2 weeks to travel Northern Italy to Northern Spain?

[MG]

Hi guys,

I'm planning a long 5-6 week tour of Europe for this Aug/Sept, and I'm looking to book a ferry asap.

The general plan is this:

Leave England via Chunnel around 11 Aug
Spend about a week visiting the Nurburgring and going south through the Black Forest
A week mountain biking in the French alps
A week with the girlfriend in Northern Italy
A couple of weeks to travel across southern France and the Pyrenees via Andorra to Santander for the ferry home

I'll be leaving Italy on 6th Sept, and am looking at booking at Ferry for either 19th or 21st Sept from Spain.

The question is - is 2 weeks too long to spend in the south of France and northern Spain, and if not, where should I go?

Mike
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'03 Honda Cityfly 125 > '02 Honda CB500S > '98 Honda CBR600F

[motobiker]

Its only too long if you make a bee-line. if you wander hither and yon - then some might say 2 weeks isn't enough. I could easily spend 2 weeks in the italian Alps.. with jaunts into Austria and Switzerland. 4 weeks in France, Route des grande Alpes. route napoleon, Rhone Alpes. Alpes maritime. Provence. bits of the Cote D'azur... Southern Auvergne. Languedoc... and that brings you to spain, a month or two later.. where the fun really begins.

But.. seriously, the problem isn't how to spend 2 weeks.. its prioritising what you want to do as you travel from east to west. 2 weeks really isn't enough if truth be told. there's rather a lot en route.

My strategy would be to put together a rough route from east to west.. and see what is 'on the way' - so i can wander off and on the route. dawdling as and when... or getting a move on from one area to the next.
____________________
1999 R1100GS + 2006 F800S
(Nottingham)
Sooner or later opinions fade and the name on the tank matters not. I think that happens somewhere between 3rd and 4th gear. Enjoy the ride... everything else takes care of itself.

[Ali in Austria]

Firstly, you lucky bar steward. That is a great itinerary.


Not sure where in Northern Italy you will be when you set off but if you can head across to Arabba in the Dolomites and spend a couple of days exploring the roads around there, you won't regret it.

You have time to explore some of Austria. The Grossglockner, Timmelsjoch, Hahtennjoch are just a few must do roads.

Then down in to the Süd Tirol and Reschenpaß, Stelvio Gavia, Livigno etc before heading in to Switzerland for the usual favourites, Furka, Grimmsel etc. Then head in to The French Alps and may be down The Route Napoleon before hitting the coast. There are some great roads in The Vercours just south west of Grenoble and a great little Biking Hotel in The Hotel Marronier.

You could even take in The Millau Bridge but make sure you ride The Tarn Gorge which runs underneath.

The Pyrenees has a lot to offer. If you go in to Andorra remember it is not the EU and duty free allowances apply. There are often queues at customs on both The French and Spanish sides although when I have been through Bikes have always filtered passed the queue and been waved on.

I would do a Google Map with some of the roads I would recommend on it but for some reasons Google Maps won't let me route over some of the passes, probably because they are closed at the moment.

If you have a Garmin I can send you a GPX File if it helps.

In short, 2 weeks gives you a great opportunity to do some exploring. Have a look at www.alpineroads.com. What these guys don't know about The Alps isn't worth knowing. They are always very helpful. Look out for advice from MichaelJ and Kazza. They have been doing The Alps for many, many years.
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A Petrol Head in The Alps
https://www.youtube.com/user/PensionHausMaria
https://facebook.com/pension.haus.maria

[MG]

Good to hear that I won't be bored!

[G]

I did it all in a few days (1: Holland -> Nurburgring, 2 Nurburgring -> Switzerland, 3 Switzerland -> Italy, 4 Italy -> France, 5 France -> Spain (Reus area, via Barcelona). However, I could have very easily made each day last much longer if wanted.

Could have spent ages doing various alpine roads and so on - much fun.

[Ali in Austria]

Make sure your phone can handle GPX files. They are the type used by Garmin software as opposed to Tom Tom etc...

If it can or you can convert them PM me your email address and I'll send it to you.
____________________
A Petrol Head in The Alps
https://www.youtube.com/user/PensionHausMaria
https://facebook.com/pension.haus.maria

[Ali in Austria]

Here are some high lights in and around Austria.

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zllkQBAwv3Mw.kK2oDNPXQ1BQ

Not everything by any stretch of the imagination but it takes years to see it all.

For the more popular Swiss Passes and their status see here https://alpen-paesse.ch

Have a look at www.bestbikingroads.com for many routes recommended by Bikers.
____________________
A Petrol Head in The Alps
https://www.youtube.com/user/PensionHausMaria
https://facebook.com/pension.haus.maria

[MG]

I've booked the ferry for Sunday 21st Sept - Brittany Ferries economie for £69 with a seat. I decided that an extra £105 for a bed just wasn't worth it. If I can't sleep, then who cares, I'm on the way home anyway.

Will have to make sure I include Austria by the looks of things! Might try to have a few days in Spain too before heading to Santander for the ferry.
____________________
'03 Honda Cityfly 125 > '02 Honda CB500S > '98 Honda CBR600F

[Ali in Austria]

If you use a Garmin or can convert GPX Files (or even KML or CSV Text) then I have a file with High Lights across Austria I have just done for someone else. PM me your email address and I can send it to you if you want it.
____________________
A Petrol Head in The Alps
https://www.youtube.com/user/PensionHausMaria
https://facebook.com/pension.haus.maria