French Alps (but maybe Germany, too)

[Wapping]

Without wishing to get into a debate over the relative qualities of the D roads of northern France, it is roughly 600 miles from the North Sea ferry terminals to, say, Annecy.

You could blast it in a day. Or you could D road it all the way, over two days. Or mix and match, over two. Anything is possible, largely dictated by what time you get up and, in some cases, the size of bladder(s) and the patience - and expectations - of rider / pillion.

 

[glenn2926]

Timings:

You soon get to realise that all the good stuff in France is a fair Schlep from Calais, the Northern bit is just flat wind blown open farmland.

That's around two days riding to get to the good stuff, and two days to get back, which doesn't leave you much time to enjoy the hills and curves.

Our annual trips are usually ten days, based around the above timescales. Typically depart Friday lunchtime, arrive in France 35 minutes later via Le Tunnel (but one hour earlier due to the time difference), then aim for a few hours riding to get to the first stop. Day two is a blast using Peage roads to get well into the South. That gives you Sunday to Thursday to go out and play.

Return on Le Tunnel is a week Sunday lunchtime, home around teatime.

Are you sure about the time difference. I always thought France is an hour ahead of here. Coming home we get off the tunnel before we got on.

 

[er-minio]

I agree with Puk here and I also just recently started leaving Friday evenings instead of early Saturdays.

Since I do the route (towards Italy) on repeat, I got a bit annoyed with the first boring (and tyre flattening) motorwat stretch.

Yes, you still have to do a few hundred km of motorways, but there is a couple of nice, flowing and moderately curvy b roads routes that can be started around Troyes. So you can split the first day in half boring and half pleasant.

Lemme find the saved tracks…

 

[Pukmeister]

Are you sure about the time difference. I always thought France is an hour ahead of here. Coming home we get off the tunnel before we got on.

You are of course correct and I'm an idiot.

It's arrive in France and lose an hour on the way out, hence not getting too far South on day one and the need for an early start/long day on the second days riding.

 

[EVskiy]

After EVskij posted a video of the area I fancy a visit there.
Just wanted to know if it's worthwhile having a base there for maybe a week if so any recommendations please. Or is it better to stay at different places whilst having a look round.

Thanks Doc

Castellane is a nice base, if a little pricey. Book well in advance trough booking.con or direct and you might get a good rate.
Location is ideal, especially for the gorges seen in the video and only two hours away from Antibes and Med beaches.
Wife and I did that last year before we met up with you at Rencurel.

 

[glenn2926]

You are of course correct and I'm an idiot.

It's arrive in France and lose an hour on the way out, hence not getting too far South on day one and the need for an early start/long day on the second days riding.

Losing that hour does make it more difficult to get as far as we would like on day one. Particularly as we tend to leave Yorkshire around 05.00. We try to get to Troyes on day one. It’s a long peage slog but it makes the second day easier. Usually Chamonix by early afternoon on day two.
Looking forward to next year’s Alps trip already.

 

[stever1]

Doc,
how about trying something different ! . I went from Habrough, near Grimsby to Troyes via the tunnel in one day using the motorways and Peages . This left an easy day to get to Thonon Le Baines ( top end of the Alpes) on quieter roads.
I too prefer NSF from Hull but the price is a bit steep nowadays.
Also, I know you use a tomtom , you can get the RDGA and Route Napoleon off the my drive thing Which gives you a good start in route planning.

 

[Pukmeister]

Doc,
how about trying something different ! . I went from Habrough, near Grimsby to Troyes via the tunnel in one day using the motorways and Peages . This left an easy day to get to Thonon Le Baines ( top end of the Alpes) on quieter roads.
I too prefer NSF from Hull but the price is a bit steep nowadays.
Also, I know you use a tomtom , you can get the RDGA and Route Napoleon off the my drive thing Which gives you a good start in route planning.

Can I ask to expand with what your timings were, being able to depart near Grimsby and reach Troyes in a one day via Ashford ??

I'm lucky that being a Southerner I'm only a couple of hours from Le Tunnel.

