A Bridge Too Far! (Millau and the middle bit)

[Dean]

Having had some great trips to the Alps and others to the Pyrenees and beyond I never did make it to see the Millau Viaduct incorporating a visit on the other trips was always a bridge to far.This trip was my fourth on my bike and it was to be about the middle bit of France.

And so this year’s trip was to be based around the millau viaduct. Etap hotels were booked in advance with continental breakfast each day. First stop Orleans, then Millau (Ibis); followed by Issoire and Troyes then Home the whole route was a first for us. And this is my first trip report on UKGSers as follows:
I must say a big thank you to UKGSers for their input on suggestions I had asked for help to add to the trip and fill our basic route with interesting locations and added routes Here



All the destinations was to be point to point and the Sat Nav then chose the route no avoiding anything just the last destination to the next the Garmin chose the varied route and varied it was! Each day was long never knowing our destination arrival time as we had intended to spend full days on our bikes which we did.

The who and the bikes, me on my F650GS in the fast blue and my brother in-law Dave on his Triumph Tiger 800 in the venom yellow for our Five day trip.

 

[Dean]

Day 1 Friday 24th August Sunny Benfleet to Orleans. 343 miles + the train.

On the train through the Chunnel,

And Hello, Hello, France

The route took us direct on motorways, tolls and around Paris on the Peripherique de Paris.



Here is Dave practicing his mirror ear plug saver manoeuvre, (surgical taping to keep the foam plugs in tip of the Day )

The French Motorway Aires are a great rest point.

But cutting through the french countryside The Bugs and road kill are allways present , This one got caught in my vent and stuck still alive i took care to release it and it fell to the floor recovering for its continued flight! But Dave was waiting in the wings with his heavy stamp

Arriving at Orleans Etap

For our first traditional French Meal we chose Frenchanise as it was just over the road it felt rude not to once we had the idea of Chinese food in our minds that was that Fatal.

and chilled Beer

 

[ghiribizzo]

Looks good. Last year, in Belgium we were in a B&B and went to a local chinese. Ordering was not too much problem but the food and a beer each were brought to us and the waitress never returned. No return despite serving others around us. No enquiry to see if we wanted more food or beer or coffee.
Had to go looking for staff to pay. I would have walked but we were staying less than 100m away.
Belgium, eh?
Keep posting!

 

[chad]

come on dean stop slacking and get on with it

that dave is fucking shot to bits , you should have put a strip of duck tape around his head to keep the ear plugs in

 

[Dean]

Keep posting!

come on dean stop slacking and get on with it

that dave is fucking shot to bits , you should have put a strip of duck tape around his head to keep the ear plugs in

Yes Yes Yes

 

[Dean]

Day 2. Orleans to Millau, Via Oradour Sur glane and Albi. 484 miles. This was the biggest mileage day!

After the usual routine we chose up at 6.30 and down for the pre booked continental breakfast we would soon be on our way.

More motorway tolls and Some rain on the way followed by a wet toll ticket with a helpful toll attendant.

Oradour Sur Glane
This was emotional and moving; we parked up and spent some time here in the visitor exhibition centre, watching videos and reading the history, then on to the eerie village and finally the new village.

Down this road, on a summer day in 1944. . . The soldiers came. Nobody lives here now. They stayed only a few hours. When they had gone, the community which had lived for a thousand years . . . was dead.

“This is Oradour-sur-Glane, in France. The day the soldiers came, the people were gathered together. The men were taken to garages and barns, the women and children were led down this road . . . and they were driven . . . into this church. Here, they heard the firing as their men were shot. Then . . . they were killed too. A few weeks later, many of those who had done the killing were themselves dead, in battle.

They never rebuilt Oradour. Its ruins are a memorial. Its martyrdom stands for thousands upon thousands of other martyrdoms in Poland, in Russia, in Burma, in China, in a World at War...”

and the new church, new village with monument-statue.

Then we was on our way again but first food for thought.

Only had 3 Mc Donald’s for lunch Honest, But must admit Mmm I'm Lovin' It (other two we was on the motorway so the service station food it was)

to Albi and then into millau, we entered under the viaduct as light was falling fast, we had spent a lot of time at Oradour Sur Glane (but so glad that we did!)

A few pictures under the bridge then on to the Ibis hotel

A night view from the Balcony with the Millau Bridge in the distance.

We was late but still had time to hit Le Club

Nothing wild we was late so the kitchen was closing Omelette and chips it was, with a few Beers.

 

[Davy F]

 

[Roberto]

Great stuff

 

[franco]

Cool. Looks like a quality trip so far I like Etap hotels. I really do. Always book them now whenever scooting around, and the company isn't paying for the hotel
ETAP are always clean, comfy beds, and the wifi works. Breakfast sets you up nicely for the day too.
Keep meaning to get back to Oradour as it was too short a visit when we drove through years ago

 

[Dean]

Day 3 Millau to Issoire via- Riviere-sur-tarn, Ispanac, Florac, Meyruels Village, La Malene and the Garabit Viaduct 206 Miles (this was the shortest Day as for mileage)


Daylight im Millau and the morning view from the balcony of our rom across the roof tops the viaduct stretching in the distance the sun breaking through.

This was a posh Hotel Boot polisher , evian in glass bottles and all.

The Ibis hotel was twice the price of the other Etaps but was a good standard.

The parking was the most secure a roller door and internal court yard with the bikes under cover.

Before heading to Riviere Sur Tarn we went down to River tarn for a few pictures of Millau before we moved on. Here is the old Bridge.

and a view from here up river to the Viaduct.

The cloud was breaking up up and the sunlight was strong it was going to be a great day..

Then the route took by the tarn and into the gorge, we noticed a large number of birds of Prey enjoying soaring on the thermals.

At times the road leveled but we still had altitude.

Gustave Eiffel’s Garabit Viaduct, This is a railway bridge spanning the river Truyere in the mountainous Massif Central region. When opened in 1885 it was the highest in the world.
At night it is Illuminated very well

Red Kite.

And onward to the Issoire Etap.

The Buffalo Grill was so close, Dave was way ahead chosing his food.

But first cold beer and popcorn

Chilli con carni real cowboy food was the choice washed down with more Beer that was the end of the third day and slept like a Log most of the night and the rest of it snoring like a chain saw

 

[Losttheplot]

Bravo sir!

Keep it coming

 

[Dave56]

Really enjoying this, thanks Dean........

 

[Big Nick]

Great pics, looks like some good weather was ordered!

 

[Dean]

Day 4 Issoire to Troyes Via, Puy De Dome, Menat, Saint Brisson, Avallon. 308 miles.


On leaving Issoire first stop was the Puy de Dome, being 10 km from Clermont-Ferrand and at an elevation of 1464 M, parking at the base car park we thought it might be a good idea to walk to the top. A few of the French locals was jogging up and down….

The views at the top were worth the climb including watching the regular Para gliders making their descent off of the top.

The Puy de Dome has featured in the tour de France 13 times.

Then from the Puy De Dome, the sat nav lead the way, This was little and no traffic accross country, gravel tracks linking to country Roads, Wild Deer crossing in front to Birds of prey swooping for there kill beside us.

Heres Dave making a minor repair to his Mirror, having earlier laid his bike down turning on a steep camber. (a few scuffs) but a fantastic stunt man roll away from the bike three head over heels. (sorry no pictures or Video)

Avallon.

And then arriving at the Troyes Etap with outside first floor parking.

Troyes is a big old city but unfortunately again we was late and most restaurants were closing up for the day.

Fortunately Pizza was available . americano Pizza with chilli sauce dip

Not take away but a nice seat outside to drink more Beer while we reflected on the day and admired some heavy metal

Then back to the Etap for lights out for day 4.

 

[HogHog]

Brilliant thread - fueling my imagination for next years trip

 

[chad]

nice one dean , seeing this report is showing me just how much i missed out on not being able to make this trip


great pics mate

 

[(RIP) andrewgsadv]

Dean,

Enjoying this trip report, providing me with new places to visit when next in France. We also use etaps most of the time. Tried a BandB chain hotel in Calais, that too was very good.
Thanks for posting , excellent photos by the way.

 

[Hairnet600]

dean - fecker

done millau and monaco before but not the way youve done......

wanna do it again now

keep it up

 

[Dean]

Day 5 Troyes to Home, Via Arras, 341 Miles + The Train.

Leaving Troyes after the usual pre booked continental breakfast it was the return for the Chunnel train. But before leaving France we headed for Arras to our respects and reflect on what we could never imagine.

Arras, faubourg D’amiens Cemetery

And finally before the Chunnel we stopped at the Canadian National Vimy Ridge Memorial set in the 250-acre preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the grounds over which the Canadian corps made their assault during the battle of vimy ridge, a military engagement fought as part of the Battle of Arras.

As you walk to the front of the monument, you will see one of its central figures - a woman, cloaked and hooded, facing eastward toward the new day. Her eyes are cast down and her chin is resting on her hand. Below her is a tomb, draped in laurel branches and bearing a helmet. This saddened figure represents Canada - a young nation mourning her fallen sons. This figure was carved from a single, 30-tonne block of stone - the largest piece in the monument.

The monument on all sides has huge spot lights, it must shine like a beacon through the dark hours.

then on to the two Cemeteries. The fenced off areas either side of the roads is now a forest of trees but unnatural craters and mounds covered by grass is evident.

Another Biker and very nice bike

The other cemetery

Ok time to go.

just in time for the 4pm loading

and back to Blighty.

Thats it 1,682 miles door to door, we had a great trip France is on our door step with so much to see and do, meeting the foreign bikers at the etaps and having a chat listening to where they was heading too or from, The French people we met and the french biker who stopped to ask if I was OK as I was on the hard shoulder on the motorway just putting some wet gear on.

A special Thanks to the French for there smiles in the sevice station when Dave insisted on holding up the correct number of fingers for his pump but often saying at the same time a different number in French.



Thank you for reading our trip, and your nice comments



I must start saving and planning for the next trip

 

[Greg Masters]

Blomfield's Cross of Sacrifice with its bronze downward sword is, to me, one of the most powerful images of 20thC warfare. There's one in every Commonweath cemetery with 40 or more graves and many in towns and villages in the UK.

Nice report!



Greg