A little report on our 2025 tour.
Day 1. Over to Hull, via lunch in Barton on Humber with step father, for the overnight crossing to Rotterdam.
Day 2. An hour of motorway before we swap to the country roads to head to the Champagne region and the small town of Ay. Lovely little town. Not a lot to see unless you like vineyards!
Day 3. Country roads again following the Route de Champagne and various other "alcoholic" named routes to the city of Lyon for a 2 night stay. City centre hotel with underground parking was just amazing. 2nd day was off the bike doing some touristy stuff including a 2 hour boat trip.
Day 5. Head South on rural roads to the port of Toulon for the overnight ferry to Ajaccio. Embarking was usual Corsica ferries fiasco and basically bikes were herded into what can only be described as the bilges! the journey itself, including the Brasserie dining was lovely....and even managed to spot a few dolphins.
Day 6. Arrive Ajaccio and head inland on the worlds twistiest roads for lunch before heading back out to the coast town Porto-Ota for another 2 night stay in a 3 star hotel with pool. Again we spent the second day off the bike with a 4 hour coastal boat trip with lunch.
Day 8 and we follow the coast road North to Saint Florent before heading over the mountains to the East side of the island and the town of Bastia. Another 2 night stay. 2nd day we head to the old walled part of town to visit the Cathedral and lunch with a view.
Day 10. We catch the early morning ferry to Livorno, arriving in the only rain of the trip, and boy did it rain! We followed the coast road South, then inland to the town of Volterra, and on to our 2 night stay in Siena. The road in and out of Volterra is just mind blowing.
Day 12 and we head North to a village just outside of Varesse and a hotel on the side of lake Varesse, next door to MV Augusta head office!
Day 13. We follow the shores of Lake Maggiore North to Switzerland, ride the Gotthard Pass and continue North to Freiburg in Germany. The route, B317,L126 and L124, were quite possibly the best roads I have ever ridden in Europe. Clean, well maintained, virtually traffic free and amazing views in places. City centre hotel with secure underground parking. Perfect.
Day 14. Head North to Luxembourg to Asselborn and our last night on European soil. Stop at a fabulous country hotel that we have used before and thought it was our little secret. Unfortunately 6 other Brits thought it was there secret too!
Day 15. Head North to Vlissingen, for lunch at our favourite sea front bistro before following the coast road to Rotterdam for the overnight ferry home.
Total mileage 2424. Bike was faultless.
A great tour and we will definitely go back to Corsica for a 3rd time in the future Will add more pics when we get them downloaded of the cameras.
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I have done my best to tidy-up the formatting of the post.
Richard
Day 1. Over to Hull, via lunch in Barton on Humber with step father, for the overnight crossing to Rotterdam.
Day 2. An hour of motorway before we swap to the country roads to head to the Champagne region and the small town of Ay. Lovely little town. Not a lot to see unless you like vineyards!
Day 3. Country roads again following the Route de Champagne and various other "alcoholic" named routes to the city of Lyon for a 2 night stay. City centre hotel with underground parking was just amazing. 2nd day was off the bike doing some touristy stuff including a 2 hour boat trip.
Day 5. Head South on rural roads to the port of Toulon for the overnight ferry to Ajaccio. Embarking was usual Corsica ferries fiasco and basically bikes were herded into what can only be described as the bilges! the journey itself, including the Brasserie dining was lovely....and even managed to spot a few dolphins.
Day 6. Arrive Ajaccio and head inland on the worlds twistiest roads for lunch before heading back out to the coast town Porto-Ota for another 2 night stay in a 3 star hotel with pool. Again we spent the second day off the bike with a 4 hour coastal boat trip with lunch.
Day 8 and we follow the coast road North to Saint Florent before heading over the mountains to the East side of the island and the town of Bastia. Another 2 night stay. 2nd day we head to the old walled part of town to visit the Cathedral and lunch with a view.
Day 10. We catch the early morning ferry to Livorno, arriving in the only rain of the trip, and boy did it rain! We followed the coast road South, then inland to the town of Volterra, and on to our 2 night stay in Siena. The road in and out of Volterra is just mind blowing.
Day 12 and we head North to a village just outside of Varesse and a hotel on the side of lake Varesse, next door to MV Augusta head office!
Day 13. We follow the shores of Lake Maggiore North to Switzerland, ride the Gotthard Pass and continue North to Freiburg in Germany. The route, B317,L126 and L124, were quite possibly the best roads I have ever ridden in Europe. Clean, well maintained, virtually traffic free and amazing views in places. City centre hotel with secure underground parking. Perfect.
Day 14. Head North to Luxembourg to Asselborn and our last night on European soil. Stop at a fabulous country hotel that we have used before and thought it was our little secret. Unfortunately 6 other Brits thought it was there secret too!
Day 15. Head North to Vlissingen, for lunch at our favourite sea front bistro before following the coast road to Rotterdam for the overnight ferry home.
Total mileage 2424. Bike was faultless.
A great tour and we will definitely go back to Corsica for a 3rd time in the future Will add more pics when we get them downloaded of the cameras.
==============
I have done my best to tidy-up the formatting of the post.
Richard
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