Somewhere between Paris and Venice

[rec head]

My wife has a conference in Pisa coming up so we are making a vacation out it. I will be leaving before her and starting my journey on Oct.5 in Paris where I will be staying with a friend for the weekend. I need to meet my wife on Oct 14 in Venice. If I stay in Paris for the weekend and leave on Monday that gives me most of a week to go ride my bike somewhere. I'll be on my own so I'd like to go somewhere that I can ride 2-6 hours during the day and then be able to explore and eat. I'm pretty simple and would rather stroll somewhere scenic stopping at bakeries than go to a museum.

Option 1 is to go to Bagnols-en-Foret in southern France where another friend lives. I was there last year and the riding is fantastic but there is nothing else going on where she lives. I don't know how to say "boonies" in French but that is where she is. Her and her family are great but they will mostly be working or at school.

Option 2 is to go anywhere kind of in between Paris and Venice. I have never been to Switzerland or Italy.



A few points:
Once in Europe I'd prefer to take the train. The airlines really hate my S&S bike and brake something each time I fly now.

I have been to Paris many times over the years to see friends. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything by not staying longer. My buddy will have to work and his kids will be at school and staying at their mom's after the weekend. But he actually lives in Argenteuil now and if someone says that there is awesome riding right there then I'd stay for the week.

I'm not interested in going to southern Italy on this trip. We will be going to Rome next year for a couple weeks. (Having family in the foreign service makes for great traveling.) When my wife gets to Italy we will have a couple days in Venice, Florence and Pisa. I will have 2 days in Pisa while she is at the conference to ride.

The riding I'm looking for will be anything from smooth road to rowdy gravel/non-DH singletrack. Since it is all new to me I don't mind riding basically the same route everyday if it is magical.


We made a last minute decision to go on this trip and I need to make a decision fairly soon. All input is welcome. If nothing else typing this all out helped organize things in my mind.

Thanks

[Too Tall]

PM me, I'll share about 25 routes from S.France starting near Moustiers, Fr. which is also the location of Gorges du Verdon. There are abundant VBRO or AirBnb there and you'll hit the best riding weather AND the Fr. are home from vacation.

If you want a magical ride, I got one for you from the Town of Sisteron. The ride is only 51 miles with a 15 miles lead into the climb up Col Du Faye but maaaan once you finish that climb it is a to-die-for scenic hayride downhill for 25 miles!!!!

Also, if you so choose I've got an epic 180 miles or so of gravel riding that I have not personally explored.

FWIIW We were there on 35c tyres and that was not quite the right stuff for baby fist smooth rocks. I'd go back with 40s and be a real happy boy. You can do it on 32s but it's just not relaxing, dig?

[j44ke]

Boy I sure like the Lucca area. I'd be sorely tempted to get a rental in Bagni di Lucca and camp out there and wait for the conference to end in Pisa, if that's how the schedule works. You'd be right on a Giro stage route (Abetone) with plenty of other riding in all directions. I haven't explored the gravel just because I've never been there with a bike of my own, but the hills are filled with the Italian equivalent of fire roads. Small town cafes and nice restaurants plus weekly/daily markets in town and neighboring towns. Might be a bit chilly in the mountains (Apennines and Apuanes) but you can ride from there to Carrara on the beach. There is even the famous descent from Cippolini's "Bond" advert. Lots of climbing. Beautiful towns. And then there is Lucca itself which is a gem.

[robin3mj]

I have not been to the area you mentioned where your friend is but if you like spending time with them I'm sure it would more than fit the bill.

My first thought was take a train south towards Toulouse and pick an area. By hopping off the train in Brive, you'd be in the Dordogne region with a nice national park in the vicinity. You'd have quiet roads with lots of short punchy climbs but nothing like the Alps/Pyrenees. Rocamadour (old cliffside village) is stunning, as is the village of Autoire.

[bigbill]

Have you considered Slovenia? Koper is just across the border from Trieste, a very short distance from Venice. They have a wonderful train system and the capital, Lubljana is beautiful with tons of cycling opportunities.

[rec head]

Thanks for responding so quickly. In no particular order.

I bet Slovenia in great but I'd prefer something more on the way. Two medium train rides instead of a long and short. But you have me thinking about it.

If I go to southern France it will be straight to Bagnols-en-Foret from Paris. I know some routes and have been clued in on some others. Staying at my friend's place also will let me get my Strava local legend back from that bum Absalon. Not to mention its free and the company is excellent.

Researching the Lucca area now.

My travel bike tire is 40mm minimum. I think I have 42s on it now but depending on what I decide I can get even bigger in front. If I go to Bagnols I'll probably put that bigger one on. The 'gravel' I was riding out there last time was sharp stuff. Some of the areas were me and dudes on eMTBs. Super fun.

Any good riding around Geneva?

[vertical_doug]

I'd think Paris Gare De Lyon by TGV to Annecy. I think you will like to ride around the area plus you can rent a car and drive to Chamonix for a day or day trip train to Geneva. I think it will be a fun week.

From Annecy to Venice, I think I'd train to Geneva and fly to Venice myself. But you can train it via Milan.

So if I was planning, first few days in Annecy. Next day rent a car, hit Chamonix. finally train it to Geneva and spend a couple days there. Then fly to Venice.
Switzerland is still mind boggling expensive just not quite as bad as it was. France feels relatively cheap with dollar so strong,

[echelon_john]

Just spent a couple of weeks in the Dolomites and have never seen so many e-MTBs. I was e-skeptical before but am definitely e-curious now. We stayed at an amazing hotel with virtually unlimited riding in the area. Www.moseralm.com. Truly lovely. We just hiked, but I imagine you could easily entertain yourself on a bike there.

