Quick Alps Tour

[fridgedoctor]

Hi, if all goes well I'll be picking up an R1200rt on Monday.
It's near Exeter (I'm in C. Scotland)
I'm flying down for it, and can't help notice there are ferries from Plymouth/Portsmouth to France.
I've got a slack week, so how feasible is it to get over into the Alps for a few days from there? I don't need to be home till the Sunday! Not into going fast or anything, just really fancy seeing the Alps, and the weather forecast looks great!
Seems a shame not to do it when I'm so far south to start with.
Any thoughts or tips appreciated
(I was thinking of coming home on the Amsterdam/Newcastle boat as I've used it before and it saves a fair drive)
Go on, pick it apart 😄

[MDUBZ]

a full days ride each way with stops.. doable - the Alps is a fairly vast area so weather forecasts are varying wildly.. i say pick your roads and go for it!

http://www.ultimatedrives.net/top-10-roads/

[naetype]

Weather in the Alps can be just as bad in the summer as it is now. Half the grief getting to the Alps is driving through Englandshire and as you're already there then that's half the battle. Go for it.

[Yipper]

Looks like you could manage 3-4 days actually in the Alps. Italy has by far the best Alpine roads and scenery. Steeper, twistier, prettier, remoter, etc. Just watch out for hidden speedcams at the entry and exit to just about every village and town.

[hornetrider]

On an RT I'd recommend the Pyrenees over the Alps. The Alps is a lot of hairpins, the Pyrenees does have them too but less I found and instead lots of beautiful twisties. And I mean stunning, stunning twisties.

So my recommendation would be to get a ferry to Santander.

[Andybow]

If you need picking up from exeter airport and taking to dealers let me know, I used to live in the alps and can give you some awesome routes

[SteelerSE]

Roscoff to Lyon is about 950km which is a pretty big day but you'd be on the right bike for it.
I love the idea. Just make sure that you're able to take the time to enjoy it.

[psi310398]

I've just driven through the French/Italian Alps today. Lots of twisty bits and relatively empty roads. The weather changes in every valley. I've had blazing sun, thick fog and almost everything in between. Beware that several of the passes between France and Italy are still closed - check your route carefully on t'interweb before you set off, although if you don't need to be anywhere, then you can still enjoy going up and then coming back down. It's just when you then need to go another 100km to get to where you were planning that it's a pain.

But go for it! Forecast in North Italy is for lots of sun next week.

And avoid the Paris peripherique if heading East. It does not add to the quality of your life.

Peter

[Andybow]

http://www.sport-passion.fr/parcours/etat-cols.php

[CAPP0]

With a little more notice I might have offered to join you! For family/illness related reasons I'm likely to have to holiday on my own this year and I'm tempted to take my own RT down to the Alps.

That said, my cousin lives near Biarritz, so if the Pyrenees are a better bet then that could work too.

[spareparts]

hornetrider said:

On an RT I'd recommend the Pyrenees over the Alps. The Alps is a lot of hairpins, the Pyrenees does have them too but less I found and instead lots of beautiful twisties. And I mean stunning, stunning twisties.

So my recommendation would be to get a ferry to Santander.

^This! Having just returned from the Rhone-Alps, weather is still very cool down there and a number of the higher Cols are still closed due to snow. Relaxing ferry to Santander/Bilbao and enjoy the Spanish sun, pintxos, sangria, and better roads (although not necessarily in that order!)

[2wheelsjimmy]

Do it, and don't think twice!

[Andy XRV]

spareparts said:

hornetrider said:

On an RT I'd recommend the Pyrenees over the Alps. The Alps is a lot of hairpins, the Pyrenees does have them too but less I found and instead lots of beautiful twisties. And I mean stunning, stunning twisties.

So my recommendation would be to get a ferry to Santander.

^This! Having just returned from the Rhone-Alps, weather is still very cool down there and a number of the higher Cols are still closed due to snow. Relaxing ferry to Santander/Bilbao and enjoy the Spanish sun, pintxos, sangria, and better roads (although not necessarily in that order!)

+2. Better roads, less traffic and generally warmer and dryer.

[jimmydash]

Plymouth to Santander, go west along the coast through Comillas, San Vicente de la Barqueras, Panes, Le Vega, Riano,

[black-k1]

jimmydash said:

Plymouth to Santander, go west along the coast through Comillas, San Vicente de la Barqueras, Panes, Le Vega, Riano,

If it were me then I'd do Portsmouth to Santander/Bilbao then a week in the Picos. The weather will probably be much nicer than the Alps and the roads are as good as the Alps.

[Prof Prolapse]

Eh? He has an RT so he should spend days on a ferry to go the otherside of Europe? Hairpins and traffic mean he shouldn't go???

bks.

If you want to go the Alps fking go mate. Take the tolls in France to cover ground faster. Make a plan, or don't, it's central Europe not frontiers travel!

[fridgedoctor]

Hi!
Firstly thanks for all the ideas (esp Andybow and Cappo for the kind offers - the guy who is selling me the bike is collecting me at the airport, but much appreciated)
Loving the enthusiasm for getting on with it. I did think about the boat south, but I'd be a long, long way from home at the end up...
Deffo thinking Alps and home via the Dutch boat.
Would I be better off driving to Portsmouth and getting a ferry to maybe Caen or somewhere there, or is Roscoff just as good? And the Italy idea, where should I aim for then?
Any way thanks all, and watch this space
M

Edited by fridgedoctor on Sunday 21st May 10:26

[fridgedoctor]

Here's a pic of my trip to The Hague at the end of March
Quite the difference in transport
(And because I get everything wrong, I was two up on the Vespa, but I'll be solo on the BMW.
FML)

[psi310398]

fridgedoctor said:

And the Italy idea, where should I aim for then?
Any way thanks all, and watch this space
M

If you come into Italy from Haute Savoie via outskirts of Geneva or Annecy/Albertville or Chambery, you will end up in Aosta or Piedmont, both of which have plenty of likeable roads; skirt Turin and find Biella - going north and east you are in the Novarese hills up to Lake Orta - stunning scenery. There is the road to Valsesia from the valley floor which is long, nice and twisty. At the top is a reserve created by the Zegna family (of garment fame) with a couple of nice cafes. From Orta hop over to Lake Maggiore via Mottarone - again some nice twisties. You can either skirt Maggiore (along with million Italian bikers) or take the ferry across from Intra to the other side. On the other side nice hilly roads to Varese and on to Lake Como. North and east of Como, there are lots of stunning mountain roads. The best bike roads IMO are further east in the Alto Adige (up by Eastern Switzerland/Austria). Plenty of ideas on YouTube - Germans and Norwegians love Go-Proing their rides!

Going home, you can either cut through Switzerland (plenty of passes there) and up the autobahn from Basel to Holland or you can continue challenging riding in Vosges and up through Alsace/Lorraine to the Ardennes and into Holland that way. If you are further south in Switzerland, coming into France via the Jura mountains is a fun option, too.

HTH

Peter

[2wheelsjimmy]

Just ride and get the eurostar.

You're on an RT you'll be fine cruising the autoroute to the Alps. I ride from London to near Lyon and I'm there by mid afternoon. Just watch your speed a bit on the autoroute, there are police about and they will fine you on the spot. Though I've never been done on a motorbike.

Any of the National parks are just beautiful. I love the Jura a bit further north, just on and in Switzerland. If you want to see the Alps, just go. Europe is endless and there are many places to go, that many people will suggest. Thankfully many trips can be done to see places. I've ridden my bike across most of Europe and the Alps are great.