Head about 550 miles south from Calais and you will be in the Auvergne, and ideally the big chunk of lumpy no man's land before you get to the coastal holiday bit. This is the Massif Central, and not good for anything much apart from riding motorcycles. You could also go there for fast car driving, but that kinda misses the point.

It's a big ride for one day, and as you don't do motorways and confine yourself to nice bendyish D roads you'll need a stopover. Amboise in the Loire Valley isn't bad and some enjoyable roads through Neufchatel-en-Bray, Forges les Eaux, a spot of lunch at Lyons la Foret, through Les Andelys and then on to the Loire.

There are few reasonable size towns in the target area, try Aurillac or Le Puy - probably best to base yourself at one of these and then you can try the roads out luggage free.

Try the Gorges Du Lot from Espalion through Estaing and up to Entraygues-sur-Truyere. Taken at speeds well in excess of 3 figures it needs some serious concentration, especially with all that rock on one side. Both the Lot and the Tarn valleys offer some good runs but there are many deserted roads between them, some good and some not so good but all entertaining. And being in the hills, never really unbearably hot.

One thing to be wary of: the white coloured D roads and yellow coloured D roads, there can be the difference between a bumpy goat track covered in gravel and and fast, flowing, smoother but challenging roads, which tend to be yellow.

Feel like a view? Puy Mary, 1787 metres above sea level. As you ride up it's easy to feel a bit weird as vertigo kicks in when negotiating the roads that hug the side of the mountain, all you want to do is look down, but it's not advisable until you are at the top.

Need 20 miles of twisty heaven? The D534 from Tournon to Lamastre is worth a try, and then take the D533 and the D15 toward Le Puy. This is a pretty enough town but a bit hilly, and very religious. It's on the pilgrims' trail to La Compost Heap or something like that, so loads of weary types with beards and sandals lugging backpacks wander about looking for churches to gaze at. You can stick to the beers!