Riding in France - Massif Central

[black-k1]

I’m just in the process of booking the annual “lads” long weekend in France on the bikes. (Known as the Old Gits trip – so I’m sure you get the picture!)

This year we’re off to the Massif Central around Clermont-Ferrand. I’ve only ever driven past this area on the Autoroute on the way to the Med. Does anyone on here have experience of this area and have recommendations for hotels/things to do? Does anyone have any knowledge of any “must ride” roads in the area?

[S2rr Kitty]

It's a cracking area.... the gang I do the French trackdays with also do a road trip to the Massif every year.... I've done bits of it on the way to/from tracks - I'll see if I can get a route plan for you...



A

[black-k1]

That would be great - many thanks.

[fergus]

a little bit out of the way, but check out 'route napoleon' on google for some more ideas.

[moto_traxport]

Know the area to the south and its very good.

N122 through Aurillac is fast and flowing (but no petrol for miles upon miles!). D902 from the south into Rodez better than it looks on the map.

A bit south east is the "must do" infamous Gorges de l'Ardeche valley road (don't go at the weekend - crowded with coaches) and fair bit south is the (sorry THE) new motorway bridge over Millau - which is worth it for the ohmygod views and the utterly stunning piece of wriggly motorway just to the south of the bridge which has to be ridden to be believed!

[black-k1]

fergus said:

a little bit out of the way, but check out 'route napoleon' on google for some more ideas.

Thanks Fergus but that’s just a little too far out the way. As we only have 5 days including getting there and back we tend to get to our hotel quickly (via Autoroutes this time) then spend 3 days exploring the local area. We usually stick to a radius of about 75 to 100 miles from the hotel as there is often much to see and do locally.

moto_traxport said:

N122 through Aurillac is fast and flowing (but no petrol for miles upon miles!). D902 from the south into Rodez better than it looks on the map. A bit south east is the "must do" infamous Gorges de l'Ardeche valley road (don't go at the weekend - crowded with coaches) and fair bit south is the (sorry THE) new motorway bridge over Millau - which is worth it for the ohmygod views and the utterly stunning piece of wriggly motorway just to the south of the bridge which has to be ridden to be believed!

N122 and D902 now noted in MS Autoroute – thanks. I have ridden across the bridge over Millau, and you are right, the views are “ohmygod”!

Many thanks

David

[desmo]

See if you can get a track day at La Charade, it is a circuit near Clermont Ferrand. it was the old french GP track in the 70's and has been renovated. Done it in a car on the 2003 Tour Auto, would love to do it on a bike, it's awsome.
Also, be careful on the bigger roads for radar, the French are starting to get a bit hot on it, and they introducing unmarked police bikes with video recording to catch people. it's been well publicised in the french bike press that the police are cracking down on bikers. Saying that, you've still less cance of getting caught than in England.

[black-k1]

Thanks for the “heads up” on the French police radar and unmarked bikes. Like many, for me one of the attractions of riding in France is (was?) the more enlightened view of faster, but still safe, riding. If that is taken away then all that’s left is the good food, cheaper beer and wine, better attitude of other road users to motorcycles, well surfaced roads, superb scenery, good inexpensive hotels, less traffic etc. Will the trip still be worth it I have to ask myself!!!!

Thanks for the suggestion of the track day. The group I’m with prefer road riding to track riding but I’ll certainly give it consideration.

[S2rr Kitty]

black-k1 said:

Thanks for the “heads up” on the French police radar and unmarked bikes. Like many, for me one of the attractions of riding in France is (was?) the more enlightened view of faster, but still safe, riding. The group I’m with prefer road riding to track riding but I’ll certainly give it consideration.

Over the last 2 years they have definitely clamped down.... last year, 6 of our group were impounded, bikes & passports taken, 400 Euro fine (each!) and had their time wasted for about 12 hrs - meaning they missed their ferry & were a day late back for work.... yes, they were doing something very silly but the French are less tolerant to speed tourists than they used to be.

As for French tracks - gets my thumbs up too... they rock!

[moto_traxport]

black-k1 said:

Thanks for the “heads up” on the French police radar and unmarked bikes. Like many, for me one of the attractions of riding in France is (was?) the more enlightened view of faster, but still safe, riding. If that is taken away then all that’s left is the good food, cheaper beer and wine, better attitude of other road users to motorcycles, well surfaced roads, superb scenery, good inexpensive hotels, less traffic etc. Will the trip still be worth it I have to ask myself!!!! Thanks for the suggestion of the track day. The group I’m with prefer road riding to track riding but I’ll certainly give it consideration.

The French experience is still worth it but the Gatsos are a bit of a new shock. They tend to be on busy main roads and ring roads near big cities and stuff, they are quite well signposted but you might get flashed a couple of times (front facing) before it "clicks" as to where they are.

The little used N roads and the D roads are still where the fun is at. The days of sitting for hundreds miles at carefree U2 spyplane type velocities on the big roads are possibly coming to an end?

[black-k1]

moto_traxport said:

The French experience is still worth it ...

Totally agree! Even if the French authorities got as “anally retentive” as the UK authorities about speed (which I don’t think will happen – the French people like to go fast too!) it would still be worth the visit for the wonderfully surfaced uncluttered roads.

moto_traxport said:

The little used N roads and the D roads are still where the fun is at. The days of sitting for hundreds miles at carefree U2 spyplane type velocities on the big roads are possibly coming to an end?

Again, I totally agree about the N and D roads. We tend to stick sub 100mph on the Autoroutes anyway as we have found that above that speed the time spent on the more frequent fuel stops out weights any advantage gained by the higher top speeds. As we only ever use the Autoroutes to “cover some distance quickly” then average speeds are much more important than top speeds.

[desmo]

I agree with whats been said regarding the smaller roads. With the Autoroutes it's just not worth it, better to cruise along and keep a look out. The good thing is that there is more space than in the UK, and the D roads are often very quiet. I enjoy the solidarity of the bike fraternity in france. Always a sign of the hand or foot of the peg when passing etc, always help if you breakdown. Only problem here is that all new bikes are restricted to 100 hp when new, and they're clamping down on derestricting them. It has even been mentioned in the bike press that certain Gendarmeries are installing rolling roads to test bikes! so obviously they're serious.