Soft roading northern Italy and is there a half decent app that focuses on camping accomodation?

We use P4N all the time, an excellent resource.
Paid version for us.

Not viewed it from a tenting perspective, but I reckon it would be fine.
 
There are filters in the app which allow to select/deselect what you want/ not want.
The app also displays coordinates, telephone numbers etc etc
 
I use searchforsites for my overnight stops when in the motorhome. This is the paid for version. It covers from the North of Norway to Morocco. Showing campsites, Aires, motorhome service points, off road parking, LPG filling stations etc. it might be worth you having a look at the free version to see if it suits you. I do have park4night, campercontact, CaraMaps and pitchup too but searchforsites seems to have more information about each place.
 
Cheers for all the tips folks. Looks like things are starting to fall into place for this. The buzz of excitement has started to tingle! :) Have always wanted to take the GS off tarmac without going too mental, and this seems the perfect opportunity. Let the building begin!
 
So, having watched a good few YT videos on TET Italy (Eaglewood Adventures are very good), I'm hoping to start near the Slovenian border and head west along the TET, maybe as far as LAke Garda. Large portions of this section seem to be quite rideable gravel track which I would be quite comfortable with. I'm quite conscious that the GS is far from the most suitable tool for the job, but still hoping to dip the toe a bit without getting into anything too technical. Also content to revert back to tarmac if things get too tough, but at the same time keen to go a little out of my comfort zone. It might be naïve of me to presume I won't let the bike drop at some point, so I'm thinking some sort of soft pannier option would be better than bringing along solid vario panniers. Any recommendations for soft panniers? Mosko Moto and Lone Rider both have options, but they are far from cheap. Tyres are another consideration - I'll doing some tarmac riding during the trip, but I'm not sure if Michelin PR6s are the best solution for off-tarmac riding. What constitutes a decent dual purpose tyre these days?
 
So after some consideration and advice from the FB TET group, I've opted to skip the Italian TET for the most part. A 1250GS is simply the wrong tool for the job, and my off-roading skills would be equally inappropriate. So I needed to decide - what do I want from this trip? Answers are (in no particular order):
  • Soft-roading
  • Camping
  • Mountain passes
  • Gallery roads
  • Roadside brew every now and then
So the new plan is to meander my way from Memmingen and base myself in Bardonecchia (due west of Turin near French border) for a few days. From here I have access to many nearby passes such as Col d'izoard, Col du Galibier and the big one Col de Sommeiller- perfect. Also found a camping spot in the Vercors National Park near to a few gallery roads such as Combe Laval. The south westerly meander will hopefully take in some Swiss passes and maybe Stelvio too - I know there are other, better passes but I really like Stelvio (need a new sticker too!). As Hannibal would say, I like it when a plan comes together! Oh, and I have the stove all sorted for the roadside brew - champion!

Need to give the bike a once-over, do a quick service, get some new boots fitted (bike, not me). Then sort packing the camping gear onto the bike along with the really unnecesary stuff I love to bring. The butterlfies are starting to kick in - love it! :cool:
 
Slightly tangential - I spoke with the chaps at the ACT stand at ABRFestival, and they suggested that ACT trails are for Tenere-sized motorbikes rather than GSAs which struck me as odd given all the videos show GSAs, Pan Americans, etc.
 
AndrewA said:
Slightly tangential - I spoke with the chaps at the ACT stand at ABRFestival, and they suggested that ACT trails are for Tenere-sized motorbikes rather than GSAs which struck me as odd given all the videos show GSAs, Pan Americans, etc.
Click to expand...
From what I've seen you're quite right - ACT trails seem quite suitable for the likes of a GS as they're not overly technical or difficult. Would have thought that rider ability and confidence would be a bigger factor - some folk just aren't keen on leaving tarmac.
 
If you're going to the Vercors to do the Balcony Roads you could do worse than stay at Le Camping Moto.

If you're travelling from Briancon to there here are a couple of interesting routes ...........

Screenshot 2025-07-22 at 18.09.27.jpg


Screenshot 2025-07-22 at 18.10.04.jpg


Briancon starts at Waypoint 11 on the first screenshot. The roads are exactly what you are looking for. I can send you a screenshot of a few of the Vercors Balcony roads if you want.

The D 219 waypoints 1 - 7 on the second screenshot has an easily doable gravel section ........

 
Last edited:
wilbjr21 said:
If you're going to the Vercors to do the Balcony Roads you could do worse than stay at Le Camping Moto.

If you're travelling from Briancon to there here are a couple of interesting routes ...........

View attachment 429491


View attachment 429492


Briancon starts at Waypoint 11 on the first screenshot. The roads are exactly what you are looking for. I can send you a screenshot of a few of the Vercors Balcony roads if you want.

The D 219 waypoints 1 - 7 on the second screenshot has an easily doable gravel section ........

Click to expand...
Thanks for that sir - you are a gent! I'm off to plug routes into Calimoto! 👍. I found a nice bike friendly spot for camping, but I'll check out Le Camping Moto 👍
 
Look forward to the trip report, please.

The Vercors has great roads in all directions.

If it’s your thing, drop by the museum and memorial to the tragic events surrounding the French Resistance’s doomed uprising in the Vercors, centred on Vassieux-en-Vercors.

In brief, on D-Day, the Vercors resistance fighters expected the Allies to land paratroops in the wilds of the Vercors, starting a second front, so they rose up. The Allies had no intention of doing any such thing. It was not until August that the Americans landed, miles south around St Tropez. The uprising was crushed in a massacre.

The ‘southern invasion’ is pretty much overlooked (unknown, perhaps) in Britain, probably because it was undertaken chiefly by American and French troops and is overshadowed by D-Day and the bloody breakout into the north west of France. It’s a pity, as its route goes through some popular biking regions, too.

Again, if it’s your thing, I can definitely recommend this book.

IMG_1106.jpeg
 
Wapping said:
Look forward to the trip report, please.

The Vercors has great roads in all directions.

If it’s your thing, drop by the museum and memorial to the tragic events surrounding the French Resistance’s doomed uprising in the Vercors, centred on Vassieux-en-Vercors.

In brief, on D-Day, the Vercors resistance fighters expected the Allies to land paratroops in the wilds of the Vercors, starting a second front, so they rose up. The Allies had no intention of doing any such thing. It was not until August that the Americans landed, miles south around St Tropez. The uprising was crushed in a massacre.

The ‘southern invasion’ is pretty much overlooked (unknown, perhaps) in Britain, probably because it was undertaken chiefly by American and French troops and is overshadowed by D-Day and the bloody breakout into the north west of France. It’s a pity, as its route goes through some popular biking regions, too.

Again, if it’s your thing, I can definitely recommend this book.

View attachment 429571
Click to expand...
Thanks so for the info Richard. I'll definitely look into this whilst in the area. And cheers for the book recommendation, nicely timed in advance of heading off 👍.

Trip report will be delivered. 👍
 
So bike and riding gear dropped off to Overlanders yesterday morning. Just have to get through 3.5 days of work and, all going to plan I'll be having my pre-flight Guinness in the departure lounge on Thursday afternoon . 👍 Local German temps are in the high twenties which is right at my comfort limit, but sure we'll see how things go.

Did a bit more route planning too. Nothing too specific, but I like to have at least a general idea of where I'm going, subject to change based on the weather.

This is my first ever solo trip - will be interesting to see if me, myself and I are good company 😳. If the trip report mostly consists of me giving out about myself, well then we know. 😊
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top Bottom