Some D-roads seem simply made to guide you and your bike to and from your destination, but what you encounter along the way is always a surprise. A castle suddenly looming, one of the last Bailey bridges with its rattling planks, or a dormant classic among the nettles and brambles. On these routes, it's almost always possible to avoid the big cities and simply cruise through the smaller towns and villages.

This is the third of three routes to western France. It can be used as a starting point for one of the other routes in this area, as described in the Motorcycle Tour Guides parts 1 and 2.

Enjoy a scenic drive through the countryside to the French west coast or towards Ile d'Oléron. It's a lovely drive around all the major cities, using only D-roads that are easy to get to. Ideal! This route from the Loire Valley is a wonderful outbound or return trip from one of France's most popular destinations: the Dordogne (see part 1).

The route begins in Vierzon, driving more or less parallel to the highway, straight downhill. You can then enjoy the Berry and Creuse regions, including the unique Plateau de Millevaches in the Millevaches de Limousin National Park, before finally reaching Argentat.

There are still many kilometers to go before we reach that point! The Berry region is a rural, peaceful, and agricultural region, but it's a beautiful drive along the rolling roads of the heart of rural France. Moreover, the Berry region surprisingly offers a rich cultural heritage.

From Vierzon, head due south on the D918 towards Issoudun, which you can quickly bypass via the bypass. The next town is La Châtre, where the author George Sand was inspired by the somber forests surrounding the Indre. There's a museum dedicated to her where you can also view a large collection of stuffed birds.

A very special castle (it looks like it came straight out of a comic strip) stands on a farmstead in the village of Sarzay. It's definitely worth a visit; the Château de Sarzay, described by George Sand in her novel "Le Meunier d'Angibault," is a medieval fortress dating back to the 14th century. It once boasted thirty-eight towers and three drawbridges, and its past as a stronghold has left behind a manor house flanked by five round towers, moats, and a fortified chapel. A visit will transport you back to the Middle Ages! After our visit to the château, we'll take the D41 to rejoin the main route via Chassignolles.

As we enter the Creuse valley near Guéret, you'll notice the roads becoming more winding. This will likely continue for a while, as we enter the transition from the flat central region to the more hilly south. Guéret is a very old town, but unfortunately, little of its old charm has been preserved. So we drive through the town back to the junction with the D940.

After about 8 km, take the right turn onto the D940a. This is a more scenic and shorter winding road through a beautiful green hilly landscape to the next town, Bourganeuf. You can take a lunch break here. After lunch, we enter the Millevaches Regional Nature Park in Limousin via the Plateau de Millevaches.

This Natural Park, situated on the foothills of the Massif Central (314,000 ha), comprises seven distinct areas: Vassivière, the Vienne Valley, the Monédières, the Sources, the Courtine, and the Creuse, the valleys of Haute-Corrèze, and the Eygurande plateau in Flayat. This pristine and preserved area includes the Millevaches plateau, the Monédières moors, and the Bonnefond and Péret Bel Air peatlands. The popular Vassivière Lake is located near Peyrat-le-Château, and the Creuse, Vienne, and Vézère rivers also originate here.

From Eymoutiers, we take the smaller D-roads back to Chamberet. Here, you begin a beautiful stretch of nature, almost 70 km long. At the picturesque town of Treignac, you cross the Vézère River. Argentat is our final destination. This town lies on the Dordogne and is a great base for several scenic rides (see also part 1).