[rec head]

Old riding buddy ghosted me. Tickets booked to Lausanne. Direct train from Paris and then flying from GVA to VCE. While waiting for responses from the ghost I missed out on the Saturday direct flight to Venice. It sucks but now I'll be there a night earlier than my wife and we can meet up right away.

Lausanne gravel routes. Watcha got?

Now I have to find a place to stay. I'm tempted to be cheap and get an airBNB room in a shared space.

[sk_tle]

Old riding buddy ghosted me. Tickets booked to Lausanne. Direct train from Paris and then flying from GVA to VCE. While waiting for responses from the ghost I missed out on the Saturday direct flight to Venice. It sucks but now I'll be there a night earlier than my wife and we can meet up right away.

Lausanne gravel routes. Watcha got?

Now I have to find a place to stay. I'm tempted to be cheap and get an airBNB room in a shared space.

There aren't many gravel routes around Lausanne tbh but you can find some dirt roads in the Chalet a Gobet / Mont Pelerin area, as well as some dirt path in the direction of Yverdon. But there is some great road riding to be done starting from Lausanne. For example you can climb the col du Marchairuz, ride in the Vallée de joux area, then climb the Mollendruz to go back to Lausanne. Other idea, from Lausanne going to Chexbres through the vineyards of the riviera, then Forel, Oron-la-Ville, Châtel Saint Denis, you can climb to Les Paccots then descend back on the riviera via Blonay, Vevey. The period should be perfect with the changing colors of the leaves in the vineyards, it is kind of the perfect time to be in Switzerland.

Or you can easily take the bike in a train to different areas in Switzerland and go riding in different places. One glorious ride if the mountain passes are still open is to go by train to Ulrichen, then climb the Nufenenpass to Italy, then climb back to Switzerland via the Gothard using the old cobbled Tremola pass road then the Furka. And if you didn't have enough after the Furka you can climb the Grimselpass as well. Pretty much this ride but starting from Nufenen instead:
https://switchback.alpsinsight.com/c...thard-tremola/

There are also one magical place you can visit by bicycle from the city of Sion, (1h from Lausanne by train) which is called Derborence. Sadly it is a one way road so you climb there and you have to go back. But then after Derborence you can head up to Col du Sanetsch which starts very close. It is also a one way road but at the top there is a cable car you can take to go down to Gsteig by Gstaad. In a way it is kind of a shortcut across the mountain to go down to Lausanne. Then from Gsteid by Gstaad you can either head north to Gstaad, Saanen, Zweisimmen area and go back to Lausanne by train, or you can ride back to Lausanne by the Col du Pillon (it is quite easy), Aigle, Montreux.

Many mountain passes close only in the second part of october but you can hit this page to know the status of the different swiss alpine passes:
https://www.tcs.ch/fr/tools/inforout...-en-suisse.php

[j44ke]

There aren't many gravel routes around Lausanne tbh but you can find some dirt roads in the Chalet a Gobet / Mont Pelerin area, as well as some dirt path in the direction of Yverdon. But there is some great road riding to be done starting from Lausanne. For example you can climb the col du Marchairuz, ride in the Vallée de joux area, then climb the Mollendruz to go back to Lausanne. Other idea, from Lausanne going to Chexbres through the vineyards of the riviera, then Forel, Oron-la-Ville, Châtel Saint Denis, you can climb to Les Paccots then descend back on the riviera via Blonay, Vevey. The period should be perfect with the changing colors of the leaves in the vineyards, it is kind of the perfect time to be in Switzerland.

Or you can easily take the bike in a train to different areas in Switzerland and go riding in different places. One glorious ride if the mountain passes are still open is to go by train to Ulrichen, then climb the Nufenenpass to Italy, then climb back to Switzerland via the Gothard using the old cobbled Tremola pass road then the Furka. And if you didn't have enough after the Furka you can climb the Grimselpass as well. Pretty much this ride but starting from Nufenen instead:
https://switchback.alpsinsight.com/c...thard-tremola/

There are also one magical place you can visit by bicycle from the city of Sion, (1h from Lausanne by train) which is called Derborence. Sadly it is a one way road so you climb there and you have to go back. But then after Derborence you can head up to Col du Sanetsch which starts very close. It is also a one way road but at the top there is a cable car you can take to go down to Gsteig by Gstaad. In a way it is kind of a shortcut across the mountain to go down to Lausanne. Then from Gsteid by Gstaad you can either head north to Gstaad, Saanen, Zweisimmen area and go back to Lausanne by train, or you can ride back to Lausanne by the Col du Pillon (it is quite easy), Aigle, Montreux.

Many mountain passes close only in the second part of october but you can hit this page to know the status of the different swiss alpine passes:
https://www.tcs.ch/fr/tools/inforout...-en-suisse.php

Okay, let's all go to Switzerland.

[rec head]

Lausanne was great. Thanks for all the help. I found some great routes on Strava. The biggest problem was following the routes when I got into singletrack. The Wahoo's compass is just too slow when there are back to back turns and Y's in the path. When I chose gravel routes they were mostly road rides through the beautiful back country then would randomly throw in some techie singletrack. Overall those techie routes were fun but would have been more fun with others. The weather was perfect and it was some of the best back to back riding days I've ever had.

I got to ride 2 days in Pisa while my wife was at her conference. The first day had crappy weather and predicted rain. I chose a route based on it looking easy to navigate right out my door. I wouldn't go so far as to say it sucked but it was a really lame route. Not what I pictured riding in Italy to be. So that afternoon I headