It's been a long summer and September seems to have been a long time coming but now it's here and it's time for a Euro jaunt, the route was arrived at by reading reports mostly on here and selecting interesting looking places and joining them all up on Mapsource and booking accommodation to suit, that was the plan......
The players (Riders) all forum members; Cookie (& Angie), Darkhorse, Gerry Huxtable, Oie (Oscar) and myself, there were others interested in joining us during the plainning stages but they all fell by the wayside for one reason or another, I'll let them judge whether they feel they missed out
Departure point; Portsmouth to get the overnight ferry to Caen, we met up at Gunwharf quays for Fish & Chips prior to departure, nice of Mark (Joybringer) to join us for supper and to wave teary eyed as we set sail........
In the shadow of H.M.S. Warrior
Bikes tied down, bags dropped in the cabin, it was way past beer o'clock, big day tomorrow so not too many
Friday Sept 6th Day 1 Caen to Annecy, Mapsource suggests 482 miles taking 9 hours.........it was very nearly right too, a long day spent 50/50 on Route National and Peage the group arrived at the Hotel, Gerry and Cookie arriving alone, Dave Oscar and myself managed to keep each other in sight and arrive together.
Accomodation for the night; http://www.hoteldesmarquisats.com
No secure parking for those that worry over such things but there was space in the car park, the accommodation was clean and reasonably priced, staff were polite and friendly, free wiffy
the breakfast was very good, we didn't sample the evening meal. Recommended
Following a high dive into a flannel it was time to head to town for a bite to eat, view from the hotel car park whilst waiting for a taxi;
The hotel owner recommended a retaraunt to us so we were dropped at the door, my special friends;
The restaraunt was busy ( a good sign) and packed with locals (an even better sign) unfortunately this made service slow-but the food, when it arrived, was very good, obligatory foody pics......
"Yes dear I have to go......it's arrived at last, love to your Mother"
Steak on a roof slate, had they run out of plates?
Meal over we were forced to walk back to our Hotel as Claude the only Taxi driver in Annecy had given himself an early finish
Some pics of downtown Annecy on a Friday night;
Totally Bohemian........
Saturday Sept 7th Day 2 Annecy to Mont Dauphine, mapsource suggests 214 miles taking a little over 6 hours, our destination is Auberge L'Echaugette in Mont Dauphin.
http://www.echauguette.com/
Again, clean and comfortable rooms, fantastic location, excellent food and even the hosts were welcoming eventually, wiffy in downstairs areas only, not the cheapest but well worth a visit
We stop just 2 minutes from the Hotel to get a pic......
And the fun begins; moutains, twisting roads and very little traffic on the Route de Grand Alpes, riders of lesser machines are despatched with ease by the GS riding uber-gods at every turn.......
We stop for a coffee at Lac de Roseland, some of us remember the spot, we stopped here previously during Magum's excellent Swiss Alps tour in 09
I chose this moment to drop my camera face down in the gravel car park, it didn't survive the fall
i-phone pics only for the time being for me......the very spot where my Canon powershot met it's maker, the keen eyed among you will have spotted Gerry's bonneville, all credit to him he maintained a great pace throughout the trip
"Small-far away.............."
More pics from the day's ride;
With some assistance I discover for the first time the panorama feature on the i-phone camera, I liked this feature-a lot
Val D'Isere in the valley below;
Cookie & Angie;
Next Col please.................
Oscar places a "humvee-graphics" sticker on the sign, bloody vandal
Ooooh look the road passes through a tunnel cut in the rock face, this would become a common sight;
I think the next Col was the Col du Telegraph
(but may be wrong, it's a whole 5 days since we returned and my single brain cell is truggling so bear with me.......)
We had noticed a group of Multistrada's flying in close formation on the Cols, they did a low pass here, nice grouping
Cookie arrive moments later, another mile and he'd have seen them off
Couple of old shonkers at at the top
We press on, it just keeps getting better and better, Col du Galibier next, must be overdue another panorama pic.......
Followed by the Col D' Izoard
On route to the Hotel I stop for some pics and Gerry goes past, the distinct sound of his exhaust silencers fading into the distance..........
The group arrive at the destination seperated by only a few minutes, Mont Dauphine, somehow it escaped me when booking that this place is a 17th century fort and UNESCO World Heritage site
Link; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont-Dauphin
We find the Hotel and check in,
Parking is on the pavement outside
I took a pre-dinner walk;
After a somewhat frosty welcome our hosts warm to our obvious charms or maybe they had consumed enough Ricard by then.........
After a few beers a fine meal was had, starter I think.......
Sun Sept 8th Day 3 Mont Dauphin to Castellane, a leisurely 144 miles which mapsource suggest we can breeze along in a mere 4.5 hours............
