5 days – Millau, Cévennes, Ardèche & Vercors
A 5-day motorcycle tour to the Millau Viaduct, combining scenic roads, deep gorges, plateaus and spectacular viewpoints, ideal for an unforgettable road trip.
Total distance: 1325 km
Total riding time: 31h01
Recommended period: April to November
No very high mountain passes on this itinerary: Lozère, the Cévennes and the Vercors are generally around 1,000 m altitude.
We leave Mende heading south towards Quézac, at the entrance of the Tarn Gorges.
The Tarn Gorges, located in the heart of the Cévennes National Park, offer breathtaking scenery. Take your time: there is so much to see that you could easily spend several days here.
The route passes through Sainte-Enimie, listed among the most beautiful villages in France. A detour to the “Point Sublime” offers an exceptional panoramic view over the gorges.
We return to the gorge road and reach the famous Millau Viaduct, the highest bridge in the world. The itinerary takes you to a viewpoint offering a spectacular perspective on this engineering masterpiece.
After crossing Millau, the route heads east before climbing the Corniche du Causse Noir.
Then we ride through the Gorges de la Jonte to reach Meyrueis.
We continue along the Corniche des Cévennes towards Alès, where the day ends. The route passes close to the tourist office, making it easy to find a hotel or guesthouse.
Tourist Office Alès: www.ot-ales.fr – Tel: +33 (0)4 66 52 32 15
The next day, we leave Alès heading north via the D16 towards Barjac and Vallon-Pont-d’Arc to reach the Ardèche Gorges, which we follow down to Pont-Saint-Esprit. Numerous viewpoints allow stops to admire the landscape.
After crossing the Rhône at Pont-Saint-Esprit, we leave the Gard and enter the Drôme via the scenic roads of Drôme Provençale.
Near Crest, we begin climbing towards the foothills of the Vercors. Roads become increasingly winding and mountainous, passing famous sections such as Col de la Bataille, Col de la Machine, Combe Laval and the Bourne Gorges.
The route leads to Presles, in the heart of the Royans and the Vercors plateau, where we spend the night in a quiet and charming guesthouse.
Guesthouse “Les Fauries”, Presles – Tel: +33 (0)4 76 36 10 50 (credit cards not accepted).
We continue through the Bourne Gorges and Engins Gorges, then descend towards Grenoble after Sassenage. We cross the city efficiently to reach the Chartreuse Massif and its regional natural park.
Chambéry is reached via the Col du Granier, before crossing towards the Bauges and climbing the Semnoz.
Arrival in Annecy, then return to Annemasse via Cruseilles and the eastern side of the Salève.
Updated: 28/03/2013
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