Alps Tour

[sauluk]

Booked the ferry from Poole > Cherbourg and me and a mate are looking at a route something like this (hope this link works):

ALPS TOUR

The trip starts in Clemont Ferrand (the fun bit) since I've heard good things about the A75 and we want to see Milau bridge (heard from below is best rather than over it?). We'll then head over to the alps and the route I've picked picks up a couple of roads that have been hyped up on the net. Theres a 'best biking roads' site for the alps, I forget the link.

Just wondering if anyone has done anything similar, or if anyone has any suggestions for amendments. Crucially I'm also looking for the best places to stay overnight would be for the trip, particularly on the way down the motorway to Clemont, but anywhere tried & tested really. Won't be camping, will be B&B / Hotel job.

It's a 6 day trip. I hope I've been reasonable in what I think we can cover??

[sauluk]

Forgot to mention, I also put together this route as a wild card as the N260 in Spain is supposed to be great too. It might help someone who is looking at this route so might as well post it. It is a very similar mileage so I'd appreciate feedback on whether we should go for this instead?

PYRANEES TOUR

You're going through Tours... it's a beautiful town. Grimy on the outskirts, like many French towns, but the centre is an absolute gem. Loads of half timbered buildings with a beautiful central square. I think it's one of the nicest French towns I've ever been to, on a par with La Rochelle. Well worth a stop to have a look.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by sauluk

ALPS TOUR

Being picky here, but you don't seem to go into the Alps?

Originally Posted by sauluk

I've heard good things about the A75

You know the A75 is a motorway right? Just it seems odd that you have heard good things about a motorway...

Originally Posted by sauluk

and we want to see Milau bridge (heard from below is best rather than over it?).

Millau bridge is ace. Approach from the north on the motorway (if you have to!) and you can see it looming for miles. If coming down the motorway, pull off in the services literally just before the bridge. There you can view the bridge and see the visitor information. From there you can take a minor road to under the bridge (well I could in 2007 and google streetview seems to show it still there) or back onto motorway to cross the bridge, then loop back from next junction (D809) to Millau town to view the bridge from below.

IMHO the best way to approach Millau is down the Tarn Gorge though. (D907/D809).

Originally Posted by sauluk

Just wondering if anyone has done anything similar, or if anyone has any suggestions for amendments.

Yes http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=86997 (take a look in the trip reports sticky thread at the top of this section for some ideas about what folks have done)

Originally Posted by sauluk

Crucially I'm also looking for the best places to stay overnight would be for the trip, particularly on the way down the motorway to Clemont, but anywhere tried & tested really. Won't be camping, will be B&B / Hotel job.

Depends on where you end up IME, but I've only ever had one duff hotel in France by turning up on spec. Most are very good. Get a 'Logis de France' guide, I swear by it. I also regularly advise folks that when you are ready to stop, go to the nearest town and ask at the Office du Turisme for a hotel in your price range, I have NEVER had bad advice from them.

Also there is a guy regularly posts on here that has a B&B near to Millau. I cannot remember his username at the moment, but maybe worth a search of this forum?

Originally Posted by sauluk

It's a 6 day trip. I hope I've been reasonable in what I think we can cover??

Depends on how used to 300+ mile days you are. I would be happy to do that in the time allowed (especially as you using motorways a lot) but it can get a bit relentless if you find 300 miles a big day, because by the 3rd day you will tired and not enjoying it.

Don't forget to factor in travel time / mileage in the UK, it adds to the fatigue.

[sauluk]

Some awesome advice there buddy, thank you.

I know it doesn't go into the alps in much depth (!) but with 6 days unfortunately most time is spent getting there! Can't see any solution to that apart from more time, but don't have that!

I think it was in an issue of ride that the A75 was the twistiest motorway they'd seen and was more like an 80mph A-road. That's why it was worth including along with milau which is on it. I heard the gorge is the best way to take it in too.

Luckily there's not too much travel in the UK, just to Poole which isn't that far really.

Do you think I should change the route? I've seen the sticky but not had much time to sift through, from the few I saw they were typically for longer trips than mine.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by sauluk

I think it was in an issue of ride that the A75 was the twistiest motorway they'd seen and was more like an 80mph A-road. That's why it was worth including along with milau which is on it. I heard the gorge is the best way to take it in too.

Well I was forced to use the A75 to head north for home from Millau. I needed to make up some time after getting lost in the Cevennes heading over to Millau the previous day. It really is just a motorway, but I suppose if you HAVE to use motorway, it's OK. That's the thing with Millau, it's a bally long way!

Originally Posted by sauluk

Do you think I should change the route?

It's your trip, do what YOU want to do, not what some anonymous bloke on the internet thinks you should. My observation was based on the 'heard good things about the A75' statement, I wanted to be sure you knew what you will be riding on, so you won't be disappointed if you were expecting a nice twisty road.

[DarrenSV650S]

I think for a better holiday, you should forget about the hyped roads, don't try to get so far from the ferry, and just take your time enjoying the roads further north and west. You won't enjoy blasting down the motorways. You're just wasting time that could be spent on good twisty roads

There's plenty of other roads and sights elsewhere, plus you're missing out the best bit of the alps anyway! So I don't see the point in going all the way over there.

Just my opinion

im going to pyrennes in 2 weeks .. for 3 weeks wid my pal the only plans we have is to go stelvio pass , down to rome . back into pyrenes into spain and down to malaga then ride home average milege 5000miles i think about £500-600 on fuel .. £1.50 a litre in france now its a joke.. oh dear but this is a once in a life time thing for me ive ridden in france and that b4 but ive never planned my route i always just go where the roads and the sun take me.. yeh alright its nice knowing u got a good road your going to but surely its beter adventuring and findin your own .. because most of us probly get lost anyway ..lol

I'm planning a trip to the Alps too.

On Tim's sticky thread up tops there's Jelster's trip report - he recommends a map called 'Route des Grandes Alpes' from Stanfords - here

http://www.stanfords.co.uk/stock/rou...-alpes-102401/

£7.95 + £1.50 handling and post. I ordered one yesterday and it arrived today, and what a gem of a map it is. Often on maps the mountains are printed in such bold shading that you can't see the road detail, but this one is a perfect balance. It shows the Route des Grandes Alpes, from Monaco up to Geneva, all the cols and all the great twisties, it's a really worthwhile investment IMHO. I'm looking now at the road from Bourg St Maurice to La Rosiere - find it on google maps - it looks interesting

ill probly find it on my way around there lol ill probly get lost and find a wiked road lol