Welcome to the Great French Roads page which lists some of the excellent biking roads that I have found in France.
North | Middle | South
French roads - north
Not a lot to say, I'm afraid, because there aren't many good roads in this part of France. It's too much like England, and the weather is worse. I kid you not, it always rains sometime on a trip through this bit of France. The hotels are good though, and there is a very large choice of routes so, if you want to, you can blast through to get further south. It would be a pity though, because the towns and villages can be very attractive. But biking roads? - few and far between. One tip I can give you is to find a C route running roughly parallel to a main road, and try it. They are much less busy but they usually take a bit longer. The plus points are the relative lack of police, but then that's the case in most of France.
There are a few roads in the Rouen to Orleans area which can be fun, but they're not classics by any means. If you've got the time to experiment then look for routes which have green borders on the maps. These are usually pretty, but they are not necessarily great biking roads.
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French roads - middle
Now things are starting to get interesting, especially in the comparatively unknown Massif Central. This is the region in the middle south, which contains lots of extinct volcanoes and more interesting countryside. The A10 Autoroute (toll) from Paris to Bordeaux is a good way to get down to the south west quicky. There are no real beauty spots but there are plenty of picnic areas and petrol stations so, if you must, this one is recommended because it has less traffic than the Autoroute du Soleil (the A6 from Paris to the Mediterranean coast). Here are some good biking roads:
D944 from Salbris to Bourges
Turn off the N20 (or A71) at Salbris and swoop around the pleasant scenery until Neuvy s.B. There's very little traffic and the road surface is good. The countryside consists of open fields and wooded areas and the road is mainly straight. You can make good progress here, and its a pleasant change from the main roads. You may be lucky enough to travel in convoy with a well driven Peugeot - if so follow them because they'll know the road well. The second part from Neuvy to Bourges is through forest and woods and makes a pleasant change from the north part. The road is normal width and meanders as well twists, and is great for keeping up a reasonable pace. You can have fun here at sensible speeds, but if you do come off you may hit a tree - so watch it!
N144 from Bourges to Montlucon
Parts of this road are great, but unfortunately there is a surprising level of traffic (possibly to avoid the A71 running parallel) and sometimes overtaking is not too easy. Leave more time than you think for this road because it seems to take forever. The ride is very varied, with twists and dips and hills, but on the whole it is slow going and there are enough white lines in the middle of the road to hinder you at times. However, if you get a traffic free day the ride is very rewarding.
N9 from Clermont-Ferrand to Lempdes
One of those rarities, an interesting dual-carriageway. Some of this road is plain exciting, but beware there are huge cliffs right next to the road on some bends and although most of the bends are 80+ the thought of falling off will temper your enthusiasm! The local Citroens are maniacs on this road, so be careful. You pay no toll and can make good progress, so that's a recommendation then.
N102 from Brioude to le Puy en Velay
Not a great road, but superior to the average English tarmac. Sweeping bends, light traffic and varied landscape. This is one of those roads where you can settle down to a nice steady pace if you are a little tired, or go for it if you're in the mood. Le Puy is a good place to stay.
N144 from le Puy to Mende
This is one of my favourite roads. It runs across the top of a plateux so it is reasonably open. The bends are great fun at 80mph, but you have to keep you wits about you because it changes rapidly. The traffic is quite light but the are many farm tractors to watch out for. The bug-bear is the steep, long, winding climb out of le Puy for about 5 miles until you reach the top. Inevitably, the traffic is queued up behind a lorry and although it is fun to pick them off one-by-one there are too many white lines and the local Renaults are also eager to get by. Be careful that they see you behind them or they'll pull out and knock you off. Remember, that these guys are French, and if they think there's a chance - they'll go. They are not Brits, so they'll try a crazy manouever which you aren't expecting!
Going via Geneva?
If you think that UK to Spain is too easy, then why not go via Geneva? Some of the roads are fabulous, but this side of France below Geneva has more traffic, so at certain times of the day you will have much less freedom. Overtaking cars constantly can be tiring on a long trip, so allow a little more time than you think you need. From Geneva to Valence looks great on the map, but heavy traffic means less fun on a bike. The mountain road from Champagnole in France to Geneva (N5) is worth a look if it is on or near your route.
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French roads - south
N9 from Clermont-Ferrand to Millau
This is a recently constructed non-toll dual-carriageway built to motorway standards - you are in for a treat. Unfortunately, this is a bypass for the old road which contains all of the interesting sites. If you sit on the dual carriageway you'll miss it all. But, perhaps you won't care if you can swoop along a perfectly smooth traffic-free road, snaking across the high plains known as the Massif Central. The bit below Clermont is heavily laden with traffic with dangerous bends, so be careful. But later on it opens out and the traffic disappears.
The problem with this road is Millau itself. The hold-ups in the town itself are terrible in a car, and it is too narrow to negotiate past easily on a bike as well. There is a bypass of the town centre and on my last trip (in 1997) they appeared to have started a bypass around the hold ups to get into the town, so there is hope. The scenery is lovely because of the hills, but these do make the road planners job difficult, so be prepared for a wait.
N9 from Millau to Lodeve
Another stretch of brilliant dual carriageway with very little traffic. If you want to stop there is a bar in the interesting little town of le Caylar. Later on you suddenly approach a cutting in cliffs which open out onto a view down a valley to Lodeve, where you shoot down the winding road (still dual) for about two miles until you get near to sea level. This bit of road is really special, and you may wish to stop and admire the view before sweeping down. Marvellous; the sort of road you want to do time and time again. But...
Warning! Because this road is special to people that want to swing round bends at high speeds, and because the slope practically begs you to, the police hide at the bottom. Be very careful because there are trees for them to shelter behind. It's ok before this point, because there is nowhere for them to stand, leave alone park a car. If you can go down this slope without being thrilled then you had better give up biking.
D908 from Clermont l'Herault to St.Pons de Thomieres
An interesting road rather than a great one, it is like a lot of French roads, not a lot of traffic but not well surfaced. It makes a change from the main roads if you have time to spare. It crosses interesting scenery and goes through the pleasant town of Bedarieux. If you are heading for Narbonne or Perpignan and you don't need or want the A9 autoroute then this will bypass Beziers, a town which seems to be a nightmare to cross, especially at peak times. I'm sure that it would be unfair to criticise the town for other failings, but as a through route its a disaster - try to avoid this one if possible.
Other roads
If you are travelling a few miles south of Montelimar then turn off the main road and visit the Gorges de l'Ardeche, from near Pont St.Esprit to Vallon Pont d'Arc. Less of a bikers road and more of a scenic trip, this gorge is a bit like the Gorges du Tarn, but instead of travelling along the river this road travels along the top of the gorge. There are some nice places to stop, but fewer places to eat or drink. The whole of this region of the Massif Central is packed full off interesting scenery, so just pull of the main road and experiment. The road surface can be poor, so don't do it unless you have the time to turn back if necessary.
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