Motorcycle trip

Iceland

Iceland's Geography

A motorcycle tour of Iceland allows you to discover the largest volcanic island in the world. A land of contrasts located in the North Atlantic, Iceland is an immense country made up of glaciers, sand, lava fields and vast farmlands. There are very few trees and few inhabitants in this part of the world standing at the gateway to Europe. Located a few degrees south of the Arctic Circle, Iceland’s closest neighbours are Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Iceland is largely formed of a tableland in the centre of the island, known as the Highlands region, which rises to an average elevation of more than 500 m. The coastline is mountainous and carved out by fjords. The country's highest point is Hvannadalshnjúkur volcano, reaching 2,110 m, located on Vatnajökull glacier. Everything is different at these northern altitudes and it can be difficult to get your bearings. From June, the sun never sets and the landscapes bathe in a magical golden light. From August, darkness sets in for but a few hours and winter is quite the opposite with very few hours of sunlight from November to February. During winter months, and far from the bright city lights, we can admire the spellbinding Northern Lights.

Iceland's history and culture

During a motorcycle tour in Iceland, you will get the chance to discover this remote country's history and culture. Populated by Vikings from the 9th century, Iceland was later dominated by Norway and Denmark. In the 10th century, the Alþingi Parliament was founded and is the oldest working Parliament in the world. Literally "the Land of Ice", Iceland experienced several volcanic eruptions in the 14th century, killing livestock and ensuing famine. The Kingdom of Denmark controlled Iceland for several centuries until the start of the 20th century. In fact, Iceland only became an independent republic in 1944. The 2008 crisis seriously affected the country, which is slowly recovering with an economy largely based on tourism. Regardless of its geographical proximity to America, Iceland continues to have close cultural ties with Scandinavian countries. Despite being a favourable time to enter the European Union, Iceland withdrew its membership application in 2014. Embark on a motorcycle adventure in the land of the Vikings on the roads of the kingdom of wind, fire and ice!