|
|
Advice on routes through Europe
|
Ok FOAK, t'other half & I are heading down to Spain in March, the idea
being to spend a few days at his parents place in Carava de la Cruz not
far from Alicante & ride around from there. But I'd like to take a few
days to get down there & could do with some advice on routes to get
through France.
Any thoughts? Or ideas?
|
Depends on where you want to cross the border to some degree and just
how many days you want to take to get to the border.
|
We're landing in Calais on the Sat and want to get to Jerez by Thursday
for the Moto GP weekend, enjoy the GP, and head back Monday to Calais
for following Friday. Taking our time (as much as we can) and
definately not on major motorways.
|
Do you realise exactly how far it is? I reckon Calais to the Pyrenees
must be 7~800 miles, and then the same distance again to Jerez. So,
|
It is. I've driven it several times.
|
while that's not *too* demanding, it's still a few hundred miles a
day.
|
I do, aye. We're looking at different routes that maybe make a bit of
progress where possible, but its basically a get on the bike, aim for a
direction & ride all day. Stop when needed & sleep.
|
Also, as others have said, the weather could be cold and not too
pleasant until you get well into Spain.
|
Yea, I'm not over fussed about the cold - got good gear & heated grips
(yes I know, but they're worth every snide comment!). I keep riding
throughout the year anyway & unless its snowing its not a bother.
Himself has ridden into Europe a few times now at this time of year,
and he's quite happy to do it.
|
|
|
Not in a rush, enjoying the ride and avoiding autoroutes, or do you want
to put France behind you and get in to Spain ASAP?
|
Want to enjoy the ride down through both countries if poss.
|
|
|
The a71/a75 over the Auvergne and the Massif Central is pretty good via
the Millau Bridge. The hilly bits were designed for two wheeled
hooligans even to the extent they've put up warning signs for dozy cage
drivers pointing out there may be fast two wheeled traffic. The
motorway once in Spain is also reasonably quick and painless from
France down past Barcelona.
|
|
It takes me 7 hours to just get the 450 (via my route) miles to Limoges
from Calais using a fair amount of autoroute in the car. OK so I rarely
cruise much above the speed limit +15KPH (after chatting to the VCF
lot), but I don't stop much either.
|
|
Anybody's guess these days. By late March it can be quite pleasant once
south of the Loire, but I have known snow in early April at just 1500
feet (for a track day - lovely).
|
Frankfurt run was mid-March, mostly mild and sunny.
|
|
|
www.carjet.com about £75 for a week
|
|
Get a ferry that includes an 8hr+ crossing, a cabin and, therefore, some
well needed sleep. No further north than Le Havre, as it'll possibly be
cold/wet.
|
An 8 hour crossing in possibly gale force conditions - lovely.
How about for a reasonably rapid transit of France:
Afternoon Eurotunnel crossing giving time for a decent dinner in
Coquelles (the resto at the Ibis is surprisingly authentic, or there is
the 'John Bull Pub' if you want cheap and cheerful) before a restful
night in a not overly expensive hotel of your choice (Formule 1 to Suite
|
Like TOG said, Chépy. If you push on for a further 75 miles or so from
Coquelles, you can eat and sleep well in the Auberge Picarde. Next morning,
you're that much further along, and you're only about 5 miles from the
|
Oh I see, between Abbeville and Le Treport.
|
autoroute.
|
Hotel all nearby).
Next morning, blast down the autoroute to Rouen (unless you want to join
the Paris Peripherique filtering fest) and then cut across via Chartres
to pick up the autoroute again just north of Orleans. Stay on it until
south of the Loire when with any luck you will be in a milder weather
system.
Head off down the A20 and by late afternoon veer off the autoroute to a
small Limousin or if you get a bit further Quercy town or village with a
Logis. (If we were in residence you could drop in on us, but not in
March).
Pick up the A20 again and proceed to Toulouse. Probably best to then
carry on towards Perpignan and the coastal gateway to Spain as advised
by TOG. Having said that the Tunnel de Puymorens and down the valley to
cross in to Spain at Bourg-Madame/Puigcerda is an alternative but even
the climb up to that might still have snow that early.
|
Then go cross country ish, as suggested, to Millau. That'll be a day, but
worth it. I found the approach from the north, down into town then the
viaduct back north quite good, with maybe a stop in the town (or nearby if
cheaper)
Next day you can make Spain easy, but I have no idea on geography so whether
you'd make the destination... Er.. Dunno.
|
I used to go via Millau to Spain before the bridge was built. You could do
Barcelona easily enough in a day from there - we did - but Alicante is a
fair old way further down.
|
Of course you could do part one, stop near Cahors overnight and do a day's
off-roading the next day round the Lot, another night near Cahors then off
|
If it's a cold March, it'll be in the snow. There are ski-lifts in the
Lot.
|
to Spain via Millau, with no overnighter, the next day (Millau is about 2
hours from Cahors at medium pace)
Temperatures here are around 20ish at the high point and down to 6-8ish at
night in late March, a tad colder highs in early March.
|
|
Take in the Milau birdge?
I'm off to Spain on Friday myself, but flying not riding :o)
|
|
|