Getting home (Plymouth) from Genoa or the Alps (Geneva)

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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GoLiteGuru
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Joined: 27 Jul 2014, 11:47am

Getting home (Plymouth) from Genoa or the Alps (Geneva)

Post by GoLiteGuru »

I've been asked to road-trip with a couple of friends on 15 Aug. From the UK, we're using the channel tunnel to get to Europe and driving straight to Barcelona, before using the 10 days to go to Genoa (roughly) and then home via the alps.
My companions are fully fledged capitalists, with minimal holiday time and high pressure jobs. I thought this sounded crazy for a 10-day holiday? Road-trip or not, and them being "driven" individuals aside. I don't use cars for my everyday life, instead depending on a bicycle, which has been first choice all my life. So the prospect of this "holiday" is a making me anxious. Especially keeping up with their spending (I'm frugal/greenie).
I was going to off-set by taking my bike and break from them somewhere on the ride home. I have until end Sep before UK commitments, so wanted to use a couple/few more weeks to ride instead. Not sure if this will even be appreciated/considered by the other two (me jumping ship), but if they are planning to drive back via the alps (Geneva), can anyone recommend a general route for me? The road-trip route is open/flexible.

I grew up and live cycling in Devon/Cornwall; 100+ mile days are not a problem. As said, I'll have until end Sep (starting rough 25th Aug).

I've never cycled this region before - only a few Brittany tours. Rode Southern Tier of USA and 3000 miles of New Zealand in the past. I was planning to hostel/use cycle hospitality to make use of the carbon racer, instead of tourer with panniers.

Any suggestions/ideas welcome; Cheers

Dan
nirakaro
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Joined: 22 Dec 2007, 2:01am

Re: Getting home (Plymouth) from Genoa or the Alps (Geneva)

Post by nirakaro »

Depends where you want to jump ship. If you like hills, you could try the Route des Grandes Alpes, which goes from the Med up to Lake Geneva, taking in a dozen or so passes. You could bale out of it at the Lautaret, and head down to Grenoble (where there’s a TGV to Paris that takes bikes). You could head down from there to Lyon, then somewhere around Macon cross over to go down the Loire valley, turn right somewhere around Orleans and head up to the Channel. Ferry home from le Havre, or Ouistreham, or Dieppe? The possibilities are endless…
GoLiteGuru
Posts: 9
Joined: 27 Jul 2014, 11:47am

Re: Getting home (Plymouth) from Genoa or the Alps (Geneva)

Post by GoLiteGuru »

Great info/ideas, thanks. loved hills ever since NZ. Became content to go slow and enjoy the surroundings. Like the dozen passes idea (with bailout options). Could drive some of them with the lads and cycle others.

Ferry home is flexible. As you say -- possibilities endless -- sometimes you need a goal or someone to visit to give a tour a bit more structure.
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MrsHJ
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Joined: 19 Aug 2010, 1:03pm
Location: Dartmouth, Devon.

Re: Getting home (Plymouth) from Genoa or the Alps (Geneva)

Post by MrsHJ »

GoLiteGuru wrote:Great info/ideas, thanks. loved hills ever since NZ. Became content to go slow and enjoy the surroundings. Like the dozen passes idea (with bailout options). Could drive some of them with the lads and cycle others.

Ferry home is flexible. As you say -- possibilities endless -- sometimes you need a goal or someone to visit to give a tour a bit more structure.


Isn't there a river route home? ( look on the eurovelo website) but I think there are some east west routes across France that you could up hook up to. The Loire is the obvious one but I'm sure there are some other choices, just keep going until you hit Roscoff. Sometimes though I just draw a straight line on the map and then figure out an interesting route around that.

You could head to the south west, over the Pyrenees and back from Santander if that works time and distance wise. There is some amazing scenery if you take that route, look at options through the Massif Central, Cevennes, mont Ventoux, drome, and then the choice of Pyrenean climbs and then say the national park de ordesa into Spain.

Tbh if you are doing 100m days Europe is your oyster if you have a month.
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