Italy and France

[hainy]

I am looking at one of these options for a cycling trip next summer and was looking for recommendation on tour groups, places to stay, riding experience. Would like to do some of the famous mountain rides.

Any info would be appreciated.

Hainy - Sydney, Australia

[cnighbor1]

crazyguyonabicycle.com
virtual alps do a search show all mountain passes
northern Italy is great for giro climbs
try staying bormia Italy (sp)
austrial another great area
there are trips were they move your stuff hotel to hotel do a search for self contained trips
try tourism berura for Germany france switerland go to bicycle part

[Louis]

One option:

http://velotel-touring.com/

Contact Hank (aka Velotel on this very forum) or just search for his posts here and check out his descriptions and pictures.

[rustychisel]

One option:

http://velotel-touring.com/

Contact Hank (aka Velotel on this very forum) or just search for his posts here and check out his descriptions and pictures.


Think I'd second this recommendation. France is the mutt's nuts.

[hainy]

Vetotel Touring is just what I am looking for.

I will send it to my other friends

[monkeypants]

Friend and I just returned from a short tour starting near Innsbruck, Austria to Verona mostly following the Via Claudia Augusta (http://www.viaclaudia.org/en/). Wonderful route particularly around the Alps (Swiss-Austrian-Italian border).

[oldpotatoe]

I am looking at one of these options for a cycling trip next summer and was looking for recommendation on tour groups, places to stay, riding experience. Would like to do some of the famous mountain rides.

Any info would be appreciated.

Hainy - Sydney, Australia

Might also look at this for Italia..Andy Hampsten

http://www.cinghiale.com/

[gomango]

Might also look at this for Italia..Andy Hampsten

http://www.cinghiale.com/

I spoke with Andy Hampsten about this option a couple of years ago at NAHBS.

We have done a fair amount of riding in Italy over the last decade.

Next time around, my wife and I will splurge and take him up on one of his delightful trips.

[Joel]

Check out

www.velovercors.com

It was so great I'm going back again this year.

See the below for the write up from the trip last year.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=122511

[PQJ]

Very different. France more civilized. Italy more welcoming. I prefer France myself.

[Look585]

Might also look at this for Italia..Andy Hampsten

http://www.cinghiale.com/

The riding around Andy's adopted home town (Castagneto Carducci) is sublime. Go in the shoulder seasons outside of July/August when the area is rammed with sun worshipers, and you will have idyllic and empty roads. If I was going on a cycling *vacation* (i.e. not concerned with checking massive alpine/pyrenean/dolomiti passes off my todo list) coastal tuscany would be at the top of my list.

Click around the site below for some great ride options if you want to go on your own. Andy's routes are likely even better.

http://www.costadeglietruschi.it/mediterranean_tuscany/cicloturismo.asp

[hainy]

Thanks for all your help I will certainly check all these suggestions

[Ray]

This won't work if you want to do an ambitious tour with a lot of the famous climbs, but there's a cycling hotel in the Adriatic town of Riccione called the Belvedere Cycling Hotel that I'd recommend VERY highly. A number of folks from the forum have stayed there and recommended it to me. I was there for a week about three years ago and it was wonderful. The riding is nicely hilly once you head a bit inland from the sea and there's heavy climbing if you want it. San Marino is nearby and that's one of the toughest climbs I've done, although it doesn't have the altitude of the big mountains. Marco Pantani grew up and trained in this area (and died in Rimini, just a couple of miles up the coast). The hotel has guided rides every morning and amazing food. In the summer its a beach resort and a cycling resort second, but its still a great cycling package. And in the Spring and Autumn its basically all cycling. So I recommend it highly, but with the caveat that if you want to do the famous Alpine climbs, you need to look elsewhere.

-Ray

[Climb01742]

Many good ideas here. I'll throw in one more. Check out the Italian hilltown of Asolo. It's where Venetians have summered for centuries. And maybe consider this hotel:

http://www.villaciprianiasolo.com/en/

[slinkywizard]

If you head to Italy, be sure to include the Stelvio pass in your itinerary. Bormio is a good base to several of the classic climbs (Gavia, Mortirolo etc.). The classic route up Stelvio is not the south approach from Bormio though, but from the north via Prato. Nice and easy climbing along a river till about 1800 m, good for warming up, then switchbacks though a forest up to about 2200 m till you reach the tree line. You gain altitude almost without noticing and the grade is not too severe. Then all of a sudden you see this massive wall in front of you with at the top of it the pass. You've already done most of the switchbacks by then, I think there were about 20 of the 48 remaining, only about 550 m of climbing to go with an average of 9%, but man...at that altitude I found it pretty tough. The views are absolutely stunning though. Treat yourself to an alcohol free wheat beer (Erdinger Weizen) and a bratwurst and then enjoy 1500 m of descent to Bormio.Well worth it!

