France trip, REVIEW inc PICS

[Ckennedy]

I am in need of a bit of help.

The only chance me and the missus are going to have to get away this year over seas is the week after the Op storm Wales so that either means use those dates for our trip to France or try to do the Wales trip and then do France. That's the first problem.

The second one is where the hell do we go? I know the south is the better place to go for roads and scenes. But where do we go, how long to stay there and what are the better routes to use? Can some of you lot shed some light on what roads and places to go? The missus would like to go to Nice but looking at it I think it may just be to far with the missus not being very well experienced with distance riding.

Does anyone have a planned route saved which they have used or plan on using so I can have it as a base to work from.

Or............

Do we just say sod it and buy a holiday package and jet off?

Many thanks
Chris

[VTRDark]

Go to Nostradamus and you can ring the bells, the bells, the bells.
That's all the help I can give because I never been to France.

(:-})

[Kev L]

Do you mean Nostradamus the prophet or Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris?

[agentpineapple]

where ever you go in france, don't forget your high viz, spare bulb kit, warning triangle, breatherlyzer, beam benders and gb sticker......are the french twats or what...

[Ckennedy]

That was another thing putting me off a little. So much to carry and so little room with the missus coming too.

[Miztaziggy]

If youre going to France, dont bother with the north, its straight and boring and a waste of fuel.

It's a long way to the south but do able in 1 long day on the toll roads.

Go to montpellier, Monaco, st tropez, cannes, then head from cannes to grenoble then toward lyon. It's unbelieveable.

After lyon it's only a short ish run to Paris, spend a day or two there, then back to calais.

The run from montpellier - cannes - grenoble - lyon will make the whole trip worthwhile

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

[VTRDark]

Notre Dame Cathedral

That's where quazimodo's from right I don't think Nostradamus could have predicted this one.

(:-})

[Jamoi]

Go to montpellier, Monaco, st tropez, cannes, then head from cannes to grenoble then toward lyon. It's unbelieveable.

The run from montpellier - cannes - grenoble - lyon will make the whole trip worthwhile

+1

I cycled it and have wanted to go there on a m/bike ever since.

To be honest, I think I'd be shattered by the time I'd done Op Storm Wales, then reached Cannes, esp with a pillion and (presumably) luggage. Although, if you've both got the stamina, it would be epic!

[Jamoi]

P.S If you do Op Storm Wales, you'll be very close to R.O.I

[sirch345]

My Brother and his girlfriend went to France earlier this year by bike, it was the very week the hot weather arrived here. They had been intending to travel down the South of France, over the Pyrenees into Spain , but it was so hot it made it unbearable to ride the bike, so ended up camping and beaching in France, having to go into the water just to cool off.

Hopefully by the time you go, if you do end up going, it won't be so hot,

Chris.

[captainoi666]

Visit the Provence in the south-east of France.

Département Alpes-de-Haute-Provence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Verdon Gorge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verdon_Gorge

Département Drôme http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr%C3%B4me
My favorite place Buis-Les-Baronnies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buis-les-Baronnies
and the Valley of river Ouvèze http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouv%C3%A8ze

Département Vaucluse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaucluse
Mont Ventoux http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Ventoux

Département Ardèche http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ard%C3%A8che
River Ardèche http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ard%C3%A8che_%28river%29

Spent wonderful times there. Photos on G+ (hope you can access them)

https://picasaweb.google.com/1124725789 ... 2013081802
https://picasaweb.google.com/1124725789 ... 2013081803
https://picasaweb.google.com/1124725789 ... 2013081805

Cheers Buk

[firestorm1997]

I have ridden down to the South of France the past four years, friend of mine lives just north of Beziers, half hours ride from the Med.
Just back from my latest trip last Friday.
Some fantastic roads great food and wine and all the car drivers are biker friendly..
We usually spend three days riding down and three days back stopping at the cheap Formula 1 hotels approx €35.00 a night or similar like Ballladins, some of which have a pool. Massive bonus after a hard days ride. Plan your route with an average mileage per day of around 250 to 300, doesn't sound a lot but if your riding a storm you will be aching well before the 300 mile mark. Try and split your route between main motorways and route national roads as this will keep the costs down on tolls. You can make just as good time on some the the back roads as you can on the toll roads. I know from experience having just covered the 130 miles on the back roads from Montlucon to Tours after a minor rock up with a hotel booking in under three hours. God knows how but we booked the wrong hotel.
Route taken this year was Euro Tunnel to Calais. Heading south on the A16 to Abberville then the A28 to Rouen, from there to Chartres where we had our first stop. Next morning out on the N154 to Orleans. A71 down to Clarmont-Ferrand for our second nights stop. Third day was on the A75 over the Millau Bridge. Arrived at our friends house mid afternoon.
On the return trip we had planned our first stop at Mountlucon but as mentioned above ended up doing another 130 miles to Tours. Our last stop before the Euro Tunnel home was at Rouen. Total milage including ride outs whilst down there was 2058 miles.

[Stratman]

where ever you go in france, don't forget your high viz, spare bulb kit, warning triangle, breatherlyzer, beam benders and gb sticker......are the french twats or what...

No, because you don't need hi-viz or beam benders on a bike. You do need GB stickers in all of Europe though and it isn't and offence not to carry a spare bulb kit, but you must be able to fix a faulty bulb. Commonsense therefore says "take spare bulbs".

You will nee to carry insurance and registration documents.

[firestorm1997]

Another great plus with the South of France. If it gets to hot to ride you will always find a Lake or River close, shorts on and straight in for a cool off.

[Ckennedy]

I really want to go to the south but I am just worried about mileage on the storm with comfort and the missus. She isn't used to long rides but this was her idea and she wants to go to the south too. I have to admit I am worried about biting off more than we can chew, especially as this is our first time over the pond and we will be doing it alone. I have been advised to stay in the north with it being my first time but I will only be let down if I do. Like I said to start with. If we do the Wales trip (which I don't want to miss) then we have from Sun 8th - Sat the 14th to do our trip. So 6 days really. Or we miss the Wales trip and have 9 days instead. It would be a big shame to miss the Wales trip but if I go to France I do not want to stay in the north and feel let down. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm decisions