French Invasion

Arrived back from a 10 day bimble around France last night. Following a good nights sleep in my own bed am now feeling a little refreshed having slept on the floor for the last 10 days.

Day 1
I met up with Binky & Carty on the M6 at 1am before heading down to Dover to meet Yogi Bear & to catch the 6am Ferry. We arrived in Dunkerque at 9am and headed south taking the back roads ending
up in Chalons-En Champagne on the first night. The roads down were surprisingly good for northern France and much better than taking the tolls. Stopped at the Municipal Camp Site in Chalons where
beer & food were in desperate need.

Blury eyed at Dover


On French soil


Carty missing the point


Set up in Chalons


Dinner


Day 2

Off to Annecy via Troyes & Dijon, the roads keep improving. The N & D roads have very little traffic and when there is, the drivers are far more courteous to bikes than in the UK. Pitched up at the Belvedere Municipal site, about 5 mins walk from the centre of Annecy before heading into town for the nights entertainment.

En route




Pitched at Annecy


Carty liked to get his shirt off




The Lake




Annecy




Had a few beers






This reminded us of an Orger, but we could remember which one?


Day 3

We were all slightly jaded from the previous 2 days riding so decided on a shorter day and headed off through Chambery then over Col du Glandon. Spectacular views and a good restaurant on top. Then dropped down to Le Bourg-d’Oisans finding a camp site at the base of Alp-d’Huez. Only about 120 mines today, but still hard work as the roads were getting even more twisty.







First of the Hairpins








Col du Glandon










Camping by Alpe d'Huez






Things getting a bit messy







The morning after

[Richie]

Looks like you had a fantastic time, there are quite a few caption comps photo...lol

more photos to come I believe...

Day 4

This was the start of the really good stuff. We set off early up to the peak of Alp-d’Huez, 22 hairpins to get some brecky. Then back to site to pack up before heading to La Mure to join the N85 Route Napoleon. We all had a bit of a play with a local chav in his battered Peugeot, but he didn’t really stand a chance even with his local knowledge.

We headed south on the N85 to Castellane. This stretch of road just gets better the further south you go and has everything from hair pins to long sweepers. We turned off at Castelanne down the Verdon Gorge which is quite a narrow twisty road cut into the side of the gorge, but unfortunately it was quite heavy with traffic by the time we got there. One or two brown moments were had being faced with camper vans appearing around hair pins. We ended up at a camp site by the side of Lac de Ste Croix, a great location but somewhat lacking in the provision of refreshments. Binky was promptly despatched on his ped to collect Pizza & beer.

Out for breckie








View from N85






Lac de Ste Croix






Camp Site by the lake


Day 5

We rose early as Binky & Carty wanted to get to Monte-Carlo. We headed back up the gorge road to Castelanne which was fortunately fairly traffic free at this hour. Yogi & I accompanied Binky & Carty along the remainder of the N85 to Grasse before going our separate ways.

We returned up to Castellane before heading over the Barcelonnette, over the Col d’Allos. The weather had been fantastic up until now but had chosen to become wet just as we were trying to negotiate the Col’s narrow roads with sheer drops. Anyway, we made it finding a nice site just outside of town. We met up with bink & Carty later on in town once they had found there way back from Monte-Carlo having lost their way ending up in Italy. 25 Euro steaks all round washed down with a few beers.

Back along the gorge road










Col d’Allos




Barcelonnette site


Yogi pollishing his helmet


Carty's wounds from his roundabout off


Day 6

Heading north on the Route du Grande Alpes we went over the Col Du Vars to Briancon, then followed the D902 over the Col du Galibier. We then headed part way up the Col du Mt Cenis before dropping down again to find a site just outside Lanslebourg-Mt-Cenis. Yet more beers and pizza were consumed along with a few games of badly played pool.

Day 7

Continuing along the D902 we dropped over the Col de I’lseran down into Val-d’Isere for coffee. Then over the Cormet de Roselend & the Col de Colombiere into Cluses. It was then a short blast on the N205, which was refreshing after the 4 hours of tight, twist roads covered earlier. We arrived at a chalet in Morzine owned by a mate of Yogi where we stayed the night. BBQ beer & wine was the order of the night and we were all grateful to have a proper bed and our own shower for the night.It was a great place in a fantastic location although the kids had to work for their keep!

Binkys new riding gear










Val-d’Isere










Our Morzine abode






Binky earning his keep




Day 8

This was really he start of our journey back to Dunkerque. We had a lazy start, before heading across to just north of Annecy where we picked our original route down, but doing it in reverse. Still good roads, but by this stage we were really trying to cover some ground. It was getting late and we were struggling to come across a camp site, when we stumbled across a place in the middle of nowhere.

This was what was to become a very strange, but enjoyable evening. The camp site owner greeted us by telling all about his many wives and hundreds of children. He then proceeded to invite us to a party he was throwing for the local village, where we would be fed and watered. Not knowing what we would be letting ourselves in for we agreed. The food was served being copious amounts of meat & baked beans. Afters turned out to be Karaoke, which none of us were particularly looking forward to, but after litres of the local chilled plonk we all joined in with the locals. A bizarre night, thankfully only parts of which I can remember. Binkys dress did make an appearance during a Kike Dee rendition!

Not many photo's of the night, but hopefully some vid when I can work out how to upload!

The location of the weird night


Day 9

We followed the same reversed route back up to Chalons where we stayed in the same camp site.

Only one photo this day!



Day 10

Up early using the Tolls ( for the first time) to get back to Dunkerque. Then a long ride up the A2/M25/M1/M6 to home.

An exceptional trip. My thanks go out to Binky, Carty & Yogi who made it so.

Originally Posted by DMC

met up with bink & Carty later on in town once they had found there way back from Monte-Carlo having lost their way ending up in Italy. 25 Euro steaks all round washed down with a few beers.

Blimey, I hope Binkys navigation is better for this weekend Dave, and they must have been race horses you were eating for that price

Originally Posted by DMC

Carty's wounds from his roundabout off

Call that a wound? Hope you scrubbed it hard with a stiff brush, or better still, wire wool.

Scenery and roads look fantastic though.

Lovely pics... looks fantastic and glad you all had a good time. Annechy looked lovely

Binky going all Monty python....?

[mister c]

Really nice pics. Looks a lovely place, going to have to start doing some touring methinks

Great pics and great write up, sounds like you did some great roads

Edit: And well done getting all the camping gear on the bikes so neatly!

[Binky]

DMC has already given the jist of the trip so i'll just add a few of my 'goodun's'.

Carty Knee Down on a straight road, shortly after the channel crossing.


Just after leaving Annecy and heading off round the lake.


Hairpin Valley. Nice wide hairpins with great scenery to boot.


Lunch stop at Col Du Glandon


Some stunning roads down from Col du Glandon leading to a huge lake. Stopped for a rest here.


The decent from Alp D'Huez. Nice shot of DMC firing down past a struggling cyclist with many hours of pure uphill to go.


One of the many corners leading to Alp D'Huez. One of countless bits of magnificent roads/scenery that all blurred into a mass of fun.


Verdon Gorge looking down onto the lake that we camped by.


Heading back up the gorge on our way to Monte Carlo.



Monaco. People living there clearly struggling with life just above the poverty line.


Classic F1 tunnel


Obligatory funny knee down. Note puzzled locals walking by.


Making it big.


Mercedes banger struggled up the hill.


Lovely place. I think the sweatiest me and Carty have ever been. 34 degrees leather trousers on and carrying jacket, helmet, bag with documents in while walking around the principality. We were getting some funny looks from the pretty faced locals.


Both myself and Carty met up with a chap, Sayani, who has been touring alone for a few weeks now and is still riding about Europe now. Nice chap, on a blue curvy, and wish him the best for the rest of his trip.

Having left Monaco heading for Barcellonette there were three roads of the same name leaving Sospel. Predicatbly we did a big loop back to where we begun. Deciding it'd be quicker, we took the faster roads through to Italy and back across to France.


We were both pleasantly surprised at some lovely roads. Finally getting back to the campsite where Yogi and DMC had already left for dinner, we promptly unpacked and headed out for beers and the best steak i think i've ever had. 25 Euros mind.

Carty roundabout knee down. (Nearly)








Probably getting bored of my grime bike spoiling nice photos. But for those of you who like rocks here's some snow on a mountain.




FIN

Some cracking videos to follow hopefully. Some serious and others just plain daft.