I’m often told that riding through France to the Pyrenees is not the most stimulating of journeys. I think I’m going to challenge that assumption.
This all started when I wanted to ride west to east across the Pyrenees, passing through Andorra on the way. I didn’t want to simply go over the Pyrenees from France to Spain but travel the length of the mountains east to west, and for that, I needed to get to Perpignan in the southeast corner of France.
From there, I can wriggle my way through the mountains, go to Andorra, find the famous N260 and more twisting roads and stunning views than I would know what to do with.
The Route
To get to Perpignan, I need to ride across France, and how I do that depends on where I start from. I could use the Tunnel or catch a ferry to Dieppe, Le Havre, Caen, Cherbourg or Saint-Malo. With so many options available, the route below starts at a roundabout on the D357 a few kilometres west of Le Mans and is close to where the A28, A81 and A11 converge.
Given the differing places and travel options people might use, it seemed like a logical, if random, starting point.
France is a big place. As planned, the route from Le Mans to Perpignan is 550 miles (880 km). I’ve used the A11 and A85 for the first 80 miles of the route, but as soon as the route crosses the Loire River, I opted to avoid the La Péage (French Motorways) in favour of some great-looking roads through the more scenic parts of France.
Not all the roads across France are invigorating. The D749, for example, is arrow straight in places for a good few miles, which brings up the subject of French speed limits.
Limits and Fines
| French Speeding Fines (2024) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| French Road Type | Speed Limit | Fine Up To +20 KPH Over | Fine +20 to +50 KPH Over |
| Motorway – La Péage | 130 kph / 80 mph | ||
| Dual carriageways | 110 kph / 70 mph | ||
| Main roads outside built-up areas | 80 kph / 50 mph | ||
| Main roads within built-up areas | 50 kph / 30 mph | ||
These figures apply when the weather conditions are dry and visibility is good. When it rains, the speed limit on motorways drops to 110kph/70mph.
At 50mph, which naturally is the speed you will be riding at, it will take a little longer to get across France than it might typically take to ride across the Pennines to Scotland. Riding a dual carriageway for mile after mile at speeds slower than a single-lane national speed limit in the UK could feel strange.
To encourage people on French roads to behave or use the motorway system to cover distances efficiently, the speeding fines have increased. More than 50 kph over the limit on a motorway will cost you €1500.
Between 20 and 50kph over the limit outside of town will cost you €135, while over the limit but by less than 20kph costs €68, unless it is a 50kph zone (in town) when it is €135.
More than 50kph over the limit in a town, and as far as I can work out, it is direct to the Guillotine.
There are reports that the French Police no longer accept our promises to pay once we get home, and if stopped, the fine is payable on the spot.
If a camera catches you, there is a genuine chance that the DVLA will provide the French authorities with your address, and the bill will arrive in the post.
Systems that alert you to the position of speed cameras are illegal in France, so I’ll say CamSam – called BlitzerPro in some countries – and leave it there.
Back on Track
The route passes to the east of Limoges and tracks the western edge of the Massif Central area of France, which means more corners and twisting roads.
The section between Eymoutiers and Tulle, bordered by the A20 and A89 motorways, is especially tempting. As planned, the route uses the D940 through the region, but any of the non-motorway roads look as if they will put a smile on your face.
The route avoids larger towns and urban sprawl as far as possible, but eventually, either all the roads converge, or you will want somewhere to stop for the night, so passing through a few towns is a necessary evil.
Fuel
The route has a FUEL waypoint approximately every 150 miles. According to the online maps, and the fuel brand list of petrol stations, they are there. Whether they are open—especially on Sundays—can be a different story.
Self-serve card payment petrol stations in France and other parts of Europe often have the card machine on a pillar somewhere else on the forecourt rather than on the pump, as is common in the UK.
I only know this, having stood, almost out of petrol, on the forecourt of a French petrol station dumbfounded as to how to pay, only to have been saved by watching a local.
If you have a route that you would like to share, get in touch and with the Editor, and we will do our best to include it. Download, ride and enjoy. What could possibly go wrong? All the motorcycle touring routes are GPX 1.1 version files.
All of the motorcycle touring routes are provided “as is” without guarantee, liability or any assurances. The lawyers said we had to include that sentence. All we can tell you is that we had an excellent time planning and riding them.
Across France - Through the Pyrenees
Pyrenees Pleasure
Arriving in Perpignan after covering roughly 500 miles, you are on the doorstep of 550 miles of twisting roads that pass through National Parks, the 16th smallest country in the world (Andorra), and between mountain peaks that reach 3,000 meters (9,000 feet).
The exit point from the biker’s paradise is the town of Durango, near Bilbao and Santander, where you catch the ferry back to the UK, but there is a lot to consider before that happens.
Finding the best roads through the Pyrenees will depend on your personal preferences. Some roads are tighter than the ones I’ve chosen, perhaps more suited to those with an off-road bias.
As the route focuses on heading west to east, roads such as the N-230 and the French D173 with the Aragnouet-Bielsa tunnel haven’t been included as these run north-south.
There is a strong case for stopping for a few days and exploring. There are even campsites for those who want the complete mountain under canvas experience.
For those who prefer their creature comforts, there are hotels for every budget, from the full five-star to campsite bungalows.
Mountain lakes, narrow passes, twisting roads, the famous N-260, and a few trips back and forth across the border between France and Spain all feature heavily. How long you wish to spend completing the route is a personal choice.
The last time I rode the N-260, my objective was to ride it from start to finish, which took a day and a half due to the odd nature of the road, which has a northerly and southerly version, both with the same road number.
When To Go
If riding in cold temperatures isn’t your thing, and using Pont de Suert as a reference, May to October, when the temperature shifts between 10°c and 20°c, are the best months.
It is also advisable to plan for rain. If warm, moist air is blowing from the coastal areas, when it arrives at the Pyrenees and starts to climb, the air cools, condenses and forms clouds. If enough moisture is in the cooling air, rain begins to fall.
I can only remember a few damp days from previous trips to this region in the warmer months. With a good set of waterproofs, you will be good to go.
As for how long the trip takes, that is a more complex question.
How Long
For me, from the middle of England, it takes four hours to reach one of the ferry options. Then, it takes between five and eight hours on a ferry to arrive in France. After that, it takes a few hours to get to the start point.
If I used the La Péage system, I could go to the Tunnel, which would involve four very tedious hours of riding to get there and then the same again on the other side to arrive at Le Mans.
As the French don’t light their motorways, long distances at night can be challenging. One of the most intense rides I’ve had in France was from Caen to Saint Malo at night and in constant rain. Following trucks was the easiest option, all while hoping they could see me.
Perhaps the best option is the night ferry from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo. It takes 10 hours, enough time to get a decent night’s sleep, and arrives early enough for a full day to crack on through France.
The ride across France takes two or three days, depending on whether your focus is the destination or the journey. Riding in the Pyrenees could take up to six days if you are going for the full experience. If not, that could be reduced to three days of intense foot peg-scratching.
Perhaps the one fixed variable – if you can have such a thing – is the ferry back from Spain to the UK. At 30 hours, this is a long haul. The ferries depart Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday and arrive the following day.
Arriving a day early for the ferry back to the UK isn’t a problem in that part of Spain. There are so many good roads to ride that it isn’t as if you’ll have nothing to do.
2 responses
You’re welcome. When are you planning to go? We are thinking late May – if we can stand to wait that long
Excellent thanks! Just what I was looking for!