First foray into Europe - help?
Discussion
Although I've been riding on and off for over 40 years, I've never taken a bike across the channel. I'm in the early stages of planning a trip to Mandello Del Lario for Moto Guzzi's 100th Anniversary party in early September. I've booked accommodation for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in Mandello and I'm off from the Tuesday before until the following Thursday, so I'd like to take some time going down and coming back, rather than sitting at 90+ for hours just to cover ground.
Mandello is on the Eastern shore of Lake Como about 40kms North of Milan, so not far into Northern Italy.
Any tips on a good route? Any must sees? Nice towns to stop for a night along the way?
Any and all help appreciated.
I'll be on the V7.
All the above Covid dependent of course!
Mandello is on the Eastern shore of Lake Como about 40kms North of Milan, so not far into Northern Italy.
Any tips on a good route? Any must sees? Nice towns to stop for a night along the way?
Any and all help appreciated.
I'll be on the V7.
All the above Covid dependent of course!
Lord.Vader said:
Interested, thinking of doing the same on my V7, also my first foray into Europe.
You'd best book some accommodation as it's selling out fast. Loads of people going from the Moto Guzzi V7 UK Facebook group but we're all in different parts of the country so haven't decided on common routes or anything yet. If you're still in North Wales as per your profile, you're not that far from me (Cannock) so let me know if you do decided to go for definite. Join the group if you do Facebook. They're a great bunch and very welcoming. Plenty of meets and rideouts when we were allowed (and one or two when we weren't strictly, but don't tell anyone!)Take the chunnel, not the ferry.
Spend the first day just cutting through northern France as there's not much there. Not a great deal of interesting stuff till you get to Alsace. Spend most of your time meandering through the Alps - there are too many good routes to list. I'd spend more time in France and Italy than Switzerland; they are actively anti-bike and have a ridiculous attitude to policing.
Como etc itself is nice but IMO overcrowded and overhyped.
You will be able to cover less ground than you think, especially in the Alps, so don't make the mistake of having to ride 12 hours a day - it is doable but after a week or so it is tiring. You want to be able to stop and enjoy the views.
Spend the first day just cutting through northern France as there's not much there. Not a great deal of interesting stuff till you get to Alsace. Spend most of your time meandering through the Alps - there are too many good routes to list. I'd spend more time in France and Italy than Switzerland; they are actively anti-bike and have a ridiculous attitude to policing.
Como etc itself is nice but IMO overcrowded and overhyped.
You will be able to cover less ground than you think, especially in the Alps, so don't make the mistake of having to ride 12 hours a day - it is doable but after a week or so it is tiring. You want to be able to stop and enjoy the views.
Edited by Deranged Granny on Friday 22 January 11:46
I've been down to that area a couple of times on the bike, there's some great roads around there. My personal view is...
Eurotunnel is quick and hassle free on a bike
Northern France is boring, so it's worth spending a bit of time initially on quick roads to get down towards the Ardennes
Fast roads are boring so get off them once you hit more interesting areas
I usually aim for around 200-250 miles a day, doesn't sound like a lot but if you stick to the interesting roads that's a full days riding with time to change you plan if you see something interesting, and stop for a nice relaxed lunch
Personally I love camping, more gear to lug about the flexability is brilliant, head off in rough direction you want to go, get distracted by an interesting looking side road, when it gets to late afternoon look at Archies on your satnav to find a camp site in roughly the right direction http://www.archiescampings.eu/
If you're using hotels think about riding times and distances, I hate having to hop on to fast roads for a couple of hours becase you need to be somewhere.
In northern Italy the valleys tend to built up and all traffic jam, but once you get up in the hills there's miles of quiet roads and stunning scenery, one of the rides I had was the road past Lake Valvestino
Eurotunnel is quick and hassle free on a bike
Northern France is boring, so it's worth spending a bit of time initially on quick roads to get down towards the Ardennes
Fast roads are boring so get off them once you hit more interesting areas
I usually aim for around 200-250 miles a day, doesn't sound like a lot but if you stick to the interesting roads that's a full days riding with time to change you plan if you see something interesting, and stop for a nice relaxed lunch
Personally I love camping, more gear to lug about the flexability is brilliant, head off in rough direction you want to go, get distracted by an interesting looking side road, when it gets to late afternoon look at Archies on your satnav to find a camp site in roughly the right direction http://www.archiescampings.eu/
If you're using hotels think about riding times and distances, I hate having to hop on to fast roads for a couple of hours becase you need to be somewhere.
In northern Italy the valleys tend to built up and all traffic jam, but once you get up in the hills there's miles of quiet roads and stunning scenery, one of the rides I had was the road past Lake Valvestino
I've spent weeks and weeks and weeks biking in the Alps
For where you're going, you should spend quite a bit of time based around the nice village of Andermatt in Switzerland - which is almost directly north of Como, before you drop down into the event.
From Andermatt there are truly amazing roads (from a biking and scenic perspective) in all directions. Furka Pass, Grimsel Pass, Susten Pass, Oberalp Pass should all be on your hit list. When biking thru Switzerland you really should buy the Vignette so that you can use the motorways and DO NOT speed through towns and villages. That is the way to enjoy Switzerland, which has some of the best biking roads of Europe - without having to crawl around the valleys in a paranoid fashion to avoid getting whacked with the horrible speeding fines.
I agree with the comments about using the eurotunnel. I always use it and have always managed to switch to an earlier train for free - even though I always buy the cheapo tickets in advance. Also agree that you should zip thru Northern France on the motorways. It's flat, boring and the new lower speed limits for taking the non-motorway routes are painful
For where you're going, you should spend quite a bit of time based around the nice village of Andermatt in Switzerland - which is almost directly north of Como, before you drop down into the event.
From Andermatt there are truly amazing roads (from a biking and scenic perspective) in all directions. Furka Pass, Grimsel Pass, Susten Pass, Oberalp Pass should all be on your hit list. When biking thru Switzerland you really should buy the Vignette so that you can use the motorways and DO NOT speed through towns and villages. That is the way to enjoy Switzerland, which has some of the best biking roads of Europe - without having to crawl around the valleys in a paranoid fashion to avoid getting whacked with the horrible speeding fines.
I agree with the comments about using the eurotunnel. I always use it and have always managed to switch to an earlier train for free - even though I always buy the cheapo tickets in advance. Also agree that you should zip thru Northern France on the motorways. It's flat, boring and the new lower speed limits for taking the non-motorway routes are painful
Edited by FullyReclined on Friday 22 January 12:26
Krikkit said:
From North Wales I'd be tempted to take the fun roads up to the ferry from Hull-> Zeebrugge, bit of motorway through Belgium then jump on the B500 and similar roads in Germany. Through the Alps (not tunnel) then drop down to Milan.
This - my days of going via Dover (from Lancashire) are over. Dreadful trip.Incidentally - the Hull-Zeebrugge ferry has now gone. Tragic - it was my favourite. It's Rotterdam only now.
Assuming you'll have a fair bit of free time - If you head a little further east you can go to Lago Maggiore. When I lived there (in Varese) I used to go to Arona or Stresa and get an all day hopper ticket for the bus-boat round the lake. Just nice to sit there bobbing about and if you see an island or vilage that takes your fancy, hop off for an explore.
I'm going back a decade, but there used to be a brewery called Birrificio di Como that did good beer and food. Also, there's a karting track.
In cafes, be aware that coffee is one price if you go up to the bar and stay there drinking it, and another higher one if you sit at a table where it's serviced. Incredibly rude to go to the bar, get your coffee then take it to a table!
You're right near the Alps and Switzerland. You HAVE to ride round the Swiss alps.
I'm going back a decade, but there used to be a brewery called Birrificio di Como that did good beer and food. Also, there's a karting track.
In cafes, be aware that coffee is one price if you go up to the bar and stay there drinking it, and another higher one if you sit at a table where it's serviced. Incredibly rude to go to the bar, get your coffee then take it to a table!
You're right near the Alps and Switzerland. You HAVE to ride round the Swiss alps.
https://www.bikeshuttle.co.uk/
Get Bikeshuttle booked to Geneva and you fly. Your bike and riding gear will be outside the hotel in Geneva when you wake up. We've used them 3 or 4 times now, sadly this years trip obviously got cancelled. I really hope they've managed to keep afloat as we'll be using them again this year if we're allowed.
It really does take the crap out of getting up into the Alps. Oh and buy yourself a copy of this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTORCYCLE-JOURNEYS-THROU...
Get Bikeshuttle booked to Geneva and you fly. Your bike and riding gear will be outside the hotel in Geneva when you wake up. We've used them 3 or 4 times now, sadly this years trip obviously got cancelled. I really hope they've managed to keep afloat as we'll be using them again this year if we're allowed.
It really does take the crap out of getting up into the Alps. Oh and buy yourself a copy of this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTORCYCLE-JOURNEYS-THROU...
I'm going to disagree about the tunnel. If you live in Kent and are going no more than 150 miles into France then the tunnel is the best option. If you have a "decent" journey to Dover and expect to cover big miles in France then you will need a break. I make that break the ferry, where I can safely park the bike, go for a good stroll, eat a decent meal, have a coffee then carry on with the journey. If you're doing a 300+ mile day then the actual time advantage of the tunnel is negated and it's a more expensive, less comfortable crossing.
There really aren't many nice roads in Northern France so I'd go for motorway from Calais for about the first 400 miles to get you well east of Reims. I'd then look to head across towards Baden Baden to pick up the B500. From there I'd head roughly south through Switzerland (choose your passes, there are loads to choose from) and into Italy.
Coming back I'd start by heading north east towards Bolzano and a bit of the Dolomites, then across into Austria and back up into Germany.
I'd come back through France and do motorway for most of the run across the north of France., getting from the French/German border around Strasbourg to Calais in a day on the Autoroute is actually very easy. The motorways may be boring but you ether spend one day (each way) on a boring motorway or 2 days each way on mediocre N roads. I'd much rather have a boring day then an extra day riding the excellent roads around the Alps, but it's your call.
The Old Gits did a trip to the Dolomites in 2019 and most did the autoroute run across France in one day without issue. Details here: http://www.old-gits.org/write-up2019.htm
There really aren't many nice roads in Northern France so I'd go for motorway from Calais for about the first 400 miles to get you well east of Reims. I'd then look to head across towards Baden Baden to pick up the B500. From there I'd head roughly south through Switzerland (choose your passes, there are loads to choose from) and into Italy.
Coming back I'd start by heading north east towards Bolzano and a bit of the Dolomites, then across into Austria and back up into Germany.
I'd come back through France and do motorway for most of the run across the north of France., getting from the French/German border around Strasbourg to Calais in a day on the Autoroute is actually very easy. The motorways may be boring but you ether spend one day (each way) on a boring motorway or 2 days each way on mediocre N roads. I'd much rather have a boring day then an extra day riding the excellent roads around the Alps, but it's your call.
The Old Gits did a trip to the Dolomites in 2019 and most did the autoroute run across France in one day without issue. Details here: http://www.old-gits.org/write-up2019.htm
I would book as much accommodation as you can even though it reduces the flexibility.
Some of my mates have been going abroad for years, South of France and into Spain and they have remarked it is becoming more difficult to just turn up and find rooms.
The hotels and B&B's simply aren't there anymore and the lack of tourists recently won't help.
Maybe others on here haven't found that but they certainly have.
Drawweight said:
I would book as much accommodation as you can even though it reduces the flexibility.
Some of my mates have been going abroad for years, South of France and into Spain and they have remarked it is becoming more difficult to just turn up and find rooms.
The hotels and B&B's simply aren't there anymore and the lack of tourists recently won't help.
Maybe others on here haven't found that but they certainly have.
Last summer I was comfortably able to get to Budapest and back just booking online on the day at mid-afternoon, once I had a good idea of where I'd be. Complete flexibility albeit at the expense of cost/choice.Some of my mates have been going abroad for years, South of France and into Spain and they have remarked it is becoming more difficult to just turn up and find rooms.
The hotels and B&B's simply aren't there anymore and the lack of tourists recently won't help.
Maybe others on here haven't found that but they certainly have.
shunt said:
https://www.bikeshuttle.co.uk/
Get Bikeshuttle booked to Geneva and you fly. Your bike and riding gear will be outside the hotel in Geneva when you wake up. We've used them 3 or 4 times now, sadly this years trip obviously got cancelled. I really hope they've managed to keep afloat as we'll be using them again this year if we're allowed.
It really does take the crap out of getting up into the Alps. Oh and buy yourself a copy of this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTORCYCLE-JOURNEYS-THROU...
Used bike shuttle as well, great to fly into Geneve and have a night out... wake up the next day and see your bike arrive with new tyres ready for the Alps... beats a couple of days boring riding down.Get Bikeshuttle booked to Geneva and you fly. Your bike and riding gear will be outside the hotel in Geneva when you wake up. We've used them 3 or 4 times now, sadly this years trip obviously got cancelled. I really hope they've managed to keep afloat as we'll be using them again this year if we're allowed.
It really does take the crap out of getting up into the Alps. Oh and buy yourself a copy of this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTORCYCLE-JOURNEYS-THROU...
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff