Along the Romantic Dordogne

Distance: 160 Miles; 255 Kms

Towns: Treignac, Egletons, Gimmel-les-Cascades, Tulle, St Chamant, Argentat, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Collonges-la-Rouge, Brive-la-Gaillarde, Donzenac, Uzerche, Masseret, Chamberet.

Regions: Limosin (Correze)

Roads: D16, D1089 (N89), D1120 (N120), D12, D940, D38, D158, D920, D20, D3, D132,

Attractions: Gimmel-les-Cascades, Argentat, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Collonges-la-Rouge

Coffee Stops: There are plenty of places to stop for coffee along this route. Tulle, Egletons, Argentat, Masseret, Gimmel-les-Cascades, Argentat, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Collonges-la-Rouge

Description: This route is so adaptable with excellent roads criss-crossing it to allow you to shorten or lengthen the enjoyment. Starts off reasonable technical but then opens up from Egletons for some good sticky open fast roads through the romantic Dordogne. Stopping at Argentat for Lunch then on through some winding roads and picturesque villages - along the Dordogne. before once again picking up some open country and fast twisties. You do have to cut through Brive however it is worth the effort to get to the D920 however if you want to byepass Brive drop onto the A20 (Non Toll) for a couple of junctions and get off at Donzenac to continue the route.

Argentat

Argentat for LunchTulle Coffee by the Cathederal
Collonges-la-Rouge

Oradour-Sur-Glane

Disatnce: 156 Miles. 251 Kms

Towns: Treignac, Lacelle, Eymoutires, Peyrat-Le-Chateaux, St-Leonard-de-Noblat, Ambazac, Oredour-sur-Glane, Limoges, Le Chatenet, Chateauneuf-la-Foret

Regions: Limousin (Haute Vienne, Correze)

Roads: D132E3, D940, D5, D13, D19, D711, D9, D1141 (N141), D2000, A20 (not Toll) , D979, D160,

Attractions: Resistance Museum, Oredour-sur-Glane (Martyred Village WWII)

Coffee Stops: Peyrat-Le-Chateaux "The Bellerive" friendly English owned where you can get a real cuppa tea. Oradour-sur-Glane town centre a good place for a lunch stop, Eymoutiers on the way back.

Description: The D940 to Peyrat-le-Chateaux is absolutely awesome by the time you get to Eymoutiers you will be in rythm with the bends but once you start to climb out of Eymoutiers you will be grining from ear to ear and wanting to go back again once you have had a cup of rosey lea in Peyrat-le-Chateaux. If you were not sure of left or right hand bends you can be asured that they will be coming together after the ride thus far. The road narrows slightly from here to the A20 but still interesting as far as twistie goes, though some might be out of sync. The road once crossing the A20 to Oradour is through a plethra of small typically French towns, but once you get to Oradour you realise the horrors which had befallen the area during June 1945. The route back is down a duel carriageway to the A20 for a couple of junctions before heading once more down a cracking fast bike road to Eymoutiers before once again picking up the D940's smooth bends back to Treignac.

Peyrat-le-Chateaux Tea stop at the Bellerive

Oradour-Sur-Glane

Lunch stop in Oradour-Sur-Glane

St Leonard de Noblat Viaduct

Rocamadour

Distance: 181 Miles 291 Kms

Towns: Treignac, Tulle, Altilac, St Jene Lagineste, St Cere, Padirac, Rocamadour, Payrac, Souillac, Noailles, Brive-La-Gaillarde, Donzenac, Uzerche, Chamberet.

Regions: Correze, Midi Pyrenees.

Roads: D16, D940, D1120 (N120), D1, D125, D807, D673, D90, D1020 (N20), D19, D154, D158, D920, D3.

Attractions: Beaulieu-Sur-Dordogne, Gouffre de Padirac, Rocamadour, Grotte des Merveilles,

Coffee Stops: Tulle Centre (Park inside the Cathederal boundry), Beaulieu-Sur-Dordogne is a spectacular place park in the square and wonder around the town. Lunch at either Padirac or above Rocamadour. There are fewer cafes on the route from Rocamadour to Brive so if you see one open stop. Ussel is nice, as you enter the Town turn left up into the Chateaux and park in the square (Cobbled road).

Description: This route gets technical in the middle where the D940 becomes a twisting snake like narrow road for about 15 miles, not for heavy longwheeled bikes unless you are used to riding narrow twistie country lanes. The route out of Rocamadour is superb but hard work on something like the Triumph Rocket 3. Going through Brive City can be a pain but worth the effort as the road down off the N20 into the centre is nice, however if you want to avoid it drop onto the A20 (not a toll) for a couple of junctions and get off on the D920 to Donzenac to rejoin the route. Be careful when going down the hill and through the tunnel to Rocamadour as there is often oncoming traffic in the middle of the road...

Rocamadour Rocamadour

Rocamadour from above

The Twisties into Brive

Mt Dore and Puy Dome

Distance: 205 Miles, 328 Kms

Towns: Treignac, Lac de Bariousses, Lac Viam, Bugat, Meymac, Bort-Les-Orgues, Mount Dore, Clermont Ferrand, Ussel, Les Bourboule, Borg Lastic, Egletons.

Regions: Correze, Cantal, Puy Dome.

Roads: D16, D940, D979, D36, D922, D996, D130, D983, D1089 (N89), D914,

Attraction: Chateaux de Val, Barrage Bort-Les Orgues, Mount Dore, Puy Dome, Michellin MotoGP Memorial. Le Mont Fraternite.

Coffee Stops: Chateaux de Val, Les Bourboule, Mont Dore, Puy Mary, Ussel

Description: Long wide open roads with visibility for miles through miles and miles of undulating sweeping bends left and right with great views of the Auvergne region mountains an area full of Ski resorts you will be sure to use the whole of your tyre... Suitable for all bikes and rider style.

A view of Mount Dore

Riding out of Mount Dore Town

Suc au May

Just before the Summit of Puy Dome

Puy Mary - Volcanic Region

Distance: 205 Miles, 328 Kms

Towns: Treignac, Egletons, Bugat, Maymac, Saint Angel, Bort-Les-Orgues, Aurillac, Argentat, Tulle.

Regions: Correze (Limousin), Cantal (Auvergne).

Roads: D16, D1089 (N89) D979, D922, D680, D17, D1120 (N120), D940.

Attractions: Barrage de Bort-Les-Orgues, Chateaux-de-Val, Col de Neronne, Puy Mary Volcano Argentat.

Coffee Stops: La Belvedere overlooking the Barrage at Bort-Les-Orgues, Chateaux De Val overlooking the Castle and the River Dordogne, Col de Naronne is a good place to stop for a light lunch or carry on up the Volcano to Puy Mary Peak but here you will find is crowded, Argentat down on the cobbles of the Dordogne river front you can enjoy some fine Ice creams and milk shakes in an idilic setting.

Description: This route is perfect for all types of bikes and riders. It has a mixture of technical and easy going sweeping roads with excellent visibility with a mixture of small towns with some big towns interspersed for fuel and coffee stops. Traffic is scarce for the 1st half of the route until you head up to Puy Mary when you can expect to meet tourists. On the way down from Puy Mary to Aurillac you will encounter a few cyclists enjoying the down hill section. From Aurillac to Tulle you will meet a truck or 2 through this sensational twisty run down into Tulle. Once out of Tulle and on the D940 you will once again enjoy a relatively congestion free road.

Chateaux de Val

Col de Naronne Switchback

Along the D680 to Puy Mary

By the river Dordogne Argentat