A little potter on the Guzzi

You'll have to crack on a bit to do Florac to Castellane through the Verdun gorge so you may be as well to stick with the faster, but still twisty route on your map.

Think I'll take the twister D907,as I'm not in any rush !!

Snelly,

Thanks,very helpful !


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Think I'll take the twister D907,as I'm not in any rush !!

Snelly,

Thanks,very helpful !


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It was getting on for 35 degrees plus when we were down there, and it was a case of keeping moving. Allthough a dip in the river was quite refreshing. It's as long as it is broad route wise. Either way is stunning. ST Jean du Gaurd is also very nice. Enjoy, and let us know how the Guzz performs comfort wise.:beerjug:
 
Heated grips on ( still chilly first thing )
"Music on" ........ and off the Guzzi chugs.
Ed Sheeran's on the playlist and 'Castle on the Hill' is filling my helmet just as I round the corner and see this ....


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It's going to be a good day !

I take the twistier D907 option from Florac to St Jean Du Gard and it's a great road which the Guzzi just loves with it's creamy torque,rolling on and off the power mainly in 3rd and 4th and using mainly engine braking to slow down occasionally.

Some nice bridges......


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Without planning to,I end up retracing my steps of a year ago and see some familiar roads....

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From Apt over the Col de Montfuron,which is fabulous again and then after Manosque I climb up the D82 to pick up the D952 all the way through the Gorge du Verdon to Castellane.

Been here many times but it's still beautiful.

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It was getting on for 35 degrees plus when we were down there, and it was a case of keeping moving. Allthough a dip in the river was quite refreshing. It's as long as it is broad route wise. Either way is stunning. ST Jean du Gaurd is also very nice. Enjoy, and let us know how the Guzz performs comfort wise.:beerjug:

Comfort-wise,the Guzzi is way better than I expected.

I started today at 0900 and arrived in Castellane at 1730.
The seat is all day comfort as is the riding position,apart from the slight tension between the shoulder blades.But I get that on many bikes and it's probably more my back than the bike !!

Ground clearance is much better than expected too.Had a couple of minor peg scrapes on hairpins but that's leant over some way !

It really is a lovely motor .It's creamy smooth but with lovely grunt just where you need it and it'll get a lick on when you ask it to.

Economy is about 43 mpg over the 800 miles I've done since Monday.I'm looking for fuel at about 140 miles but that still leaves me a good 5/6 litres normally so it'll do 160 with about 30 reserve.

Quiet day tomorrow.Just going to potter down the Route Napoleon and go to fav restaurant in Antibes for lunch.


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Comfort-wise,the Guzzi is way better than I expected.

I started today at 0900 and arrived in Castellane at 1730.
The seat is all day comfort as is the riding position,apart from the slight tension between the shoulder blades.But I get that on many bikes and it's probably more my back than the bike !!

Ground clearance is much better than expected too.Had a couple of minor peg scrapes on hairpins but that's leant over some way !

It really is a lovely motor .It's creamy smooth but with lovely grunt just where you need it and it'll get a lick on when you ask it to.

Economy is about 43 mpg over the 800 miles I've done since Monday.I'm looking for fuel at about 140 miles but that still leaves me a good 5/6 litres normally so it'll do 160 with about 30 reserve.

Quiet day tomorrow.Just going to potter down the Route Napoleon and go to fav restaurant in Antibes for lunch.


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I don't know about this time of year. But i thnk that tree lined rd, takes you past fields of Lavender for farming, it was almost overpowering. You forgot something in your appraisal of the Guzz, Style; you never mentioned, the style.:beerjug:
 
I don't know about this time of year. But i thnk that tree lined rd, takes you past fields of Lavender for farming, it was almost overpowering. You forgot something in your appraisal of the Guzz, Style; you never mentioned, the style.:beerjug:

It's a great bike . Got so much character


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How would it be with a wee fly screen on it? When I had the Bonnie T100 (sold last year) I loved the naked bike on the twisties but on the motorway bits got a bit bored acting like a sail. Wee screen with an adjustable lip made a huge difference.

