Slovenia - about 1000 miles from Calais !

[JonnyBravo]

I need to be in Ribnica, Slovenia for work with a fellow colleague on the 6th and 7th of August.
Over a recent beer together. a cunning plan started to form.
Can we get there in 3 days if we go on our bikes, have the meetings, then take 4 days to get back ?
Of course we can !

Ive been to Slovenia before, several times and always thought the roads look fantastic for biking.
Just starting to put the outline of a route together now.
Early out of Calais area on the saturday morning maybe, through the Ardennes (?), Vosges (?), Bavaria (?), into Austria surely, then on and into Slovenia
A return route over 4 days via Italy and switzerland surely beckons !

For routes I have already started picking through the other sections and peoples expericences to get ideas - but as always, if anyone has their suggestions, roads to travel and would like to chip in, any help is always appreciated.
Its a fair distance and whilst motorways are to avoided where possible - its inevitable that some will be needed due to time. Out of Calais for a start!

Accommodation - Booking.com as we go, over a short lunch should do the trick as we have an idea then of where we will get to by evening.

thanks all !

 

[er-minio]

Three days is a bit of a semi-direct route. So probably France towards general direction of Colmar/Strasbourg (lots of fast flowing D national roads around there), the progress through Germany/Austria/Slovenia.

Having more days on the way back, I'd do the Dolomites arc, crossing then into Switzerland, go through the Swiss Rollercoaster and head north from there. Can be done in 4 days, maybe a tad longer if you want to do a lot of routes on the Dolomites without rushing.

Last time I did the Swiss route back, I went back through Germany, part of the Black Forest route and then rejoined France a bit more north.
I should have the tracks saved in Basecamp, will post later as a suggestion.

 

[TIJ650]

Ljubljana is one my favourite towns with some of the hottest woman in Europe. I rode there from Vienna. Some motorway, but remember a good mountainous road from near Maribor. I usually just choose avoidance of motorways on Garmin. You also avoid vignettes too.

 

[TIJ650]

………..Fussen in Germany too
If it was me, I’d probably just horse it to Strasbourg via Luxembourg first day……..and then chill on great roads last 2 days. Avoidance of motorways will get you exactly where you need to be. Frankly, 3 days not long enough - so motorway first day would be my choice.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Been to Slovenia about half a dozen times
Great country and plenty of variety
3 days is ample on a GS

 

[TIJ650]

Been to Slovenia about half a dozen times
Great country and plenty of variety
3 days is ample on a GS

He still has to get there from Calais though! Lol

 

[JonnyBravo]

Playing with the the routes, getting quickly down to the Rhine area, this is looking like sound advice

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

He still has to get there from Calais though! Lol

Some here (including Wapping) rode from Budapest to London in a day and that’s 1000 miles in 18 hours

I have done Slovenia in 3 days easily
Zeebrugge to Colmar on Day 1 and not on motorways either
Colmar to Vipiteno (south of Brenner) on day 2 & no motorway
Vipiteno to Piran, on the Adriatic near Koper on day 3 and no motorway
That was on a slower 1150 GS, so a newer 1200/1250 would piss it

 

[TIJ650]

Some here (including Wapping) rode from Budapest to London in a day and that’s 1000 miles in 18 hours

I have done Slovenia in 3 days easily
Zeebrugge to Colmar on Day 1 and not on motorways either
Colmar to Vipiteno (south of Brenner) on day 2 & no motorway
Vipiteno to Piran, on the Adriatic near Koper on day 3 and no motorway
That was on a slower 1150 GS, so a newer 1200/1250 would piss it

Still think you missed point, but since you referenced Wapping - you must be right?!
I’ll leave it there

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Still think you missed point, but since you referenced Wapping - you must be right?!
I’ll leave it there

What’s the point ?
I said he could get to Slovenia in 3 days
I think you disagreed
I said we went from Zeebrugge to Piran on the Slovenian Adriatic coast in 3 days & we didn’t use any motorways and did loads of passes too
Is that the point or not ??

 

[er-minio]

Very top level idea, as exposed above:

The track highlighted with the magenta is my return route from the Dolomites. That is 2 days riding. Something along those lines could be your semi-direct route to Slovenia - just reversed . I jumped on the motorway almost immediately after crossing to France, but there is very nice fast flowing alternatives from Metz towards Reims.

This was a transfer back home, so it's relatively "direct".



