Need help with European Cycling Base

[elcolombiano]

My grand parents escaped the Nazis from Germany during WWII and made it to Colombia. I have applied for German Citizenship and it has been approved. I can now live in any country in the European Union. I would like to establish a base somewhere where I can keep a car, bicycle, clothing and computer maybe small motorhome etc..

Does anyone have any suggestions where to establish a good cycling base in Europe. Generaly in Europe the closer you are to the center of a large city the more expensive the real estate. There are so many good places I don't even know where to start. Perhaps I could buy a studio apartment and AirBnb it when I am not using it.

I was thinking about Freiburg Germany near the Black Forest area. Its an easy drive to Switzerland, France and Northern Italy. Another idea would be around Valencia Spain that has better year round weather but is far from the rest of the continent.

[verticaldoug]

You shouldn't rush it. Why not first go there this summer, rent a RV if you can, and tour a round a bit surveying various options.

[holliscx]

Mallorca would be interesting. You could rent your place during the high season and get out of dodge. You don't want to be on a bike for the beach crowds yet the cycling the rest of the year is brilliant. As a resident I don't know if the roads would get old though. The best cycling is in the north and west of the island. I think it would be repetitive potentially but that might not be a bad thing.

You could do Girona and have no problem renting a place with cycling touches. Girona can be pretty cold in the winter though.

I like your Freiburg idea. I have a friend from there and he says the Black Forest is amazing.

A lot of pros have training camps out of Calp / Dénia a littler further south from Valencia but I don't know much about it.

[Tychom]

Spain and Portugal are cheap (real estate and living), with good cycling and weather.

But could be quite a distance to travel if you really want to venture into other parts of Europe.

[weisan]

Originally Posted by elcolombiano

I would like to establish a base somewhere where I can keep a car, bicycle, clothing and computer maybe small motorhome etc..

I like the way you think. Let me know when you settle down, I will come visit.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by elcolombiano

My grand parents escaped the Nazis from Germany during WWII and made it to Colombia. I have applied for German Citizenship and it has been approved. I can now live in any country in the European Union. I would like to establish a base somewhere where I can keep a car, bicycle, clothing and computer maybe small motorhome etc..

Does anyone have any suggestions where to establish a good cycling base in Europe. Generaly in Europe the closer you are to the center of a large city the more expensive the real estate. There are so many good places I don't even know where to start. Perhaps I could buy a studio apartment and AirBnb it when I am not using it.

I was thinking about Freiburg Germany near the Black Forest area. Its an easy drive to Switzerland, France and Northern Italy. Another idea would be around Valencia Spain that has better year round weather but is far from the rest of the continent.

Message Velotel…he lives around Grenoble.

[JonB]

sent you a PM

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by Tychom

But could be quite a distance to travel if you really want to venture into other parts of Europe.

Flights and trains are cheap

[lavi]

In the Alpes somewhere. You pick the country.

Or Menton, France. It's the last city in France before hitting Italy. It's wonderful. Riding the Côte d'Azur. Short drives to get up into the mountains. Lovely summer Riviera living. Short drive to Monaco/Nice, etc.

[rain dogs]

Re: Distances.

It really depends on how you define your distances. Things in Europe are much closer together than you think, especially to a North American. IMHO.

For example (using the OP's listed places).

Valencia to Nice (at the foothill of the Alps) is about the same distance, and hours driving, as Boston to Cleveland.

Valencia to Freiberg or Zurich is about the same distance as Boston to Chicago.

So, if those distances sound near, or far, for car drive is up to each personal preference, but I can tell you that when I think of crossing many borders/countries it sounds much farther, or I'd guess it would be much farther than going through a few states. Now, some people don't want to drive to a destination... some others will only drive a couple hours.... others half a day. To each their own.

For example.... Valencia to Moscow is 1000km less than Boston to San Fran.... it's more like Boston to Missoula or a bit less than Tuscon. Moscow is hella far away.

[Ken Robb]

My sister-in-law lived in a small rural village (Deubach (SP?) which was an easy train ride from Munich and Augsberg and MUCH cheaper than those cities. There must be hundreds if not thousands of similar towns all over Europe. Hmm, OTOH wouldn't having Spanish as the main language be a big plus for you?

[velotel]

From the perspective of an american who’s been living here in France for the last 27 years, first thing I’ll tell you is keep in mind that the actual time you spend on the bike is limited. Thus the real question is what do you want to do with your time when you’re not riding. The answer to that will help enormously in narrowing down what you’re looking for.

