I need some advice or opinions on what you would do if you were in my situation.
I am going to be working in Europe for a month starting in mid April.
I will be done with work in Rome and need to catch my flight home out of Paris 11 to 15 days later.
I would like to try to ride into Paris.
My options, as I see them are as follows:
1. leave from Rome and ride north to Genoa along the Mediterranean coast. head due north from Genoa, go through Geneva, cross over the alps and keep going until I get to Paris. This is roughly 850 miles.
2. take option one but instead of heading due north at Genoa and going through the alps, follow the coast line until I get to Nice and then go due north. While this route will still be hilly it will not include the mountain passes that will be unavoidable in Geneva. This increases the mileage to about 1040 miles.
3. Take a ferry from Rome to Corsica - ride across Corsica - take a ferry to Marseilles and drive north to Paris - about 530 miles.
The issue that I am running into that is causing a bit of concern is that, while I read everywhere that Europe is "more bicycle friendly than the States", the roads that run along the coast look like highways with trucks traveling 90 kph with no shoulder. Riding in America might be less bike friendly but at least there are companies like adventure cycling that provide detailed maps on how to get where on back roads.
As for my touring experience it's relatively good. I toured across America from Virginia to San Fransisco and again from Montana to Kansas City, Missouri on the Lewis and Clarke trail. What is different about this trip too is that I am not going to be camping. I am going to be going from hotel to hotel so that will save time.
Does anyone have any experience riding in any of these places? Know of any resources that can point me in the right direction in terms of roads, amenities, services, and mileage between these points? Know anything about the roads.
Or ANY other advice??
I will be riding in the beginning to mid May.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
d
I am going to be working in Europe for a month starting in mid April.
I will be done with work in Rome and need to catch my flight home out of Paris 11 to 15 days later.
I would like to try to ride into Paris.
My options, as I see them are as follows:
1. leave from Rome and ride north to Genoa along the Mediterranean coast. head due north from Genoa, go through Geneva, cross over the alps and keep going until I get to Paris. This is roughly 850 miles.
2. take option one but instead of heading due north at Genoa and going through the alps, follow the coast line until I get to Nice and then go due north. While this route will still be hilly it will not include the mountain passes that will be unavoidable in Geneva. This increases the mileage to about 1040 miles.
3. Take a ferry from Rome to Corsica - ride across Corsica - take a ferry to Marseilles and drive north to Paris - about 530 miles.
The issue that I am running into that is causing a bit of concern is that, while I read everywhere that Europe is "more bicycle friendly than the States", the roads that run along the coast look like highways with trucks traveling 90 kph with no shoulder. Riding in America might be less bike friendly but at least there are companies like adventure cycling that provide detailed maps on how to get where on back roads.
As for my touring experience it's relatively good. I toured across America from Virginia to San Fransisco and again from Montana to Kansas City, Missouri on the Lewis and Clarke trail. What is different about this trip too is that I am not going to be camping. I am going to be going from hotel to hotel so that will save time.
Does anyone have any experience riding in any of these places? Know of any resources that can point me in the right direction in terms of roads, amenities, services, and mileage between these points? Know anything about the roads.
Or ANY other advice??
I will be riding in the beginning to mid May.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
d
