Spain and France 2013 Spring

[MacDoc]

While I'm not riding this time ( after seeing the roads next time will be different ) I figured some teasers might be in order.
Working backwards....this was incredible - The Bridge at Millau. Some of those towers are each larger than the Eiffel

What a stunning bit of engineering - you have to look at the tiny cars to understand the scale of this..

so elegant from every view

Speed limits are 130 in this area and we cruised at 140-150 when traffic was light.
Got filtered by a cop on a ramp ....geez.

I'll post up some of the pics from the Pyrenees National Park which straddles Spain and France and I saw many riders enjoying the warm day despite being above the treeline and loads of snow around.

We are currently staying a couple days in Arles which was founded around 2600 years ago by the Greeks and has a long history and amazing Roman and later buildings and ruins including a working amphitheatre where Gypsy Kings are playing later in the month.

More later but this caught my eye wandering the town. That's a roman amphitheatre over 1600 years old and still in use that they are riding beside. The architecture book for the town was a foot thick.



Scooters and smaller ( a 1 cylinder bicycle went chugging by ) dominate the towns. Many Burgmans as well both in town and on the highway. Loads of maxi - scoots and adventure bikes in the mountains.
More soon - wandering the Camargue today -

 

[tango]

I was in Millau last summer. The bridge and southern France is stunning. Just trying now to figure out how to ship my bike over and leave it there for a few years. Anyone done this?

TC

 

[MacDoc]

Friend of ours had his mini-camper over here in storage. You might be better to buy here
Don't know about mcycles in Andorra but everything else is incredibly cheap with no taxes - place is crowded with stores and shoppers -

 

[kiwi]

There's a thread here posted by "Face" who did an amazing ride in Spain last year - unbelievable. Try searching for it.

 

[NightShadow]

Hey Mac - you better rent something and hit the mountains. LOL

 

[MacDoc]

Oh believe me I'm noodling something for a 2015 jaunt in the same area WITH a bike rental this time..

Wait till you see the photods - just fantastic roads.

 

[lowrider]

Some General Info: I did Spain/Andorra/France (Barcelona up to Normandy - back down to the Cote d'zur; back to Barcelona) a few years ago. I would recommend simply renting a bike there as: it is not horribly expensive; you get a pretty new, detailed/serviced bike; unlimited km; roadside pick up and replacement bike if anything goes wrong/side luggage and top box - I also took a large duffel bag that has "shoulders" to sit on the seat behind me. The cost in Barcelona was about $$500 Euros per week (less for monthly I think); so approx. C$100 per day - this was for a BMW 650GS (this is the 798cc twin) - which was also an excellent choice for a all round, light bike that took me through many rural as well as urban areas. I highly recommend a GPS that is mapped for Europe. they will charge you about $12 Euros per day ! if you want to rent one, so easily worth the cost in advance. It has all photo-radar mapped also which will likely save you a bundle, as it is everywhere. and unless you can read Spanish and French while navigating round-a-bouts, then you will wish you had one. It will find you a reasonable hotel in any small town, etc. etc. The speedlimits are generous everywhere (100 on country roads, 70 in towns) but there is just fabulous riding everywhere so take your pick of routes - mountains, countryside, etc. etc. It is your preference as to what you want to see, but I will say that seeing the Normandy beaches is a must-do-in-a-lifetime; the energy there is indescribable; very, very solemn, people will be crying, etc. etc. a great destination for any country-type ride (I am not a war historian at all and I found it incredible). Last tip, no matter what the weather when you go, it gets cold by the English Channel if you are around those parts; and can also be wet at any time anywhere. Would love to go back: small French towns; local French food and wine; fabulous riding.

 

[MacDoc]

I agree with all you said especially the Normandy Beaches - amazing how torn up the land still is.

Spain is cheaper than France and Andorra is hilarious cheap.

AIrBNB is good for places to stay.

We had $47 Canadian just 100 m from the Guggenheim in Bilbao.

Barcelona is just terrific place.