First need the date

pinky wrote: I added a poll for this to get an idea of numbers.

I made enquiries about a bus from Carcassonne to Brive and back to meet the Ryanair flight.
So basically we would be looking at leaving Carcassonne when the flight arrives at Friday, arriving Brive about 8-8.30 pm
Leaving Brive again Sunday morning about 9.30 (I thought we might be able to squeeze another half-hour in bed but that's what they're saying).
If we don't get numbers for a bus, we can organise a car pool if we have a few people willing to drive.
This is all based on the game being on Saturday.

Any interest?
It' obviously hard to make plans when you don't know the date but once the fixture is announced, we'll probably need to move fast, so best to know in advance.

Not really feeling the love for the bus idea, so I'll shelve that one!

ummm, wrote: Has a pub been picked for this trip? I'm looking at hotels and want to make sure I'm not too far away

Brive Supporters' Club (Kop Cabiste) are based at a bar called Le Gaillard St Martin, near the train station. It looks classy.
We'll arrange to meet them one of the nights for a few scoops anyway.

menacethedenis wrote:

Mary_Ryan_2015 wrote: When will the date be set for this match do you think?

It should be early next week after the 4th round of matches are over and the TV stations choose which of the crunch games from the final rounds to broadcast.

Last year it was on December 19th, but that was the Friday after Round 4, so I hope they get their skates on this year and get it sorted before Christmas.

Mary_Ryan_2015 wrote: When will the date be set for this match do you think?

It should be early next week after the 4th round of matches are over and the TV stations choose which of the crunch games from the final rounds to broadcast.

When will the date be set for this match do you think?

pinky wrote: Yeah, if going to Galway there is a bus at 7ish but doesn't go into the airport so you'd have to make your way to Knock or Charlestown or something.
Of course there are also STN-Cork flights for your good self Biffo.
There is a flight to Dublin at 1340 if you fancy your chances of turning it around in 55 mins. It's doable if all goes well but you'd need a back up plan.

I've booked Dub to Paris, return, for myself. I want to visit Paris so it made sense. I'll make my way from Paris to Brive for the match, and spend 2 days in Brive, if match is Friday or Saturday, 1 if it's Thursday. Not sure about Sunday.

I added a poll for this to get an idea of numbers.

I made enquiries about a bus from Carcassonne to Brive and back to meet the Ryanair flight.
So basically we would be looking at leaving Carcassonne when the flight arrives at Friday, arriving Brive about 8-8.30 pm
Leaving Brive again Sunday morning about 9.30 (I thought we might be able to squeeze another half-hour in bed but that's what they're saying).
If we don't get numbers for a bus, we can organise a car pool if we have a few people willing to drive.
This is all based on the game being on Saturday.

Any interest?
It' obviously hard to make plans when you don't know the date but once the fixture is announced, we'll probably need to move fast, so best to know in advance.

Yeah, if going to Galway there is a bus at 7ish but doesn't go into the airport so you'd have to make your way to Knock or Charlestown or something.
Of course there are also STN-Cork flights for your good self Biffo.
There is a flight to Dublin at 1340 if you fancy your chances of turning it around in 55 mins. It's doable if all goes well but you'd need a back up plan.

if you take the DUB out, Knock back option, I can't see any way other than bus to get home?

Happened upon this option - handy for a Sunday game (or if it's Saturday and you don't fancy an early start):

Monday 18th
Limoges-STN 1205 - 1245 €15
STN-Knock 1535 - 1715 £22

Obviously you can fly to Dublin or Shannon either, but the connection times are worse.
Limoges is an hour from Brive by train.

Combine that with the Dublin-Carcassonne flight on Friday afternoon and you have Saturday and Sunday covered.

There are some logistical challenges on the ground, not least how to get from Knock to where you live given that you flew out from Dublin.

ummm, wrote: Sale have a game on the Saturday the week before.

Isn't Sale's game postponed to facilitate Toulon v Bath? So a Thursday night game would suit them just fine.
Pau play Castres the previous Saturday though.

Since Brive have the previous weekend off, a Thursday game would give them a huge advantage, even a Friday would be pretty unfair.

I've just noticed that our match the weekend before the Brive game is on a Sunday.

Now, bearing in mind that this is EPC, or EPRC, or ERC, or whatever, and their capacity for common sense is only matched by their ability not to ruin great competitions, but I can't believe they would set our game for the Thursday.

I'm sure both the branch and the IRFU will try their hardest to get a weekend match, on player welfare grounds alone.

Working against us is that there are only two French teams playing at home on that weekend, Brive and Pau, who play Sale. Sale have a game on the Saturday the week before.

It might even happen that there are no Thursday games in France. Fingers crossed.

pinky wrote:

biffo77 wrote: the difference to Ibis in town, would cover a few taxi's, and there's a bus from near the hotel to town.

I was thinking the same, but often in France the problem is finding a taxi when you need one.

ask bar man to call taxi for you, and have one more drink while you wait for it?

biffo77 wrote: the difference to Ibis in town, would cover a few taxi's, and there's a bus from near the hotel to town.

I was thinking the same, but often in France the problem is finding a taxi when you need one.

pinky wrote:

ummm, wrote: Has a pub been picked for this trip? I'm looking at hotels and want to make sure I'm not too far away

I don't think we picked a definite one yet. The centre of town where all the pubs are seems pretty small though.
I provisionally booked the Ibis budget, which is miles out, so I might need to get something closer given my navigation skills.

Had a look at that IBIS Budget, 10min taxi ride from the Irish bars, I'll probably book the Ibis proper in town, it's a 15min walk to the bars.
about 70e a night, with free cancellation. I'll probably book once we have dates, as I don't want to spend 4 nights in Brive. (I'm sure it's a nice town, though). I'm seeing 29 prepay for the Ibis budget, the difference to Ibis in town, would cover a few taxi's, and there's a bus from near the hotel to town.