I'm back on the Millevaches, the winter season is over!

Negative 14°C, a punctured mattress, stalactites in my tent: I'll remember my Millevaches winter! What prompted me to try this adventure? Curiosity about this legendary motorcycle event, and the desire to take on the elements. I also took the opportunity to put Macna's heated gear to the test (hard work!). In this article, I'll tell you about my experience, my little glitches and my metaphysical reflections on why 3,000 crazies go for it. Happy reading!

The idea is obviously to get together with other bikers, outside in the cold of winter, for a weekend. Above all, it's a moment of sharing and conviviality between people with two things in common: a passion for motorcycling and a vital need to stay around a fire. A fire is particularly important, as it's your only source of warmth over these 2-3 days.

Next, you need to distinguish between two moments in a winter event: the journey there and back, and the time spent there. Riding a motorcycle in winter and battling the elements to reach the spot can be more or less adventurous, depending on the conditions. Snow, ice, wind - it's all a surprise!

The advantage? The tougher it is, the more anecdotes you'll be able to tell your mates by the fire. Because a winter event is first and foremost a get-together for two- and three-wheeled enthusiasts. So, we talk about motorized adventure, past and future projects, enjoy a good meal and, incidentally, lift our elbows. But not too much! Sub-zero temperatures and drinking don't mix.

My reasons for signing up

Why did I embark on this adventure? Curiosity, of course, but it also started with a joke. During theAlpes Moto Festival, I was chatting with my friend Guillaume, who works for GMT Outdoor. Incidentally, they make great gear that we enjoy testing and selling at Ixtem Moto, such as the Biolite barbecue, Leatherman knives and Verjari socks.

Anyway... we were talking about the Millevaches winter event, and I jokingly told him "why don't I come with you? Except he took me at my word. A week later, I received my registration form. Now I had no choice... I have to admit that I wanted to do it at least once. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why bivouac in the snow for a weekend? Sounds strange, doesn't it? Let's try it and find out!

1100km riding in the cold, 2 days camping in the snow

Paris - Meymac, I rode 550 km with an average temperature of 0°C. I'm very cold, especially in my hands, so I was very comfortable in my heated gear. The toughest moment was crossing a pass in fog with zero visibility and a frosty visor. The surprise? Because of the reverberation, my transition screen (photochromic) turned black. Well, you can still see through it, but it's not very pleasant. Another surprise, but a good one this time! My winter gloves were equipped with little plastic "squeegees" on the index finger. Perfect for removing ice from my visor. On the return journey, the same 550 km, but this time in sub-zero temperatures. And here I can guarantee that my Macna heating clothes were completely indispensable.

Once we got there, it was cold, even very cold. We reached -14°C! Saturday evening was cut short because everything was freezing outside. Our fire didn't last the night. To tell you the truth, I even had stalactites in my tent! In fact, everything except my comforter was frozen. Impressive! Some people left the site because they were on the verge of cryogenics.

What was my experience of cold camping like?

Honestly, if you're well equipped, there's no need to worry about sleeping in the cold. My comforter was designed for -20°C. The only problem was my punctured mattress (Memo to myself: always test your equipment before this kind of adventure!). Once deflated, it was much less comfortable and, above all, freezing. If I'd had an under-mattress in addition to the survival blanket for insulation, it would have been great. Otherwise, apart from the risk of ending up impaled by a stalactite, my nights in the tent were restful and serene.

Keeping the blaze going: the main activity of the weekend

So, what do we do once we're there? We chat, exchange ideas, cook, remake the world... And then we tend the fire! I think that's the main activity of the weekend: stoking the blaze. It was also funny to observe that some were superbly equipped with wood-burning stoves and even kitchens. We go to the "abreuvoir" (the winter event bar) for soup and a drink. Incidentally, I've found that drinking in the cold is not very pleasant. Why not? Everything's freezing. Even the best Bordeaux becomes undrinkable when almost frozen.

What I loved?

Touring the camp. Meeting and helping bikers in trouble and, above all, observing everyone's bikes. It was really cool to see all the machines. From mopeds to sidecars and customs, there really was something for everyone. All in all, the weekend flew by in this friendly, timeless atmosphere. Well, I wouldn't have stayed there for a week either! Sleeping in a tent at -14°C is fine for two nights, but no more!

What motivates 3000 frosty bikers to camp in the snow?

I think the main motivation is the desire to get together with other bikers in extreme conditions. You have to leave your comfort zone to get here. This ordeal, overcome by all, creates a community of solidarity, and that's what people are looking for. When you walk around the camp, you come across people from all social classes and with all types of bikes. From brand-new R1250 GSs to out-of-date sidecars and mopeds. Whatever the bike, we've all experienced the same thing, and we get together around the fire to discuss it. It's a moment out of time, with its share of craziness that's really good for you, and takes you away from our daily lives, which are often a little too standardized.

Bikers need cold-weather gear to enjoy the ride

Riding in a group allows you to observe how everyone reacts to low or even negative temperatures. As far as I'm concerned, I'm a bit of a cold person. In particular, my fingers get cold very quickly when I'm riding. So I had to get out the heating gear for the Millevaches winter event. Gloves, socks, pants, undershirt - I set off fully equipped. The result? Bluffing. I'll give you a detailed report at the end of this article. For the anecdote, I forgot to turn them back on before covering the last 15 kilometers from Meymac to the site of the hivernale. I understood my pain... I couldn't have done 550km without them.

For Guillaume, my adventure companion, it was even worse. If the outward journey in 0°C weather had gone well, the return journey in -10°C weather proved more prickly... So much so that after 70 kilometers, he asked me: "uh, can you lend me your second pair of heated gloves? Otherwise, I won't be able to finish the route...". Poor guy, he still had over 800 km to go to reach his Chnord. Thanks to Macna gloves, he was able to return home with all his fingers intact.

Essential equipment for bivouacking on site

A good comforter and a hat! Don't mess around with these. And don't forget a survival blanket and/or mattress pad to insulate you from the ground. A hot-water bottle or heater may also be welcome. Then there are the essentials to protect you from the cold during the day: under-gloves, thick socks, a hat and comfortable warm clothing (see our article on under-layer clothing). If I had to do it all over again? I'd pack a leak-proof mattress :) and a thermos to keep water in liquid rather than solid form.

Don't forget topack enough food and cooking equipment for the whole weekend, because there's nothing on site. It's important to eat well, because you burn a lot of calories when you're living in the cold.

One last tip? Bring a booster with you. If your battery's a bit weak, it might not appreciate 3 days stationary in the cold... You never know, you might even be able to help someone out. Pushing a bike through the snow after a weekend of freezing your butt off isn't much fun.

I tested the Macna set, including Lava socks, Azra and Progress gloves, Centre underpants and Centre under-jacket. For the connection, I plugged into my bike's cigarette-lighter socket. Why not the battery? Because it's difficult to access on my KTM (in the engine compartment). It's worth noting that the clothes plug into each other, which is super handy.

Positive points

• Real, effective heating comfort. As someone who's very sensitive to the cold, I rode these 1100 kilometers without ever feeling the slightest chill.

• Whether it's the jacket, pants, socks or gloves, the heating level is more than sufficient, even in sub-zero temperatures. You should even be careful not to set them to maximum, otherwise you may get a burning sensation (even when riding at 0°C).

• The squeegee on the index finger of the gloves. We often think of it as a gadget, but I've discovered how useful it can be :) When passing through a pass in freezing fog, I was able to use my glove as a windscreen wiper and easily remove the frost from my visor. Great!

• The Azra gloves are very comfortable from the first use.

Negative points

• The phone app, which lets you adjust the equipment one by one, lets you turn it off but not on. So, after stopping to refuel, you have to manually turn on all your equipment to then be able to adjust the heating levels on your smartphone. This is a bit tricky when you're using the bike's wired battery power supply, as you have to rewire your equipment, turn it back on and then only adjust it.

• It's hard to make out the LEDs on your gloves when you're riding in daylight. So you have to shade them with your other hand to know what heat level you're on. But this is a shortcoming found on many models of heated gloves.

• The Progress glove model is rather rigid, but gains in flexibility with use. The first few uses can therefore be a little disconcerting. In short, you have to do them.

---> If you want to get all the info and know all the details about this set of Macna heated equipment, here's our "face-to-face" video with the brand's French sales manager.

Did it make me want to take part in other winter events? Being a bit hyperactive, staying static for a weekend is not in my nature. On the other hand, facing the weather to get there, riding in the snow, taking the drache and dealing with the cold on a motorcycle, that's what really appealed to me. I'm not sure I'll be doing another winter event just yet, but taking off with a good group of mates on a chilly ride, that's for sure! Have a good ride!