Riding thru South West France

[Adam]

I have just returned from a house hunting trip in Languedoc-Rousillon. I drove from Carcassone via Quillan to Perpignan on probably one of the nicest biking roads. (Shame I was in a hire car)

From Carcassone, head South on the D118 to Quillan. After Quillan it becomes the D117 and for the first 10-20 kms it is tight bends in steep gorges. After a village called Puilarens it is pretty fast (and no speed cameras )with 40km of awesome long sweepers and nice long straights all the way to Perpignan.

Happy Riding if you go that way to Spain.

 

[Shep]

Did yer see any nice places??

Shep

 

[bladerunner]

I did that road with best buddy 3 years ago.
We had to stop because God was taking the piss! Each bend brought a more beautiful view. You think a field of sunflowers is purdy, well how about this waterfall. Not good enuf for ya? Take this church with the pyrenees as back drop. etc etc All arranged along smoooooth blacktop with undulating curves +/- hairpin bends.

We were high on riding and laughing so much we had to stop as we couldn't see through the tears of joy!!

"These are the days that must be lived"!

Simon

 

[Adam]

That part of the world is full of Crusader histrory - Da Vinci Code stuff etc so there are plenty of the most amazing Cathar Castles en route - the one at Puilaurens is something out of Van Helsing. Otherwise its Sunflowers and Vineyards as far as the eye can see. Its a good diversion off the motorway if you are going via Perpignan.

Hopefully I'll have a gaf out there soon near the Castle at Puivert.

 

[Calvinoss]

Can you advise us of fuel stations through the Pyrenees, French/Swiss Alps please?

 

[bladerunner]

They have them!!

Only real issue is Sundays off the autoroute. This has been dealt with on the forum before.
The station service are either closed or unmanned on Sundays. Many supermarket fuel stations will take a card, but UK ones don't work.

Choices are:

Don't ride far on Sunday
Route via a motorway for a stretch to refuel
Get a French bank account
Hang around looking lost english and friendly and a local will let you use their card for cash in exchange. They are sufficiently use to us being helpless that they often volunteer first. Nice people really!

Don't underestimate this - if you are riding in empty country side on a sunday (and why would you want anything else!) it doesn't take long for you to discover just how far your bike can go on reserve!

Otherwise there are heaps of station in the Pyrenees and Alps.

kind regards

Simon