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France/Spain trip - bike safe stop overs France/Spain trip - bike safe stop overs
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Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



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  #1  
Old 24 Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meeks
Denis, you seem a bit tetchy? You say people should stay at home? With respect you should probably chill out a little, everyone seems pretty helpful on this site....it is after all a site for everyone to access for help, tips, advice etc? Isn't that one of the sole reasons this site exists?

I bet you have been riding for years, know everything about anything, get cornflakes stuck in your beard, and ride without gloves on in winter.
Well Meek

I'm not tetchy at all - but I was disappointed that you asked all these good people to help you when it seems to me that your request wasnt serious. Are you so without humour that you couldnt see that I was trying to gently tease you about your spoof letter when I said chain your mother to your bike as an alarm? Lighten up! And I didnt say people should stay at home - I suggested that you reconsider travelling given your fears of being kidnapped in France and Spain. Is it any wonder I still think your letter is a deliberate joke! Look - no hard feelings - if you get kidnapped in Calais then I'll give up to 50 pence towards your release. I may be the only contributor....

Your last comments are simply silly and wildly inaccurate. You are clearly confusing me with Bernd Tesch.

Come on! laugh!
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  #2  
Old 25 Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by denis brown
Well Meek

I'm not tetchy at all - but I was disappointed that you asked all these good people to help you when it seems to me that your request wasnt serious. Are you so without humour that you couldnt see that I was trying to gently tease you about your spoof letter when I said chain your mother to your bike as an alarm? Lighten up! And I didnt say people should stay at home - I suggested that you reconsider travelling given your fears of being kidnapped in France and Spain. Is it any wonder I still think your letter is a deliberate joke! Look - no hard feelings - if you get kidnapped in Calais then I'll give up to 50 pence towards your release. I may be the only contributor....

Your last comments are simply silly and wildly inaccurate. You are clearly confusing me with Bernd Tesch.

Come on! laugh!
Denis, fair play, I was having a bit of fun and yes probably inaccurate. No beard? Serious post though, I wouldn't waste anyone's time.

Bossies - my target date for leaving is the 24th July, Sunday. Im going on the Channel Tunnel and will go to Calais. From there I hope to put in some big miles to get me as near to Nantes as I can, so that later in the trip I can do less miles, or more, on some of D roads that have been mentioned in France.

Return date is 4th August. Exact route not set, but leave on 24th July, return on 4th August. Just trying to put the cash aside each month, should be on target. If I aint back from Alicante by the 4th then I may well just keep on going as the missus wont have me back.
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Old 24 Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by harleyrider
You will have no problem camping in France during the summer - I presume you are intending to use campsites. I think "camping sauvage" is not recommended or even allowed. You will manage without speaking French, although making the effort to learn a few everyday words, such as bonjour, merci and s'il vous plait, would be appreciated.
Dear Harleyrider

I can heartily recommend "camping sauvage " to you. It is "even allowed."

Bonne route
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  #4  
Old 25 Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by denis brown
Dear Harleyrider

I can heartily recommend "camping sauvage " to you. It is "even allowed."

Bonne route
CAMPING
La France dispose de quelque 9000 terrains de camping, classés en 1- à 4 étoiles et 2300 sites de camping à la ferme. Le camping sauvage est permis sous réserve de l'accord du propriétaire du terrain. Le camping est interdit sur les plages, en bordure de route, sur certains sites recensés ainsi que dans les réserves et parcs naturels (sauf dans les endroits spécialement prévus à cet effet). Avant d'installer votre camp, prenez la précaution d'en parler à l'office de tourisme local. De plus en plus de terrains de camping aménagés proposent des locations de tentes, de caravanes ou de bungalows.

Would you like me to translate it for you? That's not to say I wouldn't do it myself but I wouldn't recomend it to someone who has to ask the question!
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Old 27 Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by harleyrider
CAMPING
La France dispose de quelque 9000 terrains de camping, classés en 1- à 4 étoiles et 2300 sites de camping à la ferme. Le camping sauvage est permis sous réserve de l'accord du propriétaire du terrain. Le camping est interdit sur les plages, en bordure de route, sur certains sites recensés ainsi que dans les réserves et parcs naturels (sauf dans les endroits spécialement prévus à cet effet). Avant d'installer votre camp, prenez la précaution d'en parler à l'office de tourisme local. De plus en plus de terrains de camping aménagés proposent des locations de tentes, de caravanes ou de bungalows.

Would you like me to translate it for you? That's not to say I wouldn't do it myself but I wouldn't recomend it to someone who has to ask the question!
No need to translate-I can do that. It doesnt seem to have penetrated, that I was recommending that you camp wild, not some authority. Please dont regurgitate some sad little rulebook you found. My first comment to you is more suitable than ever. You just dont get it do you? Never let anyone tell you that you have an IQ of shoe size -it's not true, is it?

Now I'm saying, dont camp wild, as you havent got permission. No-one authorised you. It's not in the rulebook. It's forbidden. You havent got a permit. C'est interdit. Go to your official campsite - give me peace...
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  #6  
Old 27 Apr 2006
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No denis it's you that doesn't get it. I was responding to a post by someone who was clearly naive in their knowledge of France and the language. To recommend they are all right doing things which are against the law is irresponsible. Whether you or I would do it is irrelevant. Do you really want to be responsible for some poor traveller being woken at 3am by a jobsworth gendarme! If they want to do it off their own back then fair enough the chances are they won't have any problems but recomend them to do it - no!
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  #7  
Old 5 Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bossies:
...What we do on all our trips is just buy a michelin map and follow the highlighted "Green" routes. (If you don't know, the green indicates scenic routes). Never fails...
That's a great suggestion, it is exactly what I have done for the past 5 years.

About the only thing I can add is that there are different classifications of roads in France - motorways, 'national' roads, and 'departmental' roads. Departmental roads are the tertiary roads, they tend to be nice, pokey, two-lane windy roads that go through all sorts of interesting places. Even if I have to cross from one side of France to another, I will preferentially choose the departmental roads because the trip is so much nicer, more interesting, more relaxing on these D roads. When you are looking at a map, just look for road numbers that start with a D.

Michael

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  #8  
Old 15 Apr 2006
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Travelling in France
Having lived in the Limousin south western France for 2 years I feel its a safe place for travelling and parking your bikes but watch out for speed traps and obey the 110km restrictions ok
We are about to open a B & B catering for bikers travelling down france
Parking inside and secure a self-catering appartment or B & B and are situated 2 minutes from the A20 one of the main auto routes through France. Would be nice to see some bike travellers
Also a great place for off-roading here the thing is you just get on your bike and go where you want !! maybe worth a trip to have a non-restricted play off road !
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