germany and switzerland in august

[brett750]

hi, im planning a trip through the black forrest and switzerland in august with 2 mates and im after some tips and possible places to go..

so far the plan is.....
over night ferry from hull to amsterdam
amsterdam to nurburgh ring for the day
black forrest (d500)
then i dont know weather to spend another 1-2 days in the black forrest before switzerland or go straight to switzerland. i know i want to go to lake constance and mabe monaco.

the trip will be 9 days not including the over night ferry and the plan is to stay in cheap hotels, f1 hotels i have been told?

do you think i should forget monaco and just stick to the black forrest and the alps?

ir any other routes i may like. its my first tour and i will be trying to do maps on that 'tyre' program for my satnav before leaving

[Maruchino]

Black Forest is great, but I think you can see the best bits and ride the best roads in a day easily.

F1 is not really a hotel, shared bathroom/shitter - but brekkie is ok and comfortable enough for the money.

Monaco is a must do just to see the sights (particularly if you're an F1 fan), its another world there - it's also not far from the Route Napolean, one of the best roads in the region outside of the Alps.

You sound like you have plenty of time to do everything you want to. I'll be doing something similar and probably a couple of less days.

[brett750]

the f1 hotels were just mentioned as cheap thats all. are normal hotels cheap enough? and readily availiable in august?

what would you say were the best bits of the black forrest to see?

[doggone]

I find the Austrian Tyrol better than most of Switzerland TBH.
The Rhine valley is a good route to/from The Black forest area, surprisingly rewarding.
The northern side of the Alps has a nasty way of being shrouded in low cloud and rain for days on end even in high summer - it would be good to keep your route flexible so if you hit a dodgy spell you could go further south for at least a couple of days.

[Maruchino]

[MaybeGuy]

You don't want to ride about in amsterdam. It's fucking horrible, especially if you hate cyclists.

As for hotels, we stayed at the linden hotel overlooking the nurburgring for 140 euros. The surrounding roads are also better than the,track.

I want to go again
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[mjn51]

I like the road from Chur to Arosa in Switzerland and if you get to Monaco the road to Isola is amazing

[BobAsher]

Did a similar trip a few years back. Hull/Rotterdam ferry then a blast right through Holland and Germany, into Switzerland with an overnighter in Olten. That felt like a long slog after the sleepless/beer fuelled overnighter on the ferry.

Day 2 was through the alps by a very circuitous route to Como in Northern italy and on to Milan (Monza) for three nights (for WSB) then the same in reverse with a more direct route through the Alps.

I would suggest allowing yourself plenty of time to mess around in the Alps. if I could do that trip again there is no way i would blast through the Alps in a single day. Also, don't go to St Moritz in early summer, it's a shit hole

Take your time and enjoy it rather than having long A to B targets daily.
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[Peirre oBollox]

your looking at least 2-3 day to get down to monaco alone
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[brett750]

i wasnt planning on riding in amsterdam, just getting the ferry from hull then riding straight to the nurburg ring, that will be day 1.

day 2 will be going to baden baden
day 3 through the black forrest
day 4 rest of the black forrest and into switzerland
day 5 riding about in the alps
day 6 switzerland
day 7 monaco
day 8 southern france and heading north
day 9 home.

not got final routes but thats the general idea of things. i still havent sorted out a satnav, thats the next on the list

[Maruchino]

[Deaks]

Sounds like a really good trip.

Just to throw my 2p worth, I did Black Forrest and Switzerland last year too. Black Forrest I wasnt so keen on, but only because after the alps I discovered my love for slower, more technical roads.

As for Switzerland, I loved it. Stayed in Interlaken and rode 3 passes called the Grimsel pass, Furka pass and Susten pass and can recommend them all.

Cant wait to go back and find some more great roads

Also, if I get a chance to go to south of France I will def want to fit in the Milau Bridge. Don't know if you considered it, but I imagine it would be worth a detour to include it.
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[willis1337]

Just got back from an 11 day trip which took in the black forest in Germany (5 days) then down to Austria for the remainder. I have some routes around the black forest as TomTom itn files as well as some routes I copied from the routes in this book in Germany / Austria: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcycle-Journeys-Through-Western-Europe/dp/1884313825

I am yet to post up the resulting pics but if you PM me your email, I shall send the TomTom itn files over to you if you like. You could spend a couple of days in the black forest (do the northern section of the B500 if you like fast sweeping bends). However I think the route napoleon in France is better (went to Gorge du Verdon last year - absolutely brilliant). I have some itn route files for that too if you want.

