Fazer Owners Club - Unofficial
General => General => Topic started by: tex on 17 May 2017, 02:30:18 pm
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Me and two other bikes are of to le man's on Friday got digs about 1 hour drive from the track, any tips on driving in France appreciated, also anyone else on here going?
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Plenty. Where are you staying and what port are you travelling from?
Stick to the limits in towns and villages. The 30 limit (50kmh) starts as soon as you pass the town sign (with the red border) and ends when you go past the end of town sign (same sign but with a black line through it.
Don't take the piss with the speed limits everywhere else. The Main roads have a 90kmh (55mph) limit. Enjoy the ride rather than trying to see how fast you can go.
Take a spare set of bulbs
Take a high viz vest (stick it under the seat)
Don't bother with the breathalysers as the fine for not having this is less than buying a set. The fine is €0.
Enjoy the N roads (green signs) and avoid the toll roads if you can.
Ride on the right
Keep a bloody good eye out for traffic emerging from side roads. The older Frenchies still believe they have priority and in many rural areas (and some towns) they still do. Basic rule, if there is no stop line on that junction, they have priority.
Don't drink and ride
Probably others I have forgotten for now.
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Been to that circuit loads of times but usually camped. Just be careful if you like a beer as police are all over the track entrances/exits and the limit is lower than the UK. I could give you a good route if you didn't want to do the peage, providing you're travelling from Calais.
Enjoy, wish I was going, but planning to do the Bikers Classic at Spa next month instead.
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The 'priority right' thing is probably the trickiest thing. In some instances cars emerging from a minor road on your right, have priority to pull out in front of you as you travel down a normal major road with no obvious road markings.
Just give this a read and keep an eye out for yellow diamonds.
http://www.drive-france.com/faqs/get-your-priorities-right/ (http://www.drive-france.com/faqs/get-your-priorities-right/)
There are also roundabouts with similar odd rules. Priority coming on, but not once you are on the roundabout. just look for road markings.
Have a check, but I have heard before that when there are big bike events on at Le Mans, they have a free biking lane on some of the tolls.
Never experienced it myself but was having a good chat with the other bikers at the ferry terminal.
You'll have a great time! French roads are ace and French drivers seem to be totally switched on looking out for bikers and will often drive along the verge to allow you to pass!
You'll often get a big wave from oncoming bikers (instead of the UK/left hand driving nod).
If you want to be to the letter of the law.. you might have to buy some reflectors for your helmet, adapt headlight angle, breathalysers, spare bulbs, GB/euro number plates or sticker and a high viz. But check online.
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Thanks bb, got a euro pack of the net includes helmet stickers hi vis breatherliser, got spare bulbs , lol will try to drive on the right ☺
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Thanks robbo , I do like a beer but will not have any at the track and not to many at digs.we are going from calais I think it was n64 way but if you have a good back road route that would be great.
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Thanks Brett, I'll watch out for that, won't be going mad as my son's on the back, will check the link
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Ok Tex,I'll pm you when I've had a quick look at the map.
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Where are you staying?
Both myself and BigMac have houses about an hour from Le Mans
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We are staying in mayenne is it near you?
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Mayenne is the region we both have houses in. BigMac is about 10 miles east of the city of Mayenne near Ribay and mine is about 10 miles north near Ambriere-Les-Valee.
Some great roads round there. Alpes Manselle near to Alencon is good and so is Suise Normandy to the north
Depending how long you are there for, if you are looking for somewhere to eat on the sunday night,head to Bagnoles. Not much in Mayene city itseld.
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Tex, pm for you. :)
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Thanks bb will ride in for food, got the route robbo will give it a go
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Are you staying in Mayenne city or the region? If its the region, where?
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focme is bigmac still alive???
Bob, are there enough roads to keep me interested over a long weekend? Say staying in a nice little hotel somewhere in the middle?
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It must be worth exploring or cruising around The Seine river along the way? See a few Shatos (pronounce châteaux) and that.
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focme is bigmac still alive???
Bob, are there enough roads to keep me interested over a long weekend? Say staying in a nice little hotel somewhere in the middle?
BigMac is alive and kicking. He doesn't get on here much but is often lurking around the faceache groups.
There is a great B&B 5 mins from BigMacs place which I can send you the contact details for if you want them. They have an apartment they let out and a couple of B&B rooms. Alternatively, next door to my place there is a Gite that is rented out by the owners. Theres not too many hotels around unless you head to Bagnoles-de-l'Orne or Domfront or into the cities but there are LOADS of decent roads round there to keep you occupied for weeks.
From my place in near to Ambrieres-Les-Vallees you have to travel 45-60 mins to get to a motorway and there's not a lot of dual carriageways around either. All good roads. Have a look the maps
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Nice one, I'll have a look at the links you sent :thumbup
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Depending when you are thinking of Andy, I may be out there and can show you some of the roads. I'm taking a bike over there next week to leave in my shed for when I am there. BigMac has an FZS he is planning to take to his place too.
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Sure, got a couple of pals and we havent got away for a couple of years now so long overdue for a bit of fun!
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If theres a few of you I would recommend the apartment that Pam and Dave have in the link I sent to you. 3 bedrooms and a sofa bed in the lounge. They are used to bikers too.
Alternatively, La Godfriere could be good but La Passoniere (my neighbours) would be too small.
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Well we had a brilliant 4 days, got a bit of rain on the Friday , the rest was dry, brilliant french roads very courteous DRIVERS , we were right in the centre of the village ,the hotel had a nice restaurant so good food. Took different routes every day took it easy so no trouble. Thousands of bikes, like the way they stick there foot out instead of the nod we have adopted that over here. The racing was great especially the main event. Will be going back over this year for sure. Big question to get out the bike park as you had to show your logbook to exit a good idea when you think about it.
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Outside
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My son and son in law , both rossi fans
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After a nice ride, scotch
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Glad you enjoyed it, I knew you would. French security at those type of events is always good. Sometimes you get a two part sticker, one for the bike and one for your crash helmet, so you have to exit on what you came in on. Also sometimes they'll want to see the bike switched off and restarted to ensure it's not hot wired or started with a screwdriver jammed in the ignition.
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Which village did you stay in?
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Mayenne, right opposite the market, met some other British bikers there who were doing the Normandy beaches .
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Ah in the city then, not the village.
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😨Senior moment, my uncle is buried in abberville so will be visiting there, and Normandy, just been looking up the ww11 history of the city interesting .
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The log book thing is good. A few years ago (maybe a few more than that) there was an instance where someone was offering secure parking. All the bikes were parked (securely) in a container but by the time they came back, the container had been driven away with loads of bikes in.
Glad you enjoyed it.
I am about 10 miles north or Mayenne now having ridden my Tiger down yesterday to spend a few days in Couesmes-Vauce.