France

tour provided by: Andreas Lienhardt

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Slow, longer but nicer and more comfortable Tour
At PERPIGNAN we start on the D 117 along the Pyrenees to QUILLAN. Then on the D 118 to CARCASSONNE. Through the MONTANGNE NOIRE to CASTRES. When on the D 622 through the MONTS DE LACAUNE to LACAUNE. On the D 32 and D 999 to ST. AFFRIQUE. Finally on the D 993 and D 992 to MILLAU to the GORGES DU TARN.
Between MILLAU and ALES you will have the chance on a lot of different roads to join the great GORGES DU TARN and the landscape.
It is a little bit like watching the Grand Canyon. One tour of a lot could be:

From MILLAU on the N 9 to the D 907 until LE ROZIER. On the D 907B along the TARN-VALLEY till FLORAC. When on the D 907 and the D 9 or D 983 through the CORNICHE DES CHEVENNES till ANDUZE. Take the D 982 to GANGES. Not far away you find the GROTTE DES DEMOISELLES, if you like caves.. Then on the D 999 to LE VIGAN and on the D 48 to the MT. AIGOUAL (1567 m). Here you can use the D 986 to MEYRUEIS and the D 966 to go back to the start-point. Enjoy it.

Nearly direct you arrive through MILLAU and through the TARN, crossing MENDE on the N 88 and the N 102 in AUBANAS. This is the start-point for the next big thing, the GORGES DE L’ ARDECHE. Circa 15 km behind AUBANAS the D 4 will bring you to VALLON-PONT-D’-ARC. Then the road follows all time the river ARDECHE, sometimes down near the river, sometimes up with a great view down. At the end you arrive in PONT-ST.-ESPRIT, where the ARDECHE meets the river RHONE.
An other way to reach the ARDECHE from MILLAU is to use the D 996 till FLORAC and then on the N 106 to ALES. From there the D 904 takes you to VALLON-PONT-D'-ARC.
The next part of the trip takes you from PONT-ST.-ESPRIT on the N 7 to ORANGE and the next target hits your eyes. The D 950 takes you to CARPENTRAS. Then go on the D 938 to MALAUCENE, where a curvy road goes up to the top of the Vulcan MONT VENTOUX (1909 m). On the way down you pass a little monument that is in memory for a biker of the TOUR DE FRANCE who died there. At last you arrive SAULT and look forward to the next place to reach.

Driving on the D 950 takes you to BANON. Go on to REILLANNE and on the D 907 to MANOSQUE. Now take the D 6 to RIEZ and when arrive at MOSTIERS-STE.-MARIE at the beginning of the GRAND CANYON DU VERDON. You can drive along the Canyon on both sides and you will have great views around and inside the Canyon. Also you can watch free-climbers at their work. If you leave the Canyon at the other side the D 952 takes you to CASTELLANE. The N 85, that you hit there, takes you to CANNES at the coast or via SISTERON to GRENOBLE. Nearby you will drive through the heart of the PROVENCE.

Isn't it enough? No?
OK, there is something more to drive - the nicest pass-roads of the Sea-Alps. From CASTELLANE on the D 955 to the N 202. Now you will have three choices. Cross the COL DE TOUTES AURES (1124 m)

• then take the D 908 to the COL D' ALLOS (2240 m) to arrive at BARCELONNETTE.
• then ride through the GORGES DE DALUIS and over the COL DE LA CAYOLLE (2326 m) to BARCELONNETTE.
• or through the GORGES DU CIANS to BEUIL, then on the D 30 to ST.-SAUVEUR and on the D 2202 to the COL DE LA BONETTE (2802 m) to JAUSIERS.

• you can take the N 91 to the COL DE LAUTARET (2058 m) and the COL DU GALIBIER (2556 m) to the N 6 to LANSLEVILLARD.
• or you go up to the COL DE MONTGENEVRE (1850 m) [to SESTRIERE] and take the COL DU MT. CENIS (2083 m) to arrive LANSLEVILLARD.

Comments

ADRIAN BURKERT, atic002
As a cave freak I can really recommend the GROTTE DES DEMOISELLES. It is a long time I visited them but I can still remember them as one of the nicest caves I've seen !

from the Pyrenees to the alps

Picture-Count: 3
build: 6. November 2002

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beach.jpg 482 x 283

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