On to Lake Annecy

To start our epic ride down to the French Riviera via the Routes des Grandes Alpes we took the tunnel having ridden down to Folkestone on Friday afternoon via the Cotswolds with the usual filtering around the M25 for an hour our so. An early Saturday crossing we were delayed due to the Lamborghini club cocking up their queue, got themselves split up and the staff were trying to get them back together on the same carriages! 

Anyway, we soon found ourselves on the A26 with a slight diversion to visit Vimy Ridge. I’d been here before on my Harley back in 2006, but Mark hadn’t. It was good to re-read the history of how the Canadians took this ridge in 1917, and see the preserved trenches and bunkers. Later, after a brief stop at the very impressive Laon cathedral, high on the hill and dominating the city view, and then a fantastic ride through wonderful French countryside in the Champagne region we rolled into our hotel around 6pm for our stay in the Foret de Orient at a great hotel in Rouilly Sacey. A refreshing swim in the pool followed by a few beers a steak for me and a dodgy sausage for Mark.

Night stay at:

Domaine de la Forêt d'Orient - 5 Route De Géraudot,

 Rouilly-Sacey, 10220, France.

Useful location in the forest between Calais and Annecy.

Chosen because of scenic roads to ride through Champagne and Chemin de Dames.

Stayed here before, but not if you are on a low budget. 

Great pool, restricted with their Restaurant choice and prices. 

Love the setting though, worth the extra IMO.

On Sunday we had a good ride down into the French Jura region on some very agreeable roads stopping a few times including Champagnole and then Mijoux near La Dole mountain before the good stuff with the Alps in full view ahead. We hit a diversion in a little town called Lelex that split us up for a while as we headed up high into the hills on a single track road, met up later and had a good ride in to Annecy. Another  hot days ride, we earned our beers on that one!

Night stay at:

Hotel des Marquisats Annecy

6 Chemin De Colmyr, Annecy, Haute-savoie, 74000 France

Great location 15 minute walk from old town. 

Room was a bit dark and small so I upgraded mine to a Lake View and balcony for extra 15 euro, 

Mark was happy with his room though.

Good Breakfast, ideal biker hotel as used by other bikers staying. Very safe parking.

The planned routes.

YouTube Video Playlist. Select Menu  of rides from top right in player.