L'article reproduit ci-dessous (en anglais seulement) est paru dans l'édition d'aout 2003 de la revue Motorcycle Sport and Leisure. C'est le plus ancien mensuel sur la moto en Angleterre, et l'article était intitulé "Provençal Bliss". Cela donne un bon aperçu de l'expérience Classic Bike Provence. Une suite à cet article, intitulé "A year on in Provence" ("Une année en provence"), est parue dans le numéro de septembre 2004 de Motorcycle Sport and Leisure. D'autres articles sont parus dans des revues telles que: Motorcycle Voyager, La Moto, La Provence, L'Intégrale, et la parution du club de Moto Anciennes Japonais.
"As Editor of MSL, I'm lucky enough to do a fair bit of travelling in my search for stories for the tome before you now. New model press launches, tyre launches, bike comparison tests - sometimes it can seem like every other week I am privileged to be jetting or riding off to another foreign clime, and I can't think of one of those assignments that I haven't loved. So when I tell you that I enjoyed this brief, two day trip to France's southern region of Provence more than any other in my time at MSL, you know that is no small praise - and that's all because of the wonderful motorcycling experience Classic Bike Provence's ex-pat director Neil Thomas has put together.
His recipe is simple, and consists of rolling around the countryside on one of his fleet of nine classic motorcycles. But that brief summary, though entirely accurate and concise, does nothing to convey the sense of relaxation and wonder that can't help but envelope you as you explore this scenic and sleepy part of the world. After being picked up by Neil at Nimes airport, it was back to his place in the village of Ventabren, near Aix en Provence. A wonderful dinner courtesy of Neil's wife Sarah, washed down with some excellent local wine, and then it was time to turn in - after all, I had some riding to be getting on with in the morning.
The next morning dawned cool and clear - as they almost always do, assured Neil. The weather in Provence, the region itself comprising some five départements in the south east corner of France, is near perfect in spring and autumn, with mainly clear skies and temperatures in the mid twenties. Summer is usually hot, the winters cool, but good weather usually prevails, making riding viable and enjoyable virtually year round. After the arrival of Andy, a keen biker and RAF officer stationed at the local french Air Force base, we set out for the Verdon Gorge, located some 55 miles to the north east. I started out on a 1976 model Norton Commando Interstate, the electric start version - Neil has owned it since new as he has the majority of bikes he uses for his tours, which include a 1967 BSA A65 Lightning, a 1962 BSA A65 Thunderbolt,a 1960 Velocette Venom, a 1972 Triumph TR6 and a 2001 Royal Enfield 500cc Bullet.
Back in England I was a little concerned concerned of the reliability of using classic bikes for a tour business, but as I found out over the next two days, I needn't have worried - all Neil's bikes are in tip top condition, are meticulously maintained, and run perfectly well as a result. And I must say I got a big buzz simply out of riding a Norton Commando, a bike I had heard so much about through the years, but had never had a chance to ride, big, heavy and torquey, it felt like a crème brulée compared to the stiff and rigid sports rockets we get these days, but was incredibly satisfying to ride all the same. And so we set out, me on the Commando, Neil on the A65 and Andy on the Triumph, with our first stop only 10 minutes away, the gigantic Roquefavour Aqueduct. Built in the 19th century, it is truly an engineering marvel, and as I was to find out this jaw-dropping sight would set the tone for the rest of the trip. From here we continued into the Verdon Gorge, stopping frequently for photos and then a cup of coffee in the charming market town of Riez, where more than a few people marvelled at these old British bikes - sporting original British number plates - deep in the far south of France.
The pace of these tours is slow - it's no race - and is perfectly in keeping with the natural rhythm of life of the region itself. Provence is a place where things get done in their own good time, where there is no need to hurry - after all what's the point in rushing anyway? It's a land of scarlet red poppies growing wild by the thousand, church bells ringing out from the hilltop villages across countless orchards and vine yards, and warm breezes wafting lazily over people savouring their coffe or wine, in any number of tiny cafes hidden down ancient cobblestone alleys. And then there is the traffic. Well actually, there isn't any. The roads were decidedly empty, which prompted my surprise when Neil mentioned how busy they were, due to the French national holiday with which our trip had coincided - give me Provence's busiest arterial over the M25 any day!
When the Verdon gorge did eventually swing into view, it was every bit as spectacular as Neil had promised - a sheer rock walled chasm clawing its way through the landscape, with a brilliant turquoise river winding gently onwards at its base. Stopping for an outdooor lunch at a restaurant in one of the local villages, the crowds and stress of southeast England really did seem a million miles away, but then, after lunch, there really were only two things on our agenda - riding and enjoying ourselves. Needless to say, the road charting a course around the gorge was superb; super smooth with bend upon bend. At this point Neil gave Andy and I the option to push ahead if we wanted, but then that's not really what these bikes, or this tour, was about. No, we were content to sit at a steady pace, striking a nice balance between enjoying the riding and drinking in the amazing scenery too. Eventually the road took us right around the gorge, past the shimmering Lac St Croix, and back to Neil's village - after stopping for another coffee, of course, this time in Gréoux Les Bains. Total mileage for the day had been 182 miles - a bit more than they usually do on a day trip, Neil said - but the most relaxing 182 miles I think I've ever ridden. And with yet another stunning meal of Sarah's local provençale cooking under my belt, and a brilliant day behind me, I was looking forward to what day two would hold.
More perfect weather, for a start, and after coffee and croissants on Neil's patio we headed north to the mountainous region of Luberon. That's another good thing about Provence - you can pick a different part of the region each day and discover a completely different landscape. It's incredibly varied, from mountains to beaches to just about everything in between. And the structure of Classic Bike Provence tours lets you do a series of day trips from its Ventabren base, meaning there is no need to take anything on the bikes other than your riding gear and a camera. After taking is some more great roads through the mountains, we stopped for lunch at La Fontaine de Falcon an idyllic renovated chambre d'hôte, near the village of Goult. Surrounded by vineyards and managed by Nick and Maggie Denny, it's easy to see why they, like so many other Brits, fell in love with Provence and decided to settle.
After more local fare out in the sunshine, with nothing but the ringing of the church bells and the cries of wheeling birds floating on the breeze, I was wishing I could do the same. But there were more sights to see, more roads to be ridden - and it was now time for me to ride the "imposter" of Neil's fleet, the 500cc Royal Enfield Bullet. I say imposter because it is actually a 2001 model and made in India, but if you have ever ridden an Enfield before you will know it is a classic 50's machine at heart. Actually once I had got used to the reversed gear shift and back brake, it felt like a sportsbike compared to the Commando and TR6 I had ridden before it, flicking into corners with ease. When it comes to motorcycle performance, it really is all relative isn't it - and all good fun. After a photo stop at what is Provence's most famous town, Gordes, it was time to meet Pierre, Neil's offsider and another confirmed classic British bike nut living in the south of France. Pierre went to great lengths to describe the emotional highs and lows of living with his Triumph Trident, a machine he had lovingly restored to perfection before a hydraulic work bench collapsed, cracking the frame. Pierre often lends a hand with Neil's tours, and today took Neil and I to some particularly picturesque corners of his neck of the woods, including one with a fully operational and centuries old windmill - just one of the charming sights you could easily spend a lifetime discovering in Provence.
Sadly, and predictably, after a 130-mile odd day my time with Classic Bike Provence was up - it was time to catch the late flight back to Stansted, where apparently it was cloudy and 12 degrees...
Classic Bike Provence is not just another bike tour - it's an entire experience, as much about the ambience, food, wine, company, and scenery of this wonderful part of France as it is about the bikes and amazing roads. Even then, the roads are both virtually empty and truly superb, and Neil's great old bikes are able to transport you back to a different age for those who rode them the first time around, or give the uninitiated a rare glimpse back to the glory days of the British bike empire. It is a chance to ride a living, breathing piece of English history, and even though that experience falls in France, it just all fits together so incredibly well..."
Rod Chapman - Editor, Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
