Agreed, that's why I'm doing it now in February and not leaving until May
France-Italy (Lyon to (maybe) Turin route questions and hotels
- Thread starter matgriff
- Start date
I was going to suggest an alternative route which we did years ago:
Lyon, Geneva, north coast of lake Geneva to Montreux and then Turin. I think we skirted round Turin as we were heading for Genoa.
We did this route in August so no problems in the mountains.
Lyon, Geneva, north coast of lake Geneva to Montreux and then Turin. I think we skirted round Turin as we were heading for Genoa.
We did this route in August so no problems in the mountains.
The high Alps passes are often still closed in early June, I always aim for late June / Early july for long days, warm (but hopefully not too hot / humid) weather and less crowds. In May I suspect many of the mid-height passes may still be closed, unless it is a very (Global) Warm(ing) spring ;-)
Start looking at the pass staus much closer to travel time to see as they start opening up (we did an early Pyrenees trip and I was looking about 2-3 weeks before departure at pass status and webcams so you could see stuff opening up, and the state of the passes on the cameras)
I often plan 2-3 route options for a day, so easy these days (I use My Route App) and can then pick the route that best suits the conditons and mood on the day, late bookings on websites also easy so you can just book as you go, or go wild and just rock up at a Hotel and ask if they have a room - like folk did pre internet, the chances of feezing to death on a mountainside with this approach is pretty small - just start around 4PM so if the first couple of Hotels are full you can try some more, or hop over the next pass to the next town etc.
Start looking at the pass staus much closer to travel time to see as they start opening up (we did an early Pyrenees trip and I was looking about 2-3 weeks before departure at pass status and webcams so you could see stuff opening up, and the state of the passes on the cameras)
I often plan 2-3 route options for a day, so easy these days (I use My Route App) and can then pick the route that best suits the conditons and mood on the day, late bookings on websites also easy so you can just book as you go, or go wild and just rock up at a Hotel and ask if they have a room - like folk did pre internet, the chances of feezing to death on a mountainside with this approach is pretty small - just start around 4PM so if the first couple of Hotels are full you can try some more, or hop over the next pass to the next town etc.
Hi, thanks for the advice, this was exactly what I was looking for as I have no experience of this area and what routes are open at what time of year.
If the passes are closed there are always the tunnels including the Mont Blanc from France to Italy and Grand St. Bernard from Switzerland to Italy.
We rode up to the Col de Petit St Bernard on April 23rd years ago . Lovely road, pleasant weather, completely unaware that it wouldn’t be open. Went round a bend to find a road block with 2ft of snow and a sign saying Italy 8km - road opens end of May.
We rode up to the Col de Petit St Bernard on April 23rd years ago . Lovely road, pleasant weather, completely unaware that it wouldn’t be open. Went round a bend to find a road block with 2ft of snow and a sign saying Italy 8km - road opens end of May.
If you are heading for the Frejus tunnel there is a great road from Modane ,last exit before the tunnel, it takes you up on the old road over Mon Cenis. Electric blue lake at the top with a couple of great cafés and loads of bikes, you come back to the main Torino route at Susa.This route is usually open from April, there are signs on the main route saying which passes are open.
Are all the passes shut all year? No. France, Italy and Switzerland are not all cut off from each other for road traffic for months on end.
Will all passes be open to you in late May? Probably not, especially the non-motorway very high passes.
Will you be able to get from Lyon to (possibly) Turin in late May on a motorbike? Yes, unless there is some kind of natural catastrophe which embraces Europe. If it gives you comfort, we went Calais > Milan > Ancona at Easter for the Turkey Trot and Calais to Algeciras another Easter, for the Moroccan Dash, all on motorbikes. Easter is always well before late May. Both routes cross mountains, we simply took the roads / tunnels that were open to us; if we had listened to the “All the routes / passes will be shut” cries, we’d never have left home. You can do the same, I’m sure.
Will anyone give you all the alternative routes and hotels for your trip from Lyon to (possibly) Turin in late May? Probably not, as posts #2 and #3 suggest, there are too many variables. Likewise your Italy / Switzerland / France leg. Just look at a map and the weather forecast when you are sat in Lyon in late May and work out how to get to Turin (assuming you do still want to go there then) using a map. Google will even route you away from roads that are shut. Do the same, sat on the Italian lakes, to get to Belfort in France.
Will all passes be open to you in late May? Probably not, especially the non-motorway very high passes.
