Col de la Bonette

[fairb]

We had a great trip to the Southern Alps, Monaco and Provence over the last 9 days. Although Monaco was a just a 'got the T-shirt' fleeting visit. Too hot and jammed up to stay. The highlight was blocking the toll booth on the way in. Caused a jam and some abuse from the car behind us. Avignon was very nice as were the roads around the gorge regions in the Ardeche and Provence.

Hello to Nigel (on the Triumph Explorer and owns a distinctively coloured Bird). It was good to chat to you after we'd been to the col de la Bonette. Definitely a high point of the trip! Beautiful weather and great roads. Brilliant day. Hope you had a great trip as well. After doing 1900 miles, the old girl is now at 60K and goes as well as she always did. (Must get the valve clearances checked soon.) Some photos of the col.

Fitted Avon Storm 3D X-M front and back before I went. Wear seems OK. It was a bit damp yesterday coming back and I had a front end skid on the white paint of a crossing. Also had the rear end spin up on a weird strip of white paint as I was accelerating out of a village. It will come as no surprise to hear that wet white paint is very slippery so I don't think this was a fault with the tyres. So overall the tyres went OK but I'll keep an eye on them given the comments elsewhere on this forum.

 

[Vinterceptor]

Wow, sounds like a brilliant trip, thought only aircraft went to that altitude@tu* great pics too btw.... have ya got anymore

 

[fairb]

The missus surrounded by a bunch of German bikers who had had a bit too much of the liverwerst the night before. Went something like "*fart*, das ist gut, ya? Ha Ha".

Some Brits taking some old sports cars to Monte Carlo.

 

[fairb]

The view from the balcony of the apartment we stayed at for a night. Lucked out with an on the way booking with booking.com. Lovely place.

Did do a part of the circuit before we left. The bit that comes down the windy bit and then goes underneath a building. Nothing was going that fast in Monaco apart from the deadly scooter boys.

Avignon, lovely town.

Sur le pont d'Avignon

Chambre d'Hotes outside Avignon. Figs from the garden. Another on the way booking through booking.com.

The gorges of the Ardeche on the way home. Boy did it cool down just after this. Went from ~26 to 11 degrees. Thought we were in Scotland. Warmed up again when we left the Ardeche.

 

[Tinytim]

Great pics mate and thanks for sharing. @tu*

 

[ramo]

looks like a good time was had by all@tu*@tu*


greats pics@tu*

 

[AndyBxx]

Fair b, was this trip with an organised tour company?
Would love to do something similar
Brilliant pics mate @tu*

Andy

 

[fairb]

Fair b, was this trip with an organised tour company?
Would love to do something similar
Brilliant pics mate @tu*

Andy

No, we (wife and me) usually take a trip over to mainland Europe once a year. This year we just booked a ferry to France, decided on the general area we wanted to go and booked the first couple of nights accommodation before we left. On the way we get a better idea of where we'd like to go and book up places. Used booking.com this time. (We take a little netbook with us to book accommodation as we go.) Or you can just turn up at a B&B (chambre d'hotes) like you do here. Usually head for the mountain regions, so Dolomites, Pyrenees and Alps so far. Haven't done the Spanish mountains yet. Maybe next year?

 

[Jono]

Can recommend Northern Spain and the Picos Mountains @tu*

 

[fairb]

I don't think we went as fast as him. fl4g71 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pTzyc9xFY

 

[Naggedhusband]

Only just spotted this thread... awesome pics mate. @tu*