Combe Laval cliff road in the Vercors
102 EMJ · 9-stage motorcycle roadbook

102 EMJ – Loire Castles & Vercors Grand Tour

Nine-stage motorcycle loop from Oulx through the Vercors, Loire châteaux, Paris, Burgundy and the Alps.

2,120 km / 1,318 mi9 StagesPaved roadMay–Oct
Hero image source: D76 Combe Laval road page ↗ · verify reuse terms with the publisher
Journey at a glance

Nine stages from Oulx across France and back

Start / finishOulx, Italy
Distance2,120 km / 1,318 mi
Route characterAlpine passes, Vercors balconies, Loire château roads and rural connectors
Best suited toTouring / adventure riders
Recommended periodMay–October, subject to pass status
102 EMJ · France

Alps, Vercors & Loire Grand Loop

Distance2,120 km / 1,318 mi
Riding time9 Stages
DifficultyModerate

The journey

Route 102 — Loire Castles & Vercors Grand Tour is a nine-stage paved motorcycle loop from Oulx, Italy through the Vercors, Loire Valley, Paris, Burgundy and the Alps.

Mountain roads and cliffside viewpoints give way to château country, city approaches and vineyard lanes. Check pass conditions, weather, fuel range and local access before each day.

Choose Stage 1–9 for the full riding brief, services, visits and walking tour.

Route at a glance

Oulx → Die → Le Puy-en-Velay → Montluçon → Amboise → Tours → Paris → Beaune → Annecy → Oulx

Interactive complete route map

Route, POI, hotel and campsite filters are independent. Hotel pins match the properties listed for each Stage. Fuel and restaurant pins are shown only where an individual venue location has been checked; empty layers report that no pin is available for the selected Stage.

Campsite pins mark one researched option for each stage. Check the official campsite page for current season, availability and motorcycle access before travel.

The accepted route line and route anchors are shown. Use the map controls to explore the route layers.
Black numbered markers: route anchors★: curated POIs⛽ Green: fuel stations⛺ Purple: campsitesBlue: hotelsBrown: restaurant
EMJ Stage Signature

The character of this Stage

Four carefully selected moments that define the riding, landscape and arrival experience.

Elevation profile

Complete route elevation profile

Distance on the horizontal axis and elevation on the vertical axis. Move the pointer or a finger across the profile to inspect kilometre and elevation.

Loading terrain elevation…
Minimum elevation—
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Total ascent—
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Terrain uses Elevation is retrieved from the Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 (90 m) through the Open-Meteo Elevation API. No synthetic elevation fallback is used.

Fuel & Services

Checked fuel options along or close to the accepted route. Use the map layer for exact positions.

⛽ Fuel◉ 24 h where published🔧 Services🚻 WC where listed☕ Shop / café where listed

Opening hours, payment methods and fuel grades can change. Recheck the selected station on the riding day.

Food & wine

Regional flavours along the loop

Choose locally: ravioles du Dauphiné and Clairette de Die around Die; Lentille verte du Puy near Le Puy; Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine in Touraine; and Comté in the Jura. Stage cards give more local choices. Any wine tasting should take place after the motorcycle is parked for the day.

Indicative meal windows: breakfast 07:00–09:30, lunch 12:00–14:00 and dinner 19:00–21:00. Confirm actual opening hours directly, especially on Sundays and outside the main season.

Seasonality & Weather

Best window: May to October

The route crosses high Alpine terrain and exposed Vercors roads before reaching lowland château country and Paris. Pass weather and seasonal closures can affect the mountain legs; summer brings visitor traffic around the Loire and congestion near Paris and Annecy. Check current forecasts, road restrictions and attraction access before each day.

Météo-France ↗French traffic information ↗
Airports & access

Plan the start and finish in Oulx

Turin Airport (TRN) is the closest major airport to Oulx; Lyon–Saint-Exupéry (LYS) is a practical alternative for the return corridor, while Paris–Charles de Gaulle (CDG) serves the capital leg. Confirm transfer times, rental availability and cross-border policies directly with providers.

Turin Airport ↗Lyon Airport ↗Paris CDG ↗
Motorcycle rental

Check rental from Turin before booking

These Turin-area providers list touring motorcycles. Confirm availability, collection or delivery point, insurance, luggage, deposit and written permission for the France border crossing before booking.

  • T66 Moto Italy — BMW GS rental, including F 900 GS and R 1300 GS, with panniers/top box and unlimited kilometres listed on its fleet page.
  • CLX Rent — BMW R 1300 GS Trophy and Triple Black listed in the Turin-area fleet; confirm delivery area and terms directly.
T66 motorcycle fleet ↗CLX Rent motorcycle fleet ↗
Rider preparation

Plan for changing terrain

Navigation

Download your route files and offline map areas before departure; verify your device follows the intended roads.

Weather

Carry waterproof and warm layers for the Alpine passes, even when the Loire valleys are mild.

Fuel

Start mountain legs with a full tank and check live station locations and opening hours in larger towns.

Visits

Check château schedules, ticket requirements and parking before allocating time to interior visits.

Practical recommendations

Leave room for the stops

Vercors

Use a measured pace on cliffside roads and stop only at safe viewpoints.

Loire Valley

Castle grounds take time; choose the visits that matter most to you.

Paris

Confirm secure parking and access restrictions before entering the city.

Alpine return

Check Col du Petit Saint-Bernard status and weather before the final crossing.