Last minute decision, planning a 5 day trip to France need some suggestions of where to go? (have done Normandy ) daily mileage no more than 250 miles on twisty roads and where possible avoid the Autoroute's
it's got some lovely roads but I would do my best to get out. South of france is lovely and I got past bordeaux to a place called cadillac from cean on the first day. but was around 400 miles. I'm going over in May with 3 other mates but taking car and going cean and going towards Switzerland then germany etc... So I can only comment on the south which is nice. Bairritz south west coast is nice but expensive. 21 Euros for 3 beers. But lovely area. Mini Pyrenees is again lovey but very far south. best bet is to say away from large cities
Get a fairfx.com card or similar and I would load some Euros at 1.40 for your spends when you are away, rate may go up but surely not by much unless the Euro gets in really deep poo I find northern France really dull other than the historic sights, so for my money I would head East to the 'ring in Germany, then scoot south like others say to the Vosges . I posted up a link for a really cracking book about Euro tours , its got some great routes in it to help with planning. If you had longer I'd say down to Nice but its not great in 5 days - 3 nights in one place in Vosges gives loads of options without having to keep unpacking etc. with a day either side to get there an back.
Use the overnight Portsmouth - Le Havre ferry, ride to Vichy on good roads in a day, stay 3 days, ride some great roads - mostly south of there, ride back, stay somewhere near Beugency, catch the late ferry home. so good a recipe some of us have done it every year for quite a long time.
Sorry to revive an old post, and a bit late in the day, but it maybe still of use to someone in future rather than start a new thread. So recommend Gorges D' Lardeche, in South Eastern France. Great biking country, twisting roads that follow the river gorge. Nice grippy twisty roads with great views, so recommend staying a bit, rather than just passing through. They recently discovered a new Stone Age Man cave, with wall paintings, and opened a new replica of it - need to book that one. Lots of campsites, maybe better before the July August peak season though ! Lots of bikes on this lovely road
any links to the route / campsite / best roads / etc. ? we like pictures here - or write up a small 'trip report' type thing if you have chance maybe.
You have twisted my arm ! A little trip report, St Malo France, Spain, Assen TT, St Malo France. 12-30 June 2015, 3,450 miles total. Late evening arrival into St Malo, from the ferry. No plans to go anywhere that evening, no rush. Had a hotel booked, so that I could make a clean getaway in the morning without having to fuss with a tent. It seemed worth the extra few Euros, and the rate of exchange had moved into our favour again. So checked into my hotel about 1/2 mile from the ferry, and locked the bike in the underground car park, ready for a quick exit in the morning. Set a campsite in the Dordogne as the destination for the day, a beautiful campsite called Camping le Capeyrou, right on the river, picture postcard stuff and about a 700 km ride. Just set the new TomTom 400 to go to, and include Toll Roads. That was the sum of map reading involved. The French Meteo showed thunderstorms all around, so rain was inevitable later in the day. Did the distance and arrived just in time to put up the tent, as the wind blew and the rain came down. Campers in caravans watching how you will get on, but I have done this before ! Spent a day waiting for the thunderstorms to pass, which was no hardship in such a lovely spot. No 4658 by 660 Mattie, on Flickr Next stop Spain, and the Pyrenees. Crossed at a small crossing Tunnel De Bielsa, and spent a couple of days in the little town just over the border in Spain, on the river and national park. Sometime during the night a fox took some food that was hanging in a bag - ate anything not in a tin ! must have been a fox as the bag was off the ground, and I saw s sign with a picture of a fox and something about Zorro , must mean fox. Campsite empty, in mid June, maybe things get busier there later. Wild place. Next the famous road that runs along the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, the N260. You only have to look at a map to see that is going to be good, and many motorcyclists, including Brits ride along that route in either direction. Amazing bit of road, with open and also deep canyon roads. I met the Guarda Civil Trafico, who relieved me of 100 Euros. Swung the bike across the road to a petrol station on the other side, and crossed a solid white line, should have done the move a bit further up, but hey. I did not see the little police van, and a police dude came over to me. I can understand a bit of Spanish and I know the word for a fine. They were okay, just driving license, and stand while they go and check it with control somehow, all okay. He shows me a lever-arch type file, and the law that I have broken is listed, and he reads it out - something about not respecting something, and next to it the multa, the fine. Something also about only paying 50%, which is also listed in his file, and I get a fine of 100 Euros, which I pay. I sign his electronic gadget and get a couple of pieces of paper. because I am not resident I have to pay there and then. A couple of British bikers, who have pulled into the station, look on. No problemo. Had enough of Spain, do not want to appear on their computer again ! so head for France. Went past Andorra, and stayed right on the border, just inside France. Just a night stop at a road hotel, where they had parking in a locked courtyard, and so chosen because of this. Again the name of a campsite plugged into the TomTom, but via a few waypoints to ensure a more interesting ride; the destination the famous Gorge de L'Ardeche. There are lots of campsites in this area, very busy in July August, but in mid June you can still just turn up and get a campsite space, probably not the case in August. Stayed three days, rode all around some great roads, and lots and lots of waving at other bikes - never done so much waving to other bikes as that time spent in those roads around the Gorge de L'Ardeche. Lovely grippy roads, lots going on, lovely weather. Great. Next, stop, the Assen TT in the north of Holland. Had my tickets, and actually two places booked - a campsite and a little B&B some way out. Long haul up to Assen, through Belgium, with road works, horrible place (sorry !) although I did see a deer in the forest when I stopped for a wazz! Arrived in Holland, fantastic, good roads, great place, although never really worked out the food there - seemed a lack of tinned food ! Stayed at Camping De Weyert, a couple of miles outside Assen, weather okay. Cancelled the B&B at the last minute, and paid them their money, as it was only fair. Not many bikes, but some serious outfits with team shirts on, and some who had come together in rented campervans. No cow roast, on a fire of tyres and petrol, which was a relief. The campsite owner explained getting to the TT - catch a bus (yes a bus !) from outside campsite, to Assen Train Station - easy, the bus station sign is digital and tells you what the next bus is, completely idiot proof. Then when you get to the huge building with Train Station written on the front of it you get off and then join the queue for one of the many free buses lined up that have Assen TT marked up as the destination. Easiest thing in the world, cost about 5 Euros for a ticket that lasts all day, including return to campsite. And buses do not get caught in the traffic jams to the circuit - they just waft along in the bus lane. Watched Valentino Rossi win the Dutch TT at Assen, priceless. Practice, walked around the circuit to see it all. Marc Marquez by 660 Mattie, on Flickr After that, two day dash back to St Malo. Called ahead to change the ferry booking because I thought I might not make it in time. It turns out it would have been okay, so spent an extra day riding around. That was the day that hit some sort of record temp, in the 30's C. Dude on a Harley having difficulty stuck in traffic, sat astride a nice big hot engine (the kind without a radiator !). All good fun, and here is to the next one !
We did 5 days in France last year, and went to a few places. Stayed in Brittany, then popped to Caen, and then finally Le Touquet. Lovely riding roads and took in the Normandy Beaches along the way. France is a lovely country to ride, and I would love to get to the south, but its so very far to go. Spain next year though...
Need to go south man, the route nationals ie n10, n34, etc can be ok but not at peak times. We put a big day in to get down south
