Variation of Livigno

[nickcgundogs]

I have a similar question to the Livigano thread, I have to travel to Switzerland to judge a Gundog test the place is S Chanf just North West of Saint Moritz

I have to be there for lunch on Friday 17th August and leave on the Morning of August 20th, I will go and return using the Chunnel leaving Wednesday 15th and then returning on Wednesday 22nd

I will be put up on the Friday - Monday morning, remaining nights I will stay in a Ibis type hotel

Question, should I blat through France to get to location on Friday with a possible play around Davos on the Friday Morning or say go through Belgium Black Forest to get there on Friday.

I was thinking on the Monday go Stelvio, then head towards Andermatt do some cols on the Tuesday and then go through France autoroutes to Calais

I dont mind doing some distances (I went from Strasbourg to Home in one leaving Strasbourg at 6 pm) Last year

Have not been through Germany or Belgium before.

 

[Wapping]

What time do you expect to roll off the train at Calais, 15 August.

What time do you want to roll back onto it, Wednesday 22 August.

You have to be sitting own with your bib on for lunch (let's say, noon) Friday 17 August. Do you have to be at your host's house before?

 

[nickcgundogs]

I live in Salisbury will leave about 6 to get to tunnel about 10, will need to report to mine host at about 1 - 2 TBA on 17th need to be there to look at ground and set up tests.

Going home would like to arrive home 10 - 11 at night on 22nd

Remaining time the worlds my lobster
<g>

 

[Wapping]

OK, let's say 10:20 train. 40 minutes to cross and five minutes while they faff about. 11:05 but lose an hour, 12:05 Frog time you are on your way on Wednesday, to make it to Livigno by noon on Friday.

Direct, it's 640 miles from Calais to Livigno, so depending on what sort of roads you want to ride, how often and when you want to stop and when / where you want to find your Ibis, the timeframe can work.

But, drag the route away from the direct route into the Ardenes and whilst the mileage drops, the average speed drops considerably. You have then got to decide if you are going to ride the Stelvio up one side and down the other to get to (or from)Livigno, or ride it as an excursion (just to the top, I guess) from your base in Livigno.

Sit down with a map and work out your best way of doing it. Only you really know way soy of rider you are.

Me? I would try to get an earlier train. I would anyway do Calais to Dijon on day one. Even leaving at noon, on your own and getting a tramp on you can do that on a mixture of motorway and fast N and D roads in good time to get to your hotel, with a reasonably fun ride.

Next day, Dijon across to Livigno, not too bad at all.

Ride out from Livigno to the Stelvio sometime, if you are not judging mutts.

Or, cross it on the way back and return roughly, Zurich, Freiburg, Baden Baden, Luxembourg, Calais.
Or better, Zurich, Colmar, Nancy, Metz, Longwy, Chaleville-Mezieres, Cambrai, Calais.

It's a fair old schlepp and the pesky Alps get in the way. But, the days are long in August..... So it's by no means impossible.

 

[Rasher]

Next day, Dijon across to Livigno, not too bad at all.

Yep, you could scoot over the Furka, Oberalp and Fluella (or Albula or Julier) ont he way.

The only thing with long days is they become a whole lot longer if the weather is crap, but if it is a risk your willing to take and your man enough to handle it then buying yourself an extra day in the Alps is handy.

So much around that area you are spoilt for choice, if you reckon you could do Calais - Andermatt (or thereabouts) in a day you could spend the day you saved there (Andermatt) and ride the figure 8 loop taking in Furka, Grimsel, Susten, Nufenen and St Gothard (and have time to run the old cobbled Tremola) - About 150 - 200 of the best miles you can imagine.

Don't forget to arrive at Livigno empty and fill up on the way out (duty free fuel about 80p a litre)

 

[nickcgundogs]

Guys, thanks for the feedback at least I have a better idea of priorities

 

[Allan Davies]

Plan doing this in August, but every time I plan the route it always seems the long way around. What's the best route? I seem to keep on stopping at Meiringen via all the twisties. I suppose I ought to be going through Chamonix etc. need to sort it as its doing my head in.

 

[wessie]

Plan doing this in August, but every time I plan the route it always seems the long way around. What's the best route? I seem to keep on stopping at Meiringen via all the twisties. I suppose I ought to be going through Chamonix etc. need to sort it as its doing my head in.

You could cross into Switzerland near Basel after doing some roads in the German Black Forest or French Vosges. From Basel it's quite a nice route down to Meiringen, especially if you include one of the passes such as the Panoramastrasse, also known as the Glaubenbühl Pass

From Meiringen you are somewhat spoilt for choice of ways to get to Livigno, which could take a week if you want to do loads of passes!

 

[Allan Davies]

You could cross into Switzerland near Basel after doing some roads in the German Black Forest or French Vosges. From Basel it's quite a nice route down to Meiringen, especially if you include one of the passes such as the Panoramastrasse, also known as the Glaubenbühl Pass

From Meiringen you are somewhat spoilt for choice of ways to get to Livigno, which could take a week if you want to do loads of passes!

Cheers wessie
See that exactly my problem, to many choices. Done the Panoramastrasse from Meiringen, (from Pfunds) the last time superb, thats why I want to go back, but this time want to spend more time in the Dolimites so need to get from Dijon to Livigno in one hit (trying to avoid Motorways )instead of stopping of at Meiringen. Never looked at it from Basel though, seems like your going up and then down.

 

[wessie]

Cheers wessie
See that exactly my problem, to many choices. Done the Panoramastrasse from Meiringen, (from Pfunds) the last time superb, thats why I want to go back, but this time want to spend more time in the Dolimites so need to get from Dijon to Livigno in one hit (trying to avoid Motorways )instead of stopping of at Meiringen. Never looked at it from Basel though, seems like your going up and then down.

If you are heading to the Dolomites why are you going to Dijon & Livigno? I'd head down through Belgium, Lux, Germany & Austria. Lots of scenic routes and cross into Italy via the Timmelsjoch or Brenner

 

[Allan Davies]

If you are heading to the Dolomites why are you going to Dijon & Livigno? I'd head down through Belgium, Lux, Germany & Austria. Lots of scenic routes and cross into Italy via the Timmelsjoch or Brenner

Done it that way before Arras, Metz, Baden Baden B500, Lech Valley etc. Just thought there may be another alternative as never been to Livigno area. Love the Furka and Grimmsel area just thought nice to have a change. Heading Lienz area eventually so may be coming back that way, choices choices