Suggestions for the Alps........please

Gavin4333

Guest
I'm going to the Alps for a couple of weeks of gentle scenic touring at the end of August and using the book 'Motorcycle journeys through the Alps' (its fantastic) I've decided to base myself for a few days around Andermatt but can't decided where I should go from there - I (more the wife actually!!) prefere to spend 2 to 3 days in the same place exploring then move on.

So the quesions are:

Suggestions for towns/areas to base myself (or should I stay longer around Andermatt?).

As I'll be mostly camping could somebody say what the camping is like there (many sites? Good or bad facilitys? Price? etc)

Any thoughts appreciated.


Thanks
 
Gavin4333 said:
I'm going to the Alps for a couple of weeks of gentle scenic touring at the end of August and using the book 'Motorcycle journeys through the Alps' (its fantastic) I've decided to base myself for a few days around Andermatt but can't decided where I should go from there - I (more the wife actually!!) prefere to spend 2 to 3 days in the same place exploring then move on.

So the quesions are:

Suggestions for towns/areas to base myself (or should I stay longer around Andermatt?).

As I'll be mostly camping could somebody say what the camping is like there (many sites? Good or bad facilitys? Price? etc)

Any thoughts appreciated.


Thanks

Andermatt is a good place to base yourself. However be aware about a few things here in Switzerland.

As mentioned before hotels always look like they were decorated in the mid '70s. Over night rates can be cheap compared to the UK. However food ( even snacks) and drink are relatively expensive.

Around Andermatt you have a host of great passes ... if you travel over the klausen pass an base yourself nr Skt Mortiz you can do a host more. Or you could actually stay in Italy. It will be cheaper.

Over in the "French" side , there is a whole heap of stuff around Monte Blanc. Again Alpine France is cheaper than Swizzy.

Fuel and Ciggies are much cheaper in switzerland. And beer / wine from Supermarkets is cheap.

This year they have started to have radar trap on the passes. If you exceed 120kph it get sort of expensive ... but they can't give you points on a licence. 25 kph over the limit will get you a fine of about 200 GBP. I know, I have had one! Normally someone will flag you to slow down .... but the swiss , being a nation of policemen will sometimes flag you, just to make you slow down.

Don't speed in tunnels ... a lot have laser speed traps.

At weekends a lot of gas stations are unmanned ... you will need a pin and chip card.

The swiss have a pragmatic view to passes. If you are going too fast , and go over the edge, then it's your problem. Many hairpins / high alpine roads have no barriers on them of any sort ... and there may well be dropp off of 100s of metres!!

At weekends the passes do get like rat runs, but generally there is a lot of camaraderie amongst bikers. And make sure you know where you left your GS , cos there will be 100s of the things.

As with the rest of Europe, you will not be treated as "the underclass", in fact most hotels will go out of there way to find you secure parking ( Swizzy crime rate is low, but the French and Italians will steal anything not bolted to the floor).
 
I was in Italy last year. Stayed for 4 nights in Torbole at the northern end of Lake Garda.

I was in a 4* hotel.

However, I noticed a campsite just across the road, on the lakeside. It's also bang, slap in the middle of the town. Most of the vehicles parked within had German plates.

The surrounding area is lovely. Ideal for a touring base. Also, there's plenty to do if you want to take a day off the bikes. E.g. take a water taxi to Malcesine and take a ride up the mountain in a cable car, go windsurfing or para-sailing.

We found the food excellent and very good value in the town. Even on the most excessive nights involving 3 course meals and copious volumes of wine we struggled to spend 30 Euros each.

Sorry, I don't have any contact details for the place.
 
Hadn't thought of the price difference between Switz, France and Italy so as I'm actually riding down on my own and picking my wife up from Venice airport (I can get away a few days before so I will get there and save her the slog down) should I concentrate on Northern Italy first? If so any suggestions again - so many options!!!!!!
 
Gavin4333 said:
Hadn't thought of the price difference between Switz, France and Italy so as I'm actually riding down on my own and picking my wife up from Venice airport (I can get away a few days before so I will get there and save her the slog down) should I concentrate on Northern Italy first? If so any suggestions again - so many options!!!!!!

Good idea. One of my party last year rode solo down through France, Germany and Austria to Lake Garda.

