First time in France on a bike, any advice?
Discussion
July we are over to Normandy for 5 days to see the WW2 sites. Planning a hotel in the town of Bayeux.
I've got European insurance and breakdown cover via Bemoto. My Multistrada is relatively new and reliable !
Is there anything as a novice I should be aware off, do or remember to take before the trip ?
Cheers
I've got European insurance and breakdown cover via Bemoto. My Multistrada is relatively new and reliable !
Is there anything as a novice I should be aware off, do or remember to take before the trip ?
Cheers
I put some yellow and green electrical tape round the right hand mirror stalk to remind me what side of the road I should be on. Surprisingly easy to make a mistake on a bike.
Other than that, little difference to how you would pack for a UK trip really. Puncture kit if you don't normally have one.
Other than that, little difference to how you would pack for a UK trip really. Puncture kit if you don't normally have one.
This might help.
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-vie...
MCN have something simlilar.
We carry various bits that we never need (touch wood), including accident forms in various languages.
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-vie...
MCN have something simlilar.
We carry various bits that we never need (touch wood), including accident forms in various languages.
My old Multistrada on a D-Day beaches tour - circa 2012. Note the tailback… that’s all I took for about 5 nights.
Pack light is my advice, nothing worse than an overloaded bike! Wash kit, pair of shorts, flip flops 1x underwear, socks and t-shirt per day, phone charger, passport and cards. Plus a spare pair of gloves as I hate cold wet hands. Anything else I need I figure I can buy.
Have a great trip - I’m envious!
FrazDav said:
My old Multistrada on a D-Day beaches tour - circa 2012. Note the tailback… that’s all I took for about 5 nights.
Pack light is my advice, nothing worse than an overloaded bike! Wash kit, pair of shorts, flip flops 1x underwear, socks and t-shirt per day, phone charger, passport and cards. Plus a spare pair of gloves as I hate cold wet hands. Anything else I need I figure I can buy.
Have a great trip - I’m envious!
Is France a cash based culture, or are they all "prefer" credit cards now (like most places here) ?
but cards work just about everywhere in France.Bayeux is perfect for a WW2 explore. I did the same last year, went there and back on the Poole/Cherbourg ferry so a breeze in terms of distance. The town closes early so if you're out and about looking for food, don't hang about, there were hordes of Americans wandering last year totally confused with the French approach to business.
If you're coming down from Calais, there are bridge tolls only from memory, no other tolls in Normandy.
Top tips - watch The Longest Day before you go, we had a great time finding filming locations. The cemeteries are very moving and there seems to be a museum around every corner. With five days, you can stop pretty much everywhere. The roads are fine, it's not the Alps though so nice just to enjoy the countryside. Moving off the WW2 stuff, head over to the west coast below Cherbourg, some amazing beach bar/restaurants there and far fewer tourists. We used cards everywhere, like us, the French have gone contactless. Some of the 24/7 petrol pumps can be a pain, having more than one payment card is good insurance. The French are much more motorcycle friendly than in the UK, most will drift over to let you by. Give them a quick leg-wag as you go by to say thanks. A run down the Rue de Libertie (D999 from memory is the number) is well worth an explore but do remember the speed limits, they seem incredibly low.
You'll have a great time.
If you're coming down from Calais, there are bridge tolls only from memory, no other tolls in Normandy.
Top tips - watch The Longest Day before you go, we had a great time finding filming locations. The cemeteries are very moving and there seems to be a museum around every corner. With five days, you can stop pretty much everywhere. The roads are fine, it's not the Alps though so nice just to enjoy the countryside. Moving off the WW2 stuff, head over to the west coast below Cherbourg, some amazing beach bar/restaurants there and far fewer tourists. We used cards everywhere, like us, the French have gone contactless. Some of the 24/7 petrol pumps can be a pain, having more than one payment card is good insurance. The French are much more motorcycle friendly than in the UK, most will drift over to let you by. Give them a quick leg-wag as you go by to say thanks. A run down the Rue de Libertie (D999 from memory is the number) is well worth an explore but do remember the speed limits, they seem incredibly low.
You'll have a great time.
Edited by LFB531 on Tuesday 13th June 09:54
Don't feel pressured to launch straight into your journey if you've been rushed off the ferry/train - usually plenty of places around the ports where you can pull in and sort out navigation etc.
Take extra care to look and go in the correct direction at the first few junctions after arriving, particularly one-way roads or roundabouts.
I've ridden off the ferry, slowed for a quiet roundabout and instinctively looked right like we would in the UK, all clear, proceeded round it the correct way, then immediately afterwards realised that I would have been squished by something coming from the left.
Otherwise just have fun, the continent are generally friendly to bikes and their roads are good. The Mémorial de Caen is an emotional and thought-provoking place to visit.
Take extra care to look and go in the correct direction at the first few junctions after arriving, particularly one-way roads or roundabouts.
I've ridden off the ferry, slowed for a quiet roundabout and instinctively looked right like we would in the UK, all clear, proceeded round it the correct way, then immediately afterwards realised that I would have been squished by something coming from the left.
Otherwise just have fun, the continent are generally friendly to bikes and their roads are good. The Mémorial de Caen is an emotional and thought-provoking place to visit.
I managed 3 weeks round France and only error I made was in calais on the way back pulled straight onto a roundabout looking the wrong way.
Just take it easy it's very tempted to carry some very high speeds on the roads from calais out towards dieppe etc.
Usually the UK plates stick out as they are the ones flying.
In general rho it's a pleasure to use the roads in France.
Worth checking the nav times without toll roads as well.
Normandy youl have a great time we've been twice and found it very moving both times.
American cemetery is particularly eye opening (start of saving private ryan) as are the smaller solitary cemeteries in the middle of farmers fields.
Just take it easy it's very tempted to carry some very high speeds on the roads from calais out towards dieppe etc.
Usually the UK plates stick out as they are the ones flying.
In general rho it's a pleasure to use the roads in France.
Worth checking the nav times without toll roads as well.
Normandy youl have a great time we've been twice and found it very moving both times.
American cemetery is particularly eye opening (start of saving private ryan) as are the smaller solitary cemeteries in the middle of farmers fields.
Dick Seaman said:
EVOTECH3BELL said:
Just take it easy it's very tempted to carry some very high speeds on the roads from calais out towards dieppe etc.
Agreed. Some of the roads are very inviting and some of the speed cameras are very hard to spot.I got caught in France in a 1986 Vw transporter....
On the subject of speed, the town speed limit of 50kph starts at the town sign and ends with the town sign with the name struck out. There are no 50kph repeaters.
If you have a satnav or use the likes of Waze, they will tell you the area where the cameras are, including the difficult to see ones. They can't tell you exactly but they will tell you you are entering a "safety zone". Be cautious for the next couple of miles.
If you have a satnav or use the likes of Waze, they will tell you the area where the cameras are, including the difficult to see ones. They can't tell you exactly but they will tell you you are entering a "safety zone". Be cautious for the next couple of miles.
Edited by black-k1 on Wednesday 14th June 07:48
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