I would say try to book a hotel for 2/3 days as a base, dump your luggage, then get out on a unloaded bike for proper fun. I stayed in the IBIS hotel in Gap, France on a three night deal for €150 for the Gorge du verdon trip.


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[brett750]

hi, thanks everyone for your replys, and willis, thank you for the offer of the maps, i think i would like to plan all the routes with me and my friend, somehow i feel id get more out of it knowing ive planned it myself (this may come back and bite my arse i know) saying that, if you could name some places where you got some good vievs/roads that would be great

i do plan in putting the b500 in the route and also visiting lake constance

[Maruchino]

[willis1337]

No worries, I understand, half of the fun is in the planning, but even if you don't plan you're still going to have an epic time. If you want to put together some routes check this site https://www.bestbikingroads.com/ anything rated 4/5 star will be great.

If you're going to lake constance go to Lindau (the one on the German side - don't make the mistake I did and put Lindau in the sat nav and end up in Lindau Switzerland rather than Lindau Germany). It's on a small island (connected to the mainland by a bridge) on the north east of the lake. It's a small ish town (very well kept) and a great place to chill out and have an ice cream with the view over teh lake (there's a massive 5 star hotel on the front, stay there if you have money to burn, me I stayed in a hotel called viz-a-viz two doors up for €70 for the night + b/fast, which was very comfy.).

A definate must do for me would be the gorge du verdon https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=gorge+du+verdon&hl=en&ll=43.775257,6.259756&spn=0.000124,0.065403&hq=gorge+du+verdon&t=m&z=14&layer=c&cbll=43.775257,6.259756&panoid=ToeSyZeZ-SfDspIC1Sg3GA&cbp=12,65.62,,0,17.53
Pick any road here and look at it in google street view. You will not forget this region. From memory the D952 was excellent (you can read reviews etc on the best biking roads site.

I'll post up pics of Lindau and the Gorge when I get a chance tomorrow.
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Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
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[willis1337]

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=gorge+du+verdon&hl=en&ll=43.80028,6.257327&spn=0.000248,0.130806&hq=gorge+du+verdon&t=m&layer=c&cbll=43.80028,6.257327&panoid=dBpTZpwI5-8eUaa7rGyKUQ&cbp=12,301.33,,0,3.82&z=13

See this - god can't stop reliving this now through google streetmap. I must revisit sooooon!
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Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
Previous bike: BMW K1300S

[willis1337]

Ooo and dont miss the D955 while you're there.
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Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
Previous bike: BMW K1300S

[brett750]

looks like youre more exited than me. i hope i have half as much fun as it looks like you did.

i was trying not to have to use much motorway but now ive seen the pics of that gorge i may just have to. im thinking of leaving monaco out seen as im not that bothered about f1 and id rather see some nice roads and scenery i think

[willis1337]

Lindau on Lake Constance:

https://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh532/willis1337/P1030220.jpg

https://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh532/willis1337/P1030224.jpg
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Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
Previous bike: BMW K1300S

[willis1337]

Gorge Du Verdon:

https://www.old-gits.org/Pics2011/CIMG2610.JPG

https://www.old-gits.org/Pics2011/CIMG2616.JPG

https://www.old-gits.org/Pics2011/IMG_7837%20copy.jpg

More here of the Gorgge du Verdon trip https://www.old-gits.org/photos2011a.htm
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Current bike: KTM SD1290GT
Previous bike: BMW K1300S

[brett750]

just a quick question, i think this is wrong but my uncle reckons that because switzerland isnt in the EU i need a visa to ride through and also that my insurance wont be valid there, is this true because if so ive got some major re routing to do.

[Dilyan]

Switzerland is part of the EEA (European Economic Area), I think, you do not need a visa. Whether your insurance is valid is up to your insurer. A phone call may assure you.
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[doggone]

Do the Swiss still try to sell you a motorway toll pass on entering whether you go on the motorways or not?
I never had anyone even stop me at the border, but was entering by quite minor roads (and never used their motorways)

[willis1337]