La Belle France

[simon t]

Well, the year`s really moving along. Feels like midsummer here and the farmers are already using sprinklers `cos its only rained three days so far this year. Any of you fancy coming on down to our neck of the woods this year? As ever, you`re welcome to stay and get a guided tour of some of the finest roads and scenery on the planet. Who`s up for it?

[Miztaziggy]

Which roads are you talking about?

I went to the south of France on an R1 with some mates in 2008, killed the wrists, but three roads made all the pain worthwhile. One was in the central hills, second was the road along the south coast from Monpellier to Cannes, and the third and best road I have ever seen and driven in my life was the road from Cannes, to Gap and then on to Grenoble. The Route Napoleon.

I would absoloutely love to ride that again. It was a 200 mile race track through the alps. Roads as smooth as a baby's butt and as wide as our dual carriageways. Hairpin after hairpin on the way up and down, with long straights through the flats where you could reach 150mph++. I would give my right arm to have to drive that road to work every day.

If there is ever a VTR club trip to the south of France then count me in!!!

[Stratman]

I'm off to France at the end of the month, but only to Normandy to have a look at the landing beaches, then across to Amiens for some family WW1 sites.

I rode the Route Napoleon too, in 2009, but on the TDM. Still great fun in the twisties, though no 150mph antics. Get caught doing that in France and the police can confiscate your bike btw.

[Miztaziggy]

Well I didnt know that, I knew it was a hefty fine though.

We passed a police van doing speed checks at one point and we were doing upward of 130. Didnt see him hid behind some bushes until we were almost level, so carried on and took next turn and hid in the next little village we found in case they came after us

To be honest, the best bits of that road are by no means the silly speeds you can do, the best bits by far and away are the up and down hill hairpin sections, you wont get over 60mph on some stretches but it will be the best ride you will ever have, except taking it to a proper track.

[cupasoop]

Hi Simon, nice to hear you're still with us.

I'm off to France at the end of the month, but only to Normandy to have a look at the landing beaches,

Snap. We've just booked a gite in Normandy for the beginning of September. I'll be visiting some landing beaches (and Mont Saint Michel) that week.

[Darknomad]

i feel an operation storm in france for 2012
godd idea or what?

[Miztaziggy]

i feel an operation storm in france for 2012
godd idea or what?

Brilliant idea

[tony.mon]

Count me in
I'd have been there last year but you told me there wasn't much camping space.....
We were after a place to camp and party for a weekend for about thirty mates/kids/associated hangers on. Found somewhere in Belgium in the end.
Mind you, it might have been the comment that we take our own marquee and disco, beer fridge, etc, etc.

[storminateacup]

Photo link not working Si.

[Stratman]

Photo link not working Si.

Try right clicking and opening link in a new tab or window. Still need a Flickr account though

[Darknomad]

looked at ure pics nice yam u have there yfr?

[storminateacup]

Photo link not working Si.

Try right clicking and opening link in a new tab or window. Still need a Flickr account though

that worked eventually FLICKR said it was "outside my safe search zone" I can't imagine why

[simon t]

Hi all,

First off, thanks Kaz for the welcome note. I’d like to get on here more often, but living in the sticks we don’t have broadband (or even a phoneline) and the nearest Wifi point is at the supermarket 14km away. By the time Haze’s old laptop has done it’s start-up routine and downloaded Windows and other updates it’s about time for the battery to give up – frustrating. I’m thinking of buying a mini-laptop (netbook) something small and light enough to chuck in a backpack or topbox. I’m up for any advice that you IT experts out there have to hand.

As for what I call “great roads” - take your pick. I reckon there’s something for everyone, all with beautiful scenery. First, some context. We live at Chauvac-Laux-Montaux (for this and all other location information try viamichelin.com) which is in an area called the Barronnies. The area is beautiful, quiet and, happily, undiscovered. A paradise for bikers of all sorts, climbers, walkers, flyers, naturalists, but not if shopping or lying on beaches are your bag.

If you look on the map you’ll see that the Route Napoleon is about 20km away. It is pretty spectacular, but as you suggest, it can be a bit too fast in places. Having just been Gatsoed for the third time in as many years (all in the car, none of them close to home) I’m pretty wary. From my observation France has a much lower crime rate than the UK, so I reckon there’s an awful lot of Gendarmes with too much time on their hands. Good job I’ve still got a UK licence otherwise I’d be on serious points!

One of my favourites, and not just because it’s right on my doorstep is the 65km from Nyons to Serres. Starting at Nyons, a pretty little town with a lively market, head east, where the road swings through a broad valley filled with vines and silvery olive groves. After the village of Sahune the real fun begins as you enter the Gorges de St May. Here the road snakes between the azure waters of the Eygues on one side and sheer rock faces on the other. On the way it passes waterfalls (on the rare occasions it’s rained recently), towering rocks with vultures (yes really) soaring them, villages perched precariously on clifftop, even a narrow tunnel.

At the village of Verclause (my nearest shop, petrol 24/7) the road climbs out of the valley onto the side of a long range of hills (at around 4500 feet you’d probably call them mountains). Here both the road and the views open up as the route follows the landscape – good surface, good sightlines, little traffic and more sweepers than a caretakers convention. There’s even a 2km downhill straight if your throttle wrist gets itchy. The road descends through another valley to the village of Serres where you can stop and have a drink with the other bikers who are bound to be there.

From there? Well you could go on to Napoleon and the Alps. Or you could try the twisties around and up Mt Ventoux – they were built as a test-track, so you know they’re fun. Or you could just turn round and do the whole thing over again in the opposite direction! Whatever your choice you’re guaranteed an experience never to forget.

As for the problem accessing photos, I’m afraid that the IT nazis at Flickr have changed my settings. I assume that one or two Haze pics (and I promise you there’s nothing lewd there) have gone beyond their Safesearch 1.0 (nuns, spinsters etc.) So to view you have to sign up to Flickr and then change your search settings to that you’re allowed to be a grown-up. Pathetic.

[simon t]

Hi all, gone and bought a little netbook. Runs really fast and has 10 hour battery; So, you might have to put up with more French posts. You`ll be amused to know that the rain has finally arrived here, after 3 drought months - no complaints though,it was getting close to water wars down here!

[sirch345]

Hi all, gone and bought a little netbook. Runs really fast and has 10 hour battery;

Good man Simon, that should make things a lot easier for you, especially keeping an eye on what's going on here

Chris.