My European Trip

[Al]

Well I'm back from my European adventure I haven't kept a proper diary or record of the trip so its bit patchy. This is basically just a load of photos, comments and bits I remember from the trip.

I covered 3125 miles over the 10/11 days taking me through 8 countries after leaving the UK ( France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco and Spain)

The bike was my 1996 FZR400RR which I've owned for years
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As well has an oil change and service/check and a little preventative maintenance I had some new BT-016 tyres fitted which I got a good deal on but are more of a sports, then sports touring tyre. Although they have been fine, after 3000 miles they have hardly worn, no squaring off or anything.

Luggage was a hein gericke tank bag and a berghaus backpack which I already owned. I bought some cheap panniers https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dllViewItem&item=370517024377&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
They were a little big for the tiny rear seat on my bike and the zips felt weak but they held out well.

Satnav was a Tomtom Start2 Europe which is the currant base model Tomtom European car satnav. I added the camping POI from https://www.archiescampings.eu/eng1/ which are much more
comprehensive and up to date the the preprogramed Tomtom ones which can be a bit hit and miss.

Camera was an old olympus point and click.

I got the early morning train through the tunnel which was straight forward and easy and I was in France by 9am ish.
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The first of many service stations I visited over the next 10 days.

I rode through France which was slightly grim around Calais and into Belgium which was pleasant but uninspiring. I made my way across to a campsite near the Luxembourg border in a place called
Tonny.
It was a well specced site main full of Dutch campers who were friendly and spoke great English.
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Next day I headed into Luxembourg and the city itself which seemed like a cool place but I only had a short walk and something to eat as it was dull and drizzling with rain, food and fuel was noticeably cheaper the other parts of Europe.
I soon was out of Luxembourg as its such a tiny place and in South-West Germany. I headed off the main road as I herd the roads around the Black Forest were good and straight away I struck gold, I was on a popular biking route on a Sunday. A great road that twisted its way through the forest.
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I stopped at a bikers cafe/bar and had a drink, people were friendly but didn't speak much English and I only know a few German words.
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I carried on down and found a campsite right on the edge of Lake Constance. It was a rowdy site full of people in there late teens drinking heavily but was better then sitting in silence all night and the site had a lively bar.
I had a couple of beers by the lake reading and listen to music.
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As i arrived late I got a rubbish pitch on the edge right near the toilet/showers so had drunk people
walking past talking all night.
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Next day I heading into Switzerland on a minor road as I didn't have a vignette and planned to ride all on minor roads to see a bit more of the country. I didn't have to show a passport when entering Switzerland or any other country until I returned back to the UK.
I rode through Zurich which was clean and modern but most of my route was through rural areas.
Its a beautiful country, most of the roads wern't spectacular, but the scenery was!
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I rode to Lake Geneva and stayed on the East of the lake in a place called Montreux. I stayed for two days to have a day off from riding. Although I did a lot of walking and sight seeing so didn't have too
much of a rest. Lake Geneva was stunning, full of young wealthy good looking people (the bastards) but very laid back.
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There was some kind of festival happening next to the campsite with beers tents and music, late on there was fireworks which I watched from my tent.
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The weather had been really hot but the day I left was cloudy and a little wet although it soon brightened up and became really hot.
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I rode into France and down through the French alps before crossing into Italy via the Mont Blanc tunnel. I stopped in the stand still traffic as I approched the tunnel thinking that I was nearly there, luckily a French biker pulled up next to me and told me to follow him, we filtered past what must have been two miles of stand still traffic, he went right to the front of the traffic and I pulled in where the traffic split up at the tolls. Drivers moved out of our way and were happy to let us join in at the front, something I can't imagine happening in the UK.
It was really hot now and even though I was filtering it was still becoming hard work. The tunnel was quite expensive at nearly 25 euros. But not all that exciting, just like any other long tunnel.
It was at least a bit cooler inside.
I was soon on the Italian side of the tunnel.
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Not since Thialand?
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I headed towards Milan, now I've been to Italy loads of times although never as far north as Milan, my Dads Italian and I have family in the south but I'm never quite sure if I get Italians. Things work and they don't follow all the rules like we do but it all seems so thoughtless. Like I'm riding through rush hour traffic in Milan and a guy filters to the front of the other lane on his scooter, he recieves a phone call so just gets of his bike and stands there having a chat on the phone in the middle of the road. All the cars
are beeping at him but most just seem to think its normal and drive up on the pavement to get around him, all he needed to do was pull over to the edge of the road. Its the same with all the driving its just thoughtless. In France the filtering can be quite aggressive, but its fast and well thought out and they make quick progress.
In Italy they are just impatient and often don't gain anything from their recklessness.
But maybe I'm just bitter because of some Italian bloke I was to clash with later!

I was looking for a camp site in central Milan but because a lot of the roads were closed around the stadium the Satnav couldn't cope and kept taking me round in circles.
Not sure what stadium it is but I rode past it about 3 times
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In the end I got fed up so headed to a campsite about 15 miles away in a place called Pavia on the edge of some national park called Ticino I think.
Went out for a meal at a local restaurants which was a new experience on my own lol. The restaurant was surprisingly modern and trendy considering it felt like I was in the middle of nowhere.
No pictures but the next day I got some Simoncelli themed crisps
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Bike racing is massive in Italy with life sized cardboard cutouts of Simoncelli next to crisps and Rossi models and stickers for sale in almost every garage and shop.

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I rode across towards Monaco but couldn't get a central campsite so found one up in the hills a 20 minute ride away from the centre. The lady running it was kinda strict laying down the rules and telling me about all the amenities of the site, as if I was on a two week all inclusive holiday and not a one day stop over.

I put my tent up and chucked my stuff in, then headed ito the centre of Monaco it was so hot I had to ride without my jacket and gloves, I also didn't want to carry them around. It was lovely riding in a t-shirt in the heat though. I also had to stick my satnav to the tank as I didn't have the tankbag which made me worried it might fall off, it randomly drops off the car windscreen all the time but luckily it was fine.

Monaco
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Bike parking was everywhere and free, car parking looked like it would be expensive, most stuff was!
Monaco is an amzing place to visit gasping at all the money and wealth, in a way its a bit vulgar seeing the super rich flashing their cash, It just goes to show that all the money in the world really can't buy some people any taste or style. I enjoyed walking some of the F1 route as well it was a little surreal.
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I was now heading along the French Riviera towards Saint Tropez but making a stop off in Cannes. I rode on all minor roads, one really nice one that wound through the hills for about 10 miles,
unfortunately there was lots of traffic, I'd manage to pass one car then catch another up straight away and it was a bit dangerous to keep passing so I just sat back and enjoyed the view.
Cannes was more like a normal beach town not as glamours as Monaco or Saint Tropez but still nice.
Cannes.
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Saint Tropez was a bit more like Monaco with lots of very rich people about and fancy shops.
It was a little more down to earth with more normal people about and some loverly pretty old buildings. There was a bike park near the harbour full of posh guys on flashy cruisers and custom choppers pretending they were some kind of American outlaws.
I looked at a fancy watch shop but couldn't find anything for sale for less then the price of my house!
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The first campsite was full in Saint Tropez but I found another it was a nice site and I planned to stay two nights but they could only offer me one night as they were booked up for the next day. The camp site was right on its own bit of beach and very picturesque, the sort of place people might go on their honeymoon, ok maybe not on a campsite but there were really nice beachhuts further along the beach and bars along the beach as well.
I went for a walk in the evening on the beach.
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There was quite a few British people on the site in all manor of vehicles from massive motor homes to 10 year old estate cars with knackered looking caravans. I spoke to an old couple on the pitch next to me and they came out every year to the same place for six weeks which must be pretty nice.
All the pitches were the same size and for campervan/caravans so my bike and two man tent looked a bit silly in the massive pitch.

The next day I headed down and into Spain on the toll roads, the roads are good but they're not cheap, a day on toll roads can cost almost as much as the UK annaul road tax of my bike.
This particular journey was the first time I'd encountered any heavy traffic and it was really bad heading round to the Spanish border. It would just all grind to a hault for no reason and then after filtering through stand still traffic for 10 minutes it would start moving again, no road works or accident. This kept happening time and time again.

The toll booths can also be a pain getting my sweaty gloves off and sorting out the money. It was also at one of the toll booths that I encountered my next Italian moron. I'm still in Southern France and pull up at a toll booth behind an Italian registered seat people carrier, I'm a bikes length back and it just starts slowly reversing. Its got stuff piled up on the parcel shelf so he can't see. No idea where he is going as there is now 2-3 cars behind me. I can't find the horn in time but rev the engine but its too late as he crunches into the front of my bike. At first I'm not sure how much damage it has done and I start to fear that its trip over if its burst the radiator or something. Luckily most of the plastic cruching was his rear bumper cracking as it rode up my wheel and the only damage to my bike is a broken mudgaurd. The guy gets out and is very apologetic which is at least good that he's not trying to blame me. We decide to go through the toll and pull over afterwards as we are blocking the traffic, I'm already thinking in my mind that a mudgaurd will be about £20 on ebay so I want at least 30 euros to cover postage and the inconvenience, although if he wasn't willing to pay I really didn't want to go through insurance for such a small thing so would just have to accept the loss. Luckily he gets straight out of his car and offers me 50 euros and keeps apologizing. I could have probably pushed him for more but in the end of the day I wasn't trying to rip him off and its more then enough to get a second hand mudgaurd.
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As I'm riding down through Spain its very hot 33c on the sign I pass, but it feels even hotter, opening my visor is no longer cooling it just blasts me with hot air. Its a bit more sandy and now feels very foreign all of a sudden like I've come a long way now.

I'm headind down towards Barcelona but stop in the Costa Brava area in a place called Loret De Mar which is a kind of tacky beach/drinking holiday place. But it as a campsite right in the centre 2 mins walk from the bars and shops.
I book for two days which will be my last couple of days before I head back. Straight away I'm regretting staying here the site has everything you could want, a bar, restaurant, pool and shaded camping pitches. But all the people staying here are basically French and Spanish chavs that have driven here. There is just constant music being played until 4am from about 5 or 6 cars with massive subwoofers, constant shouting which I can't understand a word of all night and cans and bottles everywhere and although the toilets are cleaned regularly they seem to manage to piss and shit all over the seats every night.
The site is also crawling with ants, within minutes of parking the bike they are all over it.
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I spent most of time out and about, There is a lot to do. I went for a walk along the beach for a couple of hours there is path to walk along the coast that goes for miles.
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But most people just go for the cheap food and drink and it is really cheap, in lots of places 2 euros for 0.5L beer. The centre of Loret De Mar really isn't that pretty though, in fact If I had to stay for two
weeks or something like most people here I'd go crazy.
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I left the campsite at 7.45am as I had to wait to collect my ID from the office I was up earlier as some fucker was playing there music at 6am.
I blasted north with the intention of making the trip back home
in 2-3 days. I was hoping to do it in two days with a stop over in northern France. But I just kept going and going..........................and going and I had the crazy idea that I could probably do it in one go. After about 600 miles I was in a lot of pain and thought that I couldn't go on. 600 miles was the previous most amount of miles I'd done in a day. I rode through the pain and then started to feel a little better and that I could keeping going. I stopped every 80 miles for fuel for me and the bike.
It was going well until the satnav took me too close to Paris and I then had to filter for 45 minutes through never ending gridlock traffic, which I really didn't need after nearly 12 hours of riding.
I eventually made it out and up to Calais at about 10.30pm I'd rearranged the train for 11.54pm at no extra cost and was looking forward to a short rest. The slip road to the tunnel/train was closed and I ended up missing the diversions possibly though tiredness or a stupidly placed sign that you can't see until its too late. I then had to ride 10 miles before I could turn around which made me furious with just about everything connected to roadworks, France, signs and most other things. I then got to the tunnel to check in but I was pulled aside by customs and they wanted to look in my bags and panniers which annoyed me as I just wanted a power nap.

I arrived back into England and headed back to Norwich, I thought there had been some kind of terrorist attack as I must have passed at least 100 police and fire engines heading the other way, but this was of course for the rioting/looting.
I eventually made it home in the middle of the night 1000 miles and about 22 hours after leaving the campsite in Spain, I'm now only just starting to feel human again after a bit of sleep and proper food i.e not from a service station.

I emptied my pockets and bags and found all these fuel receipts, I'm sure that there were many more.
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Final thoughts.
I'm pretty shattered and its not been a relaxing holiday, but I fitted as much in as little time as I could, It was great! it feels like I've had 5 or 6 holidays in one and I have plenty of time to relax anytime. Solo touring has its good points but it also has its negatives, but then I did already know this has I've been away in the UK before on my own.
The bike has done really well although I've now got to change to oil again 2 weeks after last doing it!
____________________
Yamaha FZR400RR 3tj
My Instagram Thingy

[Dilyan]

Please answer me the following question and try to be honest:
Didn't you feel a bit lonely once you arrived at a destination?
I did something similar a few months ago and although I enjoyed the ride and so on - once I got to my stop for the night I used to feel a bit down for some reason
____________________
Current: 2007 VFR800; Ex: 2001 YZF600R Thundercat
Škoda Octavia (yes, a taxi driver)

[Al]

Yes at points, which is probably why I covered so many miles.
Staying in the big touristy places like Monaco and Lake Geneva was fine as I could go out sight seeing and looking around shops ect. Stopping on the more quiet sites in the middle of nowhere was pretty boring. I made conversation with a few people but mainly I just read and listened to music.

I can see why these people on sites like adv rider that ride solo around the world blog so often, it must be very lonely crossing Russia or somewhere and blogging is like sharing the journey.
____________________
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My Instagram Thingy

[wilbur]

That was a really interesting report. Hopefully you can get someone to go with you next time !!

[AL-]

Good write up AL

[doggone]

Yes very good, I think I stayed on that Lake Constance campsite but in September and it was OK.
One of the few places you could easily get to the waters edge.

When you're back in the UK riding seems so easy again when you aren't struggling to understand signs and stuff.
There is a slight risk of being over-confident so just be careful until readjusted!

[c-m]

Just excellent.

You rode to many of the places i went on tour a rew years ago, and to come i'm doing in two weeks.

Those toilets, haha, they are common in Italy, and south France.

Just a couple of questions if you don't mind.

Firstly, Is luxembourg worth more than a 1 night stay? I'm camping there at the end of the month, and can't decide whether it's two nights in Luxembourg or two nights in Berne, Switzerland.

Secondly, can you give me the address and details of that Campsite in Saint-Tropaz? I'm going with the girlfriend this year, and no doubt she'd love it.
____________________
Motorcycle headlight bulbs and HIDs
Blogging about my bike and trips
https://ridershandbook.com/

[chris-red]

Good trip, I wish with mine I had spent more time stopping at places instead it was more constant riding.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
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[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

I like how us Brits manage to get back from anywhere in under 48hrs. That's the power of a cup o Tea.

Nice trip that AL. Ta for posting it up.
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[Al]

Cheers for the positive comments.

c-m, I'm not really sure about Luxembourg as I only spent a short time there which was kind of ruined by the dull weather and constant drizzle, also it was a Sunday so was probably quiet. But personally I probably wouldn't have wanted to spend 2 days there if I was only on a couple of week trip.

I've looked up the campsite address on my sat-nav so hopefully I've got the right one.
Its in a place called 'Grimaud' which is about a 20min ride in heavy traffic from the centre of Saint Tropez. I was told you could get a water taxi to Saint Tropez but never found out about that.

This is the one I stayed at- https://www.camping-de-la-plage.fr/content/uk/contact/how-to-get-here-/15/
32 Euro a night so not cheap, but none of them are around that area.

This was the one next door which actually looked a bit nicer and had the beach huts and entertainment and stuff in the evening.
https://en.riviera-villages.com/Our-villages/Prairies-de-la-Mer
____________________
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My Instagram Thingy

[c-m]

Thanks.

I've found that most of the good camp-sites tend to be more like resorts, with a pool, games, bars, restaurant and even a clubs. Usually these are a little more expensive, but if your sharing with a pillion, then it still beats a hotel.

I've added the European POIs to my sat nav, so cheers for that link too.

You'll have to post up, your trip planning a bit earlier and get one or more come along next time. I've done solo touring, touring with pillions, and with other mates, and all of them have there advantages.

I'll start planning for my 2012 3 week trip to Saint Petersberg, once I get back 2011's trip.
____________________
Motorcycle headlight bulbs and HIDs
Blogging about my bike and trips
https://ridershandbook.com/

[Gazz]

Some of the pics are not working for me halfway down the original post.....


Did you just go alone ?

[Gazz]

Some of the pics are not working for me halfway down the original post.....


Did you just go alone ?

[kerr]

great write up some stunning pics there.
wish a had the balls to do something like that on my own.
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aprilia 125 Af1 Futura >> Suzuki gsxr 600 srad >> J1 zx6r >> cbr 600rr >> Speed Triple

[Al]

[Dilyan]

That's my cup of tea - Scandinavia. But next time I'll go within the May - August period as even in April temperatures fall below zero, and I love camping . And hotels there ... paid 140 euros for HALF a stay (9a.m. - 9p.m.); but after nearly 600 miles I would have paid 200 ... simply dying for a hot bath in that cold weather.
Stunning rides at times tho
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Current: 2007 VFR800; Ex: 2001 YZF600R Thundercat
Škoda Octavia (yes, a taxi driver)

[instigator]

Good write up, I did something similar which was probably over the same time (3rd - 9th August). Did France, Belgium, Germany (did you do the D/B-500 road?), Luxembourg, Switzerland and Italy.

I thought about going to Milan but decided to stay by Lake Como instead as I didn't want to spend too much time around Italian drivers. Sounds like it was a wise decision...

[Al]

I think I was on the 500 for a short while but it runs north>south and I was cutting across the black forest so wasn't on it for long, the roads around it are great as well though. I hadn't planned to spend too much time in the Black Forest, more just ride though it. I wished I'd spent longer really as they were some of the best roads of the trip.

The Italian drivers weren't too bad on the motorway, except the reversing incident It was around built up areas that they seemed to be at their worst.
I thought the general standard of driving was probably better then in the UK, the only thing I noticed, which seemed to be a Europe wide thing is that when cars overtake you on the motorway, they cut back into your lane very early! sometimes right in front of you which is a bit worrying at 80mph.
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Yamaha FZR400RR 3tj
My Instagram Thingy

[c-m]

but since they are going faster than you it makes no odds.
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Motorcycle headlight bulbs and HIDs
Blogging about my bike and trips
https://ridershandbook.com/

[shereen]

OP - Did you wear a high vis vest whilst in France? I.E has that law come about yet?
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"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had"

[c-m]

[Dilyan]

Bit daft but .. do you have to wear them 24h a day? Or just at night time?
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Current: 2007 VFR800; Ex: 2001 YZF600R Thundercat
Škoda Octavia (yes, a taxi driver)

[Al]

I think when the new rules come in you need to wear them 24 hours a day. At the moment you are just supposed to carry a vest in case you breakdown. Which is what i did but I was never checked or asked to show it or anything else at border crossings, the only place I had to even show my passport was when returning to the UK.
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Yamaha FZR400RR 3tj
My Instagram Thingy

[Dilyan]

Lol, now that you said that ... same here dude. At Dover went through the procedures with the French, took me ages to put my gear back on (public road after all), stopped by the British kiosk .. and got the "Move on" signal. Wicked!
Other than that had my fire extinguisher, vest and a first aid kit.

Bought a new tent yesterday, dying to try it out somewhere next weekend
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Current: 2007 VFR800; Ex: 2001 YZF600R Thundercat
Škoda Octavia (yes, a taxi driver)

[N cee thirty]

i think that stadiums the san ciro,went a few years ago

only looked at the pictures up to now but will read through the rest,looked fun
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once