Well, this year, decided not to go to Le Mans for once. So, I started out later, on Saturday morning, uneventful but lovely beginning, going up the Route Napoleon as far as Dignes, then heading across minor roads via Apt , skirting Avignon, then finishing up on the sublime Corniche des Cevennes
Typical road between Avignon and Florac
Corniche des Cevennes is a beautiful piece of tarmac, running roughly from Ales in the SE to Florac.
Nice panoramic pic of the Cevennes scenery.
On arrival in Florac, checked into the Grand Hotel du Parc which was indeed grand with lovely gardens and a pool. I stayed in the 'new' annex, basic room, but by all accounts the rooms in the main building are nicer. They've got an open barn where bikes can park. Florac town is very nice with loads of wee bars in town, but I opted for the excellent food in the hotel.
The Pool at the hotel
Initial bike parking spot
So, planning for the next day when I was riding up to Clermont Ferrand to meet Gav, who HAD gone to Le Mans
Next morning, from Florac, headed up the scenic N106 to Mende the turned right onto the N88 which was equally lovely, and traffic free on Sunday morning. Turned north by the barrage de Naussac and followed all sorts of little D roads marked as green,scenic routes on the Michelin map.
No traffic at all really...
View of the Lac de Naussac.
Lovely riding on empty roads continued at a relaxed pace. This is the N102 heading up towards Brioude.
Arrived in drizzle in Clermont and was happy to put the bike for free in the underground secure garage of the Hotel des Puys. Nice view across town from the hotel balcony
View the next day was a welcome relief, especially for Gav, who had spent the whole of Sunday afternoon in pissing rain from Le Mans to Clermont.
From Clermont, we headed down via Puy en Velay, and into the Ardeches. Gav looking swag...
Scenery in the Ardeche is lovely, this is the Jerbier de Jonc, whatever that means.
Shortly after, we had our first issue, when coming round a series of bends not unlike this, I felt the back end was 'washy', on checking, yes there was a fucking great nail in the tyre.
So, after unsuccessfully trying to get all but one of the rubber things into the hole, we eventually got one to go in, and stay in
Back on the road in the Ardeche, now looking for a garage for a more permanent fix than our bodge
Nice to be back on the move again, and we headed towards Aubenas via some lovely roads.
Into town, and new tyre sourced and fitted (old one was well worn down) for 150 Euros...on we go
We were heading for Orange now, so took the road down through the gorges d'Ardeche. I didn't think it would be so mobbed with tourists this early on, but it was minging. Cleared up a bit when we got to the top though.
We then decided to ride right past Orange, and up Mt Ventoux, then doubled back down to Orange at the IBIS hotel.
Next morning, we looked at the maps and decided to go to Cuneo, via Gap and Barcelonette. Stopped for lunch at the cafe des paix in Barcelonette for a gorgeous chicken and cheddar panini mmmmm
Heading across the Col de Larche into Italy, storm clouds were building and the sky was black...
As we headed down the other side, the heavens opened. Torrential rain stayed with us all the way to Cuneo, last pic of the afternoon
Cuneo was surprisingly nice though, lovely old town with nice bars and restaurants under arches, so didn't matter if it was raining.
Mmmmmmm
Decided not to ask about this shop next to the hotel
Fine pizzas followed, washed down with local wine and grappa which were both gorgeous
Next morning, Cuneo was bathed in sunshine
The main piazza, just next to our hotel
THEN - DIsaster. Felt the bike slip a little, and checked the back tyre thinking another puncture. However, it was worse
There seemed to be oil pissing out the filter, which had just been changed by Serge Motos in Nice, when he did the clutch replacement and gave the bike a big service.
Turned out there was a BMW garage 5 minutes away, so feck it, filled with oil, check the levels, then gently, very gently go along, checking every minute. Got to the garage and they could check the filter but not for a couple of hours.
So, the guy was also a Ducati dealer so I asked if they had a loaner. Not normally, but if I wanted to take a bike out for a couple of hours, he;d charge me depending on the kms covered. So, took a Ducati Scrambler and went up the Col de Tende.
Great fun and much lighter and smaller than the GS
Panorama of the Col de Tende old road going down into the valley
The Ducati on the Col
Heading back down towards Limone.
So, when we got back to Cuneo, turned out, Serge Motos, a BMW 'expert' had put the new filter on without taking the old seal out and pinched it. Dunno how it had lasted 2000kms up to this point, but glad it wasn't a major disaster. Could have been though if the bike had lost it's oil on a mountain pass or......
So, now, it's 3pm, and we've to decide where to go. I said I wanted to go over the Col d'Agnel and were thinking of Annecy, but tried a few hotels and they were all booked up due to some cartoon festival. OK, Chamonix then.
Heading up to the Col d'Agnel
Scenery up this Col was among the best I'd ever ridden.
Amazingly little traffic here too, brilliant riding.
Onwards and upwards
Beeeauuutful
Gavin on the move, just about the top
Made it...
The view into France wasn't too shabby either.
Mussolini competition
Then rocking on now, as Chamonix is still a long way away
Col de Izoard, with Gav in the distance so you can see the tiny wee spec of a GSA1200
Then through traffic-choked Briancon, and onto the Col du Galibier. Got a bit worried when the road said closed, but it was AFTER the Col turnoff so we were fine.
Feckin freezing up there, so quick photo and down the other side
On the way toi Chamonix, the D1212 was closed so we had a tortuous little detour, only 20kms or so but felt like 200 as it was getting on for 10pm by the time we got the hotel. Still, the view the next morning was good
More later....lunch beckons.
