A French Loop - Aston Style

[mikey k]

I needed a distraction for the nightmare of house moves and bd incompetent solicitors
So have finally completed our next euro jaunt which kicks off next week!

Day 1
Le Mans track
Down to Gennes
Sanef tag bought fortolls this time

Day 2
Ordour Sur Glan (WW2 ghost town)
Gouffre de Padirac boat trip in caves
Rocamadour (cliff village)
La Roque Gageac (cliff village)
Castel Merle for the night

Day 3
PiP (Prehistoric Centre)
Dune du Pilat biggest sand dune in Europe
Château d'Urtubie for 2 nights

Day 4
Playa de la Concha, San Sebastian Combs of Winds top of two hills overlooking Mount Urgull & Monte Igueldo Hotel
Hendaye to San Juan de Luz coast road (ruote de la Corniche)
Biarritz & Virgin on the Rock via Effiel bridge for Sun set

Day 5
Roncevaux Pass
5* Col de la Pierre
N260 along Pryenes to Tremp
Casa Guilla for 3 nights

Day 6
N260 along Pryenes from Tremp
Biescas on A136 north
In to France on D934
5* Col d’Aubisque & Col du Solour D918 & D13 east from Eaux Bonnes, Gourette & Argeles Gazost
Col du Portalet
Lac d’Estaing
NE on D13 to Lourdes
Col du Hautacam & Luz Ardiden
Col de Tentes - La Breche de Roland - D921 South to Gavarnie
Cirque du Gavarnie highest waterfall in Europe
Cirque de Troumouse
5* Col du Tourmalet - Esterre East on D918 to Les Bassess
5* Col D’Aspin – Eainte Marie De Campan East on D918 Arreau

Day 7
Relax day by the infinity pool

Day 8
Cires North on D51
D925 North to Sarp
Barousse Valley
Andorra - Encamp to Soldeu and down Pas De la Casa/Port d'Envalira
Col de Puymorens
Ax les Thermes East on D25 to Mijans Col de Pailhères
2 nights in Prades

Day 9
5* D115 / C38 : Arles-Sur-Tech (France) - Olot (Spain)
Castellfollit de la roca town on cliff
“Road of the Year” 365 bends in 12 miles Gi682 Sant Feliu to Tossa del Mar and back
Cap de Creus to Portillgat - Cap de Crues S on GI-614 to Cadaques
Portbou in the Pyrenees
Colera N on N260 to Portbou
Over border to Cerbere on N114
To Collioure

Day 10
D10 Saint Paul de Feouillet to Cubieres sur Cinoble (Gorge de Galamus)
Carcassonne
5* N112 / D907 Saint-Chinian - La Salvetat (The roads of the road testers)
Under Millau Bridge
Gorges De Tarn
Overnight in Quézac

Day 11
5* route N106 : Mende – Alès - Corniche des Cevennes
Mont Ventoux
D20 little twisty to N85
N85 Route Napoleon
Verdon Gorge Route des Cretes
2 nights in Grasse

Day 12
Monaco Casino square, F1 circuit tunnels on exit
Antibes?

Day 13
Sigale, Roquetron & Pierrefeu D17 (Gold bike run)
D2565 La Plan du Var - Gorges de Vésubie - Roquebilliere - St. Martin-Vesubie (Silver Bike Run & Col Saint Martin Bronze Bike Run)
D30 St. Sauveur sur Tinee - Roubion – Beuil
D28 Beuil - Valberg - Guillaumes & back to St. Sauveur sur Tinee (Gorges Superiores du Cians & du Dalius)
D64/D2205 St. Sauveur sur Tinee - Jausiers (Col de Bonette Gold Bike Run)
D900/D902 Barcelonnette – Château Queryas (Col de Vars)
2 nights in Eygliers

Day 14
Lac de Serre-Poncon
D205 Chateau-Queryas – Casteldelfino (Col d'Agnel)

Day 15
D902 Château Queryas - Briançon (Col de l'Izoard)
D902 Col du Telegraphe & Col du Galibier Bronze Bike Run
D213/D94 La Chambre – Pussy (Col de la Madelaine)
N212 Megeve - Ugine (Gorge de l'Arly Gold Bike Run)
D909 Bonnevill St.Pierre – Flumet (Col de Aravis)
Through Geneva
N5 Gex - Morez - Champagnole (Col de la Faucille)
Overnight at Beaune

