France trip

[Hairless Hog]

Hi Everyone,

I am going to be heading up from Lake Annecy towards Strasburg and then back to Calais, any good pointers on routes and hotels would be most welcome.

Cheers,

The Hairless Hog

 

[Pathologic]

Have you had a look at the Rue Balloon. Wapping of this parish has posted some routes. try looking up some of his posts Enjoy.

 

[donnie]

How much time do you have?

After Mulhouse, I would certainly take the Route des Cretes through the Vosges Mountains. Excellent ride and nice views. Leaving Annecy, there are many passes to take, so it depends how much time you have and how direct you need to be. Avoid Geneva.

Donnie

 

[Wapping]

There are lots of threads and several trip reports on the best non-motorway scenic twisty routes between Calais and Lake Annecy, several via Strasbourg or close to.

Not for the first time, it depends on how long you have got to make the journey and roughly what sort of towns, villages or open bogs you might want to site your hotel or B&B in. Small and rural or large and corporate?

PS We can assume you got to Annecy somehow. How did you plan your outward leg? Whatever method it was, you could try employing the same tricks, knowledge and who knows, maybe even luck, for your return.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

There is a risk that the most important advice above will get missed unless repeated:

AVOID GENEVA!

Pretty much the whole Eastern border of France has great biking country - Alps, Jura, Vosges, Ardennes. The Route des Cretes through the Vosges is an obvious choice, or you could cross into Germany and ride in the Black Forest, which is equally lovely (some would say even better) and come back through Belgian Ardennes. Given enough time, I'd be very disappointed if I spent more than the last two hours into Calais on autoroutes.

Personally, I'd just ride and find independent hotels each day. If you have a smartphone, an Ibis or B&B or campanile is easily found if necessary, but take a chance and find a nice hotel - maybe one of the Logis de France group - in a reasonably sized town that is likely to have a choice of places to eat.

 

[Simon W]

More than 40 routes covering the whole country. Not all of them will be useful. Many of them might be. All as Google Map links with accompanying GPX downloads for Garmin/BMW Navigator

http://www.ride.co.uk/France/