05-15-2015, 05:06 PM
Last week-end I enjoyed a two days ride in the Ardeche area, about 100 miles from home -usually I prefer to stay in the Alps mountains, but these medium altitude mountains in France center ("Massif Central") are also very nice for motorcycling.
Very good conditions, weather was nice after one night raining, in the morning roads were drying and sunshine was forecasted.
First stop still under much clouds, but we are optimistic :
Arrived in Massif Central, sun is here
Note that it is an "old style" travel : no GPS, a paper map is necessary !
We arrive near by our first target : Mont Mezenc. In this area there are numerous rocks such as this one, very old volcano chimneys, erosion has flatten all the volcanoes except these remaining hard rocks :
We climbed Mont Mezenc, a little bit less than one hour walking from the road to the top of mountain. We hand carry helmets because the top case are full with luggages... Acceptable for a short walk like that.
From Mont Mezenc summit (1753 m height, 5750 feet) we can see these old volcano rocks all around :
Here we see the one where we ealier had a stop :
And here we see our next target : Mont Gerbier de Jonc. It's just one rock among other ones here, and not so high, but it is well known in France, as being "where is the source of the river Loire" (the longer of french rivers). So many people go there, visit the river source, and climb the rock...
Later we arrive near the Mont Gerbier de Jonc. Too late for climbing it this day (we will come back!)
My wife had booked a nice bed & breakfast for the night. Recently built house, on google maps (satellite view) you can only see a green parcel there
For our second day, the target was to climb this little one, before going back home trough some other nice roads. Compared with Mont Mezenc or Mont Gerbier de Jonc, climbed by hundreds of people each good weather day, this is a desert place : we didn't meet anyone in the morning !
Pic de Don : 1165 m height (3820 feet)
Had a look at Crest city. Nice castle!
I have uploaded some more photos (full resolution, and with map) in a new (for me) website, I wonder if it works well for forum viewers - let me know ! Here is the link : [url=http://opa.cig2.canon-europe.com/s/m/H5cud3KSmQX]Canon Gateway 2015-05 Ardeche Selection
Have good fun with the CB1100, wherever you are...
Jean-Pierre
Very good conditions, weather was nice after one night raining, in the morning roads were drying and sunshine was forecasted.
First stop still under much clouds, but we are optimistic :
Arrived in Massif Central, sun is here
Note that it is an "old style" travel : no GPS, a paper map is necessary !
We arrive near by our first target : Mont Mezenc. In this area there are numerous rocks such as this one, very old volcano chimneys, erosion has flatten all the volcanoes except these remaining hard rocks :
We climbed Mont Mezenc, a little bit less than one hour walking from the road to the top of mountain. We hand carry helmets because the top case are full with luggages... Acceptable for a short walk like that.
From Mont Mezenc summit (1753 m height, 5750 feet) we can see these old volcano rocks all around :
Here we see the one where we ealier had a stop :
And here we see our next target : Mont Gerbier de Jonc. It's just one rock among other ones here, and not so high, but it is well known in France, as being "where is the source of the river Loire" (the longer of french rivers). So many people go there, visit the river source, and climb the rock...
Later we arrive near the Mont Gerbier de Jonc. Too late for climbing it this day (we will come back!)
My wife had booked a nice bed & breakfast for the night. Recently built house, on google maps (satellite view) you can only see a green parcel there
For our second day, the target was to climb this little one, before going back home trough some other nice roads. Compared with Mont Mezenc or Mont Gerbier de Jonc, climbed by hundreds of people each good weather day, this is a desert place : we didn't meet anyone in the morning !
Pic de Don : 1165 m height (3820 feet)
Had a look at Crest city. Nice castle!
I have uploaded some more photos (full resolution, and with map) in a new (for me) website, I wonder if it works well for forum viewers - let me know ! Here is the link : [url=http://opa.cig2.canon-europe.com/s/m/H5cud3KSmQX]Canon Gateway 2015-05 Ardeche Selection
Have good fun with the CB1100, wherever you are...
Jean-Pierre
