Trier to French Alps

[47Steve]

Hi All,

I am travelling from Trier down to the French Alps (Briancon area) next year and was looking for some advise on what routes would be worth doing through the French National Park areas. I have looked at Google maps and there is loads of routes passing through the parks but was after some guidance on what routes people would recommend as I have very little experience of being in this part of the world.

We are hoping to pick the Col's up around the Cluses area, I think that's what they are called

TA Steve

 

[wessie]

Last time I headed to the Grenoble area, we stopped in the Vosges, Colmar possibly, then Ste Claude in the Jura

 

[Wapping]

Trier to Briancon is roughly 800 km / 500 miles. How long have you set aside to ride between the two, as that might dictate the route?

On the face of it Wessie’s suggestion is pretty much the way.

 

[47Steve]

Trier to Briancon is roughly 800 km / 500 miles. How long have you set aside to ride between the two, as that might dictate the route?

On the face of it Wessie’s suggestion is pretty much the way.

We have 10 days to get back to Amsterdam, Trier is day 1. We were looking to stop at a Base such as Briancon for 2 or 3 nights before heading back.

Thanks

 

[wessie]

If you only want a one night break in the journey then Pontarlier is about right. Someone recommended a place near there recently so search.

 

[leadfarmer]

Stayed here a couple of weeks ago in La Clusaz, got lucky with the room, think I got a suite by chance

Lovely hotel, book well in advance as it’s not available much

Free underground parking for yer bike

Handy for several cols around about, it’s on the RDGA

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[Ectopic]

What time of year are you going? The highest passes in the French Alps might not be open until June.

Assuming you're going later in the summer, I'd ride the Route Des Cretes south through the Vosges, with a stay overnight in Gerardmer.

Day 2 - Gerardmer to Annecy, through the fabulous Jura mts

Days 3 and 4 - Route des Grandes Alpes to Sospel

Days 5 & 6 - Back up the Route Napoleon to Grenoble

Day 7 onward - pick your way back to home, though I'd be tempted to try and fit the Black Forest in if possible.

 

[Wapping]

If you only want a one night break in the journey….

Like Wessie, I am guessing that you want to ride the 500 miles between Trier and Briancon over two days, with one overnight stop. Is that correct?

If so and assuming you follow the suggestion in post #5, this might point you in near enough the right direction:



If though you take up the suggestion in post #6, it looks more like this:



Though, based on a two day ride, with one overnight stop between Trier and Briancon, La Clusaz might well be too far down.

 

[47Steve]

Like Wessie, I am guessing that you want to ride the 500 miles between Trier and Briancon over two days, with one overnight stop. Is that correct?

If so and assuming you follow the suggestion in post #5, this might point you in near enough the right direction:

View attachment 544215

If though you take up the suggestion in post #6, it looks more like this:

View attachment 544216

Though, based on a two day ride, with one overnight stop between Trier and Briancon, La Clusaz might well be too far down.

Thanks for that Richard, I think a two nighter would be better allowing time for stops / pictures etc
How can I zoom into your planned route? I can then see what areas I can look for accommodation in along with planning it out in MRA

TA Steve

 

[47Steve]

What time of year are you going? The highest passes in the French Alps might not be open until June.

Assuming you're going later in the summer, I'd ride the Route Des Cretes south through the Vosges, with a stay overnight in Gerardmer.

Day 2 - Gerardmer to Annecy, through the fabulous Jura mts

Days 3 and 4 - Route des Grandes Alpes to Sospel

Days 5 & 6 - Back up the Route Napoleon to Grenoble

Day 7 onward - pick your way back to home, though I'd be tempted to try and fit the Black Forest in if possible.

We are looking to travel towards the back end of June 2027.

TA Steve

 

[Wapping]

Thanks for that Richard, I think a two nighter would be better allowing time for stops / pictures etc
How can I zoom into your planned route? I can then see what areas I can look for accommodation in along with planning it out in MRA

TA Steve

No problem.

I’m away in Rotterdam at the moment, but will post up a link to the route later.

 

[Wapping]

That’s the basic way.

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Depending on how long you set aside for the A to B journey, Trier to Briancon, other options present themselves. For example, something roughly along the red line. Or maybe further to the west, going out in a sort of loop, roughly shown by the thinner purple’ish line.



You have lots of time before departure. Give it some thought and come back to us, please. I’m sure other possibilities will present themselves, much depending on the time you have available.

 

[Rasher]

Getting there gives a couple of options as you can cut through the Eifel on a nice scenic route and stop in the Norht of the Black Forest, then run down through the BF to the Alps, or have a bit of a spin in the Vosges and then the doubs - both can be done in 2-3 days depending on you appetite for riding / stopping / sight seeing / use of main roads to pickup some time near the more "boring" bits.

Once there the entire Route Des Grand Alps is really nice, I think the bit from the Coast Sospel is not that great, Col di Turini is nice and from there it gets better and better through the mid section all the way to Cormet de Roseland, after which (IMHO) it tails off a bit and gets busier (on that route waypoints 6-17 are my "must ride" cols) full route is here;

The "classic route" does not take in the highest pass (La Bonette) which runs to the east of Col de Cayolle, and to the west is Col du Allos, which is also great, and the Gorge du Dulais is fantastic so worth an extra night around here to cover some of those passes, maybe like this;

Sampeyre over the border is quite spectacular as well, but rough in parts, and a longer looping run form wherever you base yourself, I found Barcleonnette perfect.

I have never ridden the entire Route Napoleon in one go, but have jumped on and off various bits of it, and it is very good in places, but can be a bit busy, I can see where the sportsbike mob always rant about it, but with an ADV bike I much prefer RDGA, in fact even when I had my ZZR1400 I think I predominantly preferred the twistier and (typically) not so congested mountain passes, riding down one and up the other is a great idea, but then I get distracted by the Vercors and Gorge du Verdon and end up detouring along them for a bit.....

...Still, every one a winner!

 

[47Steve]

Hi Rasher,

After doing a bit of digging this year, I came across your routes for the RDGA. As it happens, I robbed some of your routes for our trip earlier in the year. We made our way down from Cochem into the BF then over the Furka, onto Morzine then travelled down to Barcelonette.

I am trying to do something similar using the French Nationsl Parks / Voges (ish) as I have little experience of this area, to get somewhere near Briancon so we can have a few days to exsplore the surrounding area before heading back to Amsterdam for the ferry.

TA Steve

 

[Wapping]

If on your way down (or even back) you want to spend some time in the Vosges, this is not bad:

Zoom in on a half decent map, such as the ever popular Michelin, and it’s easy to see how to mix’n’match roads within it:



Gerardmer, is a reasonably popular destination base.

PS The circular route is about 200 miles. It’s a big area.

 

[Rasher]

PS The circular route is about 200 miles. It’s a big area.

But easy to just chop a bit off here and there and trim it to size, or run down one side of it on your way out / back - most of my Vosges riding has been on the way to / from the Alps, the only time I actually stopped there it pissed down just as I arrived and did not stop until just after I left.

 

[Ectopic]

If on your way down (or even back) you want to spend some time in the Vosges, this is not bad:

Zoom in on a half decent map, such as the ever popular Michelin, and it’s easy to see how to mix’n’match roads within it:

View attachment 544641

Gerardmer, is a reasonably popular destination base.

PS The circular route is about 200 miles. It’s a big area.

Wapping, old love, do you happen to have this circular route as a GPX, please?

 

[Wapping]

Wapping, old love, do you happen to have this circular route as a GPX, please?

You should be able to download from the embedded file in post #15.

Any problems, PM me.

 

[Wapping]

But easy to just chop a bit off here and there and trim it to size,…

Indeed, go down one way and back another and / or spend a couple of days, riding around and seeing the sights and sites.

 

[47Steve]

Thanks guy's, you have given me quite a bit to go on. Appreciated

TA Steve