17th - 28th May 2027
Wander The Heart of France
This is France at its most authentic — quiet D-roads, medieval villages, riverside cafés, and landscapes that change with every bend.
Wander the Heart of France
17th–28th May 2027 | 12 days / 11 nights | £2,250 rider | £1,995 pillion
From Normandy to the Loire, through the volcanic landscapes of the Auvergne and into Burgundy and the Vosges, this is a slower way to discover France by motorcycle.
You’ll ride scenic roads, stop for coffee in little towns, have time to explore, and spend two nights in both Chinon and Gérardmer. No huge convoy. No racing from one destination to the next. Just good roads, good places and a small group of people who are there for the same reason.
Just six customer bikes - We deliberately keep WanderMoto tours small.
You won’t be one rider in a convoy of 15 or 20 bikes, disappearing into the distance or being left to make your own way to the hotel.
We’ll ride together, stop together and explore together.
And because we’re there with you throughout the tour, you’ll always know who you’re riding with and who to ask if you need a hand.
Small group. Shared adventure. No pressure to prove anything.
What's included
- 11 nights accommodation with breakfast
- Guided motorcycle tour with a supportive lead rider
- Carefully planned scenic routes
- A relaxed friendly group atmosphere
Not included: fuel, lunch, dinner, drinks, travel insurance, breakdown cover, channel crossing
Who this is for
- You’d rather stop for a coffee than chase another 50 miles.
- You want beautiful roads without feeling like every bend is a test.
- You like having a plan, but don’t want to spend six months planning the trip yourself.
- You’re newer to European touring and want someone experienced alongside you.
- You already know how to ride but don’t fancy spending 12 days trying to keep up with a group of faster riders.
- You enjoy the places between the destinations just as much as the destinations themselves.
- You’re travelling alone but would like to become part of a small group.
It probably isn’t for you if…
You want to cover huge mileages every day, ride from breakfast until dusk, or treat every mountain road as a personal challenge.
That’s not what we do.
Why you’ll love this tour
🏍️ Quiet French roads rather than motorways and toll roads
🍷 The Loire, Burgundy, Auvergne, Vosges and Champagne — all in one journey
🏰 Two nights in Chinon with time to explore
🌲 Two nights in Gérardmer and a full day riding the Vosges
☕ Plenty of reasons to stop — villages, cafés, viewpoints and places worth wandering around
👥 A maximum of six customer bikes
🗺️ All the route planning done for you
Prices
Your WanderMoto adventure
£2,250 per rider / own bike
£1,995 per pillion
£300 deposit per person
Your price includes:
✓ 11 nights’ accommodation
✓ Breakfast each morning
✓ Guided riding throughout the tour
✓ Carefully planned scenic routes
✓ Small-group WanderMoto experience
✓ Your hosts, Dani & Joey, riding with you
Then:
You’ll just need to budget separately for fuel, lunches, evening meals, drinks, travel insurance, breakdown cover and your Channel crossing.
Send us an email using the button below and we will give you full details of the booking process. We'll then contact you personally with the booking information and payment details.
Your Hosts
Joey
Want to know how we ended up here?
Joey
Joey has been riding motorcycles since he was a child and grew up in Europe, so European roads and touring have been part of his life for decades. He has toured extensively, ridden to rallies across Europe and speaks fluent German.
He brings plenty of miles, European road road experience and a calm head to WanderMoto and he's usually the one making sure we are heading in the right direction.
Dani
Want to know how we ended up here?
Joey
Dani came to motorcycling later in life. She knows what it feels like to be the newer rider of the group and that's a big art of why WanderMoto is about adventure without the pressure to prove yourself.
After a career in the emergency services she brings a different kind of experience to WanderMoto: planning, problem solving, looking afte
Dani came to motorcycling later in life. She knows what it feels like to be the newer rider of the group and that's a big art of why WanderMoto is about adventure without the pressure to prove yourself.
After a career in the emergency services she brings a different kind of experience to WanderMoto: planning, problem solving, looking after people and staying calm when things don't quite go to plan.
Want to know how we ended up here?
Want to know how we ended up here?
Want to know how we ended up here?
Watch our story and find out why two very different motorcycle journeys eventually led us to WanderMoto
Itinerary
Day 1 - The adventure begins
Day 1 - The adventure begins
Day 1 - The adventure begins
Approx 166 miles, 4 hours 30 mins
Once we’ve crossed the Channel, the pace changes. We leave the traffic behind and begin our journey south through the quieter roads and rolling countryside of Normandy.
This day is our first taste of France beyond the usual tourist trail — charming market towns of half-timbered buildings, narrow streets and riverside cafés. It’s an easy first day, giving everyone time to settle into the group, the roads and the rhythm of touring together.
Day 2 - Into the Loire
Day 1 - The adventure begins
Day 1 - The adventure begins
Approx 150 miles 3 hours 45mins
Today the landscape begins to change as we head south towards the Loire Valley. Quiet roads lead us through villages, farmland and the gentle countryside of central France before we reach Chinon.
Our home for the next two nights sits beside the River Vienne, overlooked by its impressive medieval fortress. Once we’re settled in, there’s no need to pack again tomorrow — we’ve got time to slow down and enjoy it.
Day 3 - Chinon
Day 1 - The adventure begins
Day 4 - Leaving the Loire behind
Today, the bikes are optional.
With a second night in Chinon, you can choose how you spend the day. Take a relaxed loop through the Loire Valley, explore one of the area’s famous châteaux, wander through Chinon’s old streets or simply find a riverside café and watch the world go by.
That’s part of the point of a WanderMoto tour: not every day has to be about covering more miles.
