RDGA and Route Napoleon Dash 20th June

Wreford Miles

Wreford Miles

Well-known member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Jan 8, 2002
Messages
13,547
Reaction score
266
Location
West Dorset on the TET/GWT
Just staring my planning for a dash to get a fix of the Alps and the much talked about Route Napoleon.

This will be a dash and my current thoughts are 5 days c 1800 miles from the Tunnel
- Down to the Geneva End of the Route Des Grand Alps for the evening of the 20th June
- Then 3 days to ride this down to the Med and back up the Route Napoleon to Grenoble
-Then Home

I like early starts, I like to keep moving (ideally I'd like to to the RDGA a in a day, the longest day 21st June) in which case this would become a 4 day trip

Let me know if this is your thing
 
Sounds great, we go to Macon the first day ,day two to grasse. A quick blast round the gorge de verdon, then back in them mountains rdga again fast five days. Plenty of good roads on the way home troye to dejon is excellent fast and sweeping ! Sounds like a plan
 
Wreford Miles said:
ideally I'd like to to the RDGA a in a day, the longest day 21st June
Click to expand...
a) I'd suggest not possible within reason
b)IF you could do it, you'd be missing a huge opportunity to enjoy the area
3 days minimum would be my planning.
Also, your journey to Thonon from Calais is a two day trip (min 8.hrs non stop riding without any stops) .Possible in one, but would be tough.
(I've done 75% of RDGA and modified the trip; Gorrilla GS did the complete RDGA last year and may contribute)
 
We're doing the very same trip a week earlier,leaving UK on 13 June
 
GrinningGSer said:
a) I'd suggest not possible within reason
b)IF you could do it, you'd be missing a huge opportunity to enjoy the area
3 days minimum would be my planning.
Also, your journey to Thonon from Calais is a two day trip (min 8.hrs non stop riding without any stops) .Possible in one, but would be tough.
(I've done 75% of RDGA and modified the trip; Gorrilla GS did the complete RDGA last year and may contribute)
Click to expand...


+1 for that
 
Well, closures ? , I did the RDGA a few years ago, Col du Galibier was not open till 26th June that year....

Also, I concur with the 3 day RDGA trip timing, average about 30mph in the mountains if you want to enjoy the road. I took 5 days for the RDGA and the RN (with the Gorge Verdon included) but we did allow time for a few beers at the end of the day.......
 
mcinlb said:
Well, closures ? , I did the RDGA a few years ago, Col du Galibier was not open till 26th June that year....

Also, I concur with the 3 day RDGA trip timing, average about 30mph in the mountains if you want to enjoy the road. I took 5 days for the RDGA and the RN (with the Gorge Verdon included) but we did allow time for a few beers at the end of the day.......
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip to add in Gorge Verdon...

I appreciate the views on taking 3 days to do the RDGA but I like a challange and that's as intresting to me as taking time and stopping for photos and coffee - I'm not hearing that it cannot be done in a day although it could be a long day but the 21st of June is the longest day and the thought of starting early 6:30 ish on that day and arriving at the Med still warm at 8:30 PM already feels like a very satisfying day to remember.
 
GrinningGSer said:
a) I'd suggest not possible within reason
b)IF you could do it, you'd be missing a huge opportunity to enjoy the area
3 days minimum would be my planning.
Click to expand...
+2
I did the RDGA 2 years ago taking 2 days to do it, starting from Annecy, the last day from Briancon to Menton was a very long day indeed with section between Col Saint-martin, col du Turini and Menton taking the longest. Flower pressing, photos and lunch stops where not on the agenda
GrinningGSer said:
a)Also, your journey to Thonon from Calais is a two day trip (min 8.hrs non stop riding without any stops) .Possible in one, but would be tough.
Click to expand...
I took 2 days to get to Annecy from Zeebrugge, stopping overnight at Beze, although the 2nd day was via D roads down to Nyon and up Col de la Faucille.
To get to the top of the RDGA in a day, a lot of motorway miles would need to be done, missing out on enjoying the area.
3 years ago I tried the same route (both in late June / early july) the 1st time my route was blocked at the Col de L`iseran, which resulted in a huge detour back via Borg Saint Maurice to Albertville, so I could detour via Col Du Madeline
 
As above, progress is slow (but very enjoyable) in the passes and the RDGA has lots of passes! I'd reckon 2 full on days of excellent riding.

I met a bunch at the Excel show who ran a company that were transporting bikes to Geneva and back from Northampton - It would save 2 days of dullard motorway riding so maybe worth checking out - I'll dig out the details if of interest? The last time I rode this route was summer 2013 - 3 of us flew to Nice and hired bikes from an excellent hire shop in Cannes - brand spanking new BMW GS WC vrs Ducati MS vrs 1190 on the RDGA - quite a trip:thumby:

Anyway, I'll go down as a big fat maybe please:thumby:
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Wreford Miles
RDGA & Route Napoleon in June Q's
Replies
6
Views
629
Deleted account 250722001
grantmac
Route Napoleon
2
Replies
25
Views
2,037
Steve398
Steve398
2 wheel humvee
RDGA and Vercors 2018
2 3
Replies
45
Views
15,750
2 wheel humvee
2 wheel humvee
Wapping
Route Napoleon - 5 day thrash or 7 day bimble, courtesy of RiDE
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
33,084
Rasher
mrtee43
Accommodation at the bottom of Route Napoleon.
Replies
17
Views
6,382
Wapping
Wapping


Back
Top Bottom