Calais to Tuscany - route ideas?

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Posted this on the Roads section, but over here you guys probably have done this run too many time to count?

Post in Roads forum

In short, Calais to Tuscany, 2 to 3 days each way, recommended routes. Google suggests the quickest is via Switzerland, but I have always been under the impression that it is somewhere best avoided (police, roads, local drivers, expensive), and via France or Austria is a better option.

What I had been mulling over was going via Germany (on a weekend though), with some Autobahn fun, and over the Alps via some nice passes.

Return leg via France, via the Annecy area maybe, but I will have my parents onboard for the trip to England, so it will be a slower run. And French food and drink will keep them happy (but I am sure they will still drive me up the wall!).

Any ideas and suggestions would be appricated!

Cheers,
Stuart

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Louis. said:

so wre are you heading to in Tuscany ?

Hi Louis,

I will be meeting up with my parents near Montefiridolfi, where they are attending a conference. Although I haven't seen them for a year, they will probably drive me nuts within a day! So my plan was to do some more exploring around Tuscany. I have been over twice before, but it has been limited to Siena and Firenze for a few days. Last time I was over in 2004, I was banned from any twisty roads by my friend who was with me becuase she would get car sick! Flat out down the Austostrada in the rental car was fine though...

Where are you in Tuscany?

Stuart

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sleep envy said:

having done London - Parma at least twice a year for the last 30 years the best route I've found is Bethune, St Quentin, Reims, Chalons-en-Champagne, Troyes, Langres, Vesoul, Belfort, Basel, Luzern, Belinzona, Como, Milan, Parma

all A-roads (bar Switzerland) and can easily be done in 15 hours - I usually leave London at 7pm and am 'in piazza' enjoying a coffee at lunchtime

no traffic, nice and cool, very few plod = toe down

SE, that one sounds good - got the map out checking it

15 hours is very good going!

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Thanks guys for the tips. Heading off tomorrow afternoon, and on to Brussels for dinner and a few beers staying with a friend. Then taking Suturday to get down to the Alps, all dependant on what the traffic is like. I'll probably go via the east side of Switzerland as it looks like a few of the passes are opening up there.

I am just trying to decide if I take my mountain bike along for the week in the Tuscan hills.. Considering I am going to have the olds and 2 medium suitcases for the return leg - a BM 5 series boot is quite big, but not massive.