Is finding biker friendly hotels easy in Sth France/Alpes

Everyone's biker friendly tuther side of water - only us brits that are miserable gits

We used a handy iphone app (will try and find which one we used) - got to nearish where we wanted to stop , did a quick look up 10 mile radius of whatever , picked somewhere that looked nice - plumbed it into the SatNav and Bob's your mothers brother

 

We have always booked but have never been turned away because of the bikes. They are gnerally very willing to ensure the bikes are under cover and secure. The routes you have chosen are very popular especially in July and August so no reservation might be a problem. We have failed to find a room in both May and September eventually having to pay serious money for a very upmarket hotel (hence the reason we now book) but even then they were welcoming and turned a blind eye to the jeans and crumpled tops worn in the restaurant.

 

Would have helped us but we don't own an iphone - what we paid for the hotels would probbly have covered the cost of a phone

 

From someone who has spent 15 years on travveling hollidays in France i just say: Go and ride... it is almost impossible not to find a place to sleep and to eat... It is one of the great features of france... you will be bewildered ith what you will find on the trot!
From what i learned is that they are only unfriendly when you show up 30 open piped harley unwashed bearded sons of guns type of riders... may be a good thing to rise early and start looking for a place as of 17H30...

worst case scenario is that every town has one or more of the chain hotels for the travelling sales reps... to avoid if you want ambiance but they will keep you dry... :smile:

good luck

 

I would agree with the general sentiment here that they are very accomodating, but you are going PEAK season so unless you have an unlimited budget, I would book if I were you. August in the Alps is rammed. In actual fact, if you have a choice, I would just plan to make the trip as early as you can. Generally the weather is better earlier in the year, and the crowds arrive mid July to end August. The roads are also packed with slow people on the cruise. Go in June and you will be able to "make good progress" far more easily and will also find places to stop easily.

If you have to go in August, try and book a bit.....

 

Trip Advisor and Google Street View are your friends.

Don't recall any hotels I've stayed in being biker unfriendly (and I've used plenty of them).

 

the remarks that the South is expensive is absolutely true. very expensive even.. .. I would seriously look at some alternative routes ( auvergne, dordogne, Aubrac, Lot et Garonne, Jura ) that will be just as beautiful and may cost half the price...
or last two weeks of june or September also make quit some difference....

just enjoy!

 

The Ardeche is good. Everyone scoots past it on the motorway in their dash to the coast. It's authentically Provençal, has great food, twisty roads and is hot. Check out roads around Vals les Bains and then head of to the Cevennes. Severe goat's cheese country.

 

As already said, it is nigh on impossible to not find a hotel anywhere in France, every single one of them is bike-friendly and the people are always accommodating - don't believe what they say about the french in the Sun. Even in the worst case scenario you'll always find a Formule1 or Campanile motel, and they cost buttons to stay in.

And the Ardeche gorge is a must, great roads and scenery.

 

Thanks to Wantz1 the app we used was France-Voyage


France Voyage - guide, photos, hébergement, tourisme en France


It gives distance/direction/cost/availability - we found a couple of gems with this it certainly beats having it all mapped out before hand - which can limit your fun and freedom on the road

 

I'd rather travel 'freestyle' and see where I end up and get a room there
The iPhone comes in handy as you can stop for an afternoon cup of tea, have a look on map, type in a village an hour away and find nearest accommodation nearby with vacancys
Stops a lot of stop start enquiries etc
Worthwhile if you ask me

 

Route Napoleon was awesome - sweeping bends, glorious sunshine, fantastic scenery, hardly any traffic, random friendly Belgian biker. I want to go back and ride more of the roads in the French Alps - even when I took a wrong turning the road was still brilliant.

I pre-booked for my WDW trip in June, as I didn't want to take the risk of finding everywhere full at the end of a long day's ride, with the prospect of another hour on the bike hunting for somewhere.

I stayed in an Ibis in Mouans-Sartoux, just south of Grasse, which even had a sign outside "Etape Motards" (Biker stopover), and a more traditional family run hotel, Le Val Fleuri, in the Vercors Massif (just west of Grenoble) at either end of my Route Napoleon ride.

 

Wot he said^

I will just say, though, that France is rather pricey at the moment, and there are some amazing roads in Germany...

 

I have done France many times but mainly in the car. I have never prebooked and never had a problem finding somewhere to stay. The exception to that is I always pre book my final destination.
One thing to be aware of August is the shutdown period for the french and they all go on Holiday. As many go North to the Channel coast as go south to the Med. During August Parking is free in most parts of Paris.
I have found that the later in the day the harder it became to find somewhere, thats when ETAPS Formula 1's etc come into there own.

On one of my trips to the South I had no plan at all and wandered down.
I stopped once or twice in places that I found Interesting and spent a day there. Sisteron being one and Castelaine being another Explored the Gorge de Verdun.
Even though I knew I would find somewhere to stay I still stressed cos thats me at the end It was one of the better tours and there was simply no need for the stress

 

Avoid the Tour de France. No hope of accommodation if its in the area. Otherwise it depends on how many. I did my first trip in 2007 down there and tbh we often left it to late at night to find somewhere, but always managed. That was four bikes and riders. Formule ones are cheap but dont ignore rooms above bars etc. They are all biker friendly over there, a completely different attitude to bikers to here.
If heading down S France and looking for ideas then dont ignore the Gorge de Verdon and Lac de Castellaine, there arev some awesome roads around there. The route Napoleon just above Grasse is also good.

 

May I just say that it's a big pity to stay in a Formule 1 or a Campanile when in France. They are grim places that only serve to keep the rain off. You're meant to be on holiday. What you want are cheapy 2 stars. They should have some atmosphere, a good bar with all sorts of odd bottles and some decent French cooking. You might not get luxury but at least you'll get a taste of France. Trick is to avoid spending the night on the outskirts of any of the sort of towns that would even have a Formule 1. France is rife with little inns and hotels so it shouldn't be a problem - unless you're on the Côte d'Azur and want a sea view.

 

Agree 100% but they can be handy. We have used one in Reims on the south bound that was 5 minutes walk from an a cracking Chinese buffet. Not very 'French' granted but very welcome at 9.30 pm when tired and hungry lol
We have also found accomodation above a bar in Barcellonette that was right in the middle of the town, in fact our bikes were parked straight outside in the village square. Untouched overnight and a great atmosphere eating and drinking with the locals.