Come and join us on one of our most popular tours to the spectacular Bridge over the River Tarn in
Southern France. The bridge designed by Norman Foster is the tallest suspension bridge in the world (1,132 ft) - taller than the Eiffel Tower!
Our route to the Gorges Du Tarn will take us through fantastic scenery, historic and beautiful towns
and villages and National Parks. Due to a complete hatred of motorways and trunk roads the route is
designed to use only small ‘D’ roads which will not only enable you to experience terrific biking roads but will fully immerse you in the delights of rural France.
All routes and hotels have been fully researched and you will be accompanied by an experienced guide.
There are regular rest stops for coffee, photos, etc, however, it is a motorcycle holiday so you will be
spending a good 6hrs in the saddle each day. There will be a cross section of riders ranging from the
vastly experienced to newcomers. We will encourage all participants to ride within their own comfort
zone and limits. The emphasis is on enjoying the roads, scenery and comradeship, not on seeing who
can get to the destination quickest! Therefore if you are new to biking don’t be shy or intimidated - come and join us - you won’t regret it.
An outline itinerary is listed below :-
Day 1: Dover - Bagnoles de L’Orne - (270 miles approx).
The tour will begin at the port of Dover where you will be met by a British Bike Tour representative and
we will board the ferry to Calais. We will cover approximately 140 miles on the motorway before
heading across country and onto some more interesting roads. We will pass through the Falais gap and
head for the twisty roads of the River Orne valley. These roads represent a good taste of things to
come and will enable you to acclimatise to the lack of traffic, lack of speed cameras, and considerate
drivers! We will be staying in one our favourite hotels in the lovely Spa town of Bagnoles.
Day 2: Bagnoles - Chateauroux - (200 miles approx).
Up early to enjoy breakfast and then we are off, traveling deep into the Loire valley. A UNESCO world
heritage site, this region is world renowned for its sophisticated cities, luxuriant landscape and
magnificent food and wine. We will take the opportunity to stop off at beautiful Saumur, renowned for
wine, chateau, troglodyte dwellings, and mushroom caves! There will be plenty of stops for coffee and lunch as we spend time enjoying this unspoiled area of France.
Day 3: Chateauroux - Brive-La-Gaillarde - (220 miles approx).
Ok, by now we should be well used to riding on the wrong side of the road and French highway rules!!
Now the roads become even more challenging as we follow the River Creuse through the gorges south
of Argenton-sur-Creuse and onto Lac Chambon. We then climb up into the Plateau de Millevaches
(known as the plateau of a thousand springs). This is a step on the Northern edge of the Massif
Central and is wide and sparsely populated landscape. The roads will be deserted and will take us past
the stunning Lac de Vassiviere and through beautiful tree plantations - just watch out for the logging lorries which don’t leave you much room!
Day 4: Brive - Rodez - (220 miles approx).
We are now in the heart of the Massif Central, in the Auvergne region. We will take the single track
road into the centre of the Monts du Cantal alongside the valley du Falgoux and then up to a height of
nearly 6000 ft at Puy Mary. It is hard to believe that all these mountains were once part of the largest
volcano in the whole of Europe. The energetic amongst us may wish to climb the summit of Puy Mary
which takes about 25 minutes. Riding on these narrow roads is a real thrill, enhanced by the fabulous
views around every bend. In the evening you can have a dip in the outdoor pool before dinner or just settle in for a few beers at the friendly hotel bar.
This is the day that we reach our destination. All things being equal we should arrive at the bridge
midmorning. The bridge was built as part of a by-pass of the village of Millau which is a major
bottleneck in the summer. It is estimated that the bridge takes atleast 2hrs off a journey during the
summertime! It is a stunning creation and does not appear as eyesore in what must be one of the most
scenic parts of the world. Having fully appreciated the bridge it is time to head off along one of
Europe’s most spectacular gorges, the Gorges du Tarn. The gorge is 15 miles long and 1300ft deep, is
flanked by rocky bluffs and is scaled by roads with dizzying bends and panoramic views. Once out of
the gorge we will move onto the dramatic Corniche des Cevennes made famous by Robert Louis
Stevenson and his ‘Travels with a donkey’. I wonder what Mr Stevenson would make of my 150 horses
! In the evening, we have a tradition of going and playing 10 pin bowling - always a good laugh.
Day 6: Millau - La Bourboule - (270 miles approx).
We are now heading back northwards. My preferred route northwards is across the bleak but beautiful
Monts d’Aubrac and Monts Dore. If we are lucky the road race track up Mont Dore will be open and we
can fully exploit the grippy tarmac. The road is used for hill climbs and speed trials. Pity that there is
traffic going in both directions!! Our usual hotel has the benefit of a heated indoor pool - what a marvelous way to relax after a long days ride.
Day 7: La Bourboule - Chinon - (250 miles approx).
Today we will be moving out of the Massif Central and back up to the Touraine region of the Loire. In
the morning we will head up Puy Dome - an extinct volcano which offers fantastic 360 degree views.
Then in the afternoon, the roads will be a mixture of fast long straights and twisty bends running
through the Parc Naturel Regional Du Livradois-Forez before heading down into the plains of Berry.
From there we head towards the medieval town of Loches and our hotel in the historic city of Chinon.
It is a bit of a tradition to have a late night in Chinon - there is an excellent live music venue in the town!
Day 8: Chinon - Le Mans - (100 miles approx).
A short day today, so we can have a bit of a lie-in. The journey north takes us back over the Loire
river and into the Northern Loire for our last night together. We will journey up the famous Mulsanne
straight and head for our hotel in the centre of Le Mans. Time to relax, have a few beers over a slap
up meal, explore the numerous bars in Le Mans, exchange e-mail addresses and stories of the trip
Day 9: Le Mans - Calais (280 miles approx).
Time to leave to catch your afternoon ferry from Calais.
What You Get and Costs.
The basic cost of the tour is £675 for a single rider in a shared room; £875 for a single rider in a single room and £1200
for a rider and pillion. For these prices you will get the following:-
Return ferry crossing (Dover- Calais)
Eight nights accommodation in good quality hotels
Breakfast each morning.
Service throughout the trip of British Bike Tours guide(s).
Route maps (paper based and/or digital - Garmin Mapsource)
Hotel parking
The following is not included:
Petrol
Travel Insurance
Breakdown cover insurance
Evening Meals
You need to budget around 20 - 25 euros for a decent 3 course evening meal. For lunchtimes we try and use local
bakers for sandwiches/baguettes etc. Evening meal costs are very much dependent on how much wine and beer you drink!!
Schedules
We are running the ‘Bridge in the Sky’ tour twice in 2012. Dates are:
Thursday 17 May - Friday 25 May
Thursday 9 August - Friday 17 August
WANT TO BOOK - £120 DEPOSIT REQUIRED TO SECURE A PLACE. WE TAKE ALL
MAJOR CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS. CLICK BELOW TO BOOK ON-LINE.