[hainy]

thanks everyone

some really good stuff which i will investigate

[hainy]

Check out

www.velovercors.com

It was so great I'm going back again this year.

See the below for the write up from the trip last year.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=122511

Hi Joel,

I am looking to do a similiar tour next and was looking for some feedback on your trip.

Which tour?
Cost?
Inclusions?
Exclusions?

Cheers

Hainy

[martl]

I am looking at one of these options for a cycling trip next summer and was looking for recommendation on tour groups, places to stay, riding experience. Would like to do some of the famous mountain rides.

Any info would be appreciated.

Hainy - Sydney, Australia

Being based in Munich, i have done a lot of riding in both France and Italy. Both are brilliant for cycling, especially in the mountains. You will have a blast no matter which country you decide to go to!

An organized group is nice because you don't have to worry about accomodation, organization and one might meet some nice like-minded people, but i wouldn't call it a neccessity. Routes are easy to find and organizing food and accommodation is easy even if you only speak a few words of the language and come there for the first time. Just reading menus might pose a challenge :)

I personally like to plan my routes with one of the nice maps (1:200 000, Michelin or ACI) available. Once on the road, it is hard to get lost - pick the right road, follow it, it isn't as if roads in the mountains were a maze, typically it is 1 mountain pass = 1 road :)

As far as differences are concerned:

Traffic: Traffic in Italy tends to be a lot denser than in France, especially in the holiday season.

Road quality: About even, i'd reckon. French 2nd and 3rd rate country roads tend to have a rough surface but still excellently rideable. Roads recently used by the Giro or Tour will possibly have a very nice tarmac.

Variety: If you prefer to stay on one spot, nothing beats the Bozen/Bolzano area. It is easy to spend 2-3 weeks there without riding the same road all too often. The central dolomites/Sella area is in reach as well as the Val di Fassa, the Vintschgau, the Überetsch, the Val di Fiemme, the Stelvio, etc... I spent about 80 days riding in that area and still find roads i haven't ridden yet.

In the center of the french alps like at Barcelonette or Bourg d'Oisans, you will have to switch location after a couple of days in order to not get bored.

My personal favourite spots:
Bolzano, Caldonazzo, Barcelonette, Puget-Theniers is a secret tip and allows access to the beautiful Gorges (canyons) of Calamus, Daluis and the Gran Canyon du Verdon.

[Joel]

hainy,

That was the alpe du huez tour. it was nine days and some excellent climbing. Pull up the specifics on their website. I think it was 1100 British pounds sterling plus 400 for rental bike. It covered tour, lodging, breakfast and most dinners. Lunch (and pubs!) were on our own. Luggage was transported place to place, but otherwise it was self guided. Lodging very solid 2 and 3 star, small places run by some really friendly people.

http://www.velovercors.com/alpe-dhuez-tour.html

This is an awesome "riders" holiday. It's not one of those uber-fancy champagne tours.

Send Teresa an email and she can get you the information. She books everything.

velovercors@googlemail.com

Let me sum it up by simply saying that I'm headed back over there again in a couple of weeks :)

Joel

[uno-speedo]

La Fuga comes highly recommended if you want full on pampering:

http://www.lafuga.cc/

[echelon_john]

I'm partial to Tuscany; in particular this place:

http://vrbo.com/458345
www.bargecchia.com

Let me know if you're interested in renting it. I can also hook you up with good roads, good restaurants, etc whether you rent our house or another in the area!

Cheers,
John

[LegendRider]

Lots of good recommendations, but I'll throw another out:

http://www.gda-lagrave.com/

This place is in La Grave, France and the riding is sublime. It is directly on La Marmotte route and many classic alpine climbs can be ridden from the front door. PM me if you're interested and I'll put you in touch with the American owner.

[schwa86]

I rode in Veneto region of Italy last year and posted a brief report and couple of pics here:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=110967

[hainy]

Thanks Guys for the great response.

I like the sound of Joels option but I will certainly have a look at the others.

Cheers

Hainy