Santander to Caen

[Dani 759]

Hey All!

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on travelling from Santander to Caen? I have 2 weeks next September and was planning on doing a bit of the Picos, N621 & N625 then up to San Sebastian, travelling towards Perpignan via N260. Then on to Verdun, Grenoble, Vorges and back to Caen. Only now Im wondering if thats too much (2 bikes with 2 pillions).

Has anyone done anything similar?

Many thanks!
Dan

 

[GADGET]

Santander to Caen

I did that journey in one ride, stopping only for fuel, a few years ago, when I managed to miss the Santander ferry. Was cream crackers at the end of it.

 

[Wapping]

Anyone done anything similar? Yes, three or four times or probably more in one version or another but not always returning to Caen

Can it be done in two weeks? Certainly, yes.

Can or do you / your pillion / your mate / their pillion want to do it in two weeks? Only the four of you really know.

What to do next? Map out the route roughly on something like Google maps. Look at the total distance and divide it by 14, assuming that is you have a full two weeks of motorcycling. If you have less days (or want to spend say a day looking at Verdun or two days in the Vosges) divide the total distance by a smaller number. That is your average daily mileage. Can the four of you manage it and still remain friends?

When considering your Google route, think how you want to join the Perpignan to the gorge, to Grenoble to the Vosges, to Verdun and on to Caen. Small D roads? Goat tracks? Motorways? The more motorways between destinations, the faster you'll go.

Arm yourself with at least one or two good paper maps. See the sticky. Michelin does one excellent 'Touring map' 726,which is designed just for routes such as yours, as it shows the green Bis tourist roads and just the main roads / motorways, stripping out all the minor guff. You may well find it very helpful.

http://travel.michelin.co.uk/france-route-planning-2015-national-map-726-scale-11-000-000-1514-p.asp

 

[ymfb]

Great meal on the ferry back from Caen to Portsmouth, hang on for the buffet

 

[Dani 759]

Thanks for the heads up on the Michelin map. I downloaded the viamichelin app but a paper one is way better for me!

Thanks for the replies. Happy New year all and safe riding!

Would love to hear other routes and experiences if anyone has the time

Take it easy!

 

[twizzle]

Every year I do Caen to the Pyranees in a day... 5-600 miles on a mix of a twenty year old Harley and a twenty year old 11GS you have loads of time, enjoy...

 

[Wapping]

Other routes?

You are going across France, bottom to top, Perpignan to Caen. There are lots of alternatives, depending on what the four of you really want to do, how long you want to ride for and how long you want to mooch about (where, looking at what or just chillin').

Tell you what, here, the links to the Ride magazine website:

http://www.ride.co.uk/Routes/

http://www.ride.co.uk/France/

There's a load of pre-made routes, all ready to download. Have a look at some and see what the four of you think. Stitch three or four routes together perhaps?

 

[delamitri]

Hi Dan

A few of us did one of the Ride routes Wapping has mentioned and it was brilliant, from Santander down to the Med and back up to the Atlantic. Was a 10 day route with one off in south of France, well worth having a look mate

Danny

 

[Gargy]

You have loads of time for that trip, unless your planning on staying a few days in one town. In two weeks I'd :-

Santander > Pyrenees (N260) > Perpignan > Grenoble > Waldshut > Baden Baden (B500) then over towards Caen.

Some great roads in between that lot, and as above......... Ride routes are recommended.

Good luck.

 

[Wapping]

I've just asked the excellent Michelin Navigation app on my iPad to suggest a simple non-motorway, toll free route that goes:

Perpignan > Ardeche gorge > Grenoble > Vosges > > Verdun > Caen

It's a touch under 1000 miles, so easily doable in 14 days, less however many days / hours you want to spend standing still or getting from Santander to Perpignan, what time your ferry back departs and (to some degree or another) what daily mileage you fancy riding.

It's quite easy to use the Michelin app. It's mapping is maybe better than Google's and you can fine tune it by adding or deleting specific locations to pass through. It will also link to Michelin's Green guide, so you can pull up things to see, and it'll suggest hotels. If nothing else, having the suggested route displayed will give you a pretty good guide of the general direction you'll need to take when you come to looking at your paper maps.

Richard

 

[leedude03]

Hey All!

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on travelling from Santander to Caen? I have 2 weeks next September and was planning on doing a bit of the Picos, N621 & N625 then up to San Sebastian, travelling towards Perpignan via N260. Then on to Verdun, Grenoble, Vorges and back to Caen. Only now Im wondering if thats too much (2 bikes with 2 pillions).

Has anyone done anything si

Many thanks!
Dan

Have a read of this ride report i did with a mate last year, it covers a few of the places you mention. it may give you a few ideas.
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/378085-Steve-and-Lee-s-excellent-adventure

 

[King Rat]

I've just asked the excellent Michelin Navigation app on my iPad to suggest a simple non-motorway, toll free route that goes:

Perpignan > Ardeche gorge > Grenoble > Vosges > > Verdun > Caen

It's a touch under 1000 miles, so easily doable in 14 days, less however many days / hours you want to spend standing still or getting from Santander to Perpignan, what time your ferry back departs and (to some degree or another) what daily mileage you fancy riding.

It's quite easy to use the Michelin app. It's mapping is maybe better than Google's and you can fine tune it by adding or deleting specific locations to pass through. It will also link to Michelin's Green guide, so you can pull up things to see, and it'll suggest hotels. If nothing else, having the suggested route displayed will give you a pretty good guide of the general direction you'll need to take when you come to looking at your paper maps.

Richard

Blimey, if it is only 1000 miles that is easily doable in one day, so with 14 on the table it is a doddle.

My ride to catch the ferry for The Faroes was just under 1200 miles, with a ferry across La Manche to factor in - I did that in just over one day,about 26 hours total.

I did Bellagio back to Uttoxeter in one hit a couple of years ago, on my RS100 - I rode down there, leaving home Thursday, caught a mid afternnon ferry and got as far as Basel for the night. Then Basel to Bellagio the next day in an easy step. Did the work I had on Saturday, then rode home in one hit on the Sunday, left Bellagio at 10.00 Italian time, was home in my bed in Uttoxeter by 03.00 that night. Someone will tell me how far it was by doing the fancy number crunching, mappy thing...I have no idea how to use the electronic wizardry of google maps, or the Zumo route planning (it has been tried to explain it to me, but it goes in one ear and out the other...I am not programmed to work like a confuser!) I still use a clear window in my tank bag and a route notes sheet. with a paper map underneath the route plan. Works fine, unless there is a diversion, then it goes a bit pear shaped.

The Spain and France thing sounds great - there is supposed to be some fantastic fishing in Northern Spain.

 

[leedude03]

King rat depending on the route taken, i get it at about 900 miles and 15hrs, I think that was an amazing feat on a yamaha RS100

 

[Flipfly]

2 weeks to do a bit of northern Spain and get through France?

Yep, that'll be 14 days of very easy riding.

Doable in 3 long days so 14 days gives you plenty of scope to have a few rest days or do plenty of short days with lots of stops.

 

[Dani 759]

Hey All, thanks for the responses.

I planned a route on tyre, that came in approx 2200 miles so with 2 rest days thats about 185 miles per day which the pillions may think is a bit much! So I may save the Vosges for another trip! May play more around the Picos and Pyrenees and hop to Verdun if theres time!

Thanks!