22nd May 2013, Depart Calais en route to Route Napoleon My plan is to ride about 250 miles a day, stopping at Troyes, (overnight stay) following day to Grenoble,(overnight stay) then spend a day riding Route Napoleon to Cannes (overnight stay) back along the RN to Grenoble (overnight stay) then back to Troyess (overnight stay) then ride back to Calais and then home. I would prefer to do Calais to Grenoble (550 miles approx) on the 1st day, but mate travelling with me on Hyabusa, thinks its too far! I would like to get an idea of motorway tolls, also should the RN be clear of snow late May, also any reccos for hotels to stay in en route, I was considering Ibis/Holiday Inn express type, but open to suggestions. Any other tips appreciated. 5 nights/6 day trip planned, going out on Eurotunnel and return on Ferry (coming back bank holiday Monday)
I did a similar trip in June this year (week of Jubilee double bank holiday) My top tip is this - take an early evening tunnel then ride for just over an hour to Cambrai and stay at the Ibis - the next day, you are into France, and can hit the road at 08:30 say AND get to Geneva or possibly Grenoble. Route Naoleon passes will be open - but I would spend longer right down South in the sunshine - I would go via Briancon or similar on the way the way there or back to see some of the Alps with snow on them. Very envious - have a top trip
^^^ What Alblade says. If going Briancon way then Annecy is a great town to stop for a night. RN will be all open in May - we've done it in early April and was fine. Definitely get south quickly as the best weather and the best roads start south of Dijon. Another option would be Calais-Beaune (beautiful town), then Beaune to Digne-les-Bains for the start of the best bit of RN. Both days are easily do-able. Troyes is a decent historic town but not far enough south for the first day, and Grenoble is a large city but a bit grim tbh. Even if you do decide stay at Troyes/Grenoble there's no need to stay in the same places on the way back up as there's plenty of decent towns and villages to stop off at without doubling-up. Depending on time you could get to RN in 2-3 days and sweep west to Millau and surrounds and back up to Calais via Orleans or Rouen. Might be a bit of a rush in 5 days though and you'd want to enjoy RN and Provence so maybe a direct route down and back will be best.
Need to pick the right day, gets busy at weekends. Early afternoon during the week, we found best. Used the gorge de tarn and verdun to get across to Millau to see Normans bridge. A75 from here up towards Clermont Ferrand has to be one of the best motorway rides I've done, no tolls either (2009).
