Paris to BiarritzRecce Report

BY FRED BENT

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Paris to BiarritzRecce Report

BY FRED BENT

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

France is my favourite rally territory, with over a million

kilometres of roadway to choose from, it offers a

hassle-free driving experience on road surfaces that

are usually good to excellent. The scenery ranges from

the serene and quietly lovely to the spectacular. With

such a motoring feast on offer when planning a route,

it is often a question of what not to include.

To simulate, as far as possible, the traffic and

weather(!) conditions that we may encounter on the

actual event we carried out the major part of the recce

in September returning in mid-October to complete

the task. We found that the late summer early autumn

to be the ideal, being outside the peak holiday period

and school holidays, the traffic on the back roads was

light or non-existent and the weather perfect.

Our September 2019, the event will start from the leafy, bourgeois suburb of Versailles, 22km southwest of central Paris. Famed for its magnificent château it was the kingdom’s political capital until the fateful events of 1789 when revolutionaries massacred the palace guard and Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were ultimately dragged back to Paris, where they were ingloriously guillotined.

The Palace of Versailles and the surrounding gardens is a UNESCO world Heritage site and one of France’s premier tourist attractions. Built for Louis XIII as a hunting lodge and expanded by Louis XIV into the monumental Château de Versailles and the principal royal residence of France until the start of the French Revolution.

Rally HQ is the lovely Trianon Palace Hotel situated adjacent to this jewel of Versailles. The stone façade of the hotel matches the classical style and splendour of its illustrious neighbour. Whilst the history of the hotel does not extend quite as far back as the former royal residence, it boasts a remarkable past. Built in the first decade of the 20th century it was used as an auxiliary hospital during the First World War and it was in the reception salon that the conditions for the Treaty

of Versailles were drafted. It was signed several days later in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, ending the conflict.

In 1939, the hotel was once again occupied by the Army. It was first requisitioned by the Royal Air Force, which installed its Paris offices in the basement, then in 1940 became the headquarters of the Luftwaffe on the orders of Marshal Goering. American forces occupied the hotel in their turn, in 1944; within its walls the leading allied generals – de Gaulle, Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley and Montgomery – took the major decisions, which shaped our geopolitical map today.

When peace was restored, the Trianon Palace Hotel resumed its role as a prominent society hotel. At that time, a private hotel shuttle linked it three times daily with the Place de la Concorde. Since that time the hotel has welcomed numerous important figures from the world of international politics, finance, the arts, the theatre and of course royalty. The likes of Henry Bernstein, Jeanne Moreau, Tino Rossi, Marlene Dietrich, John Rockefeller Junior, Paul Getty, Prince Aga-Khan, Queen Elizabeth II, the King of Morocco and King Hussein of Jordan have all been guests. As of course have competitors in Rally Round’s 2013 and 2014 Paris to Madrid rallies.

Versailles and the start

In our discussions with the Authorities we have extended an invitation to the Mayor of Versailles to flag the cars away from the ceremonial start from where they will head south towards the charm of the Loire Valley. It is a pleasant morning run to the heart of a region filled with little gems and sights to see.

Our intended lunch halt is the ostentatious, flamboyant and fabulous Chateau de Chambord. Chambord is dazzling and unlike any other Chateau. The great French writer Victor Hugo said of it “All magic… all madness is represented in the bizarreness of this palace of fairy kings and queens”. And, he’s absolutely right.

It really does look like a magical castle, with an ethereal air, almost delicate but overpowering at the same time. Teeming with turrets and towers, gleaming white stone contrasts with its pointy black slate roof, it is a magnificent display of power and taste.

From this amazing place we continue to wind our way through the charming rural landscape via a great village bar/restaurant that we chanced upon – (the like of which are becoming increasing rare in 21st century France) - before arriving at the super little “Circuit de La Châtre”. Motorsport, in

some form, has taken place in or around this site since the 1920’s due entirely to the enthusiasm and dedication of local volunteers. Over the many decades it has hosted European Formula 3 Championship events until the demise of the championship itself in the mid 80’s. Thereafter La Châtre settled into life as a national level venue. The long list of motoring greats that have raced here includes Jackie Stewart, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Jaques Lafitte, Jean Alesi and Alain Prost. In 2001 the Paris Dakar Rally held a special stage at the track on the run down from the French capital.

Although due to modern safety standards it is today unable to hold races it is not the end of the story. For many years the circuit had played host to a racing school, which makes year-round use of the interior portion of the course. The Euro formula school continues to this day, and the school course (which has several possible variations), sees plenty of use, including for track days.

When we called on the route survey, we received a warm welcome from Christiane Auburn-Sassier, the club secretary at the circuit and we will be sure of a great reception when we visit the venue for a diving test next September.

Day 1 - Versailles to Pouligny-Notre-DameDAILY DISTANCE - 350KM

From our overnight halt in nearby Pouligny-Notre-Dame we will turn eastward to continue our exploration of the maze of roads surrounding the upper reaches of the Loire and its tributaries. As it is the longest river in France there is ample scope. The landscape of peaceful and rolling countryside is known as the Garden of France and is home to innumerable chateaux. Numbering more than three hundred, they are the achievement of a nation of builders, starting with practical fortified castles in the 10th century to splendid residences built half a millennium later.

Many of the more modest are privately owned residences and we will be calling for our lunch at one such example, Château de Saint Antoine, which lies to the north of Limoges. The chateau is owned by classic car enthusiasts Nathalie Raimbault and her husband. Monsieur Raimbault was not at home when we visited but Nathalie allowed us to look around their lovely 1972 Porsche Targa 2.4S. She was also most helpful suggesting some of the local points of interest and scenic driving roads in the region for possible inclusion in the route.

Making our way onto the Massif Central, a vast plateau that covers almost 15% of the country, we skirt the Puy de Dome volcano to arrive at the overnight halt on the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand. The region was a barrier to transport within France until the opening of the A75 motorway, which not only made north–south travel easier, but also opened up the Massif itself. Our wheels will not soil the tarmac of that particular highway preferring instead to travel the much more pleasing “C” and “D” roads that thread their way across two “parc naturel”, the regional de millevaches - (literal translated as 1000 cows!) and regional des volcans.

It was market day in the picturesque town of Felletin and the roads through the centre were closed to traffic. On the enforced detour we spotted a potential afternoon coffee stop where the chef/owner turned out to be a confirmed petrol head. His passion for Ferrari evident by the many photographs of the Italian luxury sports cars adorning the walls of the restaurant. Unsurprisingly he took little persuading in agreeing to our visit to the “L’Auberge Felletinoise” next September!

Day 2 - Pouligny-Notre-Dame to Clermont-FerrandDAILY DISTANCE - 360KM

Day 3 - Clermont-Ferrand to Montauban DAILY DISTANCE - 375KM

In the shadow of an extinct volcano west of Clermont-Ferrand is the historic race circuit of Charade. The history of the circuit dates back to the nineteen fifties when two local enthusiasts designed a course by adapting pre-existing roads. The first event was held in July 1958 when the endurance race was won by Innes Ireland in a Lotus 1100.

Originally, the 8km long circuit was described as an even twistier and faster version of the Nürburgring Green Hell. With a relentless number of sharp curves, elevation changes and almost no discernible straights, the circuit was both feared and respected by competitors. The sinuous track layout caused some drivers, like Jochen Rindt in the 1969 French Grand Prix, to complain of motion sickness and wear open face helmets just in case.

As with so many of the early European race circuits, for a variety of reasons, they fell out of favour and shorter more “sanitised” tracks were created, often from a section of the original. Charade is one such example with the modern facility occupying the south western corner of the early layout, with the remainder reverting to a public road. Leaving Clermont-Ferrand, we

will follow the road section of Charade but may consider visiting the modern venue for a couple of driving tests.

The route south west, through a region renowned for its walnuts and truffles, includes the pretty medieval town of Martel. As we drove along the main street, we encountered a display of vehicles, presumably representing transport through the ages, attracting a little local interest. Eager to establish if there was a back-up recce vehicle in the unlikely event that my drivers’ trusty Volvo estate (!) would require such a thing, we stopped to look around. It was a pleasant interlude which to me typified the understated charm of the area.

From the “Volcanes d’Auvergne”, the third day initially loosely follows the Dordogne river as it meanders towards the department that bears its name. For a good many years, British travellers have been fascinated by the “Dordogne”, an area of France that conjures up an image of a return to rural life at a slow pace; it has even been said that the Dordogne, for the English, is imagined not really as an area of modern France - which it is - but more as an imaginary reproduction of a bygone rural England - which of course it is not -

rather like a warmer and sunnier version of the old Cotswolds, where the houses are built of honey-coloured stone, the meadows are green and rich, the locals all friendly and obliging country folk, and bemused French visitors can actually watch people playing cricket on the green - which indeed you can! Whilst providing a flavour of what you would expect to find, we have opted, as far as is practical, to avoid the congestion of the obvious tourist haunts to seek out the hidden gems. Instead of cricket we will indulge ourselves with a taste of the French traditional village game of “Petanque” or “Boules”.

