Help and Advice needed Europe 2011
- Thread starter Bobbyspit
- Start date
A lot has been well said, certainly check out Alpine Roads, decide roughly where you want to go and then ask these guys about campsites.
Not much good asking too much about the "best" place in the Alps, it is 85,000 square miles (about same size as UK) and all of it good.
Get the "Motorcycle Journeys Through the Alps and Beyond Book" and choose a couple of places, this is what I did this year / doing again next year.
6 Days is quite short, especially if it includes travel and leaves you just four days, for that I would suggest just one or two locations.
For a few days Andermatt would be great, but it is high up and possibly a bit cold for camping, look for campsites below 1,000mtrs would be my recomendation or pay up for Hotels for the odd night, you will see Zimmer Frei signs everywhere in summertime and lots of Ski Lodges trying to get an extra few quid, so if your not pre-booking will probably find some great deals.
This is a great half way through france Stop-off, and worth a day or two if you had time:
http://twowheelmoorings.co.uk/default.aspx
Here are the regions as listed in my book, Red X's are on my must visit list, Andermatt is number one in the book, but the area only has 1-2 days riding, but you can do 5 tremendous passes in one easy day trip!
A-F are the easiest to reach so maybe look around there if you only have a week, choose a couple of locations with 2-3 nights at each.
Alternatively consider the Black Forest, not as spectacular, but the region can be covered in a week from a single base and it is only about 6-7 hours from Calais, and reachable in a (long) day from most parts of the UK.
I have posted details on this years trip here:
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2513786#post2513786
Not much good asking too much about the "best" place in the Alps, it is 85,000 square miles (about same size as UK) and all of it good.
Get the "Motorcycle Journeys Through the Alps and Beyond Book" and choose a couple of places, this is what I did this year / doing again next year.
6 Days is quite short, especially if it includes travel and leaves you just four days, for that I would suggest just one or two locations.
For a few days Andermatt would be great, but it is high up and possibly a bit cold for camping, look for campsites below 1,000mtrs would be my recomendation or pay up for Hotels for the odd night, you will see Zimmer Frei signs everywhere in summertime and lots of Ski Lodges trying to get an extra few quid, so if your not pre-booking will probably find some great deals.
This is a great half way through france Stop-off, and worth a day or two if you had time:
http://twowheelmoorings.co.uk/default.aspx
Here are the regions as listed in my book, Red X's are on my must visit list, Andermatt is number one in the book, but the area only has 1-2 days riding, but you can do 5 tremendous passes in one easy day trip!
A-F are the easiest to reach so maybe look around there if you only have a week, choose a couple of locations with 2-3 nights at each.
Alternatively consider the Black Forest, not as spectacular, but the region can be covered in a week from a single base and it is only about 6-7 hours from Calais, and reachable in a (long) day from most parts of the UK.
I have posted details on this years trip here:
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2513786#post2513786
Tusky
Registered user
Fantastic campsite and Lauterbrunnen is a real must place to see and stay..... I usually stay in the local Hostel as I like a proper bed and a few comforts www.valleyhostel.ch
Personally I would only only want to do 200 - 250 miles of mountain passes per day..... It is a lot more tiring than most people give credit... I would also recommend not trying to go too far into the alps on a first trip... some of the Swiss foothill roads and passes are also awesome and often overlooked....
This link give and idea of some of the places that you could visit and what to expect.... http://www.boxhill.co.uk/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21534&start=75
Bobbyspit
Registered user
Thanks for all the replies, I have booked off the week (1st - 7th July 2011) and am looking at camping, I will determin which sites next year. Thanks for the info I have a lot of planning to do.
Rob
Rob
Look at this FIRSTif you are coming to France
http://www.calendrier-2011.fr/ You do not need to know much French to understand this. You said ".......have booked off the week (1st - 7th July 2011)" and you will note that this is the first week of the Summer holidays. 'Vacances d'été.' The roads everywhere will be solid and there will be 'bouchons' everywhere? Police and mobile radar traps will be all over the place. Tthe sort of journey that would take say three hours (in the car) could easily take 10 hours - you may enjoy 'filtering' on your bike BUt if you could only depart about ten days earlier you will find life much more enjoyable.