Destination today is Hotel Du Lavant in Castellane http://hoteldulevant-castellane.com/ recommended by tossers on here, the rooms were adequate only the hotel looked tired and in need of a cash injection, the rooms were no exactly cheap, ,we didn't eat there at all, the staff are friendly and it does have that all important biker friendly secure garage parking-available at extra cost, oh and free wiffy in the hjotel lobby, I won't be going back in a hurry
We are on our first Col of the day in minutes but the sticker vandals have beaten us to it, we leave our marker, take some pics and move on.......
Next was thje Route de la Bonnette, how come it's always clear blue skies when Franco nips up there for a Garlic baguette? It was a little misty at times-then it wasn't-then it was.......
This is definitely Oscar leading this group......unstoppable!
It was like pea soup at the summit and freezing too
We made our way down almost blind in the fog and the mist around hairpin bends strewn with cow shit, fantastic
Lunch was late, we stopped in a small village cafe and were beseiged by the local BMW off road school group, there was much puffing out of chests and the obligatory standing on the pegs to ride up the curbs in the market square, it was hilarious
Pizza was goo though
Another tunnel pic;
The view from the Hotel du Lavant
Partaking of the free wi-fi in the hotel;
"A well ridden GS".......won't be going up there any time soon
We went in search of blondes, booze and big knockers.........and found them
Day 4 Mon Sept 9th Castellane to Castellane via Gorge du Verdun a round trip of 172 miles which napsource we can achieve in 4.5 hours
No hotel review we're in the same dump as last night again
I nip, out to a hypermarche in search of a replacement camera for my recently departed Canon, choice is limited but I find a little Samsung for 80 Euro and figure it will do-maybe, so I buy it and a new data card.
Following a coffee and croissant we are on the road and the good stuff starts almost immeadiately........
As I stopped many times to take pics I have lost sigh of the others, then I spot cookie's bike
My new little Samsung camera has a novel feature, a screen on the front as well as the back so you can frame a subject when taking a self portrait, cookie protests the pic will look very gay.........he's right it does
We're not yet fed up of blue skies and blue water.....
A sticker opportunity presents itself
The views are stunning;
In a little more than the suggested time we are back at Castellane and the bikes secured for the night
We take a turn around the town......
Which doesn't take long.......and stop for some refreshments
We were joined for dinner by Franco and his wife, oddly no photo's seem to exist
to prove this but a night of good food and banter was enjoyed by all, good to see you both Rob
Dave's turn turn to say grace......
Still typing........................
The players (Riders) all forum members; Cookie (& Angie), Darkhorse, Gerry Huxtable, Oie (Oscar) and myself, there were others interested in joining us during the plainning stages but they all fell by the wayside for one reason or another, I'll let them judge whether they feel they missed out
Departure point; Portsmouth to get the overnight ferry to Caen, we met up at Gunwharf quays for Fish & Chips prior to departure, nice of Mark (Joybringer) to join us for supper and to wave teary eyed as we set sail........
In the shadow of H.M.S. Warrior
Bikes tied down, bags dropped in the cabin, it was way past beer o'clock, big day tomorrow so not too many
Friday Sept 6th Day 1 Caen to Annecy, Mapsource suggests 482 miles taking 9 hours.........it was very nearly right too, a long day spent 50/50 on Route National and Peage the group arrived at the Hotel, Gerry and Cookie arriving alone, Dave Oscar and myself managed to keep each other in sight and arrive together.
Accomodation for the night; http://www.hoteldesmarquisats.com
No secure parking for those that worry over such things but there was space in the car park, the accommodation was clean and reasonably priced, staff were polite and friendly, free wiffy
the breakfast was very good, we didn't sample the evening meal. Recommended
Following a high dive into a flannel it was time to head to town for a bite to eat, view from the hotel car park whilst waiting for a taxi;
The hotel owner recommended a retaraunt to us so we were dropped at the door, my special friends;
The restaraunt was busy ( a good sign) and packed with locals (an even better sign) unfortunately this made service slow-but the food, when it arrived, was very good, obligatory foody pics......
"Yes dear I have to go......it's arrived at last, love to your Mother"
Steak on a roof slate, had they run out of plates?
Meal over we were forced to walk back to our Hotel as Claude the only Taxi driver in Annecy had given himself an early finish
Some pics of downtown Annecy on a Friday night;
Totally Bohemian........
Saturday Sept 7th Day 2 Annecy to Mont Dauphine, mapsource suggests 214 miles taking a little over 6 hours, our destination is Auberge L'Echaugette in Mont Dauphin.
http://www.echauguette.com/
Again, clean and comfortable rooms, fantastic location, excellent food and even the hosts were welcoming eventually, wiffy in downstairs areas only, not the cheapest but well worth a visit
We stop just 2 minutes from the Hotel to get a pic......
And the fun begins; moutains, twisting roads and very little traffic on the Route de Grand Alpes, riders of lesser machines are despatched with ease by the GS riding uber-gods at every turn.......
We stop for a coffee at Lac de Roseland, some of us remember the spot, we stopped here previously during Magum's excellent Swiss Alps tour in 09
I chose this moment to drop my camera face down in the gravel car park, it didn't survive the fall
i-phone pics only for the time being for me......the very spot where my Canon powershot met it's maker, the keen eyed among you will have spotted Gerry's bonneville, all credit to him he maintained a great pace throughout the trip
"Small-far away.............."
More pics from the day's ride;
With some assistance I discover for the first time the panorama feature on the i-phone camera, I liked this feature-a lot
Val D'Isere in the valley below;
Cookie & Angie;
Next Col please.................
Oscar places a "humvee-graphics" sticker on the sign, bloody vandal
Ooooh look the road passes through a tunnel cut in the rock face, this would become a common sight;
I think the next Col was the Col du Telegraph
(but may be wrong, it's a whole 5 days since we returned and my single brain cell is truggling so bear with me.......)
We had noticed a group of Multistrada's flying in close formation on the Cols, they did a low pass here, nice grouping
Cookie arrive moments later, another mile and he'd have seen them off
Couple of old shonkers at at the top
We press on, it just keeps getting better and better, Col du Galibier next, must be overdue another panorama pic.......
Followed by the Col D' Izoard
On route to the Hotel I stop for some pics and Gerry goes past, the distinct sound of his exhaust silencers fading into the distance..........
The group arrive at the destination seperated by only a few minutes, Mont Dauphine, somehow it escaped me when booking that this place is a 17th century fort and UNESCO World Heritage site
Link; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont-Dauphin
We find the Hotel and check in,
Parking is on the pavement outside
I took a pre-dinner walk;
After a somewhat frosty welcome our hosts warm to our obvious charms or maybe they had consumed enough Ricard by then.........
After a few beers a fine meal was had, starter I think.......
Sun Sept 8th Day 3 Mont Dauphin to Castellane, a leisurely 144 miles which mapsource suggest we can breeze along in a mere 4.5 hours............
Destination today is Hotel Du Lavant in Castellane http://hoteldulevant-castellane.com/ recommended by tossers on here, the rooms were adequate only the hotel looked tired and in need of a cash injection, the rooms were no exactly cheap, ,we didn't eat there at all, the staff are friendly and it does have that all important biker friendly secure garage parking-available at extra cost, oh and free wiffy in the hjotel lobby, I won't be going back in a hurry
We are on our first Col of the day in minutes but the sticker vandals have beaten us to it, we leave our marker, take some pics and move on.......
Next was thje Route de la Bonnette, how come it's always clear blue skies when Franco nips up there for a Garlic baguette? It was a little misty at times-then it wasn't-then it was.......
This is definitely Oscar leading this group......unstoppable!
It was like pea soup at the summit and freezing too
We made our way down almost blind in the fog and the mist around hairpin bends strewn with cow shit, fantastic
Lunch was late, we stopped in a small village cafe and were beseiged by the local BMW off road school group, there was much puffing out of chests and the obligatory standing on the pegs to ride up the curbs in the market square, it was hilarious
Pizza was goo though
Another tunnel pic;
The view from the Hotel du Lavant
Partaking of the free wi-fi in the hotel;
"A well ridden GS".......won't be going up there any time soon
We went in search of blondes, booze and big knockers.........and found them
Day 4 Mon Sept 9th Castellane to Castellane via Gorge du Verdun a round trip of 172 miles which napsource we can achieve in 4.5 hours
No hotel review we're in the same dump as last night again
I nip, out to a hypermarche in search of a replacement camera for my recently departed Canon, choice is limited but I find a little Samsung for 80 Euro and figure it will do-maybe, so I buy it and a new data card.
Following a coffee and croissant we are on the road and the good stuff starts almost immeadiately........
As I stopped many times to take pics I have lost sigh of the others, then I spot cookie's bike
My new little Samsung camera has a novel feature, a screen on the front as well as the back so you can frame a subject when taking a self portrait, cookie protests the pic will look very gay.........he's right it does
We're not yet fed up of blue skies and blue water.....
A sticker opportunity presents itself
The views are stunning;
In a little more than the suggested time we are back at Castellane and the bikes secured for the night
We take a turn around the town......
Which doesn't take long.......and stop for some refreshments
We were joined for dinner by Franco and his wife, oddly no photo's seem to exist
to prove this but a night of good food and banter was enjoyed by all, good to see you both Rob
Dave's turn turn to say grace......
Still typing........................
Unstoppable 
