Travel in France

[Bill]

Hi,
I'll be travelling down to the South of France in June on my GS and as I haven't motorcycled abroad before, I'm not sure what I need to take with me ( insurance's, equipment etc. ). Can anyone help?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Avoid the auto-routes -take the N roads .Go down via the Vosages (E France) and the Alps towards Sisteron and do the route de Napoleon Nr Grasse to Nice.Or through Central France and the Massif central /Ardeche.
Take Licence,V5,Insurance,BMW Assist (bike and rider , so no need for Travel ins , as its all included) and copies of all stashed separately !Take a big lock and chain (although outside any big cities you shouldn't need it).Don't take too much luggage - it'll get in the way - best travel tip a tube of travel wash and a camping wash - line - you can rinse everything out o/night,Take lightweight walking clothes - they are easy to pack , wash & dry quickly and don't need an iron. Money - use your uk bank cash card with a cirrus/maestro symbol and draw cash out of your uk bank current a/c , via french ATM's.That way you draw from your own UK a/c using the same pin number and avoid any interest charges.Can't understand why everybody draws out on their Credit Card and incurs interest @ 20%apr , when you can use your UK bank cash card for free.Take French Michelin maps @ 1:4 scale they're the best for whole of Europe as well - great definition.Head to Alps and enjoy yourself !!

 

[Bill]

Thats good advice, John. What's that about using your cash card. Mine hasn't got a cirrus/maestro symbol on it, just link and delta? Also, where do I find out about BMW Assist?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Check with your bank about cash card use - mine is Natwest , you could open an a/c with them for a cashcard and just put money in it for Euro touring like I do - it works all over Europe - even Hungary, Poland , Croatia , Bosnia etc and BMW assist is available from dealers - £95 pa for bikes under 10 yrs old - all new ones come with it. Did you like the pic ?

 

[Bill]

Thanks John, and yeh, good pic!

 

[wessie]

before you go and buy the BMW Assist check your bike insurance policy. My Carol Nash policy has RAC European breakdown cover included.

If you have an annual travel insurance policy check the small print. Most policies exclude motorcycle riding - e.g the policy included with my Alliance and Leicester bank account.

Nationwide Building Society do a policy that has no motorcycle exclusions and a 1 week single trip costs under £20

I agree with Johnny, the Massif Central and French Alps are the places to ride a GS.

I stayed in the same hotel in Grenoble for a week and did circular tours.

Advantage was that we could leave our luggage in the hotel.

 

[Zwerver]

Some camping tips when going to France

When going to the south of france, there's one camping which I
can really recommend to every mc-camper; Its a mc-only campingplace at the southside of the Parc the Vercors, a great touring/walking region. Friends of mine (and yes they speak English) bought this place some 10 years ago and made it a great place to use as a base camp when exploring France.

More info:
Le Camping Moto (also in English)

Regards,

 

[Bill]

Thanks Zwerver! The campsite looks great!!

 

[BIG GORDY]

stuff to take

BILL,

DON'T FORGET TO TAKE A SHOP BOUGHT DISC TO PUT UNDER YOUR SIDE STAND. AS YOU WILL BE PARKING YOUR BIKE NEXT TO YOUR TENT ON MOST SITES.

DON'T LEAVE YOUR HELMET UPSIDE DOWN ON YOUR HELMET HOLDER, IT DOES RAIN SOMETIMES AND IT IS SO UNPLEASANT PUTTING ON A WET LID.

TAKE SOME STRING/NYLON FOR A CLOTHES LINE AND A FEW PEGS.

I WOULD SUGGEST BUYING A FAST WICKING TEE SHIRT FROM A SPECIALIST CAMPING SHOP TO WEAR UNDER YOUR JACKET...AS AN ORDINARY COTTON TEE SHIRT STAYS WET WITH SWEAT AND IS UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE HEAT.

A TRANGIER COOKING STOVE WITH THE GAS BURNER NOT METHS IS A GREAT AND COMPACT WAY OF GETTING A CUP OF TEA FIRST THING (ENGLISH THROUGH AND THROUGH)

A CORKSCREW......AND TRY THE REALLY CHEAP WINE, GO THROUGH ENOUGH AND YOU WILL EVENTUALLY FIND A DECENT ONE FOR PENNIES.

A THERMAREST GROUNDMAT IS ESSENTIAL, THEY INFLATE TO ABOUT AN INCH THICK BUT PACK DOWN REALLY SMALL. THE GROUND IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE IS ROCK SOLID AND UNCOMFORTABLE. (IF YOU HAVE THE SPACE A PROPER RUBBER MALLETT FOR YOU TENT PEGS IS A LUXURY, BUT THERE A PLENTY OF STONES , USUALLY JUST WHERE YOU WANT TO PITCH YOUR TENT).

IF NEED TO BUNGEE STUFF TO YOUR PILLION SEAT, PUT IT AN ORTLIEB DRY SACK.....TOP GEAR

IF YOUR FRENCH IS BAD A LONLEY PLANET PHRASEBOOK HAS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.

ON EITHER THE WAY THERE OR BACK I WOULD SUUGEST A TRIP INTO THE PYRENEES, PERHAPS EVEN UPTO ANDORRA.

BIG GORDY

 

[Bill]

Thanks guys, Its all good stuff!!

 

[Stuart Woods]

France.....top place!!

Heyyyyy

France is the place to tour and camp, not forgetting Espana!

