Mighty Millau Bridge
Grand tour, Islands, Alps and Beaches
Sardinia,Corsica and France
Grand tour, Islands, Alps and Beaches
Sardinia,Corsica and France
Explore stunning mediterranean islands and all the finest roads that France has to offer on one unique tour.
Ben Spear and Felix Billington.
Find out more about Magellan Guides
Find out more about Magellan Guides
A firm favourite among UK bikers France offers some of the finest scenery and roads available in Europe while Corsica and Sardinia’s deserted mountain roads, white sandy beaches and brilliant sunshine will make you want to keep coming back for more. ld.
Starting in Calais you ride through the unmistakable rolling countryside of Northern France to Verdun where you stop to visit the memorial and walk around the trenches. The next day sees you in the Vosges mountains in the East near the border with Germany, this naturally beautiful mountain range sees bikers from all over coming to play on the spectacular roads they have to offer.
From here we head down past Geneva, the Massif de Bauges, Annecy and finally into Grenoble. From Grenoble we join the famous "Route Napoleon", along the D900 and Luberon which brings us to our base in Manosque.
We ride Europe's answer to the Grand Canyon - The Gorges du Verdon, with walls 2,000 feet high on our way to our overnight from Toulon.
We take the overnight ferry from France to Sardinia, arriving early and then riding to Alghero with time to explore the beautiful medieval citiy, laze by the beach or explore the surrounding hills. Here we spend two nights and you can join organised rideout to explore the beautiful mountains or you can chill by the pool, or take a boat trip the nearby famous Neptune's cave. The next day we have a twisty ride across this beautiful island to the eastern coast . The following morning we take the ferry to neighbouring Corsica, in effect travelling from Italy to France
In Corsica we enjoy three days relaxing by the beaches and riding the stunning cols before making our way back across to the mainland on the overnight ferry back to France. We then cross the South of the country through the national park of Cevennes with it's pretty valleys and gorges cut by the rivers Jonte and Tarn. We cruise to our overnight stop within striking distance of the Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world standing at 343 metres.
Riding through the volcanic region of Auvergne we ride a popular Tour de France circuit across the Dordogne. After a good night's sleep we ride North through the ever picturesque rolling hills of France to the wild countryside of La Brenne National park skirting Orleans and the Loire valley. Our final overnight stop comes in Chartres to experience the festival of lights before making our way back home the next day.
Want to join us on this exquisite tour of Corsica and Sardinia? We’d love to have you..
Tour highlights
Route Napoleon, one of France’s if not Europe’s finest roads: The route taken by Napoleon in his 1815 retreat from Elba to Grenoble takes us through gorgeous Alpine scenery and sweeping bend after sweeping bend.
Gorges du Verdon: The Gorges du Verdon truly is Europe's Grand Canyon, the views are breath-taking.
Our latest in a long line of Self Guided trips with Magellan and what a corker it was. Thanks so much for all your help and support throughout, Corsica was as good as you said and Sardinia was, if anything, even better! Now where to next…’Claire & Phil F
Sardinia: Full of charming small fishing ports and beautiful medieval cities. Its biker heaven with warm sunshine and quiet twisty mountains roads aplenty.
White Sandy beaches of Corsica: With over two hundred white sandy beaches Corsica is the perfect venue for some much needed rest and relaxation with little villages to walk through and bars and restaurants looking out over the ocean.
Gorges, Peaks and Passes of the central Corsican mountains: The variety of the terrain in Corsica combined with the beautiful views and steep mountain passes make this region a joy to ride your bike in.
Auvergne: This landlocked region is famous for its Volcanoes and epic scenery, but more importantly it boasts some incredible roads to keep our biker’s hearts happy!
Millau Bridge: The Millau viaduct is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, taller than the Eiffel tower. It's also 2,400km long, only touching the ground in nine places- it's a true feat of engineering.
WW1 War memorial at Verdun and the Douaumont Ossuary: The battle of Verdun claimed the lives of 300,000 soldiers, and the Bishop of the area wished to give them a ‘decent burial’. The Douaumont Ossuary houses a Necropolis which shelters the bodies of 16,142 known French soldiers, and the Ossuary which houses the bones of roughly 130,000 unknown French and German soldiers.
Tour Map / Itinerary
Full Itinerary
Day 1 271 Miles
From Calais, you cross the country and make your way along the beautiful rural roads of northern France to Verdun.
Day 2 240 Miles
Today takes you up into the Vosges Mountains and on to your second overnight stop near the border with Switzerland.
Day 3 168 Miles
Starting with the Jura Mountains and riding down past Geneva, the Massif de Bauges,and on to Grenoble.
Day 4 151 Miles
We ride the "Route Napoleon"along the D900 and Luberon which brings us to our base in Manosque.
Day 5 150 Miles
Ride the Gorge du Verdon (the French Grand canyon), then we make our way to Toulon for our overnight ferry to Sardinia.
Day 6 Explore Days / Rideout Days
Arrive early in Sardinia and ride to Alghero with plenty of time to explore the medieval city and famous caves, or follow our scenic rideout route around the west coast.
Day 7 150 Miiles
Beautiful mountain roads today as we make our way across the island to Santa Teresa di Gallura.
Day 8 Explore Days / Rideout Days
Enjoy a scenic rideout around east of the island or chill by the pool and explore the ancient ruins in the area.
Day 9 Explore Days / Rideout Days
A short morning ferry hop over to Corsica where we spend four days exploring the island with organised ride-outs, or venture off on your own.
Day 10/11 Explore Days / Rideout Days
Cruise a selection of rideouts on these two days,or chill by the pool, explore local towns and villages and visit the beautiful beaches of Corsica.
Day 12 100 Miles
We cruise through the Corsican countryside to catch the overnight ferry back to France.
Day 13 120 Miles
We ride through the low hills and national park of Cevennes to our stop near the Millau Viaduct.
Day 14 204 Miles
Today starts by visiting the Millau Viaduct, this takes us up towards the Limousin region and the town of Treignac on the banks of the Vezere.
Day 15 248 Miles
From Treignac we continue back northwards to the city of Chartres, with its stunning cathedral.
Day 16 212 Miles
Hearty breakfast and then onto the channel tunnel for the final leg of the trip home.
What's included
Eurotunnel return trip Folkestone-Calais (if Folkestone isn’t convenient for you do please get in touch as other crossings can be arranged see Q&A below).
Ferries with Cabins when overnight Italy – Sardinia, Sardinia – Corsica, Corsica – France.
13 Nights accommodation in good quality hotels, 2 nights ferry cabin accommodation.
Excellent breakfast each morning in the hotels.
Full use of all hotels’ leisure facilities.
Detailed route plans and maps.
GPS routes (Garmin / Tom Tom).
Detailed daily itinerary including sights and suggested coffee / lunch stops.
What's not
Fuel.
Toll charges.
Admission charges.
Occasional hotel parking charges.
Meals and drinks.
Travel/Breakdown insurance covering repatriation back to the UK .
Common questions about this trip
Can I get a different crossing on this trip?
Of course, many of our clients cross by ferry from further north. If you would like to do this and make your own way to the hotel on the first night just let us know in the comments section of your booking form and we will deduct the cost of the Eurotunnel crossing from your booking.
When is the best time of year to do this trip?
May to September as a rule although October can work with a dash of luck. This trip crosses a number of high passes in the alps so you need to be aware that even in August some of these can close at short notice due to adverse weather conditions. There are always ways round these passes but worth bearing in mind when planning the best dates for your tour.
More information
For general information on planning and preparing for motorcycle trips including what to pack please see our Prepare for your trip section.
Magellan Hub
Want to ask one of the team a question, or a get a previous tourer’s take on a trip?