So I'm heading back to the UK at some point next week and I was going to try to take a scenic route to avoid the tolls and enjoy the ride. Any recommendations/ planned routes?? I'm going to be leaving from Nice Thanks
Try this for a start : https://www.google.fr/maps/dir/Nice...45!2m2!1d1.077483!2d49.922992!3e0?hl=en&hl=en I'm assuming you'll be heading to Dieppe for the Dieppe Newhaven crossing. Obviously if you're not, just change your destination. It's a f***ing long way !!!!! The first section is pretty and good riding, but time-consuming. After that it's just doing the miles.
When I did it I went the other way around but went over the Col D'Allos and stopped at Barcelonotte. Then carried on up Route Napoleon. Once I got to Grenoble I followed the motorway to save time.
Cheers. I was going to try head further up into the Alps just to get in some time on twistys. I'm not in too much of a rush back
In that case try to plan a route that includes the "Petit St. Bernard" pass, it's a cracker. Also the Stelvio and Furka passes. Honestly once you're in the Alps you'll forget all about the trip back to UK !!!!
Route Napolean - Petit St Bernard - Grand St Bernard, then up to Interlaken or Andermatt for a couple of nights while you do Furkapass - Grimselpass - Sustenpass - Gotthardpass - Nufenenpass. Then head home via the B500 Black Forest road. Your jaws are going to ache from all that grinning......... But you're going to have some explaining to do - you'll be a couple of weeks late home. (Stelvio pass is a "right of passage" for bikers as it's quite a challenge getting the 40 odd hairpins done right,..... satisfying from an achievement point of view, but IMO doesn't flow and not the most enjoyable ride I've ever done.)
So in the end due to time constraints and being completely unprepared for the change in weather (the drop from 26 degrees to 15) I headed North West through the Ardeche, Dordogne and wiggled my way upto Caen. The Ardeche had some awesome winding roads. The final stretch over Normandy was pretty dull but managed to extend the journey about 1200 miles just zigzagging up the middle of France. Thanks for the recommendations.