Route advice requested West France

[ianran]

Hi I am in a party of 6 Riders and Bikes Travelling from Caen to Luz-Saint-Sauveur, France which is just north of the Pyrenese.
We are starting from Hôtel Crocus Caen Mémorial, no idea what its like but two of our party have never ridden on the other side of the road so this gave us 25 minutes or so for them to get their heads round it!

We have two days riding to get to our accommodation there. We have a couple of days to 2borrow" ride routes around the pair of knees ad then are orft to Santander for 4 days. This should allow for a play in the Picos.

We then have 3 days to dawdle back to Caen

Any advice for good routes would be appreciated.

:Ian

 

[wessie]

It's about 550 miles to Luz and Limoges is about half way.

With inexperienced riders, just go to Google maps and ask it for a non-motorway route as these will stick to N & D roads mostly. If time gets ahead of you, you can hop on the motorway if needed. Some might find riding the best part of 300 miles in foreign a challenge so make sure everyone is up for starting by 0930am so you can get more than half the miles done by lunch.

What is the range of the bike with the smallest tank? Will this dictate fuel stops? Does this fit in with a good time for a natural break?

Your base in Luz is in the middle of some great roads. The D918 takes you over the very highest French Cols. The roads are partly closed at the moment so no route on Google maps as I CBA to faff about! A nice loops would be east to Arreau, south into Spain at Bielsa, Ainsa, Broto (N260a loop over Cotefablo pass), Biescas, into France via Portalet pass, onto Laruns and back onto the D918 to Luz.

 

[wessie]

on your way to Santander, how long do you have? It's the best part of 5 hours riding using motorways. The motorway from the French border past Bilbao is worth riding. It is very entertaining with dramatic changes in elevation and some superb views.

If you have an overnight then there are some good roads to ride west of Larrau in the Iraty National Park.

 

[BobT]

Wave if you pass through the Dordogne.

 

[theoneandonly]

any road , they are all better than the ones we have.

 

[BillWright]

Coming back the Route Napoleon may be off interest.

If you do a site search there’s plenty of information.

 

[squibb34]

Watch out for the annoying new ZEPQA in the Spanish Pyrenees ........... https://www.britishmotorcyclists.co.uk/motorcycles-banned-from-pyrenees/

Remember the tight speed limits if using the RNs these days. It's easy to pick up a whole trail of minor but expensive infringements, particularly if the group gets under time pressures.

Good luck with the newbies - it's a responsibility I never enjoyed TBH. Even when briefed in detail the fekkers always seem to manage something stupid most days.

 

[BobT]

A few things that I will assure you about in France. There are no pot holes at all on major roads, there are very few speed cameras, you do not pay to park a bike, there is much less traffic than the UK and most drivers will get out of your way, everyone will eat at midday and the small restaurants don't mind if you are a biker.
We thank car drivers who will give you space by sticking your right foot out. We wave to other bikers rather than nodding.
The Gendarmes are all military and are very bike friendly away from the north.

 

[Wapping]

Coming back the Route Napoleon may be off interest.

If you do a site search there’s plenty of information.

From Santander / Luz-Saint-Sauveur to Caen via the Route Napoleon in three days, would indeed be a spirited ride.

Hopefully, the information might include buying a map.

 

[Wapping]

As Wessie said, the distance A to B is around 550 miles. The whole of France is not crammed with ‘Great roads, mate’, sometimes you just have to accept that the main roads and even motorways are best. This brings me to the key bit: You know the touring party, we do not.

550 miles is near enough, London to Inverness. Ask the French virgins, if they were to ride from London to Inverness over two days, would they ride on main roads or on every D road they could find? The answer will apply just as well to France as it does to the UK.

You can plot the route out as well as the rest of us. As Wessie suggests, put A to B into Google and see what it suggests. Then ask Google to take away toll roads and motorways and look how the route alters. Ask the same simple question of ViaMichelin and Kurviger. They will give an answer in seconds. Then fine tune what you have learned, modelling it against the expectations of yourself and your travelling companions. Then return to us with your ideas, please.

People on this site moan that bods like Simon Weir charge to plan people’s holidays but it’s probably not unreasonable that he does it.

PS Buy a Michelin 726 map. It is made to answer requests like yours.

PPS London go Inverness, avoiding motorways and toll roads is a smidge over 600 miles. That is only 50 miles further than the direct route. But, 50 miles along D roads takes about an hour and a half. That sounds like nothing but makes a big difference if your touring party was expecting to be at their hotel and chilling with like minds in the bar at 18:00 and they won’t be arriving until 19:30. The same, “But it’s miles left, before we get to the hotel” can surface in France, having taken every D road between A and B. Chose your roads, with care.

