France/Spain trip - Updated with Pics

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DavShill · #1 Post by **DavShill** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 8:40 pm

So in order to get me through the damp days of January I am planning our bike trip this year. Plan is to ride through France and through Spain. Spend 5 nights with relatives near Mojacar then head back taking a different route. Overnight stops are already provisionally booked so the next stage is to plan the daily routes. Whole trip will be just over three weeks. We will be planning some time off the bike by spending a couple of nights at a two places heading south and the same on the homeward journey.

We'll be crossing the Pyrenees via Pas de la Casa through Andorra. We will also visit Sarlat, Teruel, Leida, Carcassonne, Puy, Annecy and Troyes, among others.

Hotels in Spain are surprisingly cheap and many of the places we are visiting are world heritage towns. Should be an adventure............. But could obviously also result in divorce !!!

More to follow.

D-Rider · #2 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 10:27 pm

We were in Carcasonne (and surrounding area) last summer - wonderful part of the world.

Enjoy your trip

#3 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 8:11 pm

Excellent stuff. I remember Pas de la Casa from the days wheen I foolishly tried snowboarding. And probably the cheapest fuel on the continent is available on the road leading upwards out of Pas towards Soldeu.

Let us know what dates you're planning it for, we might even be in the region ourselves...

HisNibbs · #4 Post by **HisNibbs** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 11:47 pm

So I think the roads through the mountans and in Spain are so beautifuly fast and sweeping, and the police so accomodating. Divorce? Seperation due to incarceration might actualy make the heart grow fonder.... A little jealouse can you tell?

flatlander · #5 Post by **flatlander** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 12:31 am

Lleida is a shit hole with very little to recommend it I wouldn't spend too much time there crossing at Bourge Madame via the tunnel is loads better unless you want to go to the Spa ... To me Andorra has very little to recommend it bit the road from Bourge Madame to la seu de urge lol is good and la seu is ok too. From there to lleida is a good road but there are better places to stay around that area Tarrega is smaller and the C13 which you can pick up via Agramunt after going through Artesa del segre is good all the way down past Tarrega. Barcelona is an hour away from there and easy to get to

From Carcassone there is a cracking road through the mountains head out to esperaza due south and cross to Foix to pick up the Andorra road no petrol stations between Foux and the border though. Great B and B in esperaza too

Teruel has the best Jamon Serrano in Spain IMHO Cuenca is good too again IMHO

I Have generally used 3 main routes to go up and down and love going through Bilbao and the French Coast side but generally go down through Toulouse way. We did come back up one time via the big bridge jobby at Millau which was a real waste of time as the main access was the most boring road in the world and a distinct poor choice compared to other routes. Went another time from Cahors across to it and back across and that eas different again but still had to make a specific long detour

Love French drivers on the open road. There are cameras in Spain and tgey aren't mad on you taking the p156 I found the gendarmes a lot more willing to accept the odd excess
Anyway fantastic riding always you'll love it

flatlander · #6 Post by **flatlander** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 11:43 pm

Should point out I've been coming to lleida for over 20 years

DavShill · #7 Post by **DavShill** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 1:55 pm

Thanks everyone. Interested in Flatlander's comments about Lleida. We are only spending one night there but I'll check it out in advance and may amend the overnight stop.

flatlander · #8 Post by **flatlander** » Sun Jan 10, 2016 12:03 am

An overnight stop is about as far as I'd go I mean its not he'll its just a bit of a mess of a place and locally they have gone nuts for speed cameras / radar everywhere.

Some or the areas round about a are pretty nice

Aladinsaneuk · #9 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:21 pm

Don't forget your high via jackets...

#10 Post by **mangocrazy** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:39 am

Aladinsaneuk wrote:Don't forget your high via jackets...

I don't know about Spain, but that's been quietly dropped in France.

flatlander · #11 Post by **flatlander** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 11:00 am

Didn't See anyone wearing one past week besidès they don't have a government yet or has that changed today?

D-Rider · #12 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:28 pm

It's been brought back in France (I saw something the other day about it).
Both rider and passenger have to have them - not to wear while you are riding but by the roadside if you break down etc.

This link might help: http://www.drive-france.com/faqs/motorcycling-france/

#13 Post by **mangocrazy** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:32 pm

D-Rider wrote:It's been brought back in France (I saw something the other day about it).
Both rider and passenger have to have them - not to wear while you are riding but by the roadside if you break down etc.

Ah, OK. At least that is only bringing bike riders into line with car drivers. Car drivers have had to carry hi-vis for use in a breakdown situation for a while now. The original requirement for bikers to wear hi-vis at all times was clearly discriminatory, ridiculous and unenforceable under EU law.

flatlander · #14 Post by **flatlander** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 2:15 pm

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/guide ... ring/spain

#15 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 3:09 pm

D-Rider wrote:It's been brought back in France (I saw something the other day about it).
Both rider and passenger have to have them - not to wear while you are riding but by the roadside if you break down etc.

This link might help: http://www.drive-france.com/faqs/motorcycling-france/

And coincidentally, while in Lidl today I noticed that they have high-vis vests on offer - £3 for 2 or £1.99 each. Seemed rude not to... Just stow them in the seat hump and you're good to go.