France trip, REVIEW inc PICS

[Wicky]

Compromise then - I recommend the coast nr. Bordeaux - inland Arcachon Basin and Atlantic surf. Pitstop at Le Man for dins dins and sleep. But it will be a test of her pillion stamina.

Otherwise from Leicester nip across to Amsterdam Holland for the continental experience as a test run. (You'll do more miles in UK than on the continent)

[Miztaziggy]

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.

Advised by whom? Someone with a Harley that loves straight lines?

Maybe if you're going to France to visit some towns then yes, you could stay in the North, but if you're going for riding, it's just flat, straight and boring as fcuk.

[Ckennedy]

Well with the info from you lot I have come up with this route which covers the south plus a load of nice looking roads. See what you think.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sour ... 2,3&num=10

Still need to find accommodation for all of this so help would be welcomed. Now some of you will have noticed that I will be missing the Wales trip due to this

Day 1: Home to Évreux
Day 2: Évreux to Clarmont-Ferrand
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Clarmont-Ferrand to Marseille
Day 5: Rest
Day 6: Marseille to Lyon
Day 7: Rest
Day 8: Lyon to Paris
Day 9: Rest
Day 10: Paris to Home

Or we can miss the rest in Lyon on day 8 and head for Paris and have 2 days there

This is now all assuming the missus can get the time off as she thinks someone else in her office wants this week off too

Another couple of questions. I have tried looking at these on the internet but getting so many different answers.....
How much is it on average for fuel and how much per day for food?
And where to stay along this route?

[MacKrell17]

Or you could ruse to Paris. Hop on a motorail to nice. Then you can do short hops along the south coast, up into the alps and take time to ride back. You could be in nice on day 2 but without being knackered and the spend 8 days touring with the majority in the better places.
So far with wife on the back we've done south France, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany. All as part of a trip to an F1 or motoGP. The storm is a good tourer and so long as your missus is fairly little she'll be ok comfort wise. Best tip for her would be if you don't have a top box then bungee cord a bag or sleeping bag right on the tail of the bike. That way she is more likely to stay on when she falls asleep.

[Stratman]

If time is short, try Normandy and its "petites alpes" - http://visitnormandy.wordpress.com/2010 ... mancelles/. If not, go across into Belgium and try the Ardennes.

Northern France is generally flat with long straight Roman roads, so unless you are history hunting then it can be boring. A quick blat down from Calais past Abbeville and into Normandy is quite nice. Just south of Calais at Cap Griz Nez you can see the white cliffs of Dover.

[Ckennedy]

Or you could ruse to Paris. Hop on a motorail to nice. Then you can do short hops along the south coast, up into the alps and take time to ride back. You could be in nice on day 2 but without being knackered and the spend 8 days touring with the majority in the better places.
So far with wife on the back we've done south France, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany. All as part of a trip to an F1 or motoGP. The storm is a good tourer and so long as your missus is fairly little she'll be ok comfort wise. Best tip for her would be if you don't have a top box then bungee cord a bag or sleeping bag right on the tail of the bike. That way she is more likely to stay on when she falls asleep.

so your telling me that there is a train we can get on with the bike to get to Nice?

[Ckennedy]

Just looked up prices for the motorail...... Looking at £350quid to get to nice from Paris

Think I'll ride and put up with pain

[Stratman]

Just looked up prices for the motorail...... Looking at £350quid to get to nice from Paris

Think I'll ride and put up with pain

It's a bit like the difference in ferry prices between Calais and Caen - I always go to Calais then ride down the motorway (non toll) for the sake of a couple of hours extra in the saddle saving about £200!

[macdee]

Just looked up prices for the motorail...... Looking at £350quid to get to nice from Paris

Think I'll ride and put up with pain

check out this company
http://www.overlanders.ie/calendar/
they will take your bike to lots of city's etc around Europe and take it home again for much the same price as you will spend on fuel and ferry's
you fly in later and save yourself the long ride to get there
gives you more time to tour that area

[Ckennedy]

Just phoned my insurance company to find out how many days European cover I get. Turns out...



















It's a whopping 180 days European cover!!!! Happy days

[Ckennedy]

Just looking at laws for riding in France and it says you have to have reflective stickers on your helmet of a certain size. Is this true? going to make them look a muppett.

[Stratman]

Just looking at laws for riding in France and it says you have to have reflective stickers on your helmet of a certain size. Is this true? going to make them look a muppett.

Yes, it is true, though you are unlikely to get stopped for not having them. They can be bought cheaply and always removed with a hairdryer afterwards. They aren't that noticeable tbh.

[Ckennedy]

so don't bother with them then?

[lloydie]

Just looking at laws for riding in France and it says you have to have reflective stickers on your helmet of a certain size. Is this true? going to make them look a muppett.

You look like a muppet anyway do done sticker won't matter :-)

[VTRDark]

A do done sticker that sounds interesting. Are they from Australia maybe dunny related

(:-})