Planning roundtrip - St. Malo to Spain for 2wks

[Sanchez]

Hello everyone! Great to be a part of this site!

Bought the BIRD a month ago for a trip with the misses first 2 weeks september from St. Malo, through France and into Spain (prob down to Madrid, maybe even on to Murcia to see family if we have time). I NEVER REALISED HOW GOOD THE BIRD IS and how much I love it! So looking forward to the trip.

However,

This will be my FIRST tour! :/

I would love some suggestions on the route planning. Anyone done the trip before, any great routes to take? Lovely Roads? Beautiful Villages? Must-see sights?

We would like it to be easy going. Not to much set-in-stone. Hopefully spend about 4 or 5 nights on the way down to Madrid/Murcia then 2 or 3 nights at that destination before heading back. We would like the TRIP to be the holiday The experience, the adventure

Ive been told about the Loire Valley and Dordogne Region of France, the Millau Viaduct, the N260 in the Pyrenees, and Andorra. Any more french things to do/see?

I would love to go through Pamplona in Spain and the misses wants to see barcelona. I was thinking if it was a round trip to go through the West side of the french/spanish border through San Sebastian and the other way through the East side -N260, Perpignan etc on the way back or vis-versa??

Its just SUCH a big topic with SO MANY options! I know there are a lot of experienced riders out there with experiences and knowledge...so any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you in advance if you can help at all.

Ill be in your debt!

 

[robsbird]

If I was you I'd change my plain and hop on the boat to Bilbao

As there is is not that much down the west cost don't get me wrong it's nice but I found my self zig zagging down to see the nice bit but it added so much time on and to many miles to enjoy it all and was a mad rust to get back up

As its about 600mile from getting off the boat down to the mountains as it is if you start zig zagging like I did you have to put in a 250 mile a day 2 up is not fun

Just a thought

:dunno:

 

[Sanchez]

Thank you for the feedback!

I shall take it into serious consideration!

Makes sense, even if I was to Start where you said and then drive back through France

 

[ChazUFO]

Hello everyone! Great to be a part of this site!

Bought the BIRD a month ago for a trip with the misses first 2 weeks september from St. Malo, through France and into Spain (prob down to Madrid, maybe even on to Murcia to see family if we have time). I NEVER REALISED HOW GOOD THE BIRD IS and how much I love it! So looking forward to the trip.

However,

This will be my FIRST tour! :/

I would love some suggestions on the route planning. Anyone done the trip before, any great routes to take? Lovely Roads? Beautiful Villages? Must-see sights?

We would like it to be easy going. Not to much set-in-stone. Hopefully spend about 4 or 5 nights on the way down to Madrid/Murcia then 2 or 3 nights at that destination before heading back. We would like the TRIP to be the holiday The experience, the adventure

Ive been told about the Loire Valley and Dordogne Region of France, the Millau Viaduct, the N260 in the Pyrenees, and Andorra. Any more french things to do/see?

I would love to go through Pamplona in Spain and the misses wants to see barcelona. I was thinking if it was a round trip to go through the West side of the french/spanish border through San Sebastian and the other way through the East side -N260, Perpignan etc on the way back or vis-versa??

Its just SUCH a big topic with SO MANY options! I know there are a lot of experienced riders out there with experiences and knowledge...so any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you in advance if you can help at all.

Ill be in your debt!

Hi Ya
I'm off on 9th June to Bilbao, doing the Pyreneese then heading back up through France to Le Harvre.
Two sites I've found which are VERY useful for routes are:
http://www.bestbikingroads.com/
You can look where you're going and see what routes other riders have listed in that area as good routes to take.

This next site is run by a guy called Denis and he's been brilliant with route suggestions and other useful comments about riding in Spain. He lives there and has a passion for touring, really nice guy too. Tell him what your rough plans are and he'll probably make all sorts of really brilliant suggestions.
http://www.roadtrooper.com/

Other than that just Google the b'jesus out of motorcycling in Spain and spend hours sifting through everything that comes up. I tend to like lots of forward planning so i've spent HOURS doing this for this years trip.
Lots of people rave about the N260 along the south side of the mountains in northern Spain. We'll be doing a chunk of it and so looking forward to it all.

Cheers

Chaz

 

[Sanchez]

Thank you for taking the time to write and give some useful information

So how was the trip!?!

 

[57grant]

Another option to consider is taking the bike south on the motorail from S'Stellanbosch,
Railsavers are specialists at arranging bike transport in Europe. We used them last year, trains are excellent, good resturant car, it saves on the drudge of riding over 800 miles south. Brekfast in morning to start your holiday in the sunny south. I am at work now, but if you e-mail me at home I can forward their details

grant.webb1@btinternet.com
07876251906 mobile

Milleau bridge worth seeing and riding over as a great example of british design and engineering! Andorra well worth a visit, I can reccomend the chinese resturant there and there are loads of bike shops selling very low tax goodies such as Arais and Shoeis. You can post stuff home from there if you wish. The coast road running south from near marsailles to barcellona is one of the best and most enjoyable rides I have ever had. If you get to barcellona check out the Goudi architecture *WOW* and his cathederal , enjoy the street culture and entertainment and be very careful about security. Bloody place is plagued with packs of pickpockets and muggers and petty thieves. Lock your bike up very well with two different devices and consider carefully where you park. I dont know what interrests you but a little further south is Figures with Salvadore Dalis home and museum, well I thought it was great as I am a big fan.

See other posts on the forum for suggestions of spares to take. My suggestion is to travel very light with just one bag. Then when you leave your bike you take everything with you in one go.
+

Enjoy!

Grant