2009 French Tour

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

2009 Tour of France.

Having just read Faldo’s write up of his 2008 trip in Europe thought I would write up my last trip..

I had been over to France and Spain with two others in 2008 and ridden about 90% of the trip in pouring rain. I decided that when I went the next time I would go at the last minute having checked the weather for the following few days was okay.

So this time I set out on my own in late July with a hotel booked for the first night; and with a plan to head towards Italy after a few stops in France.

The bike was my Triumph Sprint ST with full hard luggage and a small tank bag for carrying the essential wallet, passport, Euros etc.

Day 1 Reims

Friday July 31st 2009.
Set off my tour early in the morning. Rode down to Dover from Farnborough Hampshire via various motorways, and got on the Sea France ferry to Calais. The crossing was uneventful, and I set off down the French motorway system to Reims for a hotel and my first day in France. This was the only booked hotel of the trip, as I wanted to be free to change plans depending on weather and if sitting on a bike all day was getting boring.

The hotel was a bit out of the centre of town and I had to ride in to see the sights. I did a tour of the old town on a road train that has a commentary, and walked around the cathedral. I had some fast food and went to bed early being tired from the journey.
Total Miles = 294

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Saturday August 1st 2009.
Decided not to do a long run to Grenoble which had been my first plan, and instead went down the Motorway to Dijon.

Arrived in the centre and spoke to a French guy, who had a Triumph parked up next to me, he was from the local air force base. Discovering my French really is limited and pretty crap.

I went to the local Tourist Information shop and sorted a cheap hotel.
It was not too far from the centre and the old town.
Decided to explore and had a few beers, and ate some decent food, and walked around drinking in various places. Good town.

Total Miles = 487

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Sunday August 2nd 2009.
Decided to take the non motorway route to Grenoble, which turned out to be hard going. The journey took me through small towns and was a lot slower than sticking to the motorways. I stopped in one to get a chocolate and an old lady came up to me and spoke to me about the bike, the conversation was a difficult mix of my poor French and her nonexistent English. But she told me she liked it. Maybe the French are not as rude as expected.

Got out in the country slowly moving towards the mountains in the distance. Had a near miss when a dear in the field to my right was running along; I was thinking ‘ain’t that cute’ when the bugger turned, jumped the hedge and cut right across in front of me. I just missed it and carried on with my heart pumping a bit more regularly.
Further on the last forty miles of the route were all in the mountains, and hard work. A little winding road, with tunnels blasted through the rock, lots of bends and no barriers protecting some drops. It took forever and finally I saw Grenoble far below me as I reached the other side.

On the journey down, breaking and turning was even harder work with the loaded bike, and when finally I got to a hotel programmed into the Sat Nav I just got an expensive room to chill and recover.

I was quite a way outside of the centre and I walked in later, having to avoid the occasional shower of rain. I saw the sights and went back out and ate pizza near the hotel. Bit low because I am tired and the town was not too exciting.

Total Miles = 660

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Monday August 3rd 2009.
Watching the forecast it looked like rain ahead in the Alps, so I decided not to go over the mountains to Italy and went for a much shorter run to the city of Lyon, westwards. I was there early and used the Tourist office to find a hotel in the centre. This was a hotel / bar run by a biker with a few rooms, mine being a typical small old fashioned room, with a window to the front of the building whose view was filled by a massive church there.

I liked Lyon, doing visits to the sights, going up the hill on the funicular railways, seeing the views, cathedral and Roman amphitheatre ruins. I walked for miles and also had a good lunch in an internet cafe, taking time booking hotels in my next two planned stops.

Total Miles = 730

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Tuesday August 4th 2009.
I had a long run, at first off the motorway on smaller roads, seeing the towns along the Rhone, then as progress was slow I dived back on the motorway and headed south and west towards Montpellier. The road was fast but crossed the Massif Central, and the cross winds were hazardous, and quite scary throwing the front of the bike around. Another tiring ride.

The hotel in Montpellier was flasher then the others to date, and they upgraded me to a large suite. As I was few miles away from the sea I rode down and visited the nearest resort. It was so hot; I broke my normal rules and went in helmet vest and shorts. The coast was busy but I got photos to prove I had done the coast to coast (Channel to Med) ride. Also saw that the heat had made a big green bug that had been riding/ living inside my fairing since Grenoble get off the bike and head off.

Back in the town I had an evening walk and found myself missing the Mrs, the family and a few things from home. So got a little pissed to sort out this dark moment.

I love the biking; visiting the towns and the freedom of this journey, but miss sitting in the cafes and restaurants with people I know; as most conversations are hard work with my few French words.

