Euro Tour 2019.05 - Spain - France - Switzerland - Belgium

oddjob

Registered user
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
298
Reaction score
0
Location
Buckley, North Wales
Euro Tour 2019.05 - Spain - France - Switzerland - Belgium


Since this Euro Tour is a multi-country, and not exclusively Spain, would the moderators (Richard AKA Wapping) please kindly move or copy this thread as deemed appropriate? :)

Please find details hereunder for your reference and consideration. :thumb2

This tour includes very many extreme twisty roads and interesting places to visit; here are some of the highlights:

Carcassonne:
Generic Facts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne
Tourist Information https://about-france.com/cities/carcassonne.htm

Viaduc de Millau:
Generic Facts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_Viaduct
Tourist Information https://www.tourisme-aveyron.com/en/millau-viaduct/see-and-do-millau-viaduct

The Gorges du Tarn:
Generic Facts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorges_du_Tarn
Tourist Information https://about-france.com/tourism/tarn-gorge.htm
Dangerous Roads https://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/france/4688-gorges-du-tarn.html

Especially during the busy peak summer season, please take good care and ride sensibly, with constraint and consideration for other road users. Unfortunately, I've personally experienced many memorable dangerous incidents. :eek:

These examples involved non-advanced rider mates:

a) In 2013 whilst touring Spain and France: a rider was following my exact lines, however, he was not maintaining concentration and varying the safe following distance, riding too close and fast into blind bends. This resulted in me being rear-ended. I did receive a profound and profuse apology, together with an (completely invalid) excuse of; there was an extremely steep vertical drop to the right (which is to be expected in the Gorges du Tarn :blast); consequently, I rode into the back of you; :mad:

b) In 2019 whilst touring Spain and France: when riding an interesting gnarly road in the Pyrenees, with multiple blind bends and a vertical drop to the left. Anyway, long story short, there had recently been a rock fall and despite slowing my speed and pointing to the large (breeze block sized) rock in the road, the following rider didn't see the rock, rode over it and consequently buckled his front wheel. This was misconstrued as being my fault for choosing a scenic route with (such distracting) fabulous views. :blast

Apart from the outward ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao, I stayed in designated campsites. However, subsequently, two memorable campsites closed permanently in 2020:

Domain le Clot, Lacaune.
Some twenty five years ago, a wonderful Dutch couple decided to take early retirement from their senior roles in the world of academia. Thanks to their stalwart efforts, considerable enthusiasm, and fantastic culinary skills, they subsequently produced an absolute campsite gem. However, the global pandemic which commencement in late 2019 did unfortunately serve as a catalyst for their eventual retirement, thankfully whilst fit and healthy in their mid-eighties! http://www.domaineleclot.com/

Camping Municipal De la Prairie à Sedan.
It was a convenient venue whenever visiting Sedan. However, it was memorable for all the wrong reasons! it would be an understatement to describe this site as somewhat rudimentary, with fixtures and fittings akin to the 1950's.

Consequently, I've amended the route files for suitable alternative campsites (which I've also stayed previously).


Sixteen Garmin .gpx files https://www.dropbox.com/sh/luc3nb4awihdh3a/AACdkOFfA-pZknKvlHdkg3Jfa?dl=0
 

Attachments

  • Euro Tour 2019.05 - Spain - France - Switzerland - Belgium Itineary.PNG
    Euro Tour 2019.05 - Spain - France - Switzerland - Belgium Itineary.PNG
    8.3 KB · Views: 432
  • Euro Tour 2019.05 - Spain - France - Switzerland - Belgium Tour Map.jpg
    Euro Tour 2019.05 - Spain - France - Switzerland - Belgium Tour Map.jpg
    136.2 KB · Views: 443
  • DSC01176 Camping domaine Le Clôt 1.jpg
    DSC01176 Camping domaine Le Clôt 1.jpg
    141.5 KB · Views: 431
  • DSC01192.jpg
    DSC01192.jpg
    254 KB · Views: 429
  • DSC01228.jpg
    DSC01228.jpg
    252.1 KB · Views: 429
More pictures:
 

Attachments

  • DSC01202.jpg
    DSC01202.jpg
    253.3 KB · Views: 431
  • DSC01215.jpg
    DSC01215.jpg
    261.5 KB · Views: 429
  • DSC01241.jpg
    DSC01241.jpg
    255.6 KB · Views: 425
  • DSC01235.jpg
    DSC01235.jpg
    247.2 KB · Views: 424
  • DSC01257.jpg
    DSC01257.jpg
    262.6 KB · Views: 432
More pictures:
 

Attachments

  • DSC01242.jpg
    DSC01242.jpg
    241.7 KB · Views: 430
  • DSC01271.jpg
    DSC01271.jpg
    269.5 KB · Views: 425
  • DSC01224.jpg
    DSC01224.jpg
    232.6 KB · Views: 429
  • DSC01258.jpg
    DSC01258.jpg
    236.5 KB · Views: 424
  • DSC01292.jpg
    DSC01292.jpg
    239.2 KB · Views: 429
Additional photographs: :)
 

Attachments

  • DSC01293.jpg
    DSC01293.jpg
    242.3 KB · Views: 415
  • DSC01294.jpg
    DSC01294.jpg
    242.3 KB · Views: 424
  • DSC01295.jpg
    DSC01295.jpg
    243.5 KB · Views: 425
  • DSC01296.jpg
    DSC01296.jpg
    243 KB · Views: 427
  • DSC01298.jpg
    DSC01298.jpg
    257.9 KB · Views: 419
You're most welcome. :thumb2

FYI:

a) To date, I've now posted to this forum three of my previous Euro tours:
August 2020 (Spain & Portugal)
September 2019 (Spain)
May 2019 (this post)

b) Fundamentally, this is for our mutual benefit, to alleviate lock-down boredom and :ukgser potential future reference and consideration;
c) I hope to continue posting in reverse order. However, there are very many in the proverbial historical tour "library";
d) Hopefully, in due course, my endeavours may even inspire some fellow :ukgser members to reciprocate and provide details of their tours for our mutual benefit. :nenau
 
Excellent, many thanks.