When we stopped at a small café to arrange an afternoon comfort-break we found it to be the “hotbed” for the game in that area and the local champion, a frequent visitor to the hostelry, lives nearby. The lady owner and her interpreter, a customer on the occasion of our visit, suggested that we pause from our motoring challenge and “try our hand” at this popular pass time. The objective is similar to the British game of bowls i.e. to score points by having boules closer to the target than your opponent after all boules (metal balls) have been thrown. This is achieved by throwing boules closer to the smaller target ball,

called a “cochonnet” or by hitting the opponents’ boules away from the target, while standing inside a circle with both feet on the ground.

Those of you with a competitive disposition may wish to commence their training regime for the planned grand tournament right away!Leaving the scene of the proposed international encounter, we head south toward the Midi-Pyrenees picking up, for a short distance, the course of the River Lot. This stretch enjoys some of the most beautiful landscapes that France has to offer. The road alongside the river passes through several tunnels cut into the rock and enjoys some wonderful views of the river and surrounding hills in addition to being a lovely drive.

The overnight halt in the Abbaye des Capucins, Montauban, a former 17th century Convent, located on the river side, ticks all the boxes and should provide a pleasant interlude. It is a lovely hotel which retains many of the original features of its former incarnation. It is also just a short distance from the town centre and the attractive Place Nationale. A historic large open square surrounded by pink brick houses supported by double rows of arcades housing bars and shops.

Day 4 - Montauban to LourdesDAILY DISTANCE - 300KM

The more energetic may be tempted to wander into town for a pre or post dinner drink.

From Montauban our morning includes a slightly later but longer coffee halt in the capital of Gascony, Condom-en-Armagnac, and a gentle stroll around the fascinating little town is a must. There are delightful winding narrow streets to discover and the principal highlight is the imposing 14th century Cathedral of Saint-Pierre. Gascony is the land of d’Artagnan, who inspired Alexandre Dumas’s heroic character in The Three Musketeers and statues of the “famous four” are nearby.

In the exploration of the town you may stumble upon (or from – not recommended!) the Armagnac museum dedicated to explaining the art and production of the high percentage alcoholic beverage distilled from grapes. This is often referred to as the oldest and youngest brandy in France being first distilled in the middle of the 15th century in adapted perfume stills probably brought over by the Moors. It is also regarded as the youngest since the Armagnaçais are still arguing over how to distil it. There are several places around the town where you can sample or purchase the local brew.

It is frequently a challenge to find a lunch venue that is a) at the appropriate point on the route and b) a little different and out of the ordinary. Today we will take our midday repast at a working farm, the Auberge la Vieille l’etable de Saint-Médard. Set in the heart of a large shady park, the old barn has been tastefully restored and for the past ten years has offered a warm and friendly welcome to travellers, serving dishes which include home produced ingredients. Problem solved!Our ultimate destination on this leg of our journey is the town of Lourdes located in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains. The home of one of the most important shrines in the Catholic Faith, the Grotto of Massabielle, attracts around five million pilgrims each year.

Approaching from the north, Lourdes, with the backdrop of the mountains, is stunning but for an even more spectacular view of the town and forthcoming challenge you may wish to ascend the Pic-du-Jer one of three hills towering over the town. Our final control of the day will be at station of the one-hundred-year-old funicular railway which in a few minutes takes passengers to the summit at an altitude of 1000 metres.

I confess that on our recce we arrived at the station in time to miss the last trip to the top (!) but I understand that on leaving the cable driven car - “a gentle path takes you to the summit, where you will discover a unique panoramic viewpoint offering a 360° view over Lourdes, Tarbes, Pau, the Argeles-Gazost valley and the summits of the Pyrenees.” - and there is of course a café/restaurant.

We were surprised to see several mountain bikers in the funicular carpark at the foot of the climb, changing into their “day apparel”. It is, apparently, a popular pastime with some to hire the bike and associated equipment, ascend the hill on the funicular and then descend astride said mountain bike. Having seen at close quarters the steep incline of the tree covered hillside, it is not something that I will be adding to my bucket list any time soon!

The Pyrenees, a majestic stretch of mountains running from the Mediterranean Sea in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west, beckon and we will respond by heading into their heart. Beloved by the lycra clad, many of the passes on this natural border between France and Spain feature on the Tour de France and Vuelta de España. We will take up the challenge of the legendary Col du Tourmalet along with a brace of other classics as we make our way through the Basque country. The landscape of craggy passes, glaciers, and endemic woodlands proliferating throughout the range provide an incredible canvas on which to sketch a route, that may appear to those unfamiliar with the territory, to have been drawn by a shaky hand. There is little doubt that we can look forward to some challenging but fun motoring!

When we are in these mountains most of the ski resorts will be closed and on my trip in September the roads were relatively free of the traffic that in the winter months are attracted by the snow. Somewhat surprisingly, although we were in classic cycling territory, as illustrated by the modern roadside sculptures, we encountered very few riders on the route.

It was obvious that we were of little interest to most of the bell ringing inhabitants of the area who seemed oblivious to our approach. Although some of their hirsute near neighbours showed a little more curiosity.

Once across the Spanish border, the going is a little less demanding and after a brief respite for refreshments and a final regularity section, we will “cut and run” on a relatively direct route to

Day 5 - Lourdes to PamplonaDAILY DISTANCE - 335KM

our overnight halt in Pamplona. Home to one of Spain’s most famous and wildest San Fermín, which includes the exhilarating “Running of the Bulls”, senses are heightened in Pamplona, the capital of the fiercely independent Kingdom of Navarra. Even when the bulls aren’t thundering down the cobblestones through the centre of town (the festival is in early July), Pamplona makes a fascinating place to explore. With its grand cathedral, archaeological treasures and 16th-century fortifications, there’s much history hidden in these atmospheric medieval lanes. With its lush parks and picturesque city centre full of vibrant eating and drinking spots, it’s easy to see why so many have fallen under Pamplona’s spell.

Rally HQ is in the heart of the pedestrianised area of the city and this evening offers an opportunity

to hit the streets! As there is so much to see in this little Spanish town (there has to be a song title there somewhere!) it seems folly not to take the time to look around and soak up its charm of the “Old Town” at your own pace. Without doubt part of the Navarrese culture is its cuisine and a gastronomic tour is highly recommended. Freshly harvested, tender Tudela Artichokes, Garlic or succulent White Asparagus, Lodosa’s lusciously sweet Red Peppers or artisan Roncal and Idiazabal Cheeses are some of the ingredients in the dishes of the region. There are countless bars and restaurants and many of the shops are open in the evening. To get the juices running, there is nothing better than sampling the “pintox” (bar snacks) and “pontcar” (to have a few drinks), and perhaps a little retail therapy with the new friends you have made on the event.

Day 6 - Pamplona to BiarritzDAILY DISTANCE - 160KM

The final day takes us north, back into the foothills of the westward extension of the Pyrenees. The border between the Navarre region and the Spanish Basque country is, at least to me, quite unclear. Suffice to say we will cross it more than once as we thread our way northwards through the hilly green forested terrain, dotted with small villages and isolated farmsteads.

We are planning to arrive in Biarritz in the early afternoon and so this morning we will have two coffee stops along the way, the first in Spain and the second after re-entering France. The twisty little roads linking the halts, forming the basis for a great finale for our competition. Journey’s end is the Cote Basque and the magnificent Hôtel du Palais overlooking Biarritz’s main beaches and the Atlantic. The finish arch virtually at the door of this exquisite hotel, the pool and poolside bar, weather permitting, would be the ideal place to pass the afternoon until the time to change for the prize presentation later in the evening.

Originally built as a summer villa for the Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoléon 111, the “Palais” was sold in the late nineteen century and became a hotel that was universally acknowledged to be “the grandest address in town”. For many years it attracted the international elite and guests including Queen Victoria, Frank Sinatra, Coco Chanel, Ava Gardner, Charlie Chaplin, Ernest Hemingway and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, who made several extended visits. Some of the rooms currently bear the names of the more famous. Its fortunes reflect those of Biarritz as it was initially due to the visits of the imperial couple that this former “whaling village” developed into a fashionable resort that became known as the “Queen of Resorts and the Resort of Kings”. It remains a very attractive and exclusive destination and the region’s mild climate, the variety of beaches and scenery, and the town’s luxurious tourist accommodations continue to draw an international clientele.

I was intrigued by an extract from a travel guide called “Guides Joanne”. Published in 1904 it offers a glimpse of what life was like for those who came to spend lazy days in Biarritz during this more opulent and possibly frivolous era:

“During the high season, the tourists’ day starts quite late, around 10am, with a morning walk in the city, with stops at the stores on Mazagran Street and the Town Hall Square. The walk continues sometimes until “Port-Vieux”. From 10:45am until 11:30pm everybody goes on the big beach, “Grande Plage”, to take a bath in the ocean or just look at the ones who bath. Next everyone rushes to the hotel to change before lunch. After this meal, people smoke, read the newspapers, engage in conversations until about 4pm and, having changed clothes again, they go to eat cakes at Miremont or Dodin tearooms or go to the casinos for a concert, before going again to the beach for the evening bath. Around 6:30 pm everybody goes back to the hotel, changes in formal attire, and then goes to dinner. After that is back to the casino or the many elegant terraces where the orchestras play the most brilliant pieces of a rich repertoire. After the concert people go dancing in the many salons or in the big hall of the Biarritz casino before retiring at 3am or later.

From November to May life in Biarritz is calmer. Life is simple and people know each other. The customers are mainly English with the exception of the Easter holiday when Parisians descend here.”

S U P P O R T E D B Y

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