Looks a good trip, went round there about 10 years ago, I suspect I might go back this year, have to go to Barga so may as well take the long way round.
 
How would it be with a wee fly screen on it? When I had the Bonnie T100 (sold last year) I loved the naked bike on the twisties but on the motorway bits got a bit bored acting like a sail. Wee screen with an adjustable lip made a huge difference.

Looks a good trip, went round there about 10 years ago, I suspect I might go back this year, have to go to Barga so may as well take the long way round.

I'm sure it would make a bit if difference but if I wanted more wind protection I could have got the Cali with large screen and fitted panniers .

I like the lack of chrome on the Audace. It'd nice not to be doing 85 everywhere . I'm not going anywhere autoroutes this trip anyway .


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A lovely blat down the Route Napoleon for lunch...
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I still think the Route Napoleon is the best road I've ever ridden. Doesn't matter what bike you are on, it's just sublime.

There are some beautiful people in Antibes. Anybody care to guess the make and model of this....

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Is there a better way to end the day on a bike by being sat in the square in Castellane with a proper beer ?

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Today was always going to be a 'rest' day that I always try and build in to a trip.Not a day off the bike,but an easy day,staying a second night in Castellane.

This would enable me to ride the Guzzi without panniers and give me the excuse to blat down the Route Napoleon to Grasse,which is my favourite bit I think,and then onwards to Antibes for lunch,as above,then potter around the coast past Juan Les Pins towards Cannes,then back up to Grasse to pick up the RN back to Castellane.

I much prefer Antibes to Nice or Monaco-far less showy,though still some nice toys moored up

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Looking back at Antibes on the way to JLP

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I know many of you have ridden the RN but for those that haven't,I can thoroughly recommend it.
I've ridden it on sports bikes,GSs,KTMs,Honda CB1300S,MT10, and now the Guzzi,and it's always fantastic .
I was expecting the pegs to touch down regularly on some of the tighter hairpins ,but I guess I was riding smoother and anticipating this and never got a single scrape,unlike yesterday .Bizarre !
Most of the time I rode in 3rd or 4th,almost like a big scooter ,and the power and torque was fabulous.


Saw this old girl this morning,outside the hotel car park

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For those of you that don't know Castellane,it's a beautiful town dominated by the Chapelle Notre Dame du Roc perched high above.

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The main square has bars/hotels on all sides and gets busy in summer but is nice and quiet at this time of year.

My default hotel is the Nouvel Hotel du Commerce

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Unfortunately it only opens tomorrow for the season so I am staying in Ma Petite Auberge,which is a good alternative

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There is a fantastic boulangerie in the corner which is great for a grand crėme and pain au chocolat for brek

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Get them to make you up a delicious sandwich for lunch made from rustic bread and packed with fillings.
I'll be doing this tomorrow morning as I have a long day




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The plan tomorrow,having just had a play with Motogoloco is to ride up the Route Napolen as far as Digne.Then I'll do what I always do and ride the D900A through the Gorge Du Barles and then up the D7 over the Col Du Fanget.

I'm then going going to head up to the Vercors and ride the Combe Laval balcony road,as I've never been up there.

After that I'm going to head to Lyon as I fancy a night in the old town with a plate of andouillette !


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Love Castellane, stayed in the Nouvel Hotel du Commerce a few years ago, is Patricia still the owner.

Stayed at the "Ma Petit Auberge" last year, good food in the garden at the back. Thanks for bringing back recent memories.

Are you heading up through "La Combe Laval", very scenic and "interesting " roads. :thumb2
 
Love Castellane, stayed in the Nouvel Hotel du Commerce a few years ago, is Patricia still the owner.

Stayed at the "Ma Petit Auberge" last year, good food in the garden at the back. Thanks for bringing back recent memories.

Are you heading up through "La Combe Laval", very scenic and "interesting " roads. :thumb2

Yup, as mentioned above


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