littleredrooster
Registered user
Just got back (Monday night, anyhow) from a trip to the Massif Central in Mid France. For anyone who’s not tried it – treat yourself. Absolutely superb roads, well-surfaced for the most part, with heeeoooouuge corners wot go on for ever.
We went down to Chatel via the A144 which gave us a taste of things to come. Fully-loaded with luggage, it was a real undercarriage-grinder.
We stayed in Chatel-Guyon, just to the North of Clermont-Ferrand and it proved an ideal location with excellent restaurants, easy access and even a casino for those who would want it. We had a cracking 3-star hotel with swimming pool for 64 euros per night (double room), so about £22 each.
If you want Fun (capital ‘F’), try the D922 from (about) Rochefort down to Aurillac. With the exception of a couple of straights, the bike is never upright, with a series of fast-ish corners (all between 60 – 100) and breathtaking scenery if you can take your eyes off the next corner. 60-odd miles of re-profiling the back tyre
Or for more technical stuff, try the D3 from Chapelle-de Valentine through Collanges, then West to the D62 and North to Riom-es-Montagnes. Cracking bit of road, especially if you’re on a GS and all the rest of your mates are on sportsbikes!!
Squirt-brake-grind-repeat until you’re out of breath!
The area can be commutable from the UK Midlands in a day, but we got the overnight ferry from Portsmouth – Caen and travelled down through France in 10 leisurely hours, avoiding most of the Toll-roads. We came back in just under 8 hours by using the Autoroutes to catch the 5.00 ferry back to Blighty.
Highly recommended – gonna go back next year for at least 10 days to explore further.
We went down to Chatel via the A144 which gave us a taste of things to come. Fully-loaded with luggage, it was a real undercarriage-grinder.
We stayed in Chatel-Guyon, just to the North of Clermont-Ferrand and it proved an ideal location with excellent restaurants, easy access and even a casino for those who would want it. We had a cracking 3-star hotel with swimming pool for 64 euros per night (double room), so about £22 each.
If you want Fun (capital ‘F’), try the D922 from (about) Rochefort down to Aurillac. With the exception of a couple of straights, the bike is never upright, with a series of fast-ish corners (all between 60 – 100) and breathtaking scenery if you can take your eyes off the next corner. 60-odd miles of re-profiling the back tyre
Or for more technical stuff, try the D3 from Chapelle-de Valentine through Collanges, then West to the D62 and North to Riom-es-Montagnes. Cracking bit of road, especially if you’re on a GS and all the rest of your mates are on sportsbikes!!
Squirt-brake-grind-repeat until you’re out of breath!The area can be commutable from the UK Midlands in a day, but we got the overnight ferry from Portsmouth – Caen and travelled down through France in 10 leisurely hours, avoiding most of the Toll-roads. We came back in just under 8 hours by using the Autoroutes to catch the 5.00 ferry back to Blighty.
Highly recommended – gonna go back next year for at least 10 days to explore further.
suffered again, will they ever learn.
