French Alps self guided motorcycle holiday

Today’s ride on the French Alps self-guided motorcycle-tour is a high mileage one. So, early breakfast and departure are recommended. The quickest and easiest way to get to Chamonix would be to use the motorways. However, if you prefer, you could stay on N and D-roads until Dijon and then join the motorway.

The last leg of today’s journey can be shortened by coming off the motorway earlier. It will take you through Jura Nature Park but would also involve riding through Geneva. 

Your hotel in Chamonix is located near the town’s centre, allowing you easy access to the shops, bars, and restaurants. A playground for all sorts of outdoorsy people, including bikers, the town has no shortage of restaurants and places to eat. It ranges from Michelin-starred, chalet-chic, Turkish kebab and anything in between.

You can spend your first free day of this self guided motorcycle tour organising your own agenda, or you can follow our suggested itinerary. This ride includes some of the best and most beautiful mountain passes in the area.  

You’ll begin by riding via the ski resort of Megève and ascending Col des Saisies. The pass climbs through pretty alpine scenery alternating between forest, open green pastures and pretty villages. At Beaufort, you can visit the Cheese Museum. Even if you don’t fancy stopping there, you’ll definitely be able to smell it. From here, you’ll pass the Lac de Roseland and find yourself face to face with one of the Tour de France classics. Cormet de Roselend is an epic pass that can occasionally be quite challenging with a good number of tight hairpins.

Your next port of call is one of the oldest and greatest passes in Europe. Col du Petit Saint-Bernard is an ancient Alpine military road that will take you from France to Italy. La Thuile is a convenient place to stop for lunch in one of many restaurants, pizzerias and cafes.

To complete the loop and return to your hotel, the route includes the Mont Blanc tunnel. It is a toll road, so if you wish to avoid the charge, you can reverse the route and return to Chamonix. The attractive bonus of this option comes in the form of riding all the passes twice.

It might be difficult to associate the present-day image of today’s destination with its harsh past. Once upon a time, the beautiful lakeside town of Annecy was one of the most notorious prison towns in France. The pristine Lac d’Annecy is one of the largest lakes in France. It sits among snow-capped mountains and is known as the cleanest lake in Europe.  

Spend an hour or two, or three, getting lost among the cobblestone alleys of the old town. The narrow streets are lined by pastel houses decorated with bright flower boxes. Stop at a boulangerie for a freshly baked croissant and coffee. Or find a pavement table at one of many gelaterias and have ice cream. Spend a bit of time on the shores of the lake relaxing and people-watching. Take in the buzzy atmosphere of this fantastic mountain town. 

As you leave Annecy, you’ll head towards Serraval and Manigod. Our suggested route will take you over the col de la Colombier and col des Aravis. These are the two of the most legendary passes of the French Alps and of the Tour de France. They are also two absolute favourites on any bikers’ thick the box’ list.  

Our third suggested day ride will take you to Switzerland. From Chamonix, you’ll head straight for the enjoyable Col du Pillon. This road is considered one of the most beautiful mountain passes in the Swiss Alps. It is a perfectly paved road with countless bends and switchbacks. For miles, the only distraction will be the fresh mountain fragrance, breathtaking scenery and distant clanging of cowbells. You will know you’re in Switzerland! As an added bonus, here you can take the Glacier 3000 cable car to the top of the Vaudois Alps and enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. These include the Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau and Matterhorn. You can also walk the unique suspension bridge linking two mountain peaks.

From here, the ride will continue towards the famous ski resorts of Gstaad and Château d’Oex, heading for the Col des Mosses. It is another pass that featured in the Tour de France. 

This is a fantastic day trip that can be done at a leisurely pace and still give you enough time to enjoy your evening in Chamonix.

This is your day off and also the last day In Chamonix, so you can spend it any way you wish. Most of our clients use this day to rest and explore the local tourist attractions.  

The most popular one is the Aiguille du Midi cable car ride that will take you to dizzying heights of nearly 4000 meters. From here you can admire the Glacier des Bossons, the Mont-Blanc, the Aiguille Verte, the Drus and the Aiguilles de Chamonix. Then you can hop in a second cable car, which, in just 10 minutes, will take you up even higher to see the Pélerins glacier and the hanging glaciers on the north face of the Aiguille du Midi. 

Another popular option is hop on the Mont Blanc Express and taking a ride to Martigny in Switzerland. This beautiful railway journey passes through some of the most fantastic mountain scenery. The train stops at some key places in the Chamonix valley and in Switzerland.

Today you’ll be leaving Chamonix behind and begin your journey back towards the Champagne region. Despite being one of the longer riding days, it would be a shame not to pop into Montreux.

This beautiful town situated on the shores of pristine Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French) was once home to the legendary Queen lead singer Freddy Mercury. For the fans of rock music, a short walk along the promenade will take you to a wonderfully erected statue of the legend himself.

Those wishing to continue with the rock theme can also visit the Queen museum. It is located in the former Mountain studios in the Casino Barrière de Montreux. The Funky Claude’s Bar is also not that far from the statue. Here you will find a memorial to Deep Purple and their classic song Smoke on the Water. The rest of the day, you’ll spend riding on and off the motorways. The ride will also include some lovely country roads that meander through the Jura region and lovely pastoral landscapes dotted with traditional towns and beautiful villages. 

Your hotel is located in a woodland setting and will welcome you with a comfortable room and a gourmet evening meal.

Please note that if you decide to stop at Montreux, then an early breakfast and departure are recommended. 

Following one last delicious French breakfast, it will be time to pack your panniers and head North towards Calais. Your channel crossing will be booked for late afternoon. 

You’ll have enough time to ride the country roads until you join the motorway at Reims. Both Sézanne and Épernay are good places to stop to stretch your legs and have a coffee. 

We hope you enjoyed your French Alps self-guided motorcycle-tour and RidingWithUs. And we also hope to hear from you soon. Have a safe journey home.