Bit late with this but wanted to share our route and some info on our trip to the Pyrenees earlier this year. Firstly, I started a thread to get advice on travelling around the Pyrenees in May and must do roads. The thread is here:
http://ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/439936-Advice-Please-Pyrenees-Route-OK-for-May
A big thank you to everyone who assisted in the planning of the route! I used the RIDE 7 day route as my base map and amended it initially to take us around the Pyrenees in less days and then cut up towards Bordeaux from the Lourdes area.
We travelled to Santander on the 24 hour Brittany ferry from Portsmouth - which was surprisingly nice! You just ride on board, they strap the bikes down with nice big cushions and you head for your cabin and food and drink. We booked the ferry November straight after the Motorcycle show as we wanted to get the 10% discount from Brittany Ferries at the show. We got the last spaces!! So don't book late. There were four of us on a KTM 990 adventure, an African Twin, KTM 1190 adventure S and GS 1150. Only one rider had done much touring so 3 of us were like excited kids on their first holiday!
When we got to Santander on Saturday evening the aim was to hit the motorway and get the miles done to our first hotel in Vitoria, however, we also had some nice sweeping roads that got us in the mood for the coming fun in the days to follow. We had a selection of accommodation on the trip booked via Booking.com - this first stop was plain and simple with underground parking (most had secure parking - just ask). Day 2 we hit the real mountain roads and all I can say is WOW! And that is all we said most of the time, every time you came around a corner. WOW! If you haven't been to the Pyrenees you should plan to go - it's got what I thought I would have to go to the USA to see and ride. Roads are so smooth, there are so many twisty mountain climbs that are awesome. So many roads hugging a mountain cliff and a drop of to a gorge. Actually, it's like riding through Cheddar Gorge for hundreds of miles!!
We headed across France via the Bordeaux area, La Rochelle, Surgeres (friend lives there) and then up to St Malo which was all great roads.
The route we used is here hopefully!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nvbZf_c9_V9wSJ0gDeaAC8JHIdE&usp=sharing
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1nvbZf_c9_V9wSJ0gDeaAC8JHIdE&ll=45.38860586999344%2C-0.8205628395080566&z=6
VIDEOS - my friend videoed each day and even commentates! Stick with it, there is a lot of interesting info on it! There are a few videos
Some photos
Hope you find it interesting
http://ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/439936-Advice-Please-Pyrenees-Route-OK-for-May
A big thank you to everyone who assisted in the planning of the route! I used the RIDE 7 day route as my base map and amended it initially to take us around the Pyrenees in less days and then cut up towards Bordeaux from the Lourdes area.
We travelled to Santander on the 24 hour Brittany ferry from Portsmouth - which was surprisingly nice! You just ride on board, they strap the bikes down with nice big cushions and you head for your cabin and food and drink. We booked the ferry November straight after the Motorcycle show as we wanted to get the 10% discount from Brittany Ferries at the show. We got the last spaces!! So don't book late. There were four of us on a KTM 990 adventure, an African Twin, KTM 1190 adventure S and GS 1150. Only one rider had done much touring so 3 of us were like excited kids on their first holiday!
When we got to Santander on Saturday evening the aim was to hit the motorway and get the miles done to our first hotel in Vitoria, however, we also had some nice sweeping roads that got us in the mood for the coming fun in the days to follow. We had a selection of accommodation on the trip booked via Booking.com - this first stop was plain and simple with underground parking (most had secure parking - just ask). Day 2 we hit the real mountain roads and all I can say is WOW! And that is all we said most of the time, every time you came around a corner. WOW! If you haven't been to the Pyrenees you should plan to go - it's got what I thought I would have to go to the USA to see and ride. Roads are so smooth, there are so many twisty mountain climbs that are awesome. So many roads hugging a mountain cliff and a drop of to a gorge. Actually, it's like riding through Cheddar Gorge for hundreds of miles!!
We headed across France via the Bordeaux area, La Rochelle, Surgeres (friend lives there) and then up to St Malo which was all great roads.
The route we used is here hopefully!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nvbZf_c9_V9wSJ0gDeaAC8JHIdE&usp=sharing
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1nvbZf_c9_V9wSJ0gDeaAC8JHIdE&ll=45.38860586999344%2C-0.8205628395080566&z=6
VIDEOS - my friend videoed each day and even commentates! Stick with it, there is a lot of interesting info on it! There are a few videos
Some photos
Hope you find it interesting