Hi, I'm hoping you can help. I'm a little bit new to motorcycle travel and touring. I've previously been from UK to Hamburg and obviously found it no trouble, I blindly followed the sat-nav, and had a map for back-up. This time I'd like to travel to Italy, the region to visit is yet undecided but I figured I would explore the west coast.
I have enough time for the trip, but am keen to get there as reasonably swiftly as possible. I understand I have the Alps in the way, I can take a choice of tunnels, or go over the tops. I've studied Google maps, and tried route planning with Google and Via Michelin, but obviously I can't tell what those routes are like, and I'd rather not discover for myself that I planned to go a tough or time consuming route without being aware of what I'm getting myself in for.

Can anyone offer any advice, paste me a route they've taken themselves, or assure me that all the roads are pretty good, and I should take a balanced route based on sat-nav, web routing, and common sense ?

If you do make route suggestions..... Although I want reasonably swift progress (certainly the the way back) I'm not a great fan of auto routes / motorways

I'm probably worrying for nothing ?

I'm a great fan of side roads and if you've got a good sat nav planning system you could construct a cross country route using the D roads which tend to be (a) fairly straight and (b) avoid many towns. But it might be one or two days slower than using autoroutes.

If you want to get there quickly there's no substitute for boring autoroutes but Google is likely to route you on the A26, A5, A31 which are all expensive toll roads. And the other 'gotcha' is that you'd need a vignette to travel on any of the decent Swiss autoroutes.

I have a Michelin map of France that I've marked up with highlighters to show all the free autoroutes and free motorway-standard dual carriageways.

Using that I'd suggest Calais via A16/A25 to Lille and Maubeuge, then Charleville-Mezieres, Metz, Nancy, Besancon. Then it gets a bit messy as you loop underneath the western tip of Switzerland towards Annecy, Aosta and Genoa.

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

Buy a map of 'Route des Grandes Alpes' and follow that through the Alps - great on a bike (got to do the tops)

Further north look up Route des Cretes and pick a route through the Vosges and Jura mountains.

A combo of the scenic routes on Michelin maps and the routes shown on www.bestbikingroads.com will see you right.

Enjoy!


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thanks guys, great advice. I'll be honest, I'm a bit scared of this journey, especially being alone, but if I don't try, I'll never know !
Getting lost in heavy traffic, on difficult roads, causing stress and frustration isn't my kind of thing, but meandering through pretty villages meeting freindly people, without a care in the world, is more my style !

My first piece of advice - relax; "you've nothing to fear but fear itself". It's so easy to let the worries overwhelm you and what should be a relaxing ride through a great part of the world becomes a flight from danger where the only place you feel safe is on the bike at 60mph.

Assuming you've got a reliable bike, riding down through France (probably the best route if you're heading for the west side of Italy) on a sunny day is one of life's great pleasures. I head down that way often (we have a rental flat in the French Alps about an hour from the Italian border) and over the years I've used a whole load of routes. They've all got good bits and bad bits but in general the southern half of France is more interesting than the northern half (in my opinion) - but of course you've got to get there first!

If you're going to be a bit apprehensive when you first get off the boat / tunnel it might be a good idea to do a few miles on the autoroute first. The A26 will get you to Reims in about 3hrs and by then you'll probably have got the hang of riding / overtaking etc on the right and how French service stations work. You'll have to pay for it (take a ticket at the "peage" about 20 miles out from Calais and pay when you come off). After that I'd suggest sticking to the regular (= free) roads.

From Reims I head for Epernay, Sezanne and down to Troyes. From there there's a great 100 mile ride via Chatillon sur Seine to Dijon. After Dijon you've got a choice of routes but the Route des Grands Crus (the wine route) along the valley of the Saone river is an easy cruise if you're not in a hurry. It's hard to get lost as you have the river and the autoroute over on your left.

Lyon is a city best avoided. It's got a great centre but it's easy to get lost on the outskirts so from Macon I head for Bourg en Bresse and then via the D1075 to Grenoble. As you approach Grenoble you'll see the mountains rearing up in front of you and Grenoble sits in a valley overlooked by the huge presence of the Vercors national park.

You can go right through Grenoble on a short section of (free) urban motorway and then take the N85 (junction 8!) towards Briancon. That's a great ride through the mountains in the summer months with no heart stopping edges to worry about - although if that's your forte there's a turn off to the Col de Galibiar (misspelt but I get an auto icon if I do it correctly) about half way along. At Briancon you're on top of the Italian border and about an hour from Turin.

Meeting people, especially when you don't speak the language, can be difficult. Make the effort though. Riding along just using automated fuel pumps, buying food from self checkouts in supermarkets and staying in credit card hotels (like Ibis Budget) is no way to see the country. Relax, accept you'll make a fool of yourself now and again and remember - ride on the right!