We (wifey and I..) have toured and camped in all of the French regions and Northern Spain/Pyrennees ans Andorra X3 over the past 7-8 years, I agree with all of the other comments, but you don't say if you are camping or B&B-ing.

If camping you need the full range of tiny items already mentioned, Ortlieb w/proof bags are the gear, one on top of each pannier eg. she has one pannier allocated, if it don't go in....it don't go!! the topbox is allocated to cooking gear , food, gas, French sticks attached to the top by a bungee!!

The roads are fantastic, D Roads allow you to see some of the best of the countryside, if time allows head for the hills with an even smaller scale map.

We bungee one Ortlieb bag to the top of one pannier with the tent in and the second on the other with the Thermarest mats in the other.....lightweight sleeping bags go in each pannier with the afforementioned lightweight gear and a fleece for the chilly evenings. crank up the rear suspension, leave the front on middle setting, mask your headlight dip beam, make sure your ferry deckhands have secured your beast, and double-check it, P&O are brill and do 30% discount.

Campsites are easy to find on any route (unlike UK) and I have never been frowned on when pulling into a site.

There is so much to go on about it would take an age......go and discover for yourself, if you have a like -minded friend then go in tandem, you won't regret it.

Regards....Stu Woods

 

[BIG GORDY]

QUESTION FOR STUART

STUART,

THE ORTLIEB BAGS ON THE PANNIERS IS ONE I'VE NEVER TRIED. WHAT KIND OF PANNIERS DO YOU HAVE? HOW DO YOU FASTEN THEM, AND ARE WE TALKING JUMBO STUFF SACKS OR SMALL ONES?

I MIGHT HAVE TO TRY IT NEXT TIME I GO ON A 2 UP TRIP.

TOP INNOVATION!

BIG GORDY

 

[rogerhinchliffe]

Everything that everyone else said, except... take the 'D'roads.
Just as fast as N roads, quite often the same quality (as if it matters on a GS), and zero traffic.
Some N roads can be quite shitty and clogged the further south you get, depending on the nearer August one gets.
I mean it. I've been doing France since 1974. Believe me!
Enjoy it before the Eurocrats ban it.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Stuart Woods]

Ortlieb Bags and Panniers

Gordy.......

I have used GIVI panniers and topbox for the past 5 years, my Givi frame is sprayed Red.hence Thunderbird 3.......your question answered...............as you may know the GIVI boxes are larger, me and Bev pack the Ortlieb bags and just bungee the buggers on top of the panniers............with the GS you don't have to worry about weight distribution............honest........just throw it on and it will carry it!

As we travel, we have a pannier each, tent in one Ort-bag and sleep-mats in the other carefully bungeed to the top of the other but angled towards the seat............just strap it on!!!!!

You can only get experience by having a bash,,, I'll answer any questions as far as France and camping is concerned.

Stu Woods

 

[Zwerver]

Ortlieb bags

Tip for Ortliebbag users:

They are ideal when (if) washing clothes on holliday:

1: Put your stuff in
2: Add water and some soap
3: Place it on your bike,
4: Ride a day...

 

[Iain Hogg]

All this talk of Ortleib bags made me think, and looking in the shed found a couple and thought that I'd get them out ready for my next trip.

Then I remembered why they were there. My son had been on an expedition to Greenland 2 years ago and they had to carry ALL of their rubbish AND waste products down off the glacier for enviromental reasons!

I think I'll buy my own - a different colour!

Travel light and often,

Iain

 

[BIG GORDY]

zwerver

ZWERVER,

IS THERE A SPIN CYCLE????????

BY THE WAY I HAVE USED YOUR INFO RE THE NORDKAPP AND HAVE BEEN FINDING OUT MORE, I AM DEFINITELY GOING TO TRY THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS ON YOUR RECCOMENDATION.

ON THAT THREAD YOU SAID YOU MAY HAVE SOME MORE INFO ON PLACES TO GO, ALWAYS WILLING TO HEAR IT.

THERES ANOTHER USER FROM THIS SITE GOING AS WELL, SO THE INFO WILL BE WELL USED.

CHEERS

BIG GORDY

 

[Zwerver]

Gordy,

the spincicle for my socks is about 200miles...

About the Northcape / Lofoten info, I'll try to compile some more info this week!
Here a little appetiser: the road to Lysebotn, complete with a single lane tunnel with hairpin! (Not my picture, it's from a postcard I bougth there; my GS can't fly)

Greetings,

 

[DavidHolmes]

Technically for travelling in france you will need a spare set of bulbs and a first aid kit.

For what it is worth; I have found that otlieb bags on top of my panniers fouls the top box. So I have just strapped one bag (with the touratech straps) containing the thermarests to the top of the top box, leaving the pannier tops free for the tent, table and chairs.

 

[Davey B]

My bank card is Link Delta and is accepted in loads of bank machines. you should be OK. Best thing i ever bought for travelling in France was a book called SPECIAL PLACES TO STAY (B & BS ETC) by Alastair SAWDAY, seek it out and get it, we stayed in 11th century chateau's for £30 for the two of us, some go as cheap as £20 a night and as the title suggets they are special, unless you are after a really cheap holiday but plan to carry a load of kit i.e TENT Sleeping bag Mat etc. Live it a bit....or am I getting old? nah just trying to appease the wife who had never been on a bike until a couple of years ago. Guess who now wants a licence?