My First Tour

Mountain passes, sea views and twisty routes galore – I found them all on my first tour! At the beginning of October 2021 I spent ten days on the open road – travelling from London to Nice, then back again. During this time with just me, myself and my motorcycle, I enjoyed some of the best roads and scenery I’ve ever ridden through. Surrounded by nature and breathtaking landscapes, I couldn’t resist hopping off my bike to take a few photos, of which I’ll share with you now. I’ve also included maps for my three favourite routes along the way – the Route des Grande Alpes, the Grand Corniche, and the Route Napoléon.

Paris With Mon Amour

The opening stretch of my first tour began with a ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe. With my girlfriend riding pillion, the aim was to get to Paris as soon as possible, where we would spend the following three days together.

Starting mileage, or should I say kilometreage

Strapped and secured on the ferry

On arrival, the weather was clear and dry, but this turned to drizzle and grey skies for the rest of our stay in the capital. Luckily that was the worst of it for the whole trip, and it certainly didn’t stop us exploring the city!

Exploring the city of romance together

Dreary weather at the beginning of the trip

Early in the morning, on October 4th, my girlfriend and I parted ways – her heading back to London on the Eurostar, and myself continuing south-east by motorcycle.

The Way Down – My First Tour

Leaving the city of love, I took a mixture of autoroutes and departmental roads toward my next destination – Jassans Riottier. Music played in my headphones as I followed the route through the Parc du Morvan. Rolling green hills and fresh country air were in abundance, complimented by undulating strips of road that snaked through them.

Sunny skies on the open road

The rolling hills in the Parc du Morvan

Day two is where the best of the riding kicked off. From outside Lyon, I climbed up into the Alps, where the climate changed noticeably. Thick fog blanketed the roads as I ascended. The conditions were precarious, so I rode slow and steady, wondering how long my ride would take if it were like this the whole way.

Riding through the clouds in the Alps

After 20 minutes of nerve-racking riding, the fog dissipated and revealed awe-inspiring views of the snow capped mountains ahead. This was all part of the Route des Grande Alpes, where the tarmac was draped across the jagged terrain like a piece of string dangled loosely from ones hand. It trickled through the valleys like the rivers it ran along, frequently ascending, then descending again.

Approaching the Route des Grande Alpes

The cold and barren northern mountains

The Route des Grande Alpes, through snow capped mountains

Views from the saddle

River and road bends

At the end of my second solo ride, I laid my helmet in a town called Jausiers.

Running Out Of Petrol On My First Tour

The third leg of my first tour started on the Route des Grande Alpes (RdGA), and finished on the Grand Corniche.

A swift start got wiped out by road works, but I had to say to myself that there were worse places to be delayed. Recommencing, the ride was remarkable. The weather got warmer and the scenery changed with it. Plush greenery lined the winding road, which I seldomly saw another vehicle driving on. I had the route to myself for the majority of the time – a positive fact, until you run out of petrol!

Not a soul in sight

Riding the rocky roads

Cliff hangers, with only one way down

Twists and turns in the distance

With Google Maps indicating that I had another hour before reaching my next via point (where there would be a petrol station), my motorcycle display indicated that I was running on fumes! Not particularly keen on waiting to be rescued from the isolated mountainside, I wondered how I could overcome this issue. Would my bike run on the leftover coffee in my thermos, or my urine??

Scrapping that thought, I eased off the throttle, realising I was on a pretty lengthy downward slope. From that point, until Google Maps indicated that I had 10 minutes between me and the petrol station, I rode the clutch, rolling down the mountain and sparing every drop of fuel possible. Thankfully it worked, and I made it to the pump before hitting empty – albeit dripping in sweat and clenching my…!

Monaco, as seen from the Grand Corniche

Relieved to have reached Nice, I cleaned up and took a three hour walk-around of the city, before drawing the curtains on the first half of my first tour.

The Way Up – My First Tour

Another day, another 6 hours+ of riding ahead! From the French Riviera I rode north on the Route Napoléon – destination Grenoble. A quick detour en route, via the Verdon Gorge, afforded gorge-ous views (sorry!), and more spine-tingling riding. Somehow, the road mysteriously clung to the divided rock faces, with sheer drops into thin air on one side.

The water running through the Verdon Gorge

Don’t look down! – Crossing the gorge

More cliff hangers (it became a theme!)

My bike and beyond

I rejoined the Route Napoléon on the outskirts of Digne, riding in a northerly direction until I reached Grenoble.

My favourite image from the tour

Riding along the Route Napoleon

By this point on my first tour, I was eager to meet some family friends in the Côte-d’Or. My planned route took me past the Lac du Bourget, and saw me straddle the French – Swiss border. In the distance I could see a very faint Lac Léman, otherwise known as Lake Geneva.

Lac du Bourget

Lake Geneva from afar

I arrived at my friends house where a warm welcome and cold beer greeted me. On their porch, we talked about motorcycles and touring experiences, before settling down to the best meal I had that trip – home-made duck l’orange!

Au revoir France

My first tour was rounded off with a mammoth 560km motorway marathon. I started the day in rural France and ended it in bustling London – after totting up a total of 2684km (1677 miles) on the continent! My helmet was plastered in flies, and I had acquired a significantly more well-sculpted derrière, by the time I returned home, ten days after riding out.

2684km later

A fair few flies

Elated and humbled are the two words that come to mind when I’m asked to describe my first tour. Covering the miles through a country as beautiful as France was more unique and rewarding than I could have ever imagined.

The Alps offered a feast for the eyes at every glance, and a road that switched back on itself endlessly, guiding me through crevices of the magnificent surroundings. The sun on the coastline shone down on me while I cruised along, and the Route Napoléon appeared to be tailored for motorcycle riders. These rides will live long in my happiest memories.

Weather and road conditions were excellent, and I can highly recommend riding these routes during the month of October. Wrap up warm in the mountains, and reduce your layers by the coast, the temperatures can vary considerably. Remember to make a checklist before leaving too! Some essentials include a spare bulb kit, high-vis vest and new UK sticker (as opposed to the old GB stickers).

My next tour won’t be as long awaited as my first tour, this I can say for sure. I have well and truly caught the bug, and when the warmer weather comes back around, I’ll be planning routes and saddling up for my next adventure on two wheels!

Published 31.10.21

Routes planned using Google Maps – susceptible to automatic change if there are road closures.