Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Routes to the Grasse/Nice area?

[Monty]

Originally posted by BDG
Ray, i'm not a great fan of the roads in Northern France from the Tunnel on a bike so tend to avoid that route on the bike, however my best suggestions are definately take autoroute via Reims to avoid Paris and for some light relief from terminal boredom come off at Troyes and go down the N71 to Dijon for a short diversion.

Or for a longer diversion head slightly more to the west, look for Vitry-le-France on the bore d'route south of Reims get to St Dizier and use the N67 to Chaumont, N19 to Langres, N74 to Longeau then D67 to Gray, D475 to Dole (sign on there) then N5 towards Geneva. Then bore d'route to Grenoble and get on the Route Napoleon, as an alternative to flat out down the bore d'routes all the way. Its longer this way but breaks the monotony.

I prefer Le Havre crossings, down thru the Massif and cut across to the Alps myself for a far better variety of roads, but this is not great from Calais.

I concur Shawn, and you saved me having to type it all out....

John

[Monty]

Originally posted by Ray
Mr James,

My legal represetative will be in contact with you shortly..............

How dare you suggest that I F**ked off and left you to the mercy of the carabineri!! Believe me worse had been talked about!!
It was just that me and cookie desparately need the loo!!

Whats wrong with crossing the swiss/italian border 8 times in an hour?? I just lurv riding me Ducati any excuse to do some more miles??

Thought about some sort of GPS but thats cheating??
Far more fun to ride 100 miles in the wrong direction have a quick look at a map then ride another 100 miles in the wrong direction have a quick look at a map ride another...........

Ray.

Glad Paul mentioned this Ray-not that it ever, not for even 1 second, crossed my mind to rib you like that..............oh all right then, perhaps it did...............

John

[Paul James]

Originally posted by 900MAN
My route is
Calais,Arras,Charleville, Metz all on N43 then on to Obernai near Stasbourg.Then run down to belfort dropping down to Lausanne then onto Grenoble. Then Gap then D900 to Digne les Baines through Grasse then onto the coast. Come home via Toulon, Avignon,Clemont Ferrand and finally Paris
Cant wait

Did that one year before last, the return bit is better, particularly the bit through the Grand Massif IMHO. Afraid I see riding through France as just a means to getting into other countries but there are some decent routes if you go off the beaten track a bit. The North is a bit flat but at least the roads are pretty empty and fast. If you fancy a bit of a challenge head towards Psaris and do a lap of the peripherique :P

[BDG]

Originally posted by MARTIN H
Not a big fan of the N71 Troyes to Dijon. I know it gets a lot of praise but It just never seems that memorable to me.

You're right Martin, but i did say 'light relief' from the autoroute, its not the sort of road you head for just for the ride, but it breaks the monotony a bit, and cuts off that corner of the autoroute, but is slower than going down the autoroute.


Ha ha, glad i could beat Gizmo and Monty at summat nicking their routes Never trust a Mackem, we'll nick owt.

[Edited on 31-3-2006 by BDG]

[MARTIN H]

I was usually left in charge of sorting the routes out when we went to France every year. Over the years I kept hearing mention of the N71 in (mostly) car magazines. I think its Evo magazine that mention it a lot so decided to try it out. But as I said I dont really remember it but I do remember the other lads moaning all the time about how much further is it etc.

Anythings better than the monotony of the autoroute though, especialy on a Multistrada.

Sean I meant to ask you as you are quite a regular visitor over there, whats likely to happen if I was flashed at by a speed camera over there? Got flashed a couple of weeks ago on the autoroute from near Verdun to Reims. And also on a twisty road again near Reims this time the flash came out the back of a oldish car parked at the side of the road. The autoroute one was defo a speed camera and I was doing very well into 3 figure speeds. The one that flashed out the back of the car may have just been some French 'doggers' taking some snaps of there activities? Or maybe not?

[BDG]

Originally posted by MARTIN H
I was usually left in charge of sorting the routes out when we went to France every year. Over the years I kept hearing mention of the N71 in (mostly) car magazines. I think its Evo magazine that mention it a lot so decided to try it out. But as I said I dont really remember it but I do remember the other lads moaning all the time about how much further is it etc.

Anythings better than the monotony of the autoroute though, especialy on a Multistrada.

Sean I meant to ask you as you are quite a regular visitor over there, whats likely to happen if I was flashed at by a speed camera over there? Got flashed a couple of weeks ago on the autoroute from near Verdun to Reims. And also on a twisty road again near Reims this time the flash came out the back of a oldish car parked at the side of the road. The autoroute one was defo a speed camera and I was doing very well into 3 figure speeds. The one that flashed out the back of the car may have just been some French 'doggers' taking some snaps of there activities? Or maybe not?

MArtin, i honestly don't know the answer, don't think they'll send anything to the UK (yet) but you may well be on the records of most wanted if you get pulled over there another time, but this is all supposition. I'd be very interested to find out.

There are a couple of sites that list French gatso locations.

[MARTIN H]

Not too worried as I was driving my mates car! Needless to say if theres any comeback I will take the rap though. He kept telling me to slow down and then when it was his turn he went even faster.

[Ray]

Setting off tonight, got a nice backlit globe fastened to the headstock for navigation.

Ray.

[Jiminy]

Ray - I was down in this part of the world only last month - fantastic area.
If you've got spare time try checking this place out - absolutely wonderful place :
Auberge De La Vignette Haute
370 Route Du Village
Auribeau Sur Siagne 06810
France
http://www.vignettehaute.com/

It's a small hotel - not suggesting you stay there unless you fancy something unique, but it's worth having dinner there if you can. The food is great and they have over 1000 little oil bulbs lit in the restaurant area - quite a sight. And there's a little private museum above the reception area retracing love/sex from 22,000BC with lots of curiosities !!

Hope you get a chance to visit. Safe journeys.

Jiminy

[BDG]

Originally posted by Ray
Setting off tonight, got a nice backlit globe fastened to the headstock for navigation.

Ray.

Ray, just a thought, i'm heading down to Port Grimaud/St Trop, in the tin box on Sunday if you need any spares bringing down