Looking For Some Inspiration

[DG]

Only got a two week window for this years trip and we’ve narrowed it down to Ireland’s WAW, north west Scotland or France. I’ve done Applecross before and did a few days in Norn Iron and as lovely as the countries are I’m kind of thinking if we’re going to do the mileage we’d be as better off heading south and getting across to France where we’d probably get better luck with the weather.

So any decent places to visit in France? Recommendations? We stayed in Carcasonne last year on our way back from Spain and Andorra and a couple of tiny villages which we really enjoyed.

So fire away guys and tell me where’s worth a trip to.

[Spike941]

North West Scotland can be done in a long weekend, but if you have a fortnight, and want an Island in the sun and you like France, then it’s got to be Corsica. Four days to Nice via the Grand route of the Alps. Ferry to Corsica from a Nice, then six days on the Island. Return to Nice and pick your own route back to Blighty. I did that very trip 4 years ago. One of my best.

[sprintster]

Two weeks is plenty of time to head for the south of France and base yourself there for a while.I did it a couple of years ago.Down through the Vercors.I based myself in a tiny village near Castallane but if I went again I would just stay in Castallane for more choices to eat at night.Enough runs in any direction to keep you occupied for about 5 days.Route Napoleon to the coast,Gorges du Verdon,Gorges de Daluis,Gorges Supres du Cians.Back home by the Route des Grande Alpes.

[DG]

Only two replies! Either you lot are not very forthcoming or you don’t get out much!

Come on give me some inspiration!

[SHarper]

To be fair, you've not really supplied anyone with much information, there's so much to take into consideration when holidaying and we don't really know much about you.
Camping/hotels/hostels?
What bike?
What sort of mileage do you like to do a day?
Travelling solo, more than one bike, with pillion?
What do you want when you get to wherever, military sites/hiking/laying about/off-roading/fantastic roads?
Budget?
Where are you setting off from? (It does make a difference)

I'm not being funny (or trying for a change)
With a fortnight you can get to the extremes of Europe, depending on the mileage you're prepared to do a day. Sometimes if you want to get further, you just have to suck it up and do a couple of dreary long haul days. Last year we were in the Dolomites on day three of our trip.
If you're setting off from the Midlands or above the overnight ferry from Hull is the way forward, on the first day of your trip you're waking up on the continent, with a full day to get some mileage under your belt.
I could and probably will go on later in the day.

[DanielS]

Sorry to make this "all about me" but a few of us do 5 days away most years on road/tarmac.

I'm Midlands, they're London. We'd love to do Scotland and one year we will, but the weather is too unpredictable and for a little bit longer fiding time, we can get down to the good bits in France where at least the weather stands a better chance of being good. We put in a very long day and a half at the beginning and the end to get there and back.

In the past we've done - Gorge du Verdon, Route Napoleon, Annecy, Grenoble, Gap, Sisteron. Head down to that area and you can't go far wrong.

[herman]

Almost too big a subject Gav but if you head for the hilly bits in France you will not be disappointed. If you are blatting south then I like the Caen crossing ( call in for a cuppa here if you require) or the tunnel gets you further east and into the green bits a bit quicker. 10% discount on Brittany Ferries here too. We are doing a grand tour this June just wandering around France and northern Spain but I can also recommend Slovenia as a furthest point.

[Brenhden]

Hello,

Ferry, Santander, explore the Picos or TET or Portugal?

Cheers

Bren

[DaveCon]

As has already been said, just about all of Europe is your oyster. I think maybe Greece and Italy are a bit far unless you really "iron-butt" it but maybe that's just me. If you go in June then Scandinavia is also easily within reach - Sweden gets hot, Norway is Scotland on steroids

[DG]

To be fair, you've not really supplied anyone with much information, there's so much to take into consideration when holidaying and we don't really know much about you.

Travelled last 10 years for holidays shortest was 5 day tour of Normandy taking in the ww2 memorial, POIs and beaches etc. Longest was 3 weeks travelling down through France, Spain and then into Morocco down as far as Erg Chebbi and many pistes in between. Sandwiched inbetween those trips has been many European trips furthest west we did was Poland Auchwitz and Birkenau. Furthest south was Croatia. Done Italy many times, a few days in the Black Forest. We’ve also shipped the bike to Iceland and we flew in and toured the Island for a couple of weeks. Last year we rode down to Barcelona via France and on the return we stayed in Andorra for a few days before heading back up through France.

Camping/hotels/hostels?

We do both
What bike?

KTM 1190 R
What sort of mileage do you like to do a day?

As little or as much as we need to.

Travelling solo, more than one bike, with pillion?
Just one bike with the missus on the back.

What do you want when you get to wherever, military sites/hiking/laying about/off-roading/fantastic roads?

Relaxing, hiking, canoeing, love old towns and architecture, local bars and restaurants away from the tourist traps.
Budget?
Probably only have around £1500 as my daughter is getting married this year
Where are you setting off from? (It does make a difference)
Probably Poole-Cherbourg and return Zeebrugge-Hull

I'm not being funny (or trying for a change)
With a fortnight you can get to the extremes of Europe, depending on the mileage you're prepared to do a day. Sometimes if you want to get further, you just have to suck it up and do a couple of dreary long haul days. Last year we were in the Dolomites on day three of our trip.
If you're setting off from the Midlands or above the overnight ferry from Hull is the way forward, on the first day of your trip you're waking up on the continent, with a full day to get some mileage under your belt.
I could and probably will go on later in the day.

Appreciate that. As you can see I’m not a novice, just looking for something different, for the most part of trips we’ve done we’ve just made a blast through France as a means to get to somewhere else, hence the reason for wanting places of interest in France.

Thanks for the input.

Gav