Help/advice wanted re a ride in France

Beatiful as it is, I would have thought the Lot was a bit of a stretch TBH, unless using a Portsmouth crossing.

Assuming you will have done the sights of interest around the Cotentin, Normandy Beaches, NE Brittany from your Chateau, I would suggest a slow trip along the Loire. The Suisse Normande around Clecy/Falaise makes a nice detour. We usually base at Amboise or Blois to do the Chateaux - the Novotel at Amboise is nice, if that's your style. Yes, I know it's in the Accor chain, but some of the smaller French places can be ........ shall we say 'an experience' ..... that you may not wish to repeat.

Each Chateau will need at least a half day - I would recommend Villandry, for the gardens & Azay & Chenonceaux for the situation. Chambourd remains magnificent, but the interior disappoints imho. Just troll up to Versailles or Fontainbleau if you want to see pure extravegance. Then return for your ferry via Orleans, Troyes through the Champagne. Epernay or Reims are worth an overnight stop.

We usually pre-book, but this can pressurise the trip, if you hit a delay. We use Accor's affinity programme or www.booking.com usually, watching always for the ability to cancel late where we think it may be appropriate.

Enjoy the trip ...................... KEN
 
batman1 said:
I wonder? Did you pre-book your accommodation or just start looking when you'd had enough of riding.
.....
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This question will see a very split opinion on here. I personally do a bit of both.

The benefit of pre-booking, is that you can tailor make your tour, you can seek out lovely hotels and B&B's on the net months before, knowing that you're going somewhere lovely at the end of the day.
So for example, in the tour that I attached, our first night was here, http://www.chateaudeclusors.com/index_anglais.htm and it was just the perfect start to the holiday.

The downside of pre-booking is that to a certain extent it takes away the sense of adventure (if that's what you want). Your holiday can become quite scheduled and time critical. What you can't now do is stumble across a wonderful town that say has a great market or festival on, and on a whimsy decide to stay where you are and enjoy it - find a hotel there and then. Again, in the attached tour we had one day of absolute foul weather, and if I hadn't of pre-booked in Mirepoix, I'd have dived for the first hotel we could find and call it a day. Some of the craziest and best hotels we've stayed in, that have ultimately given us our fondest memories, have been the result of winging it and stumbling across something at the end of the day.

A good compromise may be booking your first night, your last night (Blois is a good last night if you're heading for either the ferry of the tunnel) and a general destination for maybe two or three nights. So a classic example of that might be something like a two week tour taking in Moto GP at Catalunia that sees your first and last night guaranteed, and three days in Barcelona thats guaranteed, everything in between you wing it and have an adventure. :thumb2
 
edit ...

We also always hit the auto route for four or five hours on our first and last day. The rest of the holiday? All B roads and scenery ....
 
leedude03 said:
if you are thinking of going to the lott area have a read of this ride report there are many pics and a little info in there to, all the suggestions so far have been good. click the link below,

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/431324-The-pain-to-Spain-tour
Click to expand...

Wow!
That's some write up Leeduke and what superb photos, it's epic. I'm only halfway the at the moment, think I'll have to read it right through a few times to really immerse myself into your adventure.

Looks fab so far!...

My first question is what camera did you use?
 
As Wapping has already alluded to Batman you might try the Logis de France network of hotels most of which are privately owned, usually quite individual and very often quirky. Most offer food and you can stumble upon some real gems. Certainly a very different (and very French) alternative to corporate hotels, which do have their place too.

Have a bit of a browse here to see what appeals in your intended areas of travel. :thumb2
 
Fab thread thanks for starting batman.

This alone has justified my 12 quid although I am slightly disappointed at Wappings lack of sarcasm and may I also add that his Street Fin is shite. ;)

:clap
 
Tinytim said:
Fab thread thanks for starting batman.

This alone has justified my 12 quid although I am slightly disappointed at Wappings lack of sarcasm and may I also add that his Street Fin is shite. ;)

:clap
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Thanks Tinytim,

This thread just gets better and better and I'm pleased that you are enjoying it, and the expert feedback has been very gratefully received. Where else can you get this sort of information overnight from proper bikers who have lived the journey?...... It’s priceless!

Re Wapping.
I have followed Messer’s Wapping's posts for a few years now and they often make me chuckle, his one-liners can cut to the core but they are also very funny, and to be fair from what I've seen he normally saves his sarcasm for some of the more stupid questions that are often posted on this forum and also not usually in this particular travel section.
In fact when I wrote my initial posting I was hoping for him to reply, and I wasn't dissapointed, just see the length of his posting...it's brilliant!
Wapping clearly has a vast amount of knowledge about riding through France, however I now see there are other guys who are also very knowledgeable about this area and their postings are brilliant too, and it’s lovely that they have taken the time and trouble to share their knowledge and experiences and I'm very grateful.

It’s really good stuff, keep it coming. :thumb2
 
batman1 said:
Wow!
That's some write up Leeduke and what superb photos, it's epic. I'm only halfway the at the moment, think I'll have to read it right through a few times to really immerse myself into your adventure.

Looks fab so far!...

My first question is what camera did you use?
Click to expand...
e

just a very old point and shoot canon a650is and the occasional grab from head cam, The problem with recommending somewhere to go is that we all want different things from our trips, and we all want to do them a different way, some want slow and steady, others want to cover the most ground as possible in the shortest time, some want chateau and beautiful villages, others will want mountain passes.
Sit down take a breath and try and decide between you what it is you want from your trip, and when you have done this you can then start to sort the wheat from the chaff of the suggestions you have already had, the ride routes are very good and you would not go far wrong in using them as a starter for 10, or take a look at other ride reports on here from the areas you would like to go to, there are many,
 
I'm not very good at slow and steady, however we don't want to make our French ride into a race, so slow and steady where we need to soak up the ambiance, and pick up our feet on the bits in between.

The Chateau http://www.chateaulemontepinguet.com/ is a BMW club event and it's brilliant value, we did it last April. It's a 3 night stay, bed, breakfast and scrumptious dinner all washed down with copious amounts of free decent quality French wine. It's within easy striking distance of the Normandy Beaches etc. Cost just £140.00 per head....You can't afford not to go!!

Anyway thanks again for the link to your blog, it's going to prove most useful.

:thumb:thumb
 
Redboots said:
French steak is best avoided unless you like it on the hoof. They don't hang it so any amount of cooking beyond slapping its arse just makes it worse.
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Have to agree about the steak.....in many years of going to France I've yet to have a good one! I no longer order it.
If you're worried about ordering food go for an omlette and chips...always fresh!

I would not disagree with any of the advice given above, as already pointed out the country is enormous and it is all to easy to to spend the hard earned holiday doing 300+ miles a day, the missus won't thank you. I've never booked ahead and only once had a slight problem.

France is an amazing country and with the odd exception Mr Frog is not a bad man! Enjoy your holiday!
 
harry said:
If you're worried about ordering food go for an omlette and chips...always fresh!
Click to expand...

At lunch times, look for a place doing plat du jour with plenty of vans outside.
Prices from €8-13 (13.50 is max as that's the allowance workers get from their employer), always good and sometimes with wine.
 
Something, a bit like this (hacked out very roughly in Googlemaps at work) might do it:

https://goo.gl/maps/sfY3dR69VqT2

It's not meant to precise, so don't just steam off following it but at only 837 miles spread over six or seven days, would not be too onerous at all. It would give you both a very decent look at France, at least centrally above its equator. The south can wait for another day.

Richard

PS If I was doing it, I'd maybe book a hotel for the first night after Cherbourg and then a hotel for the last night before the ferry, which would give me something fixed to aim for. That way I could mix-n-match the five or so days in between. There are only two of you, so you'll always find something. It's when you need to find five or more rooms at the drop of a hat it often becomes more 'interesting'.
 
Wapping said:
Something, a bit like this (hacked out very roughly in Googlemaps at work) might do it:

https://goo.gl/maps/sfY3dR69VqT2

It's not meant to precise, so don't just steam off following it but at only 837 miles spread over six or seven days, would not be too onerous at all. It would give you both a very decent look at France, at least centrally above its equator. The south can wait for another day.

Richard

PS If I was doing it, I'd maybe book a hotel for the first night after Cherbourg and then a hotel for the last night before the ferry, which would give me something fixed to aim for. That way I could mix-n-match the five or so days in between. There are only two of you, so you'll always find something. It's when you need to find five or more rooms at the drop of a hat it often becomes more 'interesting'.
Click to expand...

Richard,

What can I say, it's perfect!

In fact I reckon that can be our ride in September and we can slowly start working through the journey and exploring it in advance on the internet.

Many thanks ...again,

Kev & Roz
 
Looks like a good loop

At the bottom take a day in Vichy, forget the negative image left by the collaboration government, its a beautiful spa town well worth a visit

At the top you should visit Ypres, lovely town and of course as much history as you'll ever need, Go to the Menin Gate at 20:00 hrs when they play the Last Post and don't be surprised if you shed a discrete tear
 
Great, OP and good hints from leadfarmer, too. The truth is, there's lots to see and do, so I cut the distance down deliberately.

The thing to do now is to start pulling it around. For example, at the start, where Google just picked the motorway all the way to Tours. You can D road it all the way from Cherbourg of course but whether you want to is up to you. If it appeals, I'd certainly take the D roads south of Le Mans, all the way to Joue-les-Tours, for example.

When you get your maps, you'll be able to see:

(1) How the motorways sometimes replace what were the old roads, often running in parallel. That does always make the old D road great. Indeed, the motorways are sometimes better, particularly when they run around a city, like Le Mans. But Le Mans is great, if you want to ride along parts of the historic track or to visit the 24 hour race museum. The choise is yours, as ever.

(2) How, sometimes by moving the Google suggested route - I only bashed it out - left or right (east or west) it's often very easy to find 'better' roads. The trick, if there is one, is then to read the route on a decent map and use the information it gives. If the road snakes about a lot in very tight serpentine bends, it's twisty. If it follows a river, it may well twist and if it's the only way (as everything else around is mountain or woods) then it might be full of traffic, as it's the only road... or they might be on the motorway, leaving the river road empty for you to hoon like a maniac.... who knows? Finding out is half the fun, after all. If the road on the map goes through village, after, village after village (picturesque as they be or not) it may well be slow. You'll maybe wish you had taken the faster alternative and not relied quite so heavily on Michelin designating the route 'scenic' with its green edged border. Pretty it might be but a real tedious pain if you only have an hour to do 70 miles of it.

For example, if I had time in my day at that part of France, I'd drag the route to the left (west) at Luzy, to go up the middle of the Morvan, exiting at Avallon. Then go: Tonnerre, Chaource, Boucheres.... But hey, it's your holiday, not mine.

Get to know your maps, comparing them with what you've experienced that day, would be my suggestion. I regularly scribble on mine and, somewhat sadly perhaps, keep a diary log. It's proved invaluable, if only to remember what it was I did and what I thought of it at the time.
 
Okay, add Vichy, this tour is getting more and more bespoke!

Well Well, we are definitely singing from the same Hymn Book!

When we visited the (BMW) Chateau last April (2016) we stayed a night in Ypres on the way back to Zeebrugge, and did exactly what you are suggesting, the Menin gate at 8.00pm for the last Post, and yes, I did find it a surprisingly moving experience.. not be missed!

In fact I posted a question on here for advice on somewhere to stay in Ypres before our trip, I can't remember who answered my call for help, but it was bang-on, just off the square, bike locked up and secured indoors. It was brilliant, in fact that was the first trip (and the last) that we did on our own in France. :thumb2
 
Wapping said:
Great, OP and good hints from leadfarmer, too. The truth is, there's lots to see and do, so I cut the distance down deliberately.

The thing to do now is to start pulling it around. For example, at the start, where Google just picked the motorway all the way to Tours. You can D road it all the way from Cherbourg of course but whether you want to is up to you. If it appeals, I'd certainly take the D roads south of Le Mans, all the way to Joue-les-Tours, for example.

When you get your maps, you'll be able to see:

(1) How the motorways sometimes replace what were the old roads, often running in parallel. That does always make the old D road great. Indeed, the motorways are sometimes better, particularly when they run around a city, like Le Mans. But Le Mans is great, if you want to ride along parts of the historic track or to visit the 24 hour race museum. The choise is yours, as ever.

(2) How, sometimes by moving the Google suggested route - I only bashed it out - left or right (east or west) it's often very easy to find 'better' roads. The trick, if there is one, is then to read the route on a decent map and use the information it gives. If the road snakes about a lot in very tight serpentine bends, it's twisty. If it follows a river, it may well twist and if it's the only way (as everything else around is mountain or woods) then it might be full of traffic, as it's the only road... or they might be on the motorway, leaving the river road empty for you to hoon like a maniac.... who knows? Finding out is half the fun, after all. If the road on the map goes through village, after, village after village (picturesque as they be or not) it may well be slow. You'll maybe wish you had taken the faster alternative and not relied quite so heavily on Michelin designating the route 'scenic' with its green edged border. Pretty it might be but a real tedious pain if you only have an hour to do 70 miles of it.

For example, if I had time in my day at that part of France, I'd drag the route to the left (west) at Luzy, to go up the middle of the Morvan, exiting at Avallon. Then go: Tonnerre, Chaource, Boucheres.... But hey, it's your holiday, not mine.

Get to know your maps, comparing them with what you've experienced that day, would be my suggestion. I regularly scribble on mine and, somewhat sadly perhaps, keep a diary log. It's proved invaluable, if only to remember what it was I did and what I thought of it at the time.
Click to expand...


I think that this trip is becoming a collaboration of experienced touring minds, from guys with an excellent knowledge of riding bikes in France, and I'll be very surprised if there aren't other less experience ops like me thinking of giving route this a go as it comes together.

I always find it's hard to draw on the experience that I don't have, but I listen well and try to learn. What I'm doing is printing everything up and creating a folder. I'll make notes of the mods and suggestions that keep coming and gradually fine tune the route to take care of them, so please keep the ideas coming.

Shall I need another map Richard, or will the one that you previously suggested cover this area, the one I ordered should be here tomorrow so I suppose I'll answer that one myself tomorrow afternoon.

We haven't booked the ferry yet, so our number of riding days are not set in stone, thus we still have the flexibility to make the days fit the route to keep it enjoyable.

I'm loving this...:)
 
I also use Street view a lot now, often what looks like a great twisty road turns out to be a goat track, or just runs for miles in village after village.

Not so bothered for myself on the adventure bike as the odd goat track is fun, but if herding a group of power rangers along they can get funny about such roads, although last time this happened the only bike that followed me was an S1000RR and the guy on an explorer refused to turn a wheel away from tarmac
 
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