Gordy and Mags abridged tour tale.

[Deleted]

You'll be glad to know I'm posting the edited highlights and not a day by day account of the 30 day trip with the 315 photos

We set off in glorious weather and after a wee trip to the bar on the ferry I took in the sunset.


We were heading for the Vosges mountains on the way to the alps and our first extended stop was Epinal where the really like to decorate the riverside and bridges.


The saturday morning entertainment for these lads was to body surf down the river.


The local cafe owner had a laid back answer to complaints


Our route took us round the east end of Lake Lausanne where we got our first view of some serious mountains across the water.


The first major Col was the Colombierre.



Next extended stop was at La Clusaz, lovely hotel in the Logis du France group


Did some smashing runs in this area.




Shouldn't be a problem getting this washing dry! Petit Col Bernard


Next it was through Val D'Isere and over the Col De L'Iseran




We set off now for Col Du Galibier which was going to be the highest, but the weather took a bad turn and we had to wimp out and take the tunnel which is very near the top. It's single carriage-way and as we were waiting for the lights to change it started snowing. We hadn't seen any views on the way up due to low cloud and torrential rain. On the way down the conditions got even worse with gales and loose sheep on the road adding their bowel movements to the dodgy road conditions. A challenging day! But when we arrived at Briancon the sun came out again.

We got a hotel in the old part of town and had 3 great relaxing days.

Flower powered bike.


Now it was on to the Ardeche Gorge which was stunning too.




Then via the Tarne Gorge



To Millau to see the bridge.




If you go there the best way to see it is from the bus!


And on the way back we had a nice few days at Lille, a nice place for a break before the ferry home.


So, that's it, very condensed but a fuller version should be on our web site soon.

Any questions fire away ;D

[adbru]

Great Trip Gordy,

I'm not jealous.......not a bit.......nope.........not me........ (darn it )

Adbru

[raistling]

adbru said:

Great Trip Gordy,

I'm not jealous.......not a bit.......nope.........not me........ (darn it )

Adbru

What he said

[Deleted]

In Briancon a guy was clearing out a cellar and it looked as if this had just been dragged out, any guesses on the make?



The climb up from Val D'Isere



Every Col had a sandwich place



Some amazing rocks




The French do have exceedingly nice fountains ;D
This one is in Millau



And here's some more of the bridge.

[Oldbiffer]

Amazing pics.

And a weird coincidence, I stayed, nearly thirty years ago, in a hotel in Epinal that is just out of shot! I was working for a couple of days near by.

Tell me more about the logistics: did you organise the trip yourself?

Tony

[Deleted]

oldbiffer said:

Amazing pics.

And a weird coincidence, I stayed, nearly thirty years ago, in a hotel in Epinal that is just out of shot! I was working for a couple of days near by.

Tell me more about the logistics: did you organise the trip yourself?

Tony

Certainly did Tony. got the maps out + google earth and found the web site for the 'Route Des Grande Alps' and the planning started. We'd been to the Vosges before and thought a return visit could be part of our route. I'd also seen some of the Ardeche on the famous Nicky & Nigel house rstoration programme so fancied that area too, and of course the Millau bridge was too close to leave out.
Hotels were just done on the day at the tourist office for 2-3 day stops and the 1 night road stops were done at Etaps if available or Ibis's for a treat.
The return was from Aubenas/Lyon/Chaumont and Lille.
Out of the 30 day trip we must have spent 25 on the bike so it was pretty physically demanding. We didn't go on any Autoroutes on the outward leg after the first 2 days, nearly all 'D' roads which we also used in the Ardeche.
We did use the Autoroutes for coming back north from Lyon as the weather broke.

[knight]

Brilliant photo's gordy, did you go over the bridge , it's impressive. liked the photo's from underneath good angle. would like to see a route if you could manage it.
We've really missed going away this year so I'm envious.

[Deleted]

knight said:

Brilliant photo's gordy, did you go over the bridge , it's impressive. liked the photo's from underneath good angle. would like to see a route if you could manage it.
We've really missed going away this year so I'm envious.

I was for going over the bridge the day after we'd been on the wee bus trip, (best £7 you'll ever spend), but the pillion was in logical mode. We're heading north she says, going over the bridge would take us south. This was true, and when we joined the road north near the bridge you couldn't see it for mist! Someone else on here said is was better viewed from below and they were right. I'm not too bothered we didn't go over it, we got such a good day to see it from the bus. Also the 'D' roads we were using had worn me out and an easy day off the bike was required.
I'm going to have to re-do our web site now I'm on a Mac so I'll try and show the route there. Basically we headed for the Vosges, down to Lake Lausanne at Lausanne, east round it to Thonon Les Bains picked up the Rote Des Grande Alps and followed it to Briancon, headed west to the Ardeche Gorge, Tarne Gorge, Millau, Aubenas, Lyon, Macon, Chaumont, Lille, Zeebrugge. Only use autoroute on Lyon - Lille bit due to weather turning wet.

[knight]

Strange thing is when your coming from the south you can't see it until just before you get on it. your right though its better to stop and see it form the viewing place. didn't go on the bus don't think they were running when we were there. late sunday afternoon, typical of France on a sunday everthing is shut, including Clemont-Ferrand when we got there.
Put a post on when you get the website sorted and I'll have a look.