 

[Redboots]

PPS 50 miles along D roads takes about an hour and a half.

Not forgetting that depending on the department and then some unknown criteria, a D route can be 80 or 90 kph.
In Deux Severs, lots are 90 but some are 80. In neighbouring Charente Maritime, they are all 80.
Get a good mobile speed cam database, the fixed speed cams are mostly signposted.

Popular along a lot of major D roads are signs that say "cameras for the next 30,40,50, 60 kms" Of course they are only there if the police can be arsed and the signs have the effect of slowing ONE driver so all the rest are stuffed. But not bikers
It can make life tedious though.

 

[Wapping]

I am not convinced that anyone took much notice of many of France’s old posted limits, especially in the nationals. That though is much the same in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

The advice, if it is worth anything at all, is to use a bit of common sense. Avoid bouncing it off the rev limiter through every gear in every village and town. Or, if that is not possible, at least watch the speed limit on the approaches to the villages and towns and, naturally enough, the exits. The French plod are not stupid; if they can pinch bods easily without being too far from the local cafe, they will do it. Similarly, on the run up to or from the Channel ports, where there is a good chance the only bods they will tug will be English. This is good for revenue and statistics but doesn't upset the local populations too much. A win-win.

If you get pinged on the D whatever from St Perdu sur Lost to St Mount me on a nun, then you have just been a bit unlucky. I guess.

 

[Wapping]

If only to prove a point, I asked ViaMichelin and Kurviger to give me their suggested A to B routes, using no more than an iPhone, sat in the office in London EC3.

It took seconds.

ViaMichelin, offered up three routes, Kurviger one but also another if I made it more twisty.

You can see that the non-motorway routes offering the best ‘twisty bits’ (whatever that really means) are broadly similar. That is not surprising as there is only so many ways that you can go from A to B, within a reasonable period.

https://kurv.gr/Trh7a


https://kurv.gr/V68hu

Or fastest, which maximises motorways:

https://kurv.gr/ApuAJ

The route below is not bad, being direct to Le Mans and then ‘twisty’ to your destination. As it is in MyRoute, you can change the map layer to display the route in Michelin maps, too. Do note that it is 650 miles A to B, as the twisty section from Le Mans south to your destination has added 100 miles over the 550 miles of the most direct route. It is thought not impossible over the two days of your available time, providing everyone gets on with it, which brings us back to you knowing your touring party, way better than us.

<iframe style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="600" height="287" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="https://www.myrouteapp.com/embed/route/7227360?lang=en"></iframe>

But take a bit of care, the route includes some pretty small roads:

//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230406/43390776e04ec2a7e416b64b62199afb.png[/IMG

[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230406/ecfbda7a8c1acb46a2758c82bbdfc2b3.png

It highlights the dangers of blithely accepting routes suggested by people and / or those kicked out by something like Kurviger in ‘Extra-twisty’ mode. They are great if that is what you want, but not so great if you want to go from A to B in two days, B being your main holiday destination. People on this site knock MyRoute / Google’s ability to show roads; this shows how useful it can be.





Me?

I’d have gone via St Malo and saved a bit of time on the road from / to Caen. But hey, too late unless you can change. When is it you are off?

I’d hotfoot down as far as about Le Mans / Tours and then take the scenic bits.

Tell your chums not to worry about riding on the right. The more bods bang on about it to them, the more they get tense about it. On a bike is much easier than being solo in a car, not least as you can see better, unless the rider is wobbling along in the gutter. It really cannot be hard, Frenchmen do it…. And Italians!

Enjoy your holiday.

 

[Andy63]

La Rochelle is a great half way stop over from Caen. Ibis Styles is right on the front with parking it’s a beautiful town with plenty of bars and restaurants.

Alternatively Poitiers has a great lively city centre usually stay at Ibis Poitiers centre which has parking and very convenient location.

Further down the coast but much closer to the Spanish border are Hossegor, Saint Jean De Luz, Biarirtz or Bayonne all great destinations.

Just over the border San Sebastián is another gem but can be expensive for hotels.

As for advice for first timers away abroad and something I’ve done I stick the ferry sticker onto the RHS of my screen so entering a road void of any traffic a quick glance at the screen reminds me to keep right.