I have moved it into the tour report section. As you are hopefully doing a number of similar reports, I’ll arrange to have an oddjob section made for you.

Would you like me to host the GPX files on my Dropbox account for you?

All the best,

Richard
 
Thanks very much Richard. :thumb2

All URL links to my free Dropbox file folders are supposed to officially expire after merely seven days. :nenau
I anticipate it's inevitable they'll eventually expire and we'd immediately receive adverse feedback from a fellow :ukgser :comfort

However, more than a month has passed since I uploaded "Wales - some of my favourite roads"; surprisingly the URL still works OK.
Consequently, as a back-up contingency, would you please kindly host the files on your Dropbox.

FYI:
An extremely small minority made derogatory comments about the benefits of .gpx files and utilising a concise itinerary spreadsheet.
I'm mindful of :troll3 and I do not wish exacerbate matters by alleviating their distress and consternation.
Consequently, I've refrained from uploading further additional itinerary spreadsheets AKA Troll Fodder. :)
 
Thanks very much Richard. :thumb2

All URL links to my free Dropbox file folders are supposed to officially expire after merely seven days. :nenau
I anticipate it's inevitable they'll eventually expire and we'd immediately receive adverse feedback from a fellow :ukgser :comfort

However, more than a month has passed since I uploaded "Wales - some of my favourite roads"; surprisingly the URL still works OK.
Consequently, as a back-up contingency, would you please kindly host the files on your Dropbox.

FYI:
An extremely small minority made derogatory comments about the benefits of .gpx files and utilising a concise itinerary spreadsheet.
I'm mindful of :troll3 and I do not wish exacerbate matters by alleviating their distress and consternation.
Consequently, I've refrained from uploading further additional itinerary spreadsheets AKA Troll Fodder. :)

Please keep them coming there are people who appreciate them even if ours are not so thorough
 
Thanks very much for your comments.

In due course I'll continue to provide new posts with details of previous tours and of course the .gpx files.

For ease of reference and continuity, I prefer .gpx files to detail "places of interest" AKA POI as defined Waypoints.

I subsequently create spreadsheet itineraries to concisely detail relevant information; which is readily available at a glance, rather than having to scroll through a note book or the infamous Sat-Nav sub-menus.

Moreover, Sat-Nav screen glare is always exacerbated by bright sunlight. Consequently, it's beneficial to posses maps and ancillary tour information in tangible paper form. This is especially useful whilst on tour, engaging in polite conversation and :beerjug: with acquaintances or potential new friends about what, why, where and when:

What's the daily / total tour mileage?
What's the tour duration?
Where you're from?
Where you've been and when?
Where you're going to next / mileage / riding hours?
When do you catch the return ferry / Eurostar train?
 
You're most welcome. Thanks very much. :thumb2

PS; (Malcopopolo), the interesting places to visit are detailed as Waypoints within each .gpx file.


PPS; Whenever I return home via the Eurotunnel, I always call to visit my French friends; (Greg & Geraldine, together with their ever growing mumber of childeren).
However, for the .gpx file I provided "trip to Wacquinghen", I inadvertently failed to delete their Waypoint. :blush
https://www.google.com/maps/place/50%C2%B035'18.2%22N+2%C2%B017'18.1%22E/@50.5883894,2.2861803,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x47dd013b20c4c7d3:0x6f53af0804bfea01!2sEnquin-les-Mines,+62145+Enquin-lez-Guinegatte,+France!3b1!8m2!3d50.587297!4d2.292044!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d50.5883855!4d2.2883692

PPPS; if you do wish to call, please take a nice bottle of red and sweeties for the kiddies. :)

PPPPS; Greg's a fellow motorcyclist so would enjoy seeing your bike or bikes!
 
I enjoyed the stories of being clumped from the rear and the bod buckling his from wheel..... all of which are of course YOUR fault, they are justly innocent of all blame and not responsible in any way for their actions :D


It's a really valuable service you've provided to the forum, creating instant holidays should anyone want to copy your jaunts.
 
Thanks very much Richard. :thumb2

Thankfully, for the September 2013 incident, my Oxford soft pannier and contents absorbed much of the rear impact. :eek:

The net result was scuffed pannier decals, a squashed torch and "nesting" cooking pots.

The aluminium Mini Maglite torch was completely scrap, however the aluminium pots and lid were merely pressed back into shape and are still in regular use. :)

The May 2019 rock and buckled wheel incident was indeed another classic example of target fixation.

However, the results of both incidents could have instantly been very much worse, had he completely lost control and launched himself into the gorge. Game over for bike and rider. :eek:

It's always beneficial to identify the root cause of any incidents and implement systems and controls to mitigate against risk. :mmmm

I subsequently decided it was much safer for the responsible person to ride solo.

I much prefer riding solo. :D
 
............

What's the daily / total tour mileage?
What's the tour duration?
Where you're from?
Where you've been and when?
Where you're going to next / mileage / riding hours?
When do you catch the return ferry / Eurostar train?

Tracks. Routes. Spreadsheets. Maps.

I concur.

You’re my kind of tourer.

But I’ll pass on the camping :)

And I like Solo too.

Thank you for info.
 


Back
Top Bottom