Routes on East side of France

[alasdairandannie]

We have done the Western routes roughly following n10 before but are headed to Nice next month and are after some non-toll recommendations. Google suggests a rough axis of Reims, Troyes, Dijon, Bourg en Bresse and Sisteron. We would welcome any views please. We have plenty of time. Thank you.

 

[AGT]

Have I been looking for you !!!
Firstly great advice about those couple of routes and good to know (with incoming hot weather) that there are still cooler places.
We are relatively well versed in Provence but only touched the Mercantour travelling through. I have to echo your thoughts on Gourdon and the picnic area is a far better stopover than the official aire and really great views of the Antibes peninsular.
We have had the Wild Swimming in France book for a number of years and done all the clues of the Esteron and I ve found a couple more clues to do and some good balcony roads though we will be on E bikes not motorbike.
I have all the wild swimming points marked down, Beaux villages, Balcony roads, aires but what I am missing that your local knowledge will assist me with ?
Is there anywhere along the valley of the Vesubie that you can stop overnight and leave the van during the day (no marked aires) ?
Any clues or swimming gorges in the mercantour I should be aware of ?
Any local secret spots (quite happy to receive a pm if they are to remain secret)

Our current plan is slightly changing to coming via Lyon (not through) and heading straight to Uzes to pick up the wine then crossing the Rhone to Cavaillon and following the disused cycle route to Forcalquier then hitting the Mercantour so possibly from 1st September to 10th we will be around there looking to find a nuit marche or fete on a Friday or Saturday night. Are you aware of any around that time ?
We ll probably follow the coastal cycle route round to near Marseilles after Mercantour.

Any guidance would be gratefully received and I am very jealous. 10-30 miles North of Nice to Toulon is regularly my choice of the best place in France.

Apologies for my delay in responding. I have been back in the UK and unexpectedly busy. I just noticed that you are heading off tomorrow and I hope that you have a great trip.

We are not river swimmers and so I have no intelligence on good spots. This summer we have been in Isola and Sospel for the TdF and then, more recently, in Roquebilliere. River levels generally seemed low despite lots of rain during Q2.

There are not that many places to stay in the Mercantour and, as it’s a national park, I think there might be steep fines for wild camping in the park. There are aires in Sospel, Isola (town, not ski station) and Valberg. You might also be able to park up at Isola 2000 and Auron, although I have never stayed overnight in either place and so haven’t checked for prohibitions.

A couple of weeks ago we stayed at Camping Les Templiers in Roquebilliere. It’s a nice site, by the river between the old and new towns. The site was washed away by Storm Alex four years ago and the owners did a great job to get it back up and running. Les Templiers is not cheap (at least €25) but you are right at Belvedere and could cycle on up to Vallon de la Gordolasque. It’s a steady 6% up to Belvedere and then ramps up to 8%. You might get some swimming towards Gordolasque. This was our first trip with the ‘van along the Vesubie and we will definitely be back

I’m not aware of any night fetes in the Mercantour. The villages are quite small and might not have enough trade to sustain a market.

 

[AGT]

Really helpful thanks AGT. We're 3750kg so I don't want to too much 'mountaineering'. Route Napoleon looks good.

You are quite right. The co-pilot has reminded me that the Bonette is unguarded and while the terrain is rolling green hills rather than vertiginous drops it’s still a thought. You mainly hug the hillside if you are travelling South to North. I’ve never driven it North to South with RHD and that might be a bit airy!