From the Mountains to the Sea – Amsterdam to Portugal EP10 [ Yamaha Tracer 7 ]

From the Mountains to the Sea – Amsterdam to Portugal EP10 [ Yamaha Tracer 7 ]

Traveling from the Ardèche National park to the Mediterranean Sea riding the Yamaha Tracer 7 motorcycle.
This was such a great travel route avoiding the highway as much as possible and only ride these fantastic mountain and forest roads.
It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a nice ride that crossed many great panorama’s along the way.

Filmed with the GoPro12
Riding the Yamaha Tracer 7

Enjoy, Jaamaan123

There are five natural regions of the Ardèche:

The mountains
They border the western frontier of the department with an average altitude of 1,100 metres. They are of largely granitic composition, split by the Velay Basalts of the Massif of Mézenc, and the Forez mountains, centred upon volcanic cones of ash, lava plugs and numerous magma flows (Mézenc: 1,754 metres; Gerbier de Jonc: 1,551 m). Their inclination slopes gently westward, leading to a westerly flow of water to the Atlantic. Here the Loire has its source. Within a few kilometres is the volcanic lake of Issarlès (92 ha, 5 km in circumference, 108 m in depth). The climate is extreme: snow for many months, very violent winds in autumn and winter (known locally as “la burle”), frequent fogs in the valleys, extreme temperature changes between the seasons, with heavy rains (1,500 mm per year in average) concentrated in September and October.

The plateaus of the Haut-Vivarais and the Cévennes
The transition zone descending from the mountains (1,200 m) to the valley of the Rhône (300 to 400 m), is the plateau region. The plateau’s medium altitude is one of green forested crests separated by wild and uncrossable gorges. Hydrographic resources are dominated by these torrential streams and rainfall is characterised by frequent summer showers, with the climate much less extreme than that of the mountains to the west.

The Bas-Vivarais
The Ardèche river flows into the Rhône, following a generally southeasterly course. This Karst region is formed of calcareous limestones, where the streams flow in steep-sided valleys separated by sharp crests. With a generally low altitude the Bas-Vivarais enjoys a warm, dry, almost Mediterranean climate. Skies are wide and bright, temperatures more elevated (3 or 4 °C in January). The winds from the northeast are dominant, but those of the south (known as the “vent du midi”) and west are full of humidity, bringing heavy precipitation for a few days at a time. The few rivers, the Lavezon, Escoutay, and Frayol, provide less of a hydrological resource than one sees in the crysaline granitic areas to the north. This is a country of wine, shrubland, cereals, and extensive fruit trees (this is the region of Aubenas and of Joyeuse).

The plateau of the Coirons
This plateau, 800 metres above sea level, is completely surrounded to the north by the valleys of the Ouvèze and the Payre, to the south by the valley of the Escoutay, and to the west by the Col of the Escrinet and the valley of Vesseaux. It is built of basalt that extends in length 18 km in the direction of the Rhône, and at its widest is a maximum 11 km. The climate here is also fairly extreme: snow, without being thick, is frequent, variations of temperature accentuated by the strong, cold winds. The soil is rich and fertile. Farming is dominated by wheat, oats, and potatoes, with the raising of goats and cattle. On the slopes are vines and fruit trees.

The valley of the Rhône
The Rhône corridor is very straight on the right bank, which runs almost at the foot of the Vivarais plateaus, leaving tiny plains where the rivers from the Vivarais descend to the Rhône. Here the strong north wind (the mistral) dominates, but temperatures are moderated by the influence of the “Midi” to the south. The narrow plains are very fertile and favourable to orchards (peaches and apricots). On the slopes the vines dominate.

Maps of different types of agricultural products translate clearly into these five regions. According to A. Siegfried, “The true character of the Ardèche is of a slope turning towards the Mediterranean, open to the influences coming from the Midi. These influences climb the length of the valleys to the summit of the high plateau, which resists their passage, not letting them penetrate. The high and the low are thus opposed, such is the character of the Ardèche personality.”