 

[ianran]

As Wessie said, the distance A to B is around 550 miles. The whole of France is not crammed with ‘Great roads, mate’, sometimes you just have to accept that the main roads and even motorways are best. This brings me to the key bit: You know the touring party, we do not.

550 miles is near enough, London to Inverness. Ask the French virgins, if they were to ride from London to Inverness over two days, would they ride on main roads or on every D road they could find? The answer will apply just as well to France as it does to the UK.

You can plot the route out as well as the rest of us. As Wessie suggests, put A to B into Google and see what it suggests. Then ask Google to take away toll roads and motorways and look how the route alters. Ask the same simple question of ViaMichelin and Kurviger. They will give an answer in seconds. Then fine tune what you have learned, modelling it against the expectations of yourself and your travelling companions. Then return to us with your ideas, please.

People on this site moan that bods like Simon Weir charge to plan people’s holidays but it’s probably not unreasonable that he does it.

PS Buy a Michelin 726 map. It is made to answer requests like yours.

PPS London go Inverness, avoiding motorways and toll roads is a smidge over 600 miles. That is only 50 miles further than the direct route. But, 50 miles along D roads takes about an hour and a half. That sounds like nothing but makes a big difference if your touring party was expecting to be at their hotel and chilling with like minds in the bar at 18:00 and they won’t be arriving until 19:30. The same, “But it’s miles left, before we get to the hotel” can surface in France, having taken every D road between A and B. Chose your roads, with care.

Hi thanks for that, there are two European virgins in the party. We ride out as a group most weekends around the North East, our typical mileages are 2 -300 with breaks so are not unused to spending a full on day in the saddle. I am expecting to get to Limoges or Poitiers.

We've struggled to get Michelin maps, I know how good they are, my old one was in my bike that got stolen last year.

 

[ianran]

La Rochelle is a great half way stop over from Caen. Ibis Styles is right on the front with parking it’s a beautiful town with plenty of bars and restaurants.

Alternatively Poitiers has a great lively city centre usually stay at Ibis Poitiers centre which has parking and very convenient location.

Further down the coast but much closer to the Spanish border are Hossegor, Saint Jean De Luz, Biarirtz or Bayonne all great destinations.

Just over the border San Sebastián is another gem but can be expensive for hotels.

As for advice for first timers away abroad and something I’ve done I stick the ferry sticker onto the RHS of my screen so entering a road void of any traffic a quick glance at the screen reminds me to keep right.

Thanks for that, it was this kind of information I am lookin for.
My wife and I have covered many thousands of miles in France by bike and car.
I know the level of riding the others are capable off, we frequently ride together through the moor on small tracks in the North of England.
We have discussed the length of the trip together and they are happy with knowing we may leave at 9 am and arrive at 6-8 pm at the other end.
they, unlike me!, are young.

 

[ianran]

We are not going to a ferry, we have a Euorcamp booked and are staying for 4 days so 5 hours ride is not an issue.

We have looked a Google etc. and can happily use this but if someone has gone down a particular road or know a good cafe we can include it.

I am aware of French speed cameras and know they communicate with our police.

I have, sadly, a fixer upper in Mad Du Bost between Limoges and Poitier that we have owned for 10 years so have interacted with people in France.

One in Spain we will take a fast route to the Picos and have a play there.

I will used the road that runs beneath the motorway, there re many cafes and an interesting group of pilgrims normally walking this route.

Our return will be from Santander to Caen over 4 or 5 days.

 

[ianran]

Wave if you pass through the Dordogne.

Only if you pop over to Mas Du BOst outside Bellac and mow my lawn, hee hee! (You will need an industrial clearer )

 

[Wapping]

We are not going to a ferry, we have a Euorcamp booked and are staying for 4 days so 5 hours ride is not an issue.

We have looked a Google etc. and can happily use this but if someone has gone down a particular road or know a good cafe we can include it.

I am aware of French speed cameras and know they communicate with our police.

I have, sadly, a fixer upper in Mad Du Bost between Limoges and Poitier that we have owned for 10 years so have interacted with people in France.

One in Spain we will take a fast route to the Picos and have a play there.

I will used the road that runs beneath the motorway, there re many cafes and an interesting group of pilgrims normally walking this route.

Our return will be from Santander to Caen over 4 or 5 days.

Then you’ll know the way.

Enjoy your holiday.

 

[Poley]

We've struggled to get Michelin maps.

I have also found it increasingly difficult to get Michelin maps. In the last couple of years I have taken to ordering them from Amazon.fr - there is a small postage fee though.