What comes after Calais?

Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

We're off to the Italian Lakes in a couple of weeks but cannot decide on the route. We're OK on the London to Folkestone bit and know we want to get to Lake Como, but what comes in between is still undecided! Which way to go: Switzerland or France?

Have decided to avoid tunnels as much as we can, so are looking at Alpine passes.

Now, which one to go through to get to Italy? I really really dislike twisty roads (don't mind bendy ones, but twisties I can't do at more than 30mph) and hairpins in particular, and would like a route which is scenic but perhaps not your typical biking road, as neither of us is quite there yet. What would be the least twisty route across the Alps?

panrider1 · Derestricted Danger Joined: 28 May 2006 Karma :

well if you are looking at the alpine passes BUT you dont like twisty routes then you are heading in the wrong direction . Laughing

lake como is a great place we,ve been 4 times ,we go through france as its a more direct route and might be better for you if you dont like twisty routes .

EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

Alpine passes' main feature are sub-30mph hairpins. I've been on one pass above lake Garda where you were literally performing a u-turn on every hairpin!

I think the French stuff is tamer than the Swiss, which looks exceedingly twisty on the map.

If you're more into flowing roads it might be an idea to go through the lower French/Italian alps, (see Briancon) and come into Italy through the West. The central Alps areas tend to be very high and very twisty.

Nath · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2004 Karma :

The Austrian alps aren't the highest so there are plenty of more bendy fast roads cutting through. Think the alps nearer the border with switzerland are quite high though. The advantage of going down to Austria is that Germany has a really good and free motorway network. Even if you don't want to use the motorways is good to have as an option incase it starts to pee it down.
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WATCHOUT! · Scooby Slapper Joined: 20 Apr 2005 Karma :

I've just ridden up the Gran San Bernardo. It's definitely twisty. Very nice it is too -- see attached. I would also recommend going through the french riviera to avoid mountain passes. Besides, the snowline can be as low as 2000 metres even in august/september in those places.

Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

My friend has been recommended going through the Mont Blanc tunnel (although we're confused as to why would a biker recommend a tunnel to another biker...), but perhaps it was because the roads leading up to and down from the tunnel are spectacular?

How twisty are we talking about? On the map, it doesn't look good to me, as it even shows a squiggly road towards Italy.

Looking at crossing into Italy from either Mont Blanc or Briancon way, and heading back up to Calais via the Riviera to try our luck in Monte Carlo to recoup some of the expenses...

WATCHOUT! · Scooby Slapper Joined: 20 Apr 2005 Karma :

I have also driven through the Mont Blanc tunnel. It's quite long and boring, as it has a strict 70 km/h limit (if I remember correctly) and minimum distance between vehicles, but we all know what happened there so perhaps it is a good idea. Also not very cheap, something like 30-40 euro perhaps? The Italian side is almost entirely twist-less. the French side is slightly twistier, but not by much -- two or three hairpins perhaps. Nothing like the San Bernardo or Simplon. On the French side you should get a good view of the glacier depending on the weather -- it looks almost blue.

All in all, these roads aren't twisty -- they are designed for big articulated lorries.