How easy/hard is it to go from Lyon to Grenoble (France) on a 50cc scooter?
I am planning a trip trough the French countryside and was wondering if the elevation climb (roughly 800 meters at the halfway point) will be a big factor.
I'm not looking to go fast, roughly between 50 and 80 km/hr. Are there any particular scenic routes?
I googled it and it seems it would take 6 hours by bicycle (conservative) and 2 hours by car (optimistic!).
Best Answer
I've been living in Grenoble for a few years, and my girlfriend is a native from Lyon, so I know a bit the region. If you plan to take the road you put in the above link, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed by the scenic character of the road :)
You may want to go through the Vercors mountain (Saint-Gervais->Autrans->Lans-en-Vercors->Engins) or Chartreuse (through the park), but it will obviously be longer... and higher! Near Lyon, you can make a (big) detour through Perouges, which is a nice medieval village.
I'm a bit surprised to see all those warnings about overheating on a 50 cc engine. I think they are more reliable these days. However, don't expect to go between 50 and 80 km/h on a stock scooter. You'll have to have a modified one, which then will be less reliable, and is illegal (although the police is pretty tolerant). If you plan to go through the mountains, you should indeed check the stations' location, as you will of course have a limited autonomy.
Pictures about "How easy/hard is it to go from Lyon to Grenoble (France) on a 50cc scooter?"
Can you tour on a 50cc scooter?
50cc scooters are limited on their speed, but they can travel as far as you are physically able to ride with proper route planning, in addition to, rest stops at least every 1 hour.Is Grenoble worth visiting?
Day 2: Grenoble But the town itself is well worth exploring too. Apart from the alpine activities, the city is best known for La Bastille, an ancient fortification in the mountains that overlooks the city. You arrive there via cable cars (External link) \u2014known as "the bubbles" because of their circular glass design.Is Grenoble poor?
Grenoble is at high risk of fuel poverty due to its geographic location and current climate issues. When asked about poverty in Grenoble, Dickson told The Borgen Project that \u201cmy husband worked for a charity organization for five years and saw the demand for assistance triple from 2015 to 2020.Is Grenoble a good place to live?
As part of a metropolis of 450,000 people, Grenoble is a unique city with a particularly enjoyable living environment. Every year, the city is one of the top five cities for students according to the magazine L'Etudiant. Surrounded by mountains, Grenoble is a paradis for outdoor and sports activities.Riding the TER Rhône-Alpes Train From Lyon To Grenoble, France
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Answer 2
Try the maps from ViaMichelin http://www.viamichelin.com/ Michelin has a green line alongside scenic roads.
Besides that, ViaMichelin allows you to select motorbike, car or bike (although, be aware that bike calculations cannot exceed 200km)
Answer 3
This is a terrible idea :)
You can't travel on french highways with a 50cc scooter, it's forbidden by law. If you do that, you will likely get arrested by the police and your scooter will be seized.
You can decide to avoid the highways, so why not?
Well, a scooter's engine can only take so much drive before it overheats. Basically, if you travel non-stop for 3-4 hours, you may seriously damage it. I know because I traveled from Paris to Picardy on a 125cc (about 1h drive), and my engine suffered from it. This is the main reason why people who want to travel buy a motorcycle instead of a scooter.
Finally, you should consider the amount of gas and the speed at which the gas goes away in a scooter. You may have to stop at every gas station to refill your scooter, which wouldn't be very convenient.
All in all, get the train, rent a car or buy a motorcycle =)
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