absolutely agree with manhill about Italian autostradas....very very scary. I've put some piccys on my profile from my dream trip if you want an idea of the scenery and wiggly roads
what yeti said is dead right but i like Minnie way better, take some time in the Alps theres some of the best biking roads in the world there, be a shame to miss them.
The best bet for overnight accommodation in France are Formula1s. Just look out for the yellow sign saying, 'Hotel Formule1' and a room is £28 a night. no frills but really good value and they are on the outskirts of most towns....usually on an industrial estate near an autoroute junction lol http://www.hotelformule1.com/gb/home/index.shtml
God I'm really getting into this...can I come?
Forgot to add...at Meiringen you can have a coffee and cake, and a trip on a funicular railway to the Reichenbach falls where Sherlock Holmes and his arch enemy Professor Moriarty had their final tussle before plunging to their deaths....wow!!
Also, if you go to Lauterbrunnen you can take a cable car to piz gloria on the summit of the Schilthorn which was the location for that evil fiend Blofeld's house, in 'On her Majesties Secret Service'...Fabby!
From Lauterbrunnen you can also take a train up inside the north face of the Eiger and look out of the window in the rockface.... the very one that Clint Eastwood and George kennedy go through in the 'Eiger Sanction'....Corrr, Clint is so cooool!
Won't float every ones boat if you are interested in iconic film / media locations there are loads round there
I still have Salzburg in Austria on my 'to do' list ....anyone fancy a Maria/ Sound of Music tour...I'm your girl :)
guess it all depends on your time scale?
if you have 3 weeks do all of above, but in my experiance, that list above would take 3 weeks of 10 hour days, if your on mountain roads, AND want to end up in Bologna?
depending on your time , aim for 200 mile days in the mountains
(nice cafe`s, great scenery, less fuel stops, "tourist" bit, average moving speed prob less than 50 if you are pushing hard)
if making progress, motorway (payage) lots of service stations/fuel, food not bad at all, easy to find hotels, easy to do 800 mile days, moving average prob close to 85-100 depending on wish.
if your there because of ducati, ride north from factory, god rides a ducati in the dolomiti, between cortina (d`ampezzo) and marmolada.
i said avoid switzerland mainly for cost/police/holtel/ time.
i`m doing the dolomite trip in july, and belive me it`s worth it.
i allow 30 hours to get there, and 12 days to return,
my bro lives in north east near slovinian border if you need an italien speaking emergency contact
when riding on toll roads carry water bottle in tank bag, dampen your toll ticket, it will not pass through auto checker which can check your average speed between toll points but has to be done manually, only needed if you do constant triple figure speeds.
Another idea BT.....you say you're planning to go via Monte Carlo....Could you spare a day to take in the Verdon gorge?
Head for montelimar, Aix etc as if heading for the cote d'azure then deviate off north at Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume and its about 90km. The road around the gorge is legendary....you don't actually travel very far as the crow flies but will have masses of fun while you are in there. It's then about 160km to monte carlo
Jeremy Clarkson did this road in one of the Top Gear challenges...and he was trashed by the 2 rock climbers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjaTCMJ8YKg
If you are chewing up the miles on French autoroutes they have the most amazing coffee vending machines in the services...shot of pure caffeine expresso for about 1euro....tastes nice too.
First advice top up tank in uk its very expensive for petrol. Head towards Alsace (Black Forest)area Strasburg Frieburg then head into Austria usually cheaper petrol that France or Germany, aim for Brenenz then the Silvetta pass, this will take you to Landeck, head East to Innsbruck then after about another 20 mins head South and do the Timmelhoch pass 13 euros last year and then head towards the 48 hairpins of the Stelvio pass direction Bormio and then if you aint had enough fun there are 6 other passes to go at 2 in the direction of the Dolomites (highly recommended) or drop down the ? pass to Luc Garda.
Writing this with a big silly grin just thinking about it, have fun Stokey. PS you will need a vinetta in Austria a pass for the motorways but you can get them for 2 weeks and a month if time is critical if not stick ou the ordinary roads and watch speed and enjoy the scenery
If going in direction of Bormio via Stelvio pass try the Umbrailpass out of St Maria, its a sod to find looks like an alley way between 2 houses at the start, mixture of tarmac, gravel, interesting ride almost no traffic meets stelvio by the highest point.I've only spoken to one other who's ridden it.
I'm new on here so don't want to step on anyones toes. I have had a fair bit of experience travelling around Europe, most countries in excess of 30k miles and always on a GSXR1000. Southern France is my favourite, the weather is brill (average 300 days of sun a year around Nice), the roads and scenery + food are brill. There is alot to take into account when planning a trip, right down to where you live in the Uk and where you sail from and arrive at. Do you plan and book your hotels or find somewhere as you go? I have done both and both have advantages and disadvantages. The Black Forest in Germany is good, also the mountain passes in switzerland and Austria and of course France and the Route Napolean. Italy and the Dolomites are good but further south away from the lakes and the Stelvio Pass (very overated but you have to do it once) is very flat and boring. Last time I went to Mt Blanc it was about £23 one way on a bike. there are loads of good roads and everyone who's been seems an expert. Guess that means everyones enjoyed it! You should get to Grenoble in a day (getting on for 500 miles) without using a payage and Nice in another day (250 miles)on some fantastic roads. Just my bit
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