60 mph NOW 50…….
Pyrenees route suggestions please
- Thread starter ChasF
- Start date
Did anyone ever take too much notice of the old French national limit, when hooning their awesome along the D roads of rural France?
The views on the French side of the Pyrenees, just taking the D918/D618 are superb. Yes, the geography means they are more likely to be north facing so the weather might be cooler or damper. Some of the roads climb to a higher altitude than those on the Spanish side so that can make them more exposed in places. I have experienced much rain in the mountains in Northern Spain and there is no difference in how damp it makes you.
As many of the French cols are used in the Tour de France and other road races, the claim that the roads are in a poor state is largely bollocks. Yes, the roads are busy with lycra clad wannabes but that is the same on the Spanish side and any other mountainous region in Europe.
Quite simply, if you ride from St Jean Pied de Port, via the D918 which becomes D618 after Arreau, to the Spanish border just short of Vielha then you are likely to have one of the best days on a motorcycle you can have.
As many of the French cols are used in the Tour de France and other road races, the claim that the roads are in a poor state is largely bollocks. Yes, the roads are busy with lycra clad wannabes but that is the same on the Spanish side and any other mountainous region in Europe.
Quite simply, if you ride from St Jean Pied de Port, via the D918 which becomes D618 after Arreau, to the Spanish border just short of Vielha then you are likely to have one of the best days on a motorcycle you can have.
Wessie is not entirely wrong.
Maybe it’s the good thing about the ADAC route? It covers off both sides.
Maybe it’s the good thing about the ADAC route? It covers off both sides.
Go to France on holiday each year. Amazingly the French now keep to the 50, I guess because the police have enforced and there’s more cameras. At with the excellent D roads!
Shocking. Truly shocking. How it’s changed.
J biker
Registered user
France, some departments are 90 kmh, some are 80kmh. They like to keep it interesting..
Best advice? N roads have more cameras than D roads.
Spain, passes in the North, edging towards the Picos and elsewhere now have drones recording speeding motorists.
Best advice? N roads have more cameras than D roads.
Spain, passes in the North, edging towards the Picos and elsewhere now have drones recording speeding motorists.
And there we have it. The French cannot police and control every road in France, any more than we can in the UK at half the area. On many of the D roads, you’ll be lucky to see another vehicle all day, let alone a policeman, hiding in a ditch with a speed camera. Use a bit of sense, through towns and villages and you can, near enough, hoon along at just about any speed you like. Or you can (if you chose to) stick religiously to the posted limits, all day, every day.
J biker
Registered user
…if you can be bothered to do a LOT of planning with routes:https://radars.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/#/
Tomtom warns of ‘dangerous roads’ as speed warning devices are illegal here…I use the app on a smartphone and get audible alerts via my headset. Probably warns of around 75% of the cameras!
There will usually also be a warning sign, though when they state cameras for 20 kilometres, not a big help!
Just like anywhere, you need to stay alert.
Atm UK plates will only get fines and not points. Likewise, I can pick up ‘fines’
from Austria, Germany and elsewhere and only get fines. Though if stopped by Police anywhere in Europe travelling at ‘extreme’ speed you will risk losing your vehicle.
Last year in Austria a guy on our trip got caught at 70kph over, €1600 fine…no points as he had UK plates.
Again, have fun, just keep it a little bit real and you will be fine.
A group of us got stopped exiting a village in the French Alps a few years back breaking the limit, the gendarmes saw the UK plates and said to pay more attention and keep the speed down. Waved us away with a smile.
Tomtom warns of ‘dangerous roads’ as speed warning devices are illegal here…I use the app on a smartphone and get audible alerts via my headset. Probably warns of around 75% of the cameras!
There will usually also be a warning sign, though when they state cameras for 20 kilometres, not a big help!
Just like anywhere, you need to stay alert.
Atm UK plates will only get fines and not points. Likewise, I can pick up ‘fines’
from Austria, Germany and elsewhere and only get fines. Though if stopped by Police anywhere in Europe travelling at ‘extreme’ speed you will risk losing your vehicle.Last year in Austria a guy on our trip got caught at 70kph over, €1600 fine…no points as he had UK plates.
Again, have fun, just keep it a little bit real and you will be fine.
A group of us got stopped exiting a village in the French Alps a few years back breaking the limit, the gendarmes saw the UK plates and said to pay more attention and keep the speed down. Waved us away with a smile.
Last year on the way back from Sid's do through France, I noticed that many roads were still signposted 90kmh, however, the Sat Nav with latest updates suggested that some of the roads were now 80kmh despite the signposts saying different. Obviously I abided by the signposts but it looks like change is on the way.
J biker
Registered user
Meh, you should see how many rural speed cameras have been ‘modernised’ recently. Country of the revolution you know!
There’s one village we drive through each year near La Rochelle with a speed camera. Every time we have passed it over the last 10 plus years it has been smashed up. Bent over, sprayed with paint, glass broken! The authorities bring in new, anti damage designs. Same result!! Vive La Revolution
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