D633 : St Plancard - Montréjeau

July 31, 2006 - 5.0

I rode this one again last evening on the ER6. Good bike for it. There are some factual errors in the first review - there are 16 bends (some of them quite serious) in 2.7 Km of road. The 5 Km straight is actually 1 KM (it just feels longer than it is). The cafe in St Plancard is actually 'Cafe Lamoures' - otherwise the entire thing is as reviewed before. Happy rides.

July 22, 2006 - 5.0

Fleet choice for this one definitely the Varedero or R1200GS - road lends itself to the 'uber-traillie stomp vibe' switchback adrenaline speed madness. Kick off with a cool drink in the Cafe D'Amour in St Plancard. The old lady there is suspicous of all foreigners but her son does the Tunisian desert rally each year so she kind of likes Bikers. Head out of the village on the D633. The road (which is pretty flat to here by local standards) starts to climb immediately you pass the village sign. GET READY! After a slight curve to the left you hit the first big right. As you exit this bend you are presented with a forest of white bend markers - don't kakk your undergarments as I did the first time I saw it. There is a snake of about 10-12 hairpins to negotiate then you hit the summit at Loudet (Gothic Church). The roads falls and twists through the Village - use the speed drop to relax - you will be working again soon. Cross the river and you start to climb and twist again (a bit easier). Start watching for right hand corner cutters - there are some blind right handers on this section. You then hit a 4 Km straight - wack it up to 180 - but be ready to hit the brakes as the last corner is a very tight right hander - more serious twisties. But watch your line on this section as 'Vous n'avez pas priorite' means little to anyone round here and the locals like to play russian roulette at road junctions. Eventually you climb and twist to a long high straight - don't top 120 as there are some side roads. at the end of the straight there is an easy but blind downhill left hander, a short straight, blind tight left hander and another short straight - use this straight to check your ability to take the last 290 degree right hander in style before descending the last few curves to Ponlat Taillebourg. Have a beer in the bar Oval on the square in Montrejeau to celebrate your survival (Say 'Hi' to Patrick from Bill at Mission Motos) - then find the next cool section of our fabulous local roads!