Friday evenings, Saturday mornings are a nightmare, Sunday evening is worse!
http://www.calendrier-2011.fr/ You do not need to know much French to understand this. You said ".......have booked off the week (1st - 7th July 2011)" and you will note that this is the first week of the Summer holidays. 'Vacances d'été.' The roads everywhere will be solid and there will be 'bouchons' everywhere? Police and mobile radar traps will be all over the place. Tthe sort of journey that would take say three hours (in the car) could easily take 10 hours - you may enjoy 'filtering' on your bike BUt if you could only depart about ten days earlier you will find life much more enjoyable.
Friday evenings, Saturday mornings are a nightmare, Sunday evening is worse!
Bobbyspit
Registered user
Bobbyspit
Registered user
Brian,
Thanks for the advice on the French summer holidays, I have now altered the trip to the first week in June, Really looking forward to this now, Although out of the usual 10 there are only three of us. Well it should be a good week and with so few of us we should find it easier as when we toured Scotland as 10 we were always waiting for stragglers.
Just got to get a decent tent now as my current old one is not up to the job.
Rob
Thanks for the advice on the French summer holidays, I have now altered the trip to the first week in June, Really looking forward to this now, Although out of the usual 10 there are only three of us. Well it should be a good week and with so few of us we should find it easier as when we toured Scotland as 10 we were always waiting for stragglers.
Just got to get a decent tent now as my current old one is not up to the job.
Rob
A sensible decision
With luck, you will find the roads uncluttered, the weather fine and not too hot, and all the darling little kiddy winkies will have their noses glued to their sxchool books.
At the start of the season everyone one will be pleased to see you.
There are plenty of 'us' in France - have a look at this site;
http://www.bikeclubfrance.com/
With luck, you will find the roads uncluttered, the weather fine and not too hot, and all the darling little kiddy winkies will have their noses glued to their sxchool books.
At the start of the season everyone one will be pleased to see you.
There are plenty of 'us' in France - have a look at this site;
http://www.bikeclubfrance.com/
What will it be like in the second week of September?
Pretty damn empty I am hoping
Pretty damn empty I am hoping
What is a bouchon?
School holidays rule life in Fance so avoid Samedi 2 juillet 2011 (2/07/11) until
Lundi 5 Septembre 2011. (05/09/11) The weekend at the start or finish of this period will show you, if you don't know, the meaning of the word "bouchon!"
School holidays rule life in Fance so avoid Samedi 2 juillet 2011 (2/07/11) until
Lundi 5 Septembre 2011. (05/09/11) The weekend at the start or finish of this period will show you, if you don't know, the meaning of the word "bouchon!"
Damn, we leave on the 28th August, but will be in Blakck Forest until 1st September, in Frnch Alps from 3rd until 9th September so may catch a bit of traffic.
Don't worry too much!
Talk to the locals (if you can!) and they will tell you when and where you are likely to encounter 'bouchons;' in any case remember that, difficult though it may be to believe, the majority of French car drivers are very motorcyclist friendly and will make a very conscious effort to pull over and allow you to filter - in fact you often really are obliged to filter and thank them as they pull over so deliberately. The unwritten rules are pretty well obeyed however - obviously keep you speed down to a reasonable level, don't overtake another motorcyclist filtering, stay in the same lane as much as possible and don't be aggressive towards anyone who doesn't pull out of your way. You can say 'thank you' with a right foot waggle if you know how. Running along pavements, on the grass, down the safety lane, inside bollards are all 'tolerated' if you behave sensibly - but don't blame me if it ends in tears!
