First attempt at write up with pics
Used M6/M42/M40 to Warwick then down through Cotswolds and Lambourn Downs to Portsmouth as the weather was spot on on the Friday 20th May to get the overnight ferry to Caen. Crossing was like a mill pond and docked at 0700hrs ready to go.
Gendarme had other ideas due to the G8 conference and stopped/checked EVERY vehicle leaving so lost at least an hour, anyway off towards Caen, Flers, Domfort, Mayenne, Laval, Chateau Gontier, Angers, Loudun, Poitiers, Ruffec and Angouleme about 250 miles. Weather was dry, warm, plenty of time for breakfast and coffee stops all the way.
Used Premiere Class Motel which we have used numerous times before, basic but good value for money for an overnight stop, found local restuarant just down the road for excellent meal. Weather was hot enough for shorts and infact set the trend for the whole trip, should have left the jeans at home!!
Sunday set off again dry and warm, route that day was Riberac, Mussidan, Castellones, Villeneuve sur Lot, Agen, Auch, Lannemezan, Cadeau and onto Ainsa in Spain.
Bergearc for 10 min break.
At border with France/Spain just before you go through the 3km tunnel into Spain
This is the road up to the Tunnel on the A138
We stayed for 5 nights at Hotel Dos Rios in Ainsa which I found on Hotelbooking.com and also recommended by several on the forum. Recently refurbished rooms and have to say it was excellent, staff friendly, food good, underground garage to park the bikes, we stayed half board which included 2 bottles of wine (4 of us) and with beers we drank, odd tapas we had worked out at £46.00 each per day, thats everything!!!! Think we are going back.
view from the rear of hotel
Walk out of hotel, turn right and walk for 30 seconds and this is the view off the bridge
First full day we did less than 100miles and rode the local roads taking in a National Park area to the west of Ainsa. Temperature by 1pm was over 30degrees so we made our way back to hotel, parked up and had a beer (dehydration you understand). Once refreshed a walk around the old town of Ainsa was called for which was impressive, followed by more rehydration and meal.
National Park, hot and dry
National Park again
Few pics of old town of Ainsa
Next day we thought a new challenge was called for
Jumped on bikes and rode up to Campo for 11am and went white water rafting for 2 hours, a dutch couple made up the 6 to fill the boat and it was great fun, just the way to keep cool.
Once that was done carried on up to Benasque which is where we stayed in 2006, fantastic road as with all the roads in this area, silky smooth, perfect tarmac and no traffic, pure biking heaven.
more to follow..............
Teejay
Used M6/M42/M40 to Warwick then down through Cotswolds and Lambourn Downs to Portsmouth as the weather was spot on on the Friday 20th May to get the overnight ferry to Caen. Crossing was like a mill pond and docked at 0700hrs ready to go.
Gendarme had other ideas due to the G8 conference and stopped/checked EVERY vehicle leaving so lost at least an hour, anyway off towards Caen, Flers, Domfort, Mayenne, Laval, Chateau Gontier, Angers, Loudun, Poitiers, Ruffec and Angouleme about 250 miles. Weather was dry, warm, plenty of time for breakfast and coffee stops all the way.
Used Premiere Class Motel which we have used numerous times before, basic but good value for money for an overnight stop, found local restuarant just down the road for excellent meal. Weather was hot enough for shorts and infact set the trend for the whole trip, should have left the jeans at home!!
Sunday set off again dry and warm, route that day was Riberac, Mussidan, Castellones, Villeneuve sur Lot, Agen, Auch, Lannemezan, Cadeau and onto Ainsa in Spain.
Bergearc for 10 min break.
At border with France/Spain just before you go through the 3km tunnel into Spain
This is the road up to the Tunnel on the A138
We stayed for 5 nights at Hotel Dos Rios in Ainsa which I found on Hotelbooking.com and also recommended by several on the forum. Recently refurbished rooms and have to say it was excellent, staff friendly, food good, underground garage to park the bikes, we stayed half board which included 2 bottles of wine (4 of us) and with beers we drank, odd tapas we had worked out at £46.00 each per day, thats everything!!!! Think we are going back.
view from the rear of hotel
Walk out of hotel, turn right and walk for 30 seconds and this is the view off the bridge
First full day we did less than 100miles and rode the local roads taking in a National Park area to the west of Ainsa. Temperature by 1pm was over 30degrees so we made our way back to hotel, parked up and had a beer (dehydration you understand). Once refreshed a walk around the old town of Ainsa was called for which was impressive, followed by more rehydration and meal.
National Park, hot and dry
National Park again
Few pics of old town of Ainsa
Next day we thought a new challenge was called for
Jumped on bikes and rode up to Campo for 11am and went white water rafting for 2 hours, a dutch couple made up the 6 to fill the boat and it was great fun, just the way to keep cool.
Once that was done carried on up to Benasque which is where we stayed in 2006, fantastic road as with all the roads in this area, silky smooth, perfect tarmac and no traffic, pure biking heaven.
more to follow..............
Teejay
