lac, rentals
All pitches and accommodation must be booked directly with the campsite. The campsite has offered us a discount for pitches and accommodation rentals (cabins and lodges). See the table below. You book on the campsite's website at the full price, paying a deposit, mentioning that you are attending the tandem rally, The campsite will apply the discount manually when you pay the balance during the rally.
| Item | Saving |
|---|---|
| Rental fee for accommodation or pitch | 15% discount |
| Sheets kit | 10 euros per person |
| Bath towel | 5 euros |
| Cleaning fee | 30 euros (normally 45 euros per mobile home) |
| Deposit | 200 euros, blocked on the credit card |
Rides
Roads alongside the rivers are usually reasonably flat, whilst those along the ridges undulate and generally afford some wonderful views. The routes have been planned to cross the ridges in the easiest places.
To the west of Marciac there is a large flat valley (no climbing!) that encompasses Rabastens-de-Bigorre, Vic-en-Bigorre, Maubourguet and up to Plaisance and Riscle. The routes make some use of this area and if you have transport and don’t like hills you could take your cycles to any of the above towns for a pleasant and perfectly flat ride.
Each day there are three rides to choose from, the short rides are typically less than 30 miles trying to avoid too many hills, the medium rides are up to around 45 miles and the long rides are between 50 and 60 miles. Turn by turn instructions and gpx files for each route will be available on the club website a few weeks before the event. Each rally attendee is expected to bring their own printed copy of the route instructions / gpx track files. For those that have not yet attended a Tandem Club rally, we do not go out as a large group. Instead we tend to set off in small groups, so as not to swamp the local roads. The rallies are very friendly - groups setting off will be happy to have extra tandems join them.
Entertainment
So far the following are planned:
| Day | Events |
|---|---|
| Saturday 24th | Most people arrive. Welcome drinks and canapes in the early evening |
| Sunday 25th | Day 1 bicycle rides |
| Monday 26th | Day 2 bicycle rides |
| Tuesday 27th | Day 3 bicycle rides Meal and live band in the evening |
| Wednesday 28th | Rest day (no planned cycle rides). |
| Thursday 29th | Day 4 bicycle rides Tandem Games in the evening |
| Friday 30th | Day 5 bicycle rides Last night barbecue |
| Saturday 31st | Most people depart. |
Extra events are likely, including a quiz night and a bring and buy sale (aka cycle jumble sale).
Closing date
Bookings close on Sunday 21st July 2019.
Booking
You need to be members of the Tandem Club or certain overseas organisations to book. See the Terms and Conditions below.
Please use the button below to book for this event. Preferred payment for UK residents is by on-line credit/debit card payment but the form will present you with other options, which non-UK residents will need to use.
Need further information?
E-mail the rally team at tci2019@tandem-club.org.uk
Map showing the location of Camping du Lac
Terms and Conditions.
Booking confirmation:
Your booking is not confirmed until payment has been received in full and cleared which should be before the closing date for bookings. Dishonoured cheques will result in the cancellation of your booking.
Members Only:
This event is open to UK or overseas Tandem Club Members or, in the case of overseas people, members of the following organisations: "Tandem Club of America", "Tandem Club de France", "Tandem Club NL (Netherlands)", "Tandem ClubVlaanderen (Belgium)" and "Tandem-fahren.de (Germany)". You can join the Tandem Club using the forms on the TC website. Joining the TC (About 10 UKP per year).
Disclaimer:
If you participate in any ride or event organised by the Tandem Club you do so entirely at your own risk. The Club, its officers and ride organisers accept no responsibility for loss, damage to property, accident, injury or death, that may occur, however caused, whether by negligence, deliberate act or otherwise.
Cancellations and refunds.
The rally fee will not be refunded after the closing date. Refund of other components will depend on what the Club can recover from the campsite and/or other suppliers. Members may wish to consider taking out Holiday Insurance to cover losses the Club cannot refund.
Photographs taken at the event may be published on the Tandem Club Website, The Tandem Club Facebook pages and The Tandem Club Journal