 

[glenn2926]

Doc,
how about trying something different ! . I went from Habrough, near Grimsby to Troyes via the tunnel in one day using the motorways and Peages . This left an easy day to get to Thonon Le Baines ( top end of the Alpes) on quieter roads.
I too prefer NSF from Hull but the price is a bit steep nowadays.
Also, I know you use a tomtom , you can get the RDGA and Route Napoleon off the my drive thing Which gives you a good start in route planning.

Pretty much as we do. We leave Yorkshire and get to Troyes via the tunnel in one long day. It does get all the crap (particularly the south east of England) out of the way in one day. It certainly makes the next day much more interesting and shorter riding to Chamonix in our case.

 

[Pukmeister]

I was hoping to learn your departure from home time, tunnel crossing time, and arrival in Troyes time ?

I can't recall getting as far as Troyes on the first day, its usually Arras, Reims or a similar distance.

 

[glenn2926]

Can I ask to expand with what your timings were, being able to depart near Grimsby and reach Troyes in a one day via Ashford ??

I'm lucky that being a Southerner I'm only a couple of hours from Le Tunnel.

I’m guessing they do similar timing to us. We leave West Yorkshire at 05.00 and usually get to Troyes around 17.00 ish. Couple of beers and dinner and a pretty early night. Last year we ran into rain around the M25 and didn’t run out of it until south of Reims. It was a long day. Luckily our clothes dried out on the last hour or so to Troyes. Well apart from boots.

 

[stever1]

Can I ask to expand with what your timings were, being able to depart near Grimsby and reach Troyes in a one day via Ashford ??

I'm lucky that being a Southerner I'm only a couple of hours from Le Tunnel.

Certainly.
I left at 06.45 and went via the A1 etc. got to the tunnel at about 11.05.
got a train about 11.45. Can’t remember the exact time I got to Troyes, but it was about 18.00. Leaving plenty of time for beer and food.
This was on the ADV350, so if your on a bigger bike you may be a bit quicker.

 

[Flintlock]

Might be of use to you in your planning
12 day tour a few years ago

Destination Alps ( and some other places along the way) - Adventure Bike Rider Forum

 

[er-minio]

Apologies I never consider the extra distance when leaving from the north.
2 small route variations from Troyes (D5 or D21). They do meet at a certain point. And the certain point is where you have to stop and say hi to the black swan.

 

[stever1]

Certainly.
I left at 06.45 and went via the A1 etc. got to the tunnel at about 11.05.
got a train about 11.45. Can’t remember the exact time I got to Troyes, but it was about 18.00. Leaving plenty of time for beer and food.
This was on the ADV350, so if you’re on a bigger bike you may be a bit quicker.

Incidentally, I went on a Sunday which meant there was very little traffic going to Folkstone , so it was a quick journey.

 

[Doc]

Does the seven days, start when you roll off the ferry in Holland and stop when you roll back onto it?

7 days in the Alps Mr Wapping.
Going down from Rotterdam so probably a couple of days to get there.

 

[Doc]

Doc,
how about trying something different ! . I went from Habrough, near Grimsby to Troyes via the tunnel in one day using the motorways and Peages . This left an easy day to get to Thonon Le Baines ( top end of the Alpes) on quieter roads.
I too prefer NSF from Hull but the price is a bit steep nowadays.
Also, I know you use a tomtom , you can get the RDGA and Route Napoleon off the my drive thing Which gives you a good start in route planning.

Habrough Steve ?

 

[stever1]

Habrough Steve ?

Near Grimsby.

 

[Wapping]

7 days in the Alps Mr Wapping.
Going down from Rotterdam so probably a couple of days to get there.

Seven days in the French Alps can see you doing most of them. Whether that is say Geneva, riding all the way to the Mediterranean coast and back up again a different way. Or dotting about in say, the top half or middle or bottom end, really is up to you.

This, in a very simplified form, would make a pretty easy to copy holiday:

 

[Engineer]

Troyes is a good first destination if you 'blast' down the motorway - stay as close to the town centre as possible - take the following day off the bike to explore - then 'blast' down the motorway to your next destination - then take your time and chill doing the mountain roads - return by same or similar route - 10 nights min to get the most out of it.