Shortened trip to france. Any advice?

[simon]

Well, It seems my friend and I may be able to salvage something of our trip abroad. Due to his imminent moving (and need to have access home at short notice for signing forms etc) We will be shelving our two week trip to Italy via Monaco and the south of france. We will instead be going for a week to Northern france and travelling round that area.
I don't really know the area too well, so any advice on things to see place to go would be much appreciated.
As long as we are within a days riding of Calais, we are pretty free to go anywhere.
Thanks in advance.

Simon

[Rockdoc]

We visited Ypres (Ieper in Flemish) last year and found it a lovely place. We went for the WW1 history - my Grandfather served there - but it's a nice area for riding. Otherwise, there are a couple of WW2 V2 rocket sites not far from Calais. We didn't have time to do La Coupole (http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/visit/visit-stomer-lacoupole.htm) but we did see the associated site at Eperleleques (http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/visit/visit-stomer-blockhaus.htm) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Arras is another town that's worth a visit for the centre. It looks like it's been there for ever but, like Ypres, has been rebuilt pretty much from the ground up. The tour of the tunnels under the town hall is well worth it.

Keith

[Malki]

Personally I don't like France, but that's by the by. I prefer Belgium, Holland and Luxemburg Etc. If you get a chance, try the excellent Bikers Only hotel in southern Belgium, about 50 miles from Calais, you will not regret it. http://www.grd.be/motorhotel/eng/hotelinfo.htm
I, like Rockdoc prefer Ypres and places like Brugge in Belgium or Maastricht and Haarlem in Holland to anywhere else, but I'm off for a wee change later in the year to Italy after having visited the Milan motorcycle show in November, got to be worth a tour.

[mark_sat]

I am going this way for a few days in September , so I will be interested to see where you end up.
I found a guy who has a place to stay in the Mayenne region if you are interested his website is here (http://www.mayenne-bandb-tours.com/)
I haven't been myself yet, so I am unable to comment.

Good luck, have a great trip and post back any findings of the area. (I am more interested in good twisty roads)

[Mark_C]

Consider heading towards Vosges. You could take in the Ardennes on the way. Total distance will not be too great and you get maximum scenery without long spells on the autotoute.

[Stobie]

I second Malki's suggestion regarding Bikers Loft http://www.grd.be/motorhotel/eng/hotelinfo.htm. I was introduced to the place this time last year, I just returned from my 5th visit there and it is a great base for some good riding. The meal format has changed since last year in that you can eat when you like as opposed to a set meal time. For me this was an advantage as there is no rush to return at a specific time and even arrival times can now be flexible. The owner, Ivan is a great host and a true biker.

Stobie

[simon]

Thanks for all your advice chaps. We'll be camping so are looking for campsites.
We've decided that we're going to start off on the first day going to the nurburgring (sp?) and that we MAY take a trip round (can't see it being too quick on an LT) We're then going to go to koblenz where the Rhine meets the Mosel, and ride along the Mosel valley. We did it a couple of years ago, it's spectacular!
We're then going into France, and will swing down via Metz, south of paris and up to le mans, then mont st michel before coming back to Calais.
Anything along that route worth seeing?
Thanks

Simon

[Stobie]

You could look at this site for biker friendly campsites: http://www.motobotc.co.uk/index.htm for campsites and if you are in the area I can recommend this place which also does camping: http://www.route66hotel.com/ . Hope this helps.

Stobie