Talk to the locals (if you can!) and they will tell you when and where you are likely to encounter 'bouchons;' in any case remember that, difficult though it may be to believe, the majority of French car drivers are very motorcyclist friendly and will make a very conscious effort to pull over and allow you to filter - in fact you often really are obliged to filter and thank them as they pull over so deliberately. The unwritten rules are pretty well obeyed however - obviously keep you speed down to a reasonable level, don't overtake another motorcyclist filtering, stay in the same lane as much as possible and don't be aggressive towards anyone who doesn't pull out of your way. You can say 'thank you' with a right foot waggle if you know how. Running along pavements, on the grass, down the safety lane, inside bollards are all 'tolerated' if you behave sensibly - but don't blame me if it ends in tears!
Your all going the wrong way,
go through belgium down past Charleroi and into the Ardennes, have a look at Bastogne, pop into germany have a look at the Eifel drive down through the black forest, do a bit of the Rhine on the way down, Baden-Baden, Friburg, , over towards Munich then Austria and Italy, or instead you can turn the other way and do France or straight on for Swiss.
Places to look at on the way- Bittburg (good brewery trip) - Koblenz or Boppard on the Rhine (great white wine), Hidelburg - go and have a look at the The Zeppelin museum in Friedrichshafen, whilst your down that way pop in and have a look at TT or HPN ;-) what about schloss neuschwanstein the castle from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,
If your in a hurry Munich is an easy two day ride, but take 3 or 4 and do some sight seeing on the way. Rather than camp we did motels and found the Etap cheap and good they are part of the Acour Group same as Ibis.
So much more interesting than going through France. Cant understand the idea of riding through France, no unrestricted motorways, toll motorways, timing you through them and punitive fines, WTF, drive through Germany, countryside is better, foods good, roads are great and its cheaper, and the beer is fantastic.
go through belgium down past Charleroi and into the Ardennes, have a look at Bastogne, pop into germany have a look at the Eifel drive down through the black forest, do a bit of the Rhine on the way down, Baden-Baden, Friburg, , over towards Munich then Austria and Italy, or instead you can turn the other way and do France or straight on for Swiss.
Places to look at on the way- Bittburg (good brewery trip) - Koblenz or Boppard on the Rhine (great white wine), Hidelburg - go and have a look at the The Zeppelin museum in Friedrichshafen, whilst your down that way pop in and have a look at TT or HPN ;-) what about schloss neuschwanstein the castle from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,
If your in a hurry Munich is an easy two day ride, but take 3 or 4 and do some sight seeing on the way. Rather than camp we did motels and found the Etap cheap and good they are part of the Acour Group same as Ibis.
So much more interesting than going through France. Cant understand the idea of riding through France, no unrestricted motorways, toll motorways, timing you through them and punitive fines, WTF, drive through Germany, countryside is better, foods good, roads are great and its cheaper, and the beer is fantastic.
How dare you suggest......
that will be the reaction of any of us who live off 'your' route.
Fortunately we all have different ideas of the best roads and places to tour and the really popular places can be avoided - or visited off season. Really it is traffic and weather which affects most of us. Radar cameras are really becoming impossible to avoid; However in France the limit on autoroutes is 130 kph which is almost 81mph. I have traversed France at a steady 100 mph and it is not difficult BUT not in the last ten years when everyone has sobered up a bit. 90 mph (on the clock,) all day long, will enable you to cover quite a mileage in safety and without worries.
that will be the reaction of any of us who live off 'your' route.
Fortunately we all have different ideas of the best roads and places to tour and the really popular places can be avoided - or visited off season. Really it is traffic and weather which affects most of us. Radar cameras are really becoming impossible to avoid; However in France the limit on autoroutes is 130 kph which is almost 81mph. I have traversed France at a steady 100 mph and it is not difficult BUT not in the last ten years when everyone has sobered up a bit. 90 mph (on the clock,) all day long, will enable you to cover quite a mileage in safety and without worries.
The combination of decent speed limit and far less traffic means it is easy enough to hold an indicated 85-90 endlessly without fear of plod, even including fuel stops you can average 70mph.
Compared to UK Motorways with traffic jams, accident tailbacks and roadworks where often averaging 30 can be tricky, on a good day tou may average over 60, on a bad day under 40, and that is on a bike!
One thing French motorways do well is get you a long way in a short time, I always have far less time than I would like and would rather have a couple of really boring days on the motorway to gain an extra couple of days in the Alps.
Anyone with just a week for a bike Holiday may have little option than to blast across France, when those lottery numbers come up and I can bugger off for 3-4-5 weeks at a time I will refuse to travel by motorway, until then they are a necessary evil for me.
Compared to UK Motorways with traffic jams, accident tailbacks and roadworks where often averaging 30 can be tricky, on a good day tou may average over 60, on a bad day under 40, and that is on a bike!
One thing French motorways do well is get you a long way in a short time, I always have far less time than I would like and would rather have a couple of really boring days on the motorway to gain an extra couple of days in the Alps.
Anyone with just a week for a bike Holiday may have little option than to blast across France, when those lottery numbers come up and I can bugger off for 3-4-5 weeks at a time I will refuse to travel by motorway, until then they are a necessary evil for me.
Bobbyspit
Registered user
test trip
Ok, We have a date, early June for 6 nights.
Next we have a test trip in April, where we (me and the guys coming on the Europe trip) will travel to the lakes for 2 nights to camp and test the kit. (tents and stoves)
Whilst on the camping trip to the lakes we will all look over the european maps and pic areas we want to visit.
We have decided to travel from Manc to as close to Lyon area as possible on one hit, we get the back broken asap and can enjoy the roads and area sooner.
Will report back once I have more info...
Ok, We have a date, early June for 6 nights.
Next we have a test trip in April, where we (me and the guys coming on the Europe trip) will travel to the lakes for 2 nights to camp and test the kit. (tents and stoves)
Whilst on the camping trip to the lakes we will all look over the european maps and pic areas we want to visit.
We have decided to travel from Manc to as close to Lyon area as possible on one hit, we get the back broken asap and can enjoy the roads and area sooner.
Will report back once I have more info...
sven
Registered user
Are you using a North Sea or cross Channel ferry?
I always use North Sea ferries as it saves the long drag down to Dover or Folkestone and the holiday starts once you're onboard
Next morning you're ready to hit the motorway for a couple of hours before reaching decent A-roads.
I've ridden from Annecy to Zeebrugge in one day, but it was a really dull day
This year we used the motorway from Zeebrugge to Charleroi and then headed cross country to Strasbourg for the first night (lovely old town) via Verdun on some cracking forest roads including a 700m+ pass. The next day we got to Luzern in Switzerland via the Routes to Cretes in the Vosges mountains, which was an awesome road. Then it was into the Furka/Grimsel/Susten the next day. Much better than sitting on motorways 
I'd recommend heading for the Routes de Grande Alpes (Annecy - Briancon - Barcelonnette) given your time schedule as the French Alps are more impressive than the Swiss ones IMHO. The best pass in the Alps is in Austria though - the Grossglockner Hochalpstrasse
I always use North Sea ferries as it saves the long drag down to Dover or Folkestone and the holiday starts once you're onboard
Next morning you're ready to hit the motorway for a couple of hours before reaching decent A-roads.
I've ridden from Annecy to Zeebrugge in one day, but it was a really dull day
This year we used the motorway from Zeebrugge to Charleroi and then headed cross country to Strasbourg for the first night (lovely old town) via Verdun on some cracking forest roads including a 700m+ pass. The next day we got to Luzern in Switzerland via the Routes to Cretes in the Vosges mountains, which was an awesome road. Then it was into the Furka/Grimsel/Susten the next day. Much better than sitting on motorways I'd recommend heading for the Routes de Grande Alpes (Annecy - Briancon - Barcelonnette) given your time schedule as the French Alps are more impressive than the Swiss ones IMHO. The best pass in the Alps is in Austria though - the Grossglockner Hochalpstrasse
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Bobbyspit
Registered user
Not long now, A week tomorrow and we are off.
No sites booked no route planned (other than a general area) just looking forward to some great roads and passes.
Thanks for your assistance guys.
No sites booked no route planned (other than a general area) just looking forward to some great roads and passes.
Thanks for your assistance guys.
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