Day 16
Château de Savigny-lès-Beaune Fighter & car museum
D996/396 & D9 Dijion to Reims
Dunkirque Ferry home

Day 17
Work out where the hell we can stay for upto 6 weeks

4500 miles of roof down roads

Edited by mikey k on Sunday 9th September 21:44

[Jockman]

Yet another route from the maestro

Bookmarked for next year

[George H]

I'd scrap day 8 and onwards and just repeat day 7 for the rest of the trip

In fact, I'd cut day 1-6 out too and just fly there

[petesv8v]

Excellent route - did the Pyrenees cycling cols and into Spain in 2008 10 days before Tour De France so roads were all repaired/ resurfaced.
The only thing missing seems to be where on about day 8/9 you propose to purchase new tyres.

[BingoBob]

Sunset on the Dune de Pyla - wonderful.

You don't have to use the public car park and walk all the way up, if you are a bit wiley, you can drive 2/3 of the way up behind the dune by going past Pyla-sur-(from Arcachon) then up, up, up.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=arcachon&d...

Edited by BingoBob on Thursday 30th August 18:36

[BingoBob]

Actually, just do Day 6 then Day 7 over and over again until it's time to come home.

[mikey k]

George - one day you will put some miles on that car!
Pete - that had crossed my mind we will see how we go not
Bingo - I suspected as much having looked on street view
Right off to pack some more boxes

[notsaV8V]

I have a place close to Collioure and am there now. You might want to keep the roof up as it is raining and 21 Deg! Let's hope the weather improves by the time you get here. Shame I will have had to head home by the time you get down this way but do spend more time in Longuedoc- Rousillon as there are some fantastic roads, great scenery, and awesome wine and food if you take the time to find it.

Have a great trip.

Notsa

[dredders]

Wow, if moving house can be that much fun - I need to think about moving - have a great great trip.

[George H]

mikey k said:

George - one day you will put some miles on that car!

Not the miles that bother me, it's the driving when massively hungover on the following day that means I wouldn't want to go on a driving holiday!

Especially when I could be sat at a pool bar with a drink

[Stedman]

Oradour Sur Glane is a very very good shout.

Highly recommended to anyone who is travelling near by or through.

[Neil1300R]

Off to France tomorrow as well.
Route:-
Day 1
Folkstone - Tunnel - Dinard - Grand Hotel
Have Sanef toll tag as well
Day 2
Relax, drink too much beer / wine, and eat too much
Day 3
repeat day 2, might add swimming in hotel pool
Day 4
Repeat day 3, plus might go for a drive!
Day 5
See Day 4
Day 6
See day 5
Day 7
see day 2
Day 8
reverse of day 1

[George H]

You could learn a thing or two about driving holidays from Neil I think Mikey

[mikey k]

Notsa - not looked at the forecast can't be worse than it is here
Dredders - believe me you don't want to move house the way we are This holiday is the respite!
Stedman - I've seen pictures and read about it, looks like a surreal place

Euros arrived this morning and car is almost packed

[Grant3]

I hope you have a fantastic trip Mikey, must confess I'm envious, you have put together another great itinerary and the Roadster is the perfect weapon.

[johng39]

mikey k said:

I needed a distraction for the nightmare of house moves and bd incompetent solicitors

I feel your pain Mikey. I have a story or 3 to tell about moving!!!!

Have a great time

[George H]

johng39 said:

I feel your pain Mikey. I have a story or 3 to tell about moving!!!!

Are they very moving stories?

[hartley]

How about this for a moving story from hell - happening to a friend of mine as we speak.
Sells his house but legals stall as purchasing solicitor finds out he does not own a strip of land under part of his house. meanwhile he buys a bigger house only to find between and exchange and completion the seller's assets are frozen on the day he moves in and the sale can,t complete but he is left squatting in the new house until the lawyers sort it out - still not resolved a week on ,!!!!!! your'e story cannot be that bad ?

[mikey k]

I feel for him
We had the land one and some!
He got a lot closer to buying than we have, we are homeless until late October
But we are looking at it like a 6 week holiday
Cars all packed and checked ready for the off tomorrow

[petecowie]

Am also going through the crap solicitor hell at the moment, have an idea for a website/business venture which I think could have some value, just trying to decide if I have the skills/contacts to set up myself of If I need to bring someone on board. Makes me never want to move ever again!