This is a route I took from Reims to Germany a couple of years back, again fast flowing D roads. You make progress but don't get either square tires or the boredom of motorway.
Rue du ballon d'Alsace is another option I think around there towards Germany (I think it runs a bit more south).


Considering the time/miles, I wouldn't bother with anything that is not a motorway north of Reims. Necessary evil there.


On the way back, I'd definitely do Dolomites/Swiss rollercoaster.
Did the rollercoaster more than a few times when riding back from Italy and it would generally take the full day, leaving in the morning from Milan and finishing the day just across the border with France.

Have fun, looks like a nice trip.

 

[JonnyBravo]

Very top level idea, as exposed above:

The track highlighted with the magenta is my return route from the Dolomites. That is 2 days riding. Something along those lines could be your semi-direct route to Slovenia - just reversed . I jumped on the motorway almost immediately after crossing to France, but there is very nice fast flowing alternatives from Metz towards Reims.

This was a transfer back home, so it's relatively "direct".

View attachment 323153

This is a route I took from Reims to Germany a couple of years back, again fast flowing D roads. You make progress but don't get either square tires or the boredom of motorway.
Rue du ballon d'Alsace is another option I think around there towards Germany (I think it runs a bit more south).
View attachment 323154

Considering the time/miles, I wouldn't bother with anything that is not a motorway north of Reims. Necessary evil there.


On the way back, I'd definitely do Dolomites/Swiss rollercoaster.
Did the rollercoaster more than a few times when riding back from Italy and it would generally take the full day, leaving in the morning from Milan and finishing the day just across the border with France.

Have fun, looks like a nice trip.

Really appreciate this - The Dolomites and Swizterland are already pencilled in for the route back
I will review the route down through France and agree with your comments ref Reims etc
Done that route many times - not like in the old days now, when the A26 meant just pin the throttle wide open

 

[TIJ650]

What’s the point ?
I said he could get to Slovenia in 3 days
I think you disagreed
I said we went from Zeebrugge to Piran on the Slovenian Adriatic coast in 3 days & we didn’t use any motorways and did loads of passes too
Is that the point or not

I never disagreed, I merely suggested Strasbourg on day one via motorways. I know there are multiple ways and 300-400 miles/ day isn’t major stretch - it was only suggestion. That’s how I’d do it if only 3 days.
I prefer more travelling time personally. No right or wrong here - just different is all

 

[wessie]

Really appreciate this - The Dolomites and Swizterland are already pencilled in for the route back
I will review the route down through France and agree with your comments ref Reims etc
Done that route many times - not like in the old days now, when the A26 meant just pin the throttle wide open

your alternative to avoid the toll roads in France is to head towards Lille & Luxembourg then join up with the autobahn towards Saarbrucken. Lesser roads on day 2 & 3. On the way to Slovenia I stopped overnight in Saarbrucken and then Augsburg. From there you can go down past Achensee, Gerlos Pass, Grossglockner or B99/Obertauern and into Slovenia for day 3.

 

[TIJ650]

Been to Slovenia about half a dozen times
Great country and plenty of variety
3 days is ample on a GS

Oops, I was driving and read your message wrong. Thought you were chatting 3 days around Slovenia. My bad and apologies

 

[TIJ650]

What’s the point ?
I said he could get to Slovenia in 3 days
I think you disagreed
I said we went from Zeebrugge to Piran on the Slovenian Adriatic coast in 3 days & we didn’t use any motorways and did loads of passes too
Is that the point or not ??

Adriatic coast is phenomenal, Croatia probably my favourite though. All good

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Adriatic coast is phenomenal, Croatia probably my favourite though. All good

It is superb and makes the Med look second rate

 

[wessie]

It is superb and makes the Med look second rate

To be pedantic, the Croatian Coast is part of the Med coast. The Adriatic is a marginal sea within the Med.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

To be pedantic, the Croatian Coast is part of the Med coast. The Adriatic is a marginal sea within the Med.

I knew you would know

 

[TIJ650]

Really appreciate this - The Dolomites and Swizterland are already pencilled in for the route back
I will review the route down through France and agree with your comments ref Reims etc
Done that route many times - not like in the old days now, when the A26 meant just pin the throttle wide open

I think er minio’s route is a great one and I’ll definitely try next time I’m heading that way.
Final thought regarding hotels etc would be to book last minute. Not that often in early August, but I’ve been caught in a downpour before. Especially from Zeebrugge passing Waterloo etc. Really not that bothered by rain (Scottish n all! lol), but I still prefer being dry ………..so, flexibility on route might be an option for day one