Typical road between Avignon and Florac
Corniche des Cevennes is a beautiful piece of tarmac, running roughly from Ales in the SE to Florac.
Nice panoramic pic of the Cevennes scenery.
On arrival in Florac, checked into the Grand Hotel du Parc which was indeed grand with lovely gardens and a pool. I stayed in the 'new' annex, basic room, but by all accounts the rooms in the main building are nicer. They've got an open barn where bikes can park. Florac town is very nice with loads of wee bars in town, but I opted for the excellent food in the hotel.
The Pool at the hotel
Initial bike parking spot
So, planning for the next day when I was riding up to Clermont Ferrand to meet Gav, who HAD gone to Le Mans
Next morning, from Florac, headed up the scenic N106 to Mende the turned right onto the N88 which was equally lovely, and traffic free on Sunday morning. Turned north by the barrage de Naussac and followed all sorts of little D roads marked as green,scenic routes on the Michelin map.
No traffic at all really...
View of the Lac de Naussac.
Lovely riding on empty roads continued at a relaxed pace. This is the N102 heading up towards Brioude.
Arrived in drizzle in Clermont and was happy to put the bike for free in the underground secure garage of the Hotel des Puys. Nice view across town from the hotel balcony
View the next day was a welcome relief, especially for Gav, who had spent the whole of Sunday afternoon in pissing rain from Le Mans to Clermont.
From Clermont, we headed down via Puy en Velay, and into the Ardeches. Gav looking swag...
Scenery in the Ardeche is lovely, this is the Jerbier de Jonc, whatever that means.
Shortly after, we had our first issue, when coming round a series of bends not unlike this, I felt the back end was 'washy', on checking, yes there was a fucking great nail in the tyre.
So, after unsuccessfully trying to get all but one of the rubber things into the hole, we eventually got one to go in, and stay in
Back on the road in the Ardeche, now looking for a garage for a more permanent fix than our bodge
Nice to be back on the move again, and we headed towards Aubenas via some lovely roads.
Into town, and new tyre sourced and fitted (old one was well worn down) for 150 Euros...on we go
We were heading for Orange now, so took the road down through the gorges d'Ardeche. I didn't think it would be so mobbed with tourists this early on, but it was minging. Cleared up a bit when we got to the top though.
We then decided to ride right past Orange, and up Mt Ventoux, then doubled back down to Orange at the IBIS hotel.
Next morning, we looked at the maps and decided to go to Cuneo, via Gap and Barcelonette. Stopped for lunch at the cafe des paix in Barcelonette for a gorgeous chicken and cheddar panini mmmmm
Heading across the Col de Larche into Italy, storm clouds were building and the sky was black...
As we headed down the other side, the heavens opened. Torrential rain stayed with us all the way to Cuneo, last pic of the afternoon
Cuneo was surprisingly nice though, lovely old town with nice bars and restaurants under arches, so didn't matter if it was raining.
Mmmmmmm
Decided not to ask about this shop next to the hotel
Fine pizzas followed, washed down with local wine and grappa which were both gorgeous
Next morning, Cuneo was bathed in sunshine
The main piazza, just next to our hotel
THEN - DIsaster. Felt the bike slip a little, and checked the back tyre thinking another puncture. However, it was worse
There seemed to be oil pissing out the filter, which had just been changed by Serge Motos in Nice, when he did the clutch replacement and gave the bike a big service.
Turned out there was a BMW garage 5 minutes away, so feck it, filled with oil, check the levels, then gently, very gently go along, checking every minute. Got to the garage and they could check the filter but not for a couple of hours.
So, the guy was also a Ducati dealer so I asked if they had a loaner. Not normally, but if I wanted to take a bike out for a couple of hours, he;d charge me depending on the kms covered. So, took a Ducati Scrambler and went up the Col de Tende.
Great fun and much lighter and smaller than the GS
Panorama of the Col de Tende old road going down into the valley
The Ducati on the Col
Heading back down towards Limone.
So, when we got back to Cuneo, turned out, Serge Motos, a BMW 'expert' had put the new filter on without taking the old seal out and pinched it. Dunno how it had lasted 2000kms up to this point, but glad it wasn't a major disaster. Could have been though if the bike had lost it's oil on a mountain pass or......
So, now, it's 3pm, and we've to decide where to go. I said I wanted to go over the Col d'Agnel and were thinking of Annecy, but tried a few hotels and they were all booked up due to some cartoon festival. OK, Chamonix then.
Heading up to the Col d'Agnel
Scenery up this Col was among the best I'd ever ridden.
Amazingly little traffic here too, brilliant riding.
Onwards and upwards
Beeeauuutful
Gavin on the move, just about the top
Made it...
The view into France wasn't too shabby either.
Mussolini competition
Then rocking on now, as Chamonix is still a long way away
Col de Izoard, with Gav in the distance so you can see the tiny wee spec of a GSA1200
Then through traffic-choked Briancon, and onto the Col du Galibier. Got a bit worried when the road said closed, but it was AFTER the Col turnoff so we were fine.
Feckin freezing up there, so quick photo and down the other side
On the way toi Chamonix, the D1212 was closed so we had a tortuous little detour, only 20kms or so but felt like 200 as it was getting on for 10pm by the time we got the hotel. Still, the view the next morning was good
More later....lunch beckons.
