Any good routes

[harryb]

Going down to the south of France, Montpellier, for a few weeks at the end of August just me the wife and the GS. any good roads ,places to visit please let me know

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Millau Bridge is a must.

Gorge du Tarn - The D907 between La Malene and Florac- is unbelievably pretty.

The road from St Pons de Thomieres (just west of Beziers) to Bedarieux is a stunner. In fact, all the roads around Bedarieux are great.

A little further East is the Cevennes. Just pick a road... Same to the North in the Massif Central. Take a Michelin map, stick to the green-lined roads, and you won't go far wrong.

Marseillan (NOT Marseillan Plage) on the Bassin de Thau is a lovely place. Cahors, on the River Lot, is a laid back "sunny southern backwater". A lovely place to waste a day. Also, The Camargue might be flat and boring, but it's still nice - like Romney Marsh, only warmer, and with flamingos instead of sheep.

 

[Wapping]

Going down to the south of France, Montpellier, for a few weeks at the end of August just me the wife and the GS. any good roads ,places to visit please let me know

My advice, as usual, is get two good maps (see sticky).

Now:

(a) What do YOU want?

(b) You are going for a 'few weeks'. Is that two, three, four, five....more?

(c) Do you want to go:

(i) Straight to Montpellier and back, then spending loads of time in / around Montpellier?

(ii) Meander down / zoom back?

(iii) Any combination of the above?

You are, near enough, crossing a large country, top to bottom. There are loads of 'good roads' - a motorway can be a good road if you are in a hurry, a minor D road if you are not.

(d) What might interest you? Roman remains, big views, 'geographical' oddities (gorges for instance), nice (pretty) towns or villages?

(e) What daily distance do you want to ride? Do you want days off the bike?

(f) Why are going to / staying in Montpellier, in the first place?

===

For instance:

Roman remains / nice towns: Arles and Nimes. The giant Roman Pont du Garde aquaduct (as impressive as the Millau bridge, some think more so).

To the east lies the whole of Provence, some of the best roads and scenery in France. It's 32c there (near Apt) at moment, so very hot. Mind you it was lashing down three weeks ago, solidly for two weeks.

Up above your head, loads of great roads, all the way to Calais or the north western French ports. Where are you crossing to?

Mont Ventoux, a rideable return in a day - for some. A two day jaunt, with pleasant over night stay, for others.

The seaside? Sainte-Maries-de-la-Mere. A 'nice' beach, lots of French (few if any Brits), reasonable cafe for lunch on the beach, about half a mile out of town to the west, past the small marina. It's in the Bouche du Rhone / Camargue - so it's flat but not necessarily boring, it's just very different to anything else in France / UK - though I know what Robin probably means.

Weather? Should be excellent, some say too hot for lots of motorcycling. Could be one or two huge thunderstorms with sizeable hail stones.

===

So:

(a) Sort yourself out.

(b) Get the two good maps. Add the Michelin 'Pretty villages / towns' map (same scale) if you fancy.

(c) Arm yourself with the Green Michelin guide to France / the area. This has everything that is worth seeing / doing / riding - along with maps of suggested routes, days out, several days out.

(d) Fill in some of the gaps.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

So:

(a) Sort yourself out.

To be said in the bristling tone of an ex-Army officer, probably with experience of the Raj...

Everything he says is right, though (although that could mean we're both wrong!)

 

[Wapping]

To be said in the bristling tone of an ex-Army officer, probably with experience of the Raj...

Everything he says is right, though (although that could mean we're both wrong!)

I love it....

Or more likely: