Suggestions for a 7/8 day Euro trip please

[Steve_D]

Hi all

Looking for suggestions for an 8 day European trip in June/July. In the last 5 years Four of us on our bikes have been to Nice, a villa near the South of France, Lake Garda (twice) and Lake Maggiore. We always meet up with our wives halfway through our trip and staying with them for 2/3 days. This year we were thinking of getting a ferry to Santander, doing a bit of the Pico's, meeting the women in the Perpignan area and then riding home from there. Logistically we have realised that wouldn't work out in the time we have so we are banging our heads to find somewhere different to go to. Even considering going on our own as we've just discovered that the women have arranged a mini break away for themselves and not included us so sod 'em! Don't want to knock our bollocks out riding big miles everyday but don't mind the odd 400-500 mile daily ride if its necessary (our one-day record was a 660 mile home from Chamonix). We hate motorways but realise they are sometimes necessary to get to the good roads and we like mountain roads and/or interesting places/sights. Don't mind getting a ferry one way either out or back but not both ways as that'll mean at least 3 or 4 days of no riding Nothing has been ruled out so, any suggestions?

[Globs]

I'd recommend going due south.

The Dieppe ferry lets you end up nicely placed to go south,
Two stops on the way and you are in the Pyrenees, which is AWESOME for scooters.

On the way down i'd stop at Alencon, Bordeaux-ish, then Isaba via Pau
(copy/paste 42.901382,-0.883534 into Google Maps).

And change campsites as you explore the mountains.
If you actually stick to 90/100kmh on the roads the trip isn't boring, the only boring bits are when you are forced back onto the motorway at the odd place. The villages are good to coast through too - ideal scooter territory.

I'd recommend making a list of the major towns you are going to go through (plan the route with a Big Paper Map), and then as you get close to each town pop the next one into the TomTom, which I found out allows you a seamless directed route. Never rely on the satnav for the route as it just directs you onto the motorways - or if you exclude those - through the middle of Bordeax etc which takes ages.

As a group ride I'd also recommend you setup a series of 'meeting towns' rather than spend the whole trip staring at your mates number plate or your mirrors, so you all go at your own speed and re-group at intervals - it's a far better riding experience IME. On the scooter you want to be alone, when you stop you want your mates - so this type of riding is a win-win.

HTH

[alp231]

How about the harz mountain in Germany went through a few years back http://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/harz.html

[Steve_D]

Thanks Globs but we're not on scooters - Fjr1300, Triumph speed triple, Ducati MultiStrada and a Triumph Trophy. I'd love to do a trip like this on my SH300 and I'd be quite happy to tootle along at 100kph and see some sights but if I did, I might as well be going on my own as I'll only meet up with the others every evening. Campsites - we're all too old and creaky for that sort of a trip!

[Scootypuff snr]

Croatia??? via Spain cutting across bottom of France top of Italy (warmer climate)

[rossm]

How about the harz mountain in Germany went through a few years back http://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/harz.html

Did the Harz mountains before and it was one day trip from London on a R1, fantastic roads there,

Another place to head for in Germany is the Black Forest, the B500 there was made for bikes

[Steve_D]

Biggest mountain road disappointment for me was when we went over the Grossglockner pass one year. Rain and thick fog/mist. Had to take it really slow - visibility very, very poor. Paid for the privilege too. Had to get over it because we were booked in a hotel about 100 metres from the start on the other side. Satnav said a 200 mile detour if we didn't go over.

[Globs]

I think you need the Alps or Pyrenees for Accessible Grandeur











Another idea is to try out the whacky bridges in scandinavia, or the big Milau one in France.

[Steve_D]

The only one thing we are agreed on this year is that we will incorporate the Millau bridge somehow.

[steve_h80]

Cool pics there Globs.