The lands north of France i don’t know at all, nor north France for that matter, and I never will. I prefer concentrating on those places not so far and that I really want to see given that the time remaining for doing so isn’t so long anymore. I’m also not a fan of gray skies and rain, which the north is somewhat known for.

Spain I only know a little from a 10-day driving trip my wife and I did shortly after I moved here and married her. Not a place I’d want to live. Summers way too hot, and getting hotter. I’d like to visit Galicia, ride my bike there, cruise the coast, but only a visit.

In my opinion France is a cyclist’s paradise, everywhere, but I only know a small part of it. The Alps are a huge attraction for avid cyclists but keep in mind that living in the Alps means that inevitably the vast majority of your riding is going to be going up and coming back down. I know that well, too well actually any more given my age. For places to live near or in the Alps, the biggest obvious call is the Lake Annecy and Lake Bourget region. A ton of riding, the high Alps nearby, the Med only 3-4 hours away, Switzerland a hop away, Italy a longer hop away, or several hops. Expensive, especially around Annecy. Gap could be interesting, a mild climate, more next to than in the Alps, a ton of riding nearby, Italy nearby too, 3 hours max to the Med.

South France is always interesting but the coast is crowded and expensive. Winters are great, most of the time. Provence away from the coast is pretty amazing, wonderful villages, landscapes constantly changing, and riding as good as any you’ll ever find. Bit expensive there though. The area I really like (we’ll probably sell our house here in a few years and move a little south where winters will be less work) is the region around Nyons - Vaison la Romain. Vineyards, small roads, hills, and of course Mont Ventoux right there. Not far from the Alps but too far for driving up, riding, driving back. That region is also somewhat out of the wind corridor of the Rhone river. Those winds are infamous, they make people go mad.

North of Lyon is also great for riding, good on the eyes too, rolling hills, vineyards, fields, villages. Can be windy though. Southwest France is famous for cycling and apparently gorgeous and, depending on where, friggin cheap. The Pyrenees are nearby for hard climbs, the ocean not too far away. A forum member bought a house there and loves the region. I’ve never been there but would like to go one day. They do get some wild weather from time to time.

I’d love to live in Italy, but never will. The infrastructure system in France is way better, especially for the health. The region I love is the Piedmont. Tucked up against the Alps, hills, vineyards, farms, orchards, small roads everywhere, and great food, but that’s Italy, everywhere. Tuscany is the first name that leaps to mind for so many when the subject of Italy comes up. Gorgeous, great riding, excellent climate, also seriously popular, a major tourist attraction, also expensive. As I recall, there’s a forum member, or there was a forum member, I think he was swedish or something, had/has a place in Tuscany that is so far over the top that it’s beyond even dream belief. I’ve only seen some pics of it but that was the most beautiful home I think I’ve ever seen. The setting, everything. Classic Tuscany property.

Switzerland is beautiful, great riding, super roads, a joy to the eyes in every respect, also expensive of course, and winters are definitely winters.

Not much else I can add other than after living here for 27 years, I can’t imagine ever living stateside again. I can’t think of anything that would make me move back. I like living in Europe, the lifestyle, the stunning diversity of landscapes, architecture, people, lifestyles.

Good luck in your search, And remember, for the price of a house you can make a lot of trips to Europe in maximum luxury and not even come close to the same level of investment a house requires, along with the necessary car, someone to take care of the garden when you’re not there, and the house in general which could be wise. Forget renting it when you’re not there. You’d have to have someone handle that for you and I suspect that in the end the income from it wouldn’t amount to much against the hassle factor.

[jlyon]

If you speak German or are planning on learning it look at South Tyrol region of Italy.

Close by and much cheaper would be somewhere around Koper Slovenia.

[lavi]

Originally Posted by velotel

For places to live near or in the Alps, the biggest obvious call is the Lake Annecy and Lake Bourget region. A ton of riding, the high Alps nearby, the Med only 3-4 hours away, Switzerland a hop away, Italy a longer hop away, or several hops.

I spent a number of days in Annecy. It was wonderful. The Alps are there and lots of non-Alp riding too.

It's true about riding in the Alps. It's a blessing and a curse so be careful what you wish for. Some days I wished for a flat ride.

I don't really know these areas as one quick trip wasn't enough to form an opinion. However, I really like La Grave as well. Very small out of the way town. Only 20 miles or so to the base of Alpe d'Huez.

