Motorcycle Tour Ireland France Italy 2025 Ep 8 B.
Col D’IZOARD (2360 M), La Chalp, Vars, Guillestre, decided to ride to Col De La Bonette the next day ( highest paved road in France ) and on to Barcelonette and our accommodation in a ski resort in Pra Loup – .
This day has been split into two episodes 8 & 8 B –
We set off and soon encountered rain – it was definitely going to happen at some point but it didn’t ruin the trip although I should have wiped the camera lens more often. Eventually we found the sunshine and dry roads, but the roads we travelled in the rain were tremendous in spite o the slippy over banding in places.
This area is once again stacked with lovely roads, stunning views and lottos happy bikers – some in more of a hurry, but happy……Even better was that the Col D’Izoard has been on my Bucket List for a while and great to visit it as part of the other Grand Alps we plan to visit along the way too.
The Route de Grande Alps is a fantastic place to ride the bikes.
Background :-
ON OUR WAY TO RIDE THE ROUTE DES GRANDE ALPS & ROUTE NAPOLEON along with the Gorge De Verdon, the balcony roads of the Gorge de Vercours and any other peaks, valleys & twisty road we can find along the way. All of this, before heading to visit Oradour sur Glane and then the Normandy beach war memorials on our way back to Cherbourg.
On our Twisties & Beer tour, we left Ballygawley/Monaghan and rode to Dublin to catch the ferry to Cherbourg. Geoff & Percy were travelling through the UK, to get to the Newhaven ferry to Dieppe, and I had us all booked into a cheap hotel with secure parking on the southern ring road of Chartres – in Barjouville – as that would be similar distances for both groups and would be a good start for our trip towards the Alps and beyond.
This trip had it all – something we will not forget. Riding to the highest paved road in France and then to visit Europe’s Grand Canyon. Great friends, craic, roads, scenery, beer, food, the odd mishap, rain, sunshine, no mechanical issues and a lot of laughs.
Thanks for watching our efforts and hopefully these videos will help inspire you to start planning your own trip, big or small, either solo or with friends. If we can do it, so can you. It was great meeting David at the bike queue for the ferry, who while nervous of the 3 week solo trip he had planned to do, and just go with the flow. I had completed a solo trip to watch the Bol D’Or 24 hour bike race in the Paul Ricard circuit near Toulon, when I was 23 many years ago, with a tent and the AA Camping and caravanning guide book, no mobiles etc and had a fantastic trip and experience. I hope David enjoyed his trip too…..The first step is said to be the hardest, but hats off – he was on the ferry, so good luck to him and all those who follow and share this fantastic and very fortunate way of travelling.
Cheers. T