Temporaryescapee : thanks for your offer, I live in Blackpool actually, I'd be happy to chat any time, it's all a learning curve, and the advice really helps

Backofbeyond : those routes sound great, I've made a note of the route you suggest through the mountains, I feel sure that's the way I'll head, thanks so much for the route guidance

Paul

Hello when do you plan to ride to Italy, Paul 2129? What bike do you have for your trip?
I am in the northwest of England also.
I would like to go at the beginning of June and am finding this thread very useful.

What a beautiful summer shot, Backofbeyond

Hi Paul,
Just reading your post, though I'm answering a little late, I'm exactly in the same predicament as yourself nervous about a trip on my own, let me just say if you need company to do a trip to Italy,I would love to join you if you ever decide to make that trip.
I'm originally from Blackpool myself, bispham to be exact now live in Nantwich. so let me know regards Nick.

Hi taking that route to Briancon end of September , have you any accommodation recommendations
Thanks Jez

Isn`t there a train from Holland to Italy that you can take the bike on ?


Seem to recall being told this at some time.

Hi backofbeyond, I have ridden to Tuscany (just outside of Pisa) a few years back but took quickest route by following my satnav. Planning another visit for 2019 and interested in using the more scenic toll free roads after Reims. Would appreciate any road numbers as the trip you describe looks pretty good. I intend to buy myself a map this weekend however; any road numbers would help. Thinking of camping along the way and would assume that there will be plenty sites throughout France?

Fill your boots with camp sites.
Very few municipal camp sites in France are poor quality.

List of Municipal Campsites in France

__________________
Dave

2019 - You're planning ahead!

As Walkabout says France is stuffed full of municipal (= run by the town as opposed to private companies) campsites. I've stayed in a few of them over the years on the route down to the Alps that I outlined.

Starting in Reims, go over the Montagne de Reims (a slightly hilly area) on the D951. Campsite 1 is the municipal site at Epernay - on the banks of the Marne river. Stick with the 951 south to Sézanne and then the D373 towards Troyes.
I've never camped in Troyes (only used hotels) but about 10 miles east is a lake /park area, Foret d'Orient. There's a lot of campsites there but they're mainly commercial sites (= quite expensive) as the whole area is a kind of family holiday zone. I've stayed in 2 sites (can't remember the names) there over the years and regretted it each time.

From Troyes head south on the D671 towards Chatillon sur Seine and about 10 miles later turn right onto the D971 towards Dijon. There's municipal sites at Chatillon (not stayed there) and, further south, at St Seine l'Abbaye (v quiet small village). There's a municipal site in Dijon close to the lake and near the centre of the city that's one of my favourites but it's v popular and fills up early each day.

From Dijon you can either head south on the D974 (through the wine growing area) to Chalon sur Saone (a busy road and not that much fun) or, from Dijon, go slightly south east on the D996 towards Seurre and via a bit of twisting and turning to Louhans. There's a nice municipal site there behind the sports stadium and backing onto the river. It cost me €4 last time I was there. No food though and Louhans closes early.

From Louhans take the 996 towards Bourg en Bresse (through chicken land) and out south on the D1075. That'll take you all the way to Grenoble along (for part of the way) the valley of the Rhone river. There's quite a few sites along the river section from small municipal ones to huge Butlins type places (Vallée Bleue) but they're all too close to home for me.

Take the A48 (urban motorway) for a few miles through Grenoble (it's a nightmare otherwise) and leave at junction 8, the N85 to Vizille. Then take the D1091 along the Romanche valley to Briancon. There are a cluster of campsites near Bourg de Oisans (3 posh ones at the base of the hill to Alpe D'Huez). There was a landslide at the Lac du Chambon a few years ago that blocked the road and still (as of Jan when I was last down there) wasn't completely fixed but EU money should have done it by next year. Briancon is on the Italian border if that's where you're headed. Reims to Briancon is about 500 miles.

Oh, and ps. There are an increasing no of speed cameras on the route I outlined. If you see a sign that looks like a speed camera there will be one in the next mile or two. They're grey boxes at ground level as opposed to our yellow boxes on a pole.

I agree with the others, don't stress about it...every trip has some of the good and some of the bad, but it sounds like you can squeeze in much more of the good on this trip. Good luck and ride safe.

You'll be fine Paul - trips alone can feel daunting but are great experiences too. That route is big on joy and light on traffic - nothing to fear. Alternatively if you would prefer a riding buddy why not post up in the travellers seeking travellers section?

Where are you based? I'd be happy to chat through some routes and places to stay if it would help (I'm based in Bristol and spend a day a week in Reading).


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