Total Miles = 946

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Wednesday August 5th 2009.
Having been to the coast of the Mediterranean it was now time to head north, and towards Paris in easy stages. Stage one was on the Motorway to Clermont-Ferrand. On the way there was a long climb up the Massif Central mountains, and then I crossed the Millau Viaduct, which I thought might set off my vertigo, but it was an amazing site. I was told it is highest bridge in the world, and I went to the visitor centre afterwards, and took pictures from the viewpoint.

Back on the motorway I got to Clermont-Ferrand and found the hotel to be a fair way from the centre, with some useless receptionists. I later had a long walk into the centre and the old town. Had some food and a few drinks, and I returned later using the local tram service.

Back in the hotel room I finished the book I had bought on the ferry, ‘Downhill All The Way’ by Edward Enfield, ‘Harry’s’ father. It is good to read about travel when you travel, and also the places he visited on his push bike tour were sometimes similar to my route.

Total Miles = 1155

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Thursday August 6th 2009.
I continued north flat out on the motorway, eating miles and kilometres so quickly, and stopped at a smaller town called Bourges. Parking outside the tourist office I could see the centre was a lovely place, particularly the nearby cathedral. I arranged a hotel, and went and checked in, and then explored the town.

I treated myself to a big lunch, several courses, lots of wine and tried snails for the first time. Very nice they were as well. Finally ran out of cash and had to withdraw some, this trip will be expensive for sure. All the days since Lyon have been so hot, and this was no exception.

Total Miles = 1275

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

More of Bourges.

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Friday August 7th 2009.
Left Bourges and stuck with motorway travel all the way to Paris. Riding in the centre of Paris was hard work, and the drivers are crazy like in most big cities, I also had to go on after finding the hotel and get petrol, knowing the problems I would have to leave that to Sunday when I was due to leave Paris.

I left my bags at the hotel, and put my bike in their car park. I went off to try and visit the Paris catacombs, as I had failed to do this last time I was in Paris earlier in the year. Unfortunately I found on two visits during the day that the queues to get in were so long there was no way I would be bothered. So I had lunch at Notre Dame, and finally went back to the hotel to unpack and shower.

I had planned to meet my wife here who had flown out for a couple of days. She arrived late, and we had a few problems meeting each other, but when we did it was good to see her. We went to the hotel and she insisted on changing rooms so we had a view of the Eiffel Tower!

We had a good meal out somewhere we had not been before and because I had been limited in talking for the last few days apparently was talking non stop about the trip. Anyway got drunk and went to the hotel room.

Total Miles = 1275

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Saturday August 8th 2009.

We had a full breakfast at the hotel and then went for a long walk, up passed the Eiffel Tower, and along the Seine, crossing Pont Alexander III. We went for miles and used the Metro seeing all the old sights, and shopping for a bit.

We ate well at lunch and for supper, chatting about everything. The time went too quickly, and a day without riding was welcome.

Total Miles = 1275

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Sunday August 9th 2009.
I was up early as I had to ride home, and ate breakfast alone as my wife who was getting a late flight laid in bed. I packed and after a row with the hotel who wanted to charge me for parking the bike, which I refused as they had not told me it was going to be a separate charge, and there were bikes parked everywhere outside, they backed down and I left.

The streets on an early Sunday are quite clear in central Paris, and I made my way across the city, passing the tower again, the Arc de’Triumph and then headed north to Calais. The Sat Nav died half way there; but I made the ferry in reasonable time.

The crossing was quick and calm, I got back on the bike and headed home from Folkestone, the ride was long and tiring, but I got back just before 3pm. Beating my wife back as there were delays at the airport.

All in all, the journey had been a blast, only one near miss on the bike (the dear), and many good nights in various towns. There are advantages in travelling on your own; you decide everything; you can eat where you want; get some personal time and in general the days were fine. But the evenings can be a bit boring without your mates there, but all in all would recommend a trip to Europe on two wheels. The roads are brilliant and the drivers respect bikes. Parking is no issue; I parked up on the pavement with all the local bikes and scooters.

The bike was 100% reliable and comfortable. The locking hard panniers were a good idea, you can leave everything secure and get away from the bike with just the tank bag and coat.

Next time will head north in Europe up towards Sweden.

Total Miles = 1727.6

Nexus Icon · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Aug 2010 Karma :

Nice write up. Thumbs Up

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Greetings from Shitsville!

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

Can't figure out why the pictures Iattached have not come up???

Paxovasa · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Karma :

Hope you don't mind, but here are your images Thumbs Up

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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

Shumba · Derestricted Danger Joined: 10 Nov 2010 Karma :

No problem thanks for putting them up..