Will you be able to get from Lyon to (possibly) Turin in late May on a motorbike? Yes, unless there is some kind of natural catastrophe which embraces Europe. If it gives you comfort, we went Calais > Milan > Ancona at Easter for the Turkey Trot and Calais to Algeciras another Easter, for the Moroccan Dash, all on motorbikes. Easter is always well before late May. Both routes cross mountains, we simply took the roads / tunnels that were open to us; if we had listened to the “All the routes / passes will be shut” cries, we’d never have left home. You can do the same, I’m sure.
Will anyone give you all the alternative routes and hotels for your trip from Lyon to (possibly) Turin in late May? Probably not, as posts #2 and #3 suggest, there are too many variables. Likewise your Italy / Switzerland / France leg. Just look at a map and the weather forecast when you are sat in Lyon in late May and work out how to get to Turin (assuming you do still want to go there then) using a map. Google will even route you away from roads that are shut. Do the same, sat on the Italian lakes, to get to Belfort in France.
Yes, I'll figure it outAre all the passes shut all year? No. France, Italy and Switzerland are not all cut off from each other for road traffic for months on end.
Will all passes be open to you in late May? Probably not, especially the non-motorway very high passes.
Will you be able to get from Lyon to (possibly) Turin in late May on a motorbike? Yes, unless there is some kind of natural catastrophe which embraces Europe. If it gives you comfort, we went Calais > Milan > Ancona at Easter for the Turkey Trot and Calais to Algeciras another Easter, for the Moroccan Dash, all on motorbikes. Easter is always well before late May. Both routes cross mountains, we simply took the roads / tunnels that were open to us; if we had listened to the “All the routes / passes will be shut” cries, we’d never have left home. You can do the same, I’m sure.
Will anyone give you all the alternative routes and hotels for your trip from Lyon to (possibly) Turin in late May? Probably not, as posts #2 and #3 suggest, there are too many variables. Likewise your Italy / Switzerland / France leg. Just look at a map and the weather forecast when you are sat in Lyon in late May and work out how to get to Turin (assuming you do still want to go there then) using a map. Google will even route you away from roads that are shut. Do the same, sat on the Italian lakes, to get to Belfort in France.
Always good to get some hints and tips from people who've gone before though. ThxCol du Mont Cenis is nice, it bypasses the much high L'Iseran which is one of those "must ride" passes, but I would imagine more likely to be shut, then south of there is the beautiful Col du Izoard which is one of my faves, and if you're lucky that may be open - if not a pleasant enough lower valley road bypasses it, south of there you have La Bonnete / Restefond, the former is just a loop at the top of the latter, but very high, but the Cayolle and Allos run parallel and may be open - if not, once again you will need to pop out of the mountains a bit and take Route Napoleon.....
....Which should be open, its how the buses to the Ski resorts get to and from Geneva airport.
I think south of La Bonnette the passes are lower and maybe less likely to be blocked, and you are then also getting quite close to the South of France which is generally warmer, at the North end of Route des Grand Alpes (google it for info on the route / passes etc they passes are also lower, many folk really rate Cormet de Roseland, and it is stunning, if you have time (and its open) then entering the Alps just before that road would not be a bad idea.
I would just allow a bit more time each day for the "unexpected" (known unknowns) to slow you down, and take into account your average speed on pure mountain roads will be @30mph, maybe 25 if you're a plodder, and not likely much above 35 unless you have a few GP / WSB / BSB wins to your name.
....Which should be open, its how the buses to the Ski resorts get to and from Geneva airport.
I think south of La Bonnette the passes are lower and maybe less likely to be blocked, and you are then also getting quite close to the South of France which is generally warmer, at the North end of Route des Grand Alpes (google it for info on the route / passes etc they passes are also lower, many folk really rate Cormet de Roseland, and it is stunning, if you have time (and its open) then entering the Alps just before that road would not be a bad idea.
I would just allow a bit more time each day for the "unexpected" (known unknowns) to slow you down, and take into account your average speed on pure mountain roads will be @30mph, maybe 25 if you're a plodder, and not likely much above 35 unless you have a few GP / WSB / BSB wins to your name.
Matt
I have just finished planning our 16 day trip for June down to Turin and back via the Alps. Calais to Calais approx 1800 miles.
PM if you want any details.
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If you host the GPX file itself on something like Dropbox or any of the free platforms, and share it here, he’ll be able to see it in detail.
A superb route, we’ve ridden through and had lunch at the Hotel L’Etoile des Neiges, Rue de Saint Landry, Val Cenis.
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