Road trip via St. Tropez

Here some pictures from a trip my son and I did last week in France.
No fixed plans, the weather reports more or less dictated our route.
Nine days away, including 2 restdays, 3300 kms.
My son on my winter "salt" bike, a 1981 BMW R80, me on the 1974 Mk2 850 Norton.
It was great. First day and a half some rain, thereafter only sunshine.
We aimed for the French Alps, and why not even take a swim, so we ended up in St. Tropez.
So many cols! It was bliss.
Cayolle, Toutes-Aures, Allos, Vars, Isoard and Galibier.
To cap it off, homebound we passed Mont Blanc and Grand Ballon in the Vosges.
Bikes went great, the views were incredible, we were so lucky.
Issues? Just one each.
The Gods must have decided it had to happen simultaneously.
In the Ardennes, my bike spluttered somewhat and I stopped at a parking to check it out. First thing I did was to check the RITA in the timing cover, and yes, it were the wires that had vibrated loose from the little staybolt. My fault, should have applied some loctite to the little locknuts.
While coasting to a stop on this parking, my son found out he could not change gears! The shouldered bolt holding the gear change leverage had disappeared. Fixed that properly at a garage near Bouillon. Good guy.

Old Nortons never die.


South of Grenoble


Lac Serre Poncon, close to Barcelonette


On the bank of the Vars just after Col de Cayolle


Castellane


Castellane, outside the hotel, la vie est belle


St. Tropez, trusty steeds among tourists


St. Tropez, Norton no less unapproachable


On the Col de Vars


On the way to Col d'Isoard.


Col du Galibier


Col du Galibier


Breakfast at Mont Blanc

Brilliant ! A trip to remember .
Jimmy

A great photo report, thanks for sharing.
I seem to have sat in, walked past or stopped at quite a few of those places too.
Isn't it just great to tour round the south of France?

The cafe/boulangerie just disappearing out the left of the frame in the picture of the square at Castellane sells a brilliant anchovy encrusted fougasse. Eat with a cold beer or chilled wine.

Nice pics and great trip Benny, and even better sharing the trip with your son.
iain

Like a dream come true Benny, way to go and thanks for taking us along with ya. Does the Commando in France get the ohh's and ahh's like they do stateside?

Had some chats with guys about my age telling me about the Nortons they used to have and love.
One cheerfull Swiss guy offered my son 2 euros to go and clean the beemer..
Quite rightly so, the bike was vaselined over 3 years ago and never washed since..

Thanks for extending our joys on your adventure with your son. I remember driving all around France in potent 80's Renault Apline to film feasible and such with the race like contests at city intersections everyone fighting for best starting position like 3+ cars in 2 lanes waiting for the X-mass tree green To GO! Did ya encounter this or have they tamed down to 'normal'? Even in rural sections if not pressing speed pretty ridiculously I'd get passed by econo cars rally drivers, I did not try to keep up with as enjoying the tour with wife and mother inlaw but did learn to keep an eye on rear mirror.

Inderdaad toevallig! Het was één groot genieten.

Thanks for the pics, looks like you had a great trip, that is a beautiful Commando.