Great...now I'm thinking about a French base.

[elcolombiano]

Originally Posted by velotel

From the perspective of an american who’s been living here in France for the last 27 years, first thing I’ll tell you is keep in mind that the actual time you spend on the bike is limited. Thus the real question is what do you want to do with your time when you’re not riding. The answer to that will help enormously in narrowing down what you’re looking for.

The lands north of France i don’t know at all, nor north France for that matter, and I never will. I prefer concentrating on those places not so far and that I really want to see given that the time remaining for doing so isn’t so long anymore. I’m also not a fan of gray skies and rain, which the north is somewhat known for.

Spain I only know a little from a 10-day driving trip my wife and I did shortly after I moved here and married her. Not a place I’d want to live. Summers way too hot, and getting hotter. I’d like to visit Galicia, ride my bike there, cruise the coast, but only a visit.

In my opinion France is a cyclist’s paradise, everywhere, but I only know a small part of it. The Alps are a huge attraction for avid cyclists but keep in mind that living in the Alps means that inevitably the vast majority of your riding is going to be going up and coming back down. I know that well, too well actually any more given my age. For places to live near or in the Alps, the biggest obvious call is the Lake Annecy and Lake Bourget region. A ton of riding, the high Alps nearby, the Med only 3-4 hours away, Switzerland a hop away, Italy a longer hop away, or several hops. Expensive, especially around Annecy. Gap could be interesting, a mild climate, more next to than in the Alps, a ton of riding nearby, Italy nearby too, 3 hours max to the Med.

South France is always interesting but the coast is crowded and expensive. Winters are great, most of the time. Provence away from the coast is pretty amazing, wonderful villages, landscapes constantly changing, and riding as good as any you’ll ever find. Bit expensive there though. The area I really like (we’ll probably sell our house here in a few years and move a little south where winters will be less work) is the region around Nyons - Vaison la Romain. Vineyards, small roads, hills, and of course Mont Ventoux right there. Not far from the Alps but too far for driving up, riding, driving back. That region is also somewhat out of the wind corridor of the Rhone river. Those winds are infamous, they make people go mad.

North of Lyon is also great for riding, good on the eyes too, rolling hills, vineyards, fields, villages. Can be windy though. Southwest France is famous for cycling and apparently gorgeous and, depending on where, friggin cheap. The Pyrenees are nearby for hard climbs, the ocean not too far away. A forum member bought a house there and loves the region. I’ve never been there but would like to go one day. They do get some wild weather from time to time.

I’d love to live in Italy, but never will. The infrastructure system in France is way better, especially for the health. The region I love is the Piedmont. Tucked up against the Alps, hills, vineyards, farms, orchards, small roads everywhere, and great food, but that’s Italy, everywhere. Tuscany is the first name that leaps to mind for so many when the subject of Italy comes up. Gorgeous, great riding, excellent climate, also seriously popular, a major tourist attraction, also expensive. As I recall, there’s a forum member, or there was a forum member, I think he was swedish or something, had/has a place in Tuscany that is so far over the top that it’s beyond even dream belief. I’ve only seen some pics of it but that was the most beautiful home I think I’ve ever seen. The setting, everything. Classic Tuscany property.

Switzerland is beautiful, great riding, super roads, a joy to the eyes in every respect, also expensive of course, and winters are definitely winters.

Not much else I can add other than after living here for 27 years, I can’t imagine ever living stateside again. I can’t think of anything that would make me move back. I like living in Europe, the lifestyle, the stunning diversity of landscapes, architecture, people, lifestyles.

Good luck in your search, And remember, for the price of a house you can make a lot of trips to Europe in maximum luxury and not even come close to the same level of investment a house requires, along with the necessary car, someone to take care of the garden when you’re not there, and the house in general which could be wise. Forget renting it when you’re not there. You’d have to have someone handle that for you and I suspect that in the end the income from it wouldn’t amount to much against the hassle factor.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. France and Italy in general are better for cycling than Germany but I have more in common with the culture in Germany I think ultimately I would be more comfortable having my permanent base there. I hear you when you state I can't imagine living in the states again. I think what I would miss are bottomless non-alcoholic drinks in restaurants in the USA you can drink as much as you want. In Europe they charge by the mL. Goods like electronics are cheaper in USA as we don 't have a 20% EVA tax. The cultural opportunities and lifestyle are better everywhere in Europe.