Ardennes, Vosges, Black Forest, Stelvio, Italian Lakes

Splugen is awesome if you get it in good weather, would probably avoid it in awful weather.

Got caught out on the Splugen in my car, tight switchbacks in galleria, had to do 1 reverse to get round when a big motor came the other way.
Did not see it till we were both on the turn :eek:
 
From Zurich all the passes mentioned in post # 8 are on the way to the lakes, which is very good as I don't have to divert from the main itinerary. Stelvio and Timmelsjoch are not on the way and if I do one (Timmelsjoch?) I might want to do the Stelvio as it is on the way back to the main route. If you guys tell me that both can be avoided then I'd probably do so and focus on all the others.

Regarding the weather I hope that beginning of September is going to be good. If not I'll have to amend the itinerary a bit.

Are you really comparing Genoa to Southampton? Please!
As previously mentioned, it's my hometown and that's why it is the end of the journey. I know Santa Margherita Ligure, Camogli and Rapallo very well. I go there every time I'm back home. I'm going to give some good tips for the next time you go there. Visit the following places:
- San Rocco > do the path that goes to Portofino passing by San Fruttuoso abbey. Simply stunning!
- Cinque Terre: Corniglia, Manarola, Monterosso al Mare, Riomaggiore, Vernazza
- Portovenere
- Faiallo Pass
- Turchino Pass
- Road from Rossiglione to Tiglieto, which locals call 'motoland'. Very twisty road, perfect tarmac

If I think of anything else I'll let you guys know.

Good advice, cheers
Your English is far better than our Italian:p
 
Good advice, cheers
Your English is far better than our Italian:p

My English is rubbish. But as long as you can understand me we are all happy :D

If you guys ever planned to go to Liguria do not hesitate to ask. There are a lot of amazing places to visit and good roads to ride :thumb2
 
Are you really comparing Genoa to Southampton? Please!
I'll concede the food and weather are better:D
- San Rocco > do the path that goes to Portofino passing by San Fruttuoso abbey. Simply stunning!
Indeed, with lunch at San Fruttuoso on the way and the boat back to Ste Marherita.:thumb2
- Cinque Terre: Corniglia, Manarola, Monterosso al Mare, Riomaggiore, Vernazza
Which are spectacular, but hard to access.
- Portovenere
- Faiallo Pass
- Turchino Pass
- Road from Rossiglione to Tiglieto, which locals call 'motoland'. Very twisty road, perfect tarmac
These are going on my list.:thumb2
 
I'll concede the food and weather are better:D
Indeed, with lunch at San Fruttuoso on the way and the boat back to Ste Marherita.:thumb2
Which are spectacular, but hard to access.
These are going on my list.:thumb2

Food, weather and also the biggest historic centre in Europe. What about that? ;)

Lunch at San Fruttuoso and boat back to either Santa Margherita or Camogli.

Yeah, Cinque Terre are not easy to reach. Isn't it one of the things that make them spectacular?! :D

Happy that some places are going to your bucket list! :thumb2
 
Just one thing having done the Timmelsjoch/Jaufen and the Splugen both north to south and south to north I found both of them flowed better when travelling in the southerly direction.

As for the Susten/Grimsel and Furka loop in my opinion there is very little difference which way around you do the loop although by doing them in that order starting from Wassen you get better views of the Rhone Glacier
 
Just one thing having done the Timmelsjoch/Jaufen and the Splugen both north to south and south to north I found both of them flowed better when travelling in the southerly direction.

As for the Susten/Grimsel and Furka loop in my opinion there is very little difference which way around you do the loop although by doing them in that order starting from Wassen you get better views of the Rhone Glacier
Last time I was there you could barely see the white line in the middle of the road.
 
Just one thing having done the Timmelsjoch/Jaufen and the Splugen both north to south and south to north I found both of them flowed better when travelling in the southerly direction.

As for the Susten/Grimsel and Furka loop in my opinion there is very little difference which way around you do the loop although by doing them in that order starting from Wassen you get better views of the Rhone Glacier

That's a very good tip. Thanks Neil! :thumb2
 
As for the Susten/Grimsel and Furka loop in my opinion there is very little difference which way around you do the loop although by doing them in that order starting from Wassen you get better views of the Rhone Glacier[/QUOTE]

great, thats the route i have planned... glad i have got something right :beerjug:
 
Dont know how or if it fits in, but, if coming from Switzerland in to Italy, FLUELLApass from Davos. Probably one of my favourites.
 
I think both the Susten and and Grimsel are better starting from the Northern end of the Grimsell, and Furka is OK either way.

Fluella is great but probably hard to work in.

You could spend several days in the Ardennes, Black Forest, Vosges, Andermatt and Stelvio areas and turn this into a 3 week trip.
 
I think both the Susten and and Grimsel are better starting from the Northern end of the Grimsell, and Furka is OK either way.

Fluella is great but probably hard to work in.

You could spend several days in the Ardennes, Black Forest, Vosges, Andermatt and Stelvio areas and turn this into a 3 week trip.

Or maybe even a month trip :D

The more I read stuff about passes the more I'd like to visit. I have to plan the itinerary properly and bring the list down to maximum 5 or 6. Will have to do my homework :confused:

What about the Black Forest? How many places (days) do you think it is worth visiting? I know the area is very vast and I wanted to spend no more than 1 night (2 days) over there. Is it possible?
 
Anything is possible.

The Black Forest is a similar size to Wales and crisscrossed with nice roads, but you can take in some of the best roads in a single day, and 2-3 days would get you covering a large chunk of the area with time ot stop off and poke around here and there, or stretch it beyond a week with more visiting of towns and other attractions.

I would say don't hang around there too long on the way to the Alps if you do not have a lot of time to spare as the Black Forest, nice though it is, does not compare to the Alps with regard to roads and scenery.

The B500 is the most famous road, it stretches pretty much the length of the region but when people talk about riding the B500 they mean the 25-30 mile section running from Baden Baden in a southerly direction so maybe try and squeeze that in, not far from the bottom of that is Triberg which is a pretty little town with a million clock shops and some waterfalls you can poke around (you have to pay to get in) I would suggest just stopping for Coffee or Lunch.

If you stop over for 2 nights you could put together a looping ride covering a fair proportion of the region - just look for twisty roads on the map, but with your rather short trip time I would advise just taking in what you can on your ride to the Alps :thumb2
 
Anything is possible.

The Black Forest is a similar size to Wales and crisscrossed with nice roads, but you can take in some of the best roads in a single day, and 2-3 days would get you covering a large chunk of the area with time ot stop off and poke around here and there, or stretch it beyond a week with more visiting of towns and other attractions.

I would say don't hang around there too long on the way to the Alps if you do not have a lot of time to spare as the Black Forest, nice though it is, does not compare to the Alps with regard to roads and scenery.

The B500 is the most famous road, it stretches pretty much the length of the region but when people talk about riding the B500 they mean the 25-30 mile section running from Baden Baden in a southerly direction so maybe try and squeeze that in, not far from the bottom of that is Triberg which is a pretty little town with a million clock shops and some waterfalls you can poke around (you have to pay to get in) I would suggest just stopping for Coffee or Lunch.

If you stop over for 2 nights you could put together a looping ride covering a fair proportion of the region - just look for twisty roads on the map, but with your rather short trip time I would advise just taking in what you can on your ride to the Alps :thumb2

Thanks for the advice Rasher! :thumb2

I can extend the trip to 8 days if needed. My only concern is that the later I get to the Alps the more chances the weather is not good. I'm planning to leave London on the 31st of August so by the time I get there it will already be the September.
 
Early September is a great time, I have been sat on a pile of Snow at the top of the Stelvio during the first week in August, the Alps are never entirely predictable.

Early October you might be pushing your luck, but I think your going at a great time as the heat is unlikely to be stupidly hot, just take into account the sun will be going down a bit earlier than mid summer so by late afternoon it will be in your eyes.

If I had an extra day to spare I would stop for 2 nights somewhere in the Alps, if you say roughly where you already plan to stop in the Alps I am sure many folk here can offer some good routes, plenty of options if stopping off near the Stelvio that could include the Stelvio and a few much better passes.

If you want a good value Black Forest stop off Pension Williams is good, just off the B500 about 25 miles south of Baden (in a quiet little village) if you prefer a town I would suggest Triberg.
 
A quick look at a map, if you are not insistent on Lake Garda you could stop around St Moritz for two nights and loop over the Stelvio, Fluella and Albula, or instead of stopping for two nights on one place just wiggle around a bit more and make it an 8 day journey if you don't mind moving on each day - which judging by the original plan of 6 stops in a 7 day trip you obviously do not.
 
Hey Rasher, many thanks for your advice. I was thinking to stop in Baden Baden but Pension Williams seems to be a good alternative. I'll definitely take it into account.

With regard to the weather, I hope it is going to be fine. I've never had bad surprises when travelling at the beginning of September. Fingers crossed and rain gears always in the panniers :)

Regarding the itinerary, I've been trying to sort it out. This is how far I've gone:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?...qY&ll=46.61461483474879,7.508985958251969&z=6
I hope the link above works

I could add a couple of days/nights to the trip and I'm just trying to figure out at what point and where to stop. Any suggestion?



Cheers
 
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Get a copy of the book "Motorcycle Journeys through the Alps and Beyond" this has about 70 trips in the Alps, have a look at the trips in the areas you will be passing through and see if any catch your eye and would be worth stopping over for :thumb2

The passes covered in the book routes number in excess of 300 - www.cyclingcols.com shows about 1,000 Alpine passes....

...so asking people if there are any roads to ride or where to stop for an extra day could result in hundreds of suggestions. All of the routes in the book would take you about a months solid riding, even narrowing it down to routes in the book that you will be going near would probably amount you needing an extra couple of weeks.

Just pick a spot or two for an extra days riding around, you cannot go too far wrong as there are not really any bad roads in the Alps, just some are better than others - but they are all vastly superior to the roads of the UK.
 


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