France guide

[Simon W]

Apologies if this resembles SPAM - I hope you'll excuse it as the content is free and useful for touring in France

The current issue of RiDE has a 60-page supplement full of routes in, across and around France. If you want a paper copy with the pretty pictures, it's in shops at the moment (a back issue later would be more expensive) but all the route are available FREE on the website: www.ride.co.uk/france

There are google map links and GPX files, which can be loaded directly into any BMW Navigator.

It's interesting that you have the Michelin routes reproduced here: it was reading the latest edition (it's up to 96 routes now) and thinking some of the routes missed the obvious/best roads that prompted us to start the project.

Anyway, all the routes are there, online, and they're free... I hope you enjoy them. There are even a couple of adventure-bike focused ones in the Pyrenees

 

[bladerunner]

I agree it is a great resource.

But slightly spooky that we will have a thread on great routes in France, some, including myself, will post garmin routes onto this site with recommendations, then 4 months later the same routes appear on the RIDE website!

Tant pis - am I alone in thinking the inter web is bl**dy fantastic for this sharing of info?

 

[Troutfisher]

Oui.

Il y a beaucoup des connards ici qui dit - "Frauder, c'est sympa!"

 

[hank]

If you fancy doing route 23 Lourdes. I can reccomend Oliwoofs place as a great base to explore the area http://www.pyreneesmotorcycletours.com
They do b&b and also have a great wee gite if want to self cater.

 

[Wapping]

It's interesting that you have the Michelin routes reproduced here: it was reading the latest edition (it's up to 96 routes now) and thinking....

You are an edition behind with your (latest) book. It's now up to 100... And has been for over a year.

Carry on....

 

[Deer Stalker]

You are an edition behind with your (latest) book. It's now up to 100... And has been for over a year.

Carry on....

Indeed and I can see both books on my fireplace from here!

 

[Wapping]

I have been up and down Simon Weir's Ride magazine routes, downloading them into Mapsource.

They are not bad.

Thank you for sharing them with us, Simon.

Richard
=======

Here you go, girls.... all the routes (except the longer several day rides from A to D via B and C *) loaded into one Mapsource file. In the main they average about 180 miles, in roughly circular directions. Enough for a reasonable day out, which is just the sort of thing bods on UKGSer frequently ask for. If you zoom the map in and out you'll be able to pick a route to suit wherever it is in France you might find yourself. Is it as comprehensive as the Michelin 100 Moto rides or the ADAC equivalents? No. But that does not make them bad, either. Have fun.

It's quite a big file at 4.17MB, so I have hosted it on Dropbox. You may need to be a little patient whilst it downloads.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14126843/All the Ride magazine routes gathered together.gdb

* I will do these at some point, not least as they start from the usual Channel entry ports, heading off in the direction of some of the more popular destinations. Who knows, they may answer the oft heard plea: "Please Miss, what's the best way to go and how long will it take me?"

 

[Wapping]

If you fancy doing route 23 Lourdes. I can reccomend Oliwoofs place as a great base to explore the area http://www.pyreneesmotorcycletours.com
They do b&b and also have a great wee gite if want to self cater.

Here you go, here's the route mentioned above. I have near enough marked the B&B / Gite, too.