Posted on 08.04.2019 by admin

The volcanoes of Auvergne (duet)

September 1999The inenarable D978, which opens wide the doors of the Puy de Dôme and the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Park, is a hymn to motorcycling in itself…

ROADS

IN SHORT

Stroll words:

"Anyway here, all that is north of Clermont is Paris"
(The patroness of La Couze Pavin, Place du Monument, 63320 St Floret, tel. 04.73.71.18.98)

"Before we arrived to take over the hotel, it was a former orgy bar. We even found panties when removing the heaters!"
(anonymous)

Walk readings:
"(…) Gabriel easily found the Joe Bike. Five bikes were parked in front as in the parade: the butt against the sidewalk and the front wheel oriented to the right. He parked the Commando next to a 500 single cylinder BSA chopperized until ‘ridiculous and walked into the bar. (…) Norton Commando, said one of the pool players, showing off a nice row of nicotine-rotten snags. I recognized the fucking sound of the Dunstalls. (… "Well done, said the Octopus. Is that yours the Victor? Yeah, the tattooed chomped on himself. 500 mono bored in 6 1/2. Did you see the beast’s carb? Dell’orto, the Octopus smiled." With that, you don’t risk wearing out your front tire. It barely touches the floor, man. (…) "
("The Octopus: Stop the tiling" by Patrick Raynal, Editions Librio, 10 FF)

E.M.

A SUMMER 99 ON THE ROAD (5)
The volcanoes of Auvergne
Back from a 3-week station wagon after 4,600 km of asphalt riding a 900 Trophy weighted down by my favorite passenger, the best plans from Moto-Net. 5th and last part.

The anthem of the D978

The unspeakable D978, which opens wide the doors of the Puy de Dôme and the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Park, is a hymn to motorcycling in itself. Even at an almost regulatory pace, the curves are linked together wonderfully on a dream surface, not a bend resembles the previous one, all in a landscape of dark green forests of the most beautiful effect. Irresistible ! We can recover from our emotions by taking a dip in Lac Pavin, to the right of Super-Besse (bring out the missiles), then plunge back into the fury of D978 for the last kils of burst. Some precautions to be taken in spite of everything: the presence of a radar in the straight lines is not to be excluded, but especially beware of the Sunday Schumacher which briskly cut the road in the curves (saw a white AX arriving in front of full blind in a bend, both left wheels in the middle of my lane) … Better to master the concept of avoidance thoroughly! If you plan to go to Issoire (for example for a small visit of Voxan), thus choose the small one D26 Between The Cheix and Issoire. It winds gently at the foot of pleasant climbing cliffs, along the no less pleasant Couze de Pavin. Please note, guided tours of the Voxan factory are only available on Friday and Monday at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Groups: by appointment with Aurelie (04.73.55.67.75).

The dread river

Finally, if you plan to spend the night in the area, no hesitation: the hotel bar restaurant "La Couze Pavin" in St Floret, run by two friendly young exiles from Beauvais (Oise). Pierre and his wife, who started their first business there on their own (the place had been closed for years) have – already – understood everything in the hotel business. Correct rooms at 120 balls, a little retro but very liveable, and an original menu without fuss for 78 F (excellent mouclade au bleu d’Auvergne). They even managed to eat their delicious panacotta with the chairman of the local hunters, who supposedly couldn’t stand dairy products. Since then, he asks for more. As for the Couze Pavin, the river which passes through the village, it means "the river of dread".

The summit of Puy de Dôme

After tasting the delicious D996 with the evocative name via Champeix and St Nectaire, we can either cut by the D5 at Murols, in the direction of Puy d’Alou and Puy de Montenard, either stay on the D996 to the junction of the D983, which goes to the right towards the Col de Guery (1268 m). Both are richly provided with splendid panoramas, very correct coatings (a constant in the Puy de Dôme department) and galore virolos. Once past the Col de la Ventouse (980 m), a quick little stretch of N89 brings you to the D941A in the direction of Clermont. Even if it is by far the most developed, and the other surrounding volcanoes must be even more interesting, a little break at the top of the summit of the Puy de Dome (15 FF the climb for motorcycles), in the middle of paragliders and volcanoes, is highly recommended. There is even a panoramic restaurant (04.73.62.23.00), which we have not tested but which a reader has said the greatest good to us (thanks to Yann Lostec for the tip!). Then the small roads around Clermont are linked happily (D90, D941) until Manzat, on the D19. The D227, Then D109 along the Gorges de la Sioule is a must, despite a certain propensity to shit gravel. The N144 We also have very nice portions until St Eloy les Mines, then we leave the Puy de Dôme to enter the Allier. By the way, many motorcyclists crisscross the 63 (with similar roads, we understand them), but curiously less than one in two responds to the traditional hello … The roads of the Allier are on the whole rather dull, like the D4 and the N145 in the direction of Mills by Montmarault and The Montet, except for the D945 before Mills, which offers beautiful curves but not always very well indicated. We then arrive little by little in known terrain (), and it is zigzagging on the cute little pink roads of the Nièvre that we arrive at Nevers, after having missed Elisabeth again (next time, think about investing in a phone card).

Leave Nevers…

To leave Nevers more quietly than at Duras, take the direction of Fourchambault (to follow Bourges and turn right), then the D504 along the Loire (special strollers route, limited to 70 km / h). When you reach the Chamonds Reserve (an ecosystem on the banks of the Loire), be careful not to continue stupidly straight (like me) in the craters on the opposite path! In fact the road turns 90 ° to the right, but this is not indicated and the dirt road in front is paved with the same tar as the D504… but over 2 m only! Sensations guaranteed especially for Emmanuelle, who took the opportunity to ensure her automatic qualification for the next world saddle jumping championships. You can then follow the Canal Lateral à la Loire on the D45, a little too straight but bucolic as you wish. Be careful, however, of the very serious speed bumps (well marked), unless of course you are trying to beat Emmanuelle’s record (2 m 53). Before Charite sur Loire, strange vision of a factory-building from the 5th millennium, a kind of giant space cargo ship stranded on earth and lined with small buildings (housing?) in very 70’s pink concrete … Finally, entering Charite sur Loire At nightfall in summer, close the visor of your helmet tightly or suffer a muscular attack from the millions of mayflies that haunt the downtown bridge. It doesn’t sting, but it’s messy !

Return to Paris after 4,600 km

The inevitable return to Paris will be done almost backwards, that is to say by the smallest possible roads … This will give us in particular the vision, to say the least, of a huge field of cannabis (yes if yes!) at the gates of the capital , on the D44, just after Courcelles on the right. Industrial hemp, industrial hemp, that’s easy to say, industrial hemp! Do you have the papers relating to the conduct of industrial hemp? But the departmental ones end little by little by giving in to the pitiless road network of the greater crown and, having lost to the toss of the entry into Paris ("no, not the highway, not the highway!"), I will wisely deal with the traffic lights and the traffic N7 up to the Porte d’Italie while Emmanuelle, the big winner, will congratulate herself on having once again escaped the interfiles slalom of theA6. As for the Troph, it calmly displays its 40,000 terminals on the meter: we will have to think – already! – at the next service … someone knows a good Triumph dealer ?

Eric MICHEL

PREVIOUS EPISODES:
1. (solo)
2. (duo)
3. (duo)
4. (duet)

Road trips – The volcanoes of Auvergne (duo) –

The volcanoes of Auvergne (duet)

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