For motor sport, car & bike
fans the surrounding area has a huge amount to offer. We're
big fans ourselves and can provide the information on how
to best get to the events and places below and what best
to
do, and to avoid, once there.
At a grass roots level, the roads surrounding
Le Foulon provide some of the best drives and rides possible.
Why else would John Frankenheimer
(Director of the legendary film Grand Prix) choose these
very roads for the awesome mountain car chase in the film
Ronin, rated up there with the very best car chases ever?
Here's the YouTube link for the whole chase
from Ronin, mainly filmed on the road up to Greolieres les
Neiges and the road overlooking Le Foulon just above Greolieres
village
itself - which is where De Niro bazookas the Peugeot onto
its roof.
And James Bond famously out drove a Ferrari
355 in his old Aston DB5 in the film Goldeneye. This is shot
on the very same roads around Greolieres les Neiges and where
they go side to side on the road down to the village.
These same roads are also very popular with
motor manufacturers. Aston Martin launched their new DB9
here and more recently Ford chose the Col du Vence and the
road from Greolieres all the way up to the ski station to
introduce the World's press to the new Focus RS. There are
dozens of different reveiws on YouTube, but here's one of
the best from Jason Plato.
Last but not least here's Roger Moore as Lord
Sinclair in the sixties show The Pursuaders. The opening
scene to the series is a race between Sinclair and his side
kick Tony Curtis racing their DBS Aston and Ferrari Dino
between Nice and Monaco, but here Sinclair is dropping off
a hitch-hiker on the road up to us from the aiport, just
past Col sur Loup.
We are also just a stone's throw from the bottom
of the Route Napoleon - one of the greatest roads in the
World. Following the path Napoleon took in 1815 from Juan
les Pins to Grenoble, it's
simply a motoring pleasure. Vista after vista are delivered
along a sinuous stretch of smooth tarmac - a must for any
motoring fan at least once in their life.
Le Foulon has a garage for 6 cars and a further
lockable garage that could take at least 5 large sports bikes.
We also know the right people should your pride and joy need
some work. If you wish to drive down in something special
and need it garaged just let us know at the time of booking.
Monaco Grand Prix - last weekend in
May
On a clear road Monaco is only about an
hour and 15 minutes, but on race day you can easily add half
an hour if you want to drive down early. Alternatively take
the train from near by Cagnes sur Mer. The train hugs the
incredible coast from Nice and drops you
into
the
heart
of Monaco at the cathedral-like new station.
We can provide the maps, a hint on how to avoid the suddenly
elevated station parking prices, and the best places to view
the GP depending on your budget.
In 2005 the cheapest tickets for Saturday's qualifying
were just €45, and provided a fantastic view of the
track, right in front of a big screen, and then a GP2 race.
A great introduction to one of the world's top sporting
events.
Monaco Classic Grand Prix - 1 Week
Before
This is another top tip - providing
all the glamour of the real deal, with the added appeal of
seeing your favourite F1 cars from years gone by. It's
less crowded, more laid back, and basically a superb day
out. It is also great value with any grandstand seat costing
a mere €30. Runs every other year.
Monte Carlo World Rally and the Monte
Classic
The biggest problem with spectating any
rally is knowing where to go and when. We can provide low
cost packages that take you to the action, provide you
with lunch and then get you back to Le Foulon in order to
re-live the day's action with the UK coverage (WRC
only). Please contact us for details.
The roads surrounding
Le Foulon offer fantastic drives in stunning scenery
Other Rallies and Le Col de Bleyne
The French national rally of Antibes is
held in the surrounding mountains, as are other smaller,
yet no
less exciting, local events. What's more, the Col de
Bleyne is an amazing mountain pass and is used as a testing
ground for many different teams. The Col is 15 minutes drive
and provides a variety of surfaces and temperatures
(up the freshly tarmaced south facing side and down the
very patchy forested north).
Motor bikers and the Route Napoleon
The Southern end of the Route Napoleon (it
runs from the coast all the way to Grenoble) has become
a mecca
for bikers all over Europe. Castallane, just 30 minutes ride
from Le Foulon, is a very popular lunch spot, and at the
height
of summer the car park gets jammed with every kind of 2 wheeled
machine.
Despite the N85's popularity the surrounding roads
remain almost completely traffic free.
Classic Cars and the Cote d'Azur
Classic Car Club
Run by friends of ours, this unpretentious
lot gather once a month through the summer for a great drive
and a good lunch.
If you're worried about putting too
many miles on your classic, cherished sports car or motorbike,
then consider motorail - it can look expensive at first
glance, but tot up your fuel, tolls, accommodation en route,
plus the hassle factor of driving/riding (or even compare
it to hiring transport for the duration of your stay), and
it
starts to make financial sense. Plus you get to use your
pride and joy on superb, traffic free roads, in the sunshine
- it's a win win solution.
If motorail is new to you it's a train from either
Calais or Paris that takes you and your car/motorbike overnight
to Nice. Unfortunately there's no buffet car, so grab a hampers
worth of fine foods in Calais before drifting into a sound
sleep in your private Couchette (cabin). Next thing you know
a bright Mediterranean sun is announcing your arrival at
Nice - pretty civilised really!