Day 4 - Leaving the Loire behind
Day 6 - From the mountains to the city
Day 4 - Leaving the Loire behind
Approx 120 miles, 3 hours 30 mins
We leave the châteaux and vineyards of the Loire behind and head south into the quieter landscapes of the Limousin.
The roads become smaller, the countryside greener and the feeling increasingly remote. By the time we reach Limoges, we’ve left the familiar tourist routes behind and are beginning to discover a very different side of France.
Day 5 - Into the Auvergne
Day 6 - From the mountains to the city
Day 6 - From the mountains to the city
Approx 135 miles, 3 hours 30mins
Today the landscape starts to get serious.
Heading east and south, the roads carry us towards the volcanic highlands of the Auvergne. Open countryside gives way to sweeping views, higher ground and the dramatic landscapes surrounding Saint-Flour.
It’s one of those days where the journey really is the destination — with plenty of reasons to stop and take in the view along the way.
Day 6 - From the mountains to the city
Day 6 - From the mountains to the city
Day 6 - From the mountains to the city
Approx 140 miles, 3 hours 30 mins
After the open landscapes of the Auvergne, today’s ride takes us towards one of France’s great cities.
The scenery gradually changes as we leave the volcanic highlands behind and make our way towards Lyon. By evening, we’ll have swapped mountain roads for cobbled streets, riverside views and the food and atmosphere that have made Lyon famous.
Day 7 - Into Burgundy
Day 9 - A day in the Vosges
Day 8 - Towards the Vosges
Approx 120 miles, 3 hours 45 mins
Leaving Lyon behind, we head north into Burgundy.
The pace remains deliberately unhurried as the landscape rolls past — vineyards, villages, farmland and the occasional reminder that some of France’s most famous wine country is all around us.
Dijon makes a fitting overnight stop: historic streets, grand squares and plenty of good food within walking distance of the bikes.
Day 8 - Towards the Vosges
Day 9 - A day in the Vosges
Day 8 - Towards the Vosges
Approx 120 miles, 3 hours
The journey turns east today as we leave Burgundy and head towards the forests and mountains of the Vosges.
The roads become increasingly twisty as we climb into the hills, with forests, viewpoints and open stretches of countryside replacing the vineyards behind us.
Gérardmer will be our base for the next two nights, so once we arrive, the panniers can stay where they are.
Day 9 - A day in the Vosges
Day 9 - A day in the Vosges
Day 10 - From Mountains to Lorraine
No packing. No checking out. Just a full day to enjoy the Vosges.
We’ll have the opportunity to ride some of the region’s wonderful mountain roads and take in the views, with the option of a longer loop or something more leisurely around Gérardmer and its lake.
After several days of travelling south and east across France, this is another chance to simply enjoy being somewhere beautiful.
Day 10 - From Mountains to Lorraine
Day 10 - From Mountains to Lorraine
Day 10 - From Mountains to Lorraine
Approx 65 miles, 2 hours
Today we begin the journey north.
The forested roads of the Vosges gradually give way to the gentler landscapes of Lorraine as we make our way towards Nancy. There’s still plenty to enjoy on the bike, but this is also about arriving somewhere with time to explore.
This evening, the magnificent Place Stanislas provides a rather good backdrop for reflecting on just how far we’ve travelled.
Day 11 - Back to Champagne
Day 10 - From Mountains to Lorraine
Day 11 - Back to Champagne
Approx 125 miles, 3 hours 15 mins
Our final full day of riding takes us west towards Champagne.
The landscape opens out again as we cross Lorraine and head back towards the vineyards and historic towns of the Champagne region. Reims gives us a suitably grand final stop, with its cathedral, historic centre and famous Champagne heritage.
Tonight is about enjoying the last evening of the adventure — and perhaps raising a glass to the miles we’ve covered.
Day 12 - The journey home
Day 10 - From Mountains to Lorraine
Day 11 - Back to Champagne
Approx 177 miles, 4 hours 30 mins
All good things eventually point north.
Our final ride takes us back towards Calais, bringing our journey through the heart of France full circle.
Twelve days ago we crossed the Channel with a route ahead of us. Now we’re heading home with a collection of roads, places, meals, conversations and memories that wouldn’t have happened from the motorway.
And hopefully, a little more confidence for whatever road comes next.
A note about the itinerary
The route and overnight stops shown are our planned itinerary. Occasionally, accommodation availability may mean that we stay in a nearby town or village instead. If that happens, we'll chooose an altarnative that keeps us on route and provides the same standard of accommodation and experience.
Never ridden in Europe before?
You don’t need to be an experienced European tourer to join us.
If you can comfortably ride your own bike on UK roads, you’re already starting from the right place.
If the idea of your first European motorcycle tour is exciting and slightly terrifying, you’re probably exactly who we had in mind.
Ready to Wander?
Cancellation Policy
We understand that plans can change, and we aim to be as fair and transparent as possible while protecting the viability of the tour.
If You Cancel Your Booking:
· Deposit: Non-refundable from the moment of booking.
· More than 60 days before the tour: Any balance paid (excluding deposit) will be refunded.
· 30–60 days before the tour: 50% of the total tour cost is payable.
· Less than 30 days before the tour: 100% of the tour cost is payable.
If We Cancel the Tour: In the unlikely event that WanderMoto must cancel the tour (e.g., minimum numbers not met, unforeseen circumstances), you will receive a full refund of all monies paid, including your deposit. We cannot reimburse travel arrangements such as ferries, flights, or accommodation booked independently.
Travel Insurance We strongly recommend that all riders and pillions take out comprehensive travel insurance that covers:
· Trip cancellation
· Medical expenses
· Repatriation
· Motorcycle touring in Europe
This protects you in case you need to cancel for personal or medical reasons.
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