He nipped down to Verona airport, picked up his wife. She spent the 4 nights in Torbole with us and did the ride to the Dolomites. Flew home.

From Venice it is not far to Slovenia. Now in the EU so your existing insurance covers it. Much cheaper than any of the other countries mentioned. Julian Alps and Triglav National Park are the areas to head for. E.g. Bled, Kranska Gora. Return home via Austria, Bavaria, Black Forest, Eiffel Mountains.
 
I'll second Wessie on Slovenia...........one of my fav biking countries......usually go once a year.
Give Andermatt a miss (or stay for 1 night .......in transit)
Try Hotel Enzian in Landeck Austria.......plenty to do around there.
Or if you want real fun.............the Dolomites is an absolute must.....especially noting you have to go to Venice area
Stay in proximity of Cortina (Corvara/La Villa area) and you won't be disappointed.........the scenery is simply stunning

The view above Cortina
 

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Agree with Johnny Boxer, Dolomites are the dogs bollox for thrashing a GS. Try staying in St. Ulrich(Ortisei) as a base, its more reasonably priced than Cortina, and offers a fabulous network of mountain passes (Sella Ronda etc ), and superb scenery. You can get there through Otz valley in Austria then over the Tiimelsjoch pass to Bolzano.
St. Ulrich(Ortisei) is also within easy reach of the famed Stelvio Pass.
 
Agree about the Dolomites - brilliant roads and passes and very easy if you have a base in the centre away from Cortina - I alway spend a few days there every year.

Agree also about Switzerland and Andematt. Great passes but you can do them in a day or so.

My advice is to travel through Andematt over Stelvio Pass towards Merano and then on to the Dolomites

Great roads and you won't get bored.

Go back via Austria towards Salzburg and then follow the Alpenstrasse (B308) towards the Black Forest and then pick up the B500 towards Baden-Baden. Then get to the B48 towards the Mosel and finally B258 around the Nurburing. Brilliant roads

Can guarantee you will have a brilliant time.

Buy a Michelin map and follow the senic routes and you can go far wrong

I also always pick my wife up at one of the airports
 
See if you can get a copy of this....

Motorcycle Journeys Through The Alps (and Corsica)

By John Hermann.

ISBN 1-884313-32-9

I got my copy from AmazonUK. It has plenty of local info such as referred to above, fueling up etc. There are suggested routes and bike friendly eating/overnighting places. Quite user-friendly and quite a good read with lots of great photo's.
 
I've got that book too, bloody great. Buy it and make your own decisions.



:confused:
 
Re: See if you can get a copy of this....

Gotterdammerung said:
Motorcycle Journeys Through The Alps (and Corsica)

By John Hermann.

ISBN 1-884313-32-9

I got my copy from AmazonUK. It has plenty of local info such as referred to above, fueling up etc. There are suggested routes and bike friendly eating/overnighting places. Quite user-friendly and quite a good read with lots of great photo's.

In the first line of his post Gavin mentions that he already has that book. I second what Johhny Boxer says, dolomites and Slovenia.

bob
 
Thanks for the info guys.

Between the book and the web site (its excellent) I've plotted a route through the Alps to pick up the missus from Milan (not Venice as original) onto the Dolimites and back.

Leaving tomorrow and can't wait!!!!!!!!!!
 
Alpine suggestions

Gavin4333,
All the above a great suggestions, but to put a slightly different idea forward why not go the remote area of the Queyras which is in France right up on the Italian boarder.
It is approached via the Maurienne Valley, turn right at St Michel du Maurienne up over the famous Tour de France Col de Galibier then Lauteret.
(note the Alpine Garden at the top of Lauteret) down to Briancon and then up to Queyras and Frances highest village St Veran, very pretty. then you can do the Col de Montgenevre and loup through the Italian ski resorts of Cesana, Souze d'Oulx and Suze then back over the Col de Mont Cenis, turn right at the bottom do the Iseran and drop into Val d'Isere. a great trip round the Alps.
 

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Thanks Barrie - sounds interesting, going to check my maps and see about coming home that way.
 
You've got the book so you know roughly where to ride..... when you get there have a look at the tourist office and see what accommodation they can suggest, or better still, stop when you see somewhere you like and ask.

The world is your oyster my friend....
 


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