VERCORS AND SAVOY, ON WINDING ROADS WITH BREATHTAKING VIEWS
This motorcycle tour will take you to discover the roads in Vercors with breathtaking views and those winding ones in Savoy. These two regions are located in the south-eastern part of France, close to Switzerland and the Italian regions of Aosta Valley and Piedmont. Savoy is a true paradise for motorcyclists where they can have lots of fun riding on thrilling winding roads or crossing the many Alpine passes surrounded by the amazing alpine landscape. In addition, Savoy offers many nature reserves, picturesque lakes, renowned spas, and ancient cities to visit such as the beautiful Annecy, nicknamed the "Venice of the Alps" due to its similarities with the famous Italian city.
The Vercors is a plateau located over 1,000 meters high in the French Prealps of the Rhone (Rhône), the river that over the millennia has dug deep canyons and caves in this territory. The most spectacular ones are the Gorges of the Bourne (Gorges de la Bourne in French) and the Choranche Caves (Grottes de Choranche in French). Roads are also carved into the rock, so they are flanked by impressive ravines. The whole landscape offers an awesome and unique setting in the world with breathtaking views.
The default departure of this motorcycle tour to Savoy and Vercors is set in Geneva, Switzerland, but you can choose to start out also from two different French cities such as Valence or Modane, as you like.
From Geneva, the tour goes south, passing Lake Annecy and then entering the mountainous massifs of Bauges and Chartreuse. In these two mountain groups, there are some interesting winding passes including Col de Leschaux, Col de Palaquit, Col de Plainpalais, Col de Porte, Col de Vence, Col du Cucheron, and Col de Leschaux.
Once you reached Grenoble, you will enter the Vercors meeting first the beautiful Bourne Gorges and then the Choranche Caves, where we recommend a visit. Not far from these two wonderful sites of nature is located the picturesque village of Saint-Laurent-en-Royans where old, pastel-colored houses high up to nine floors built on the edge of the gorge below create an evocative landscape. But, the real treasures of Vercors for motorcyclists are the winding roads of this region. Above all the others, the queen is the famous Combe Laval! On this tour, you will ride your motorcycle on the whole Combe Laval circuit, along the many precipices bend after bend!
In Vercors there are many high Alpine mountain passes, most of them are well-known for motorcyclists such as Col de la Machine, Col de la Bataille, Col d'Arves, Col de la Chau, Col de la Croix, Col de la Portette, Col de l'Allimas, Col de l'Arzelier, Col de Menée, Col de Rousset, Col de Saint-Alexis, Col de Tourniol, Col des Deux, and Col du Prayet.
Left Vercors behind you will enter the Savoy region. Motorcyclists will have to face here some of the most challenging climbs in the Alps. In fact, on this motorcycle tour you will cross many of the mythical Alpine passes with legendary names such as Col de l'Iseran, the highest road pass in Europe, Col du Télégraphe, Col de la Croix-de-Fer, Col de la Madeleine, Col de Saint-Jean, Col des Aravis, Col du Glandon, Col du Méraillet, Col du Moncenisio, Col du Pré, Col des Saisies, and Cormet de Roselend before getting back to Geneva.
