Motorcycle accommodation in Nouvelle-Aquitaine with secure parking

Cognac country and gentle valleys. The roads of Charente follow the river of the same name through landscapes of vineyards, cereal fields and golden stone villages. Angoulême makes a practical and pleasant base. The roads through the Confolentais toward Haute-Vienne and the fringes of the Limousin offer a hillier, lesser-known face than the Charente plain. A laid-back department, ideal for a stopover between Bordeaux and the Massif Central.

The Atlantic coast in all its diversity. The roads between Royan, La Rochelle and Rochefort hug a coastline carved up by marshes, oyster ports and islands reached by bridge. Île de Ré and Île d'Oléron each deserve their own dedicated loop. The interior, with the Saintonge countryside and its bocage roads, sees far fewer riders than the coast and holds some great surprises out of season.

A department of deep valleys, gorges and schist villages clinging to the hillsides. The Corrèze stretch of the Dordogne, the gorges of the Truyère and the Dordogne, the Millevaches plateau and the roads around Tulle and Ussel make for a varied and uncrowded playground. Collonges-la-Rouge, with its red sandstone houses, is one of the most beautiful villages in France. A department best paired with the Lot and Creuse for a grand tour of the western Massif Central.

The least populated department in the western Massif Central, and one of the most endearing for riders who crave absolute peace and quiet. The roads of Creuse cut through landscapes of moorland, peat bogs and birch forests in near-total silence. Guéret makes a practical base. The gorges of the Creuse and Rozeille, Lac de Vassivière and the roads toward Haute-Vienne and the Allier complete a secretive, authentic department that rewards those who seek it out.

The Périgord is one of the richest motorcycle destinations in France. The valleys of the Dordogne, Vézère and Isle string together medieval villages, limestone cliffs and hilltop châteaux in a landscape of relentless beauty. Sarlat, Les Eyzies, Beynac and La Roque-Gageac are unmissable stops. The roads are winding, light on traffic outside summer, and the heritage density is rare in Europe. A department made for a multi-day stay.

Bordeaux is an ideal logistical base for riding in every direction. The department itself offers two very different faces: the Bordeaux wine country between Saint-Émilion, Pauillac and Sauternes on one side, and the wild Landes de Gascogne coast between Lacanau and Arcachon on the other. The Arcachon Basin and the Dune du Pilat are worth a stop. The vineyard roads of the Médoc and Entre-deux-Mers are wide, flowing and a pleasure to ride.

The largest man-made forest in Europe and its dead-straight roads stretching to the horizon. The Landes is a department for pure riding, with shaded pine forest roads cutting through a flat and singular landscape. The Landes coast between Hossegor and Capbreton is legendary for surf but also for its ocean-side roads. Dax and Mont-de-Marsan serve as practical bases. An ideal department for clocking up serious miles in a uniquely atmospheric forest setting.

A transition department between the Garonne and the Périgord, with roads winding through orchards, bastide towns and gentle valleys. Agen is a handy stop on the north-south axis. The roads through the Pays de Serres, the Lot valley and the fringes of the Périgord Noir offer relaxed riding through authentic landscapes. Less dramatic than its neighbours, but restful and perfect for a day's connecting ride between Bordeaux and the Pyrenees.

The Pyrenean department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and one of the finest in the region for riders. The Basque Country by the sea with the Basque Corniche between Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye and in the mountains,with the passes of Iraty, Orgambidesca and Aubisque, delivers exceptional roads through landscapes of open pastures and forests. Béarn and its routes to the Col du Pourtalet and Col d'Aubisque complete a department built for pass hunters and wide-open-spaces lovers.

The Marais Poitevin, nicknamed the Green Venice, and its bocage roads make this a more interesting department than it might first appear. The roads between Niort, Parthenay and Thouars roll through gentle hills and tuffeau stone villages. The nearby Vendée bocage and the roads toward Vienne and Charente round out a quiet department, ideal for a relaxed day's riding between the Atlantic coast and the Massif Central.

Poitiers is the gateway to the department, set against a backdrop of exceptional Romanesque heritage. The roads of Poitou cross open plains and bocage country, with the valleys of the Vienne and Clain rivers offering a change of scenery. The roads heading south toward the Confolentais and Creuse gradually become hillier and more rewarding for riders who want a bit more topography.

This is where the Limousin begins green rolling hills, chestnut forests and granite villages. Limoges makes a practical base. The roads across the Millevaches plateau, the gorges of the Vienne and Creuse rivers and the Monts de Blond offer varied riding through authentic, unhurried countryside. A department best combined with Corrèze and Creuse for a full Limousin motorcycle tour.