Ironman in Les Sables D'Olonne

I'm just back from a fabulous 4 nights on the beautiful West Coast of France, in Les Sables D'Olonne. We were there for my husband to take part in his first full Ironman competition, a real test of endurance - 3.8km swim, 180km on the bike followed by a marathon (yes, you read that right!) My son aged 9 & I accompanied him for the road trip & I'm so glad we did. The whole weekend was so much fun! 

Day 1: Getting there 

At 5am, our multiple alarms woke us up - we'd packed up the car the night before so it wasn't long before we were on the road bound for Folkestone & Le Shuttle. I'd never taken Le Shuttle before so wasn't sure what to expect. It was actually really easy once we got to the check in kiosk - the traffic was a bit slow until you got there. Passport control for leaving the UK, followed by passport control for entering France, a few 100 metres later, was really straightforward.

A quick stop for coffee at the terminal & we made our way to the train. We made it a bit earlier than our train so we got on the train before ours without any difficulties. As we had a bike on the roof, we were in the Large vehicle part of the train. Every 3 cars are separated by doors that come down, but you can walk through the side doors if you need to. Initially the feeling of moving when your car is not, was a bit unsettling but I soon adjusted & 35mins later - we drove off & with a cheery wave from Le Shuttle staff, we were in France! 

We used the toll roads as we had quite a way to go - approx. 6.5 hrs to our destination Les Sables D'Olonne. At the first toll booth, I was confused as the ticket appeared at a slot way above my head, so I had to get out of the car to stand on tiptoes to reach it. We thought it was because the bike on the roof tricked the automatic machine into thinking we were a lorry! I did eventually work out that you just had to press the button again & the ticket would come out at the slots at a more sensible height. 

The service stations were clean, convenient & efficient, a far nicer experience that the majority of those in the UK. We eventually arrived at 6.15pm & checked into our gorgeous 7th floor apartment overlooking the stunning beach. It was still 30 plus degrees when we arrived so there were still plenty of people swimming in the sea. 

Day 2: Preparation day

Today, a relaxed start with breakfast on the balcony watching cyclists, walkers, swimmers starting their day & trying to spot those here for the Ironman (it wasn't hard!).

It was pretty hot so we did go for a swim in the sea next, it was pretty cold when we first went in but we got used to it pretty quickly. The sand was super soft & went on for miles, the water was really shallow until really far out so great for kids. Walking through the water was a popular pastime, we saw lots of groups of local people doing it so had to try it ourselves. 

My husband had to register & get his race number, prepare everything he needed for the race & take his bike to the right place so he went off to do that. We managed another swim later in the day but otherwise enjoyed time on our balcony again. 

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Day 3: Race day 

Its Race Day! We were woken at 6am by the sound system warming up for the swim to start at 7am. I went out on to the balcony & there were literally hundreds of people outside getting ready. My husbands start time was a bit later so we all watched the first swimmers head off into the sea before he went downstairs, we watched from the balcony as we could see so much better than if we were on the beach. The excitement was palpable, & the race had started with the first chants of "Allez Allez" which would be the soundtrack for the next few hours. 

We loved cheering the competitors in the swim through the harbour & heading off on the bike portion. A few hours off as the competitors were on their bikes somewhere in the French countryside. We watched the competitors start their run across the sands, surrounded by sunbathers enjoying the beach. My son & I joined the latter & my son joined his Dad to run along the beach which is always so lovely to see. Me - I videoed it, someone had to stay with our stuff! 

For the finish, we joined the crowds in the stands & cheered on those crossing the line. We didn't have to wait long for my husband to cross the line in 10hrs 34 mins - an incredible achievement. We cheered as loudly as we could but he didn't hear us as there was so much noise from all around. So proud of him, he trained so hard for this event! 

A quiet dinner close to home but we couldn't resist going back to the finish line to watch those finishing at 15hrs plus in the dark. Every single competitor crossing the line was greeted by the words - "you [enter name here] are an Ironman" & huge cheers.  Such a lovely supportive & fun atmosphere, you couldn't help but be swept up with the excitement. 

Day 4: Rest day 

Today was a slow day, a leisurely breakfast, a dip in the sea for my son & I before a wander round the lovely boutiques & cafes in the old part of town. We treated ourselves to delicious ice cream & a spot of shopping. Over the course of the day, the town emptied of Ironman competitors & supporters, leaving a quieter more chilled town behind, it was a Monday so suspect its probably a quieter day in any case. The finish line was still set up so my son had a few goes at running through it whilst we shouted 'You are an Ironman' - such a special experience & lovely family memories. 

Day 5: Getting home

We headed home at 10am, with the roads open again we could park outside our apartment which made packing up a bit easier. A couple of stops at service stations, a lunch stop where we met the gorgeous Heidi, a Bernese Mountain Dog heading back to the UK with her owners from Spain to escape the heat. 

With the exception of Rouen, its pretty much motorway the whole way so the driving is easy & on good roads. Rouen was fine but you do go through the centre so its much busier. 

Arriving at Le Shuttle, it was even easier on the return. Easy passport control out of France & into the UK & onto the next train. 35 mins again & you are on the M20 within minutes of leaving the train. I highly recommend it, the whole experience is easy. If you are going in the peak summer months, I would suggest prebooking the earliest train you can as it will get busy. 

It was such a great experience & so glad I was there to support my husband with this incredible achievement. Well done to him & all the other competitors! The Ironman is what took us to the region of France - what a gem it is! We didn't get to explore much beyond the port, the old town & that fabulous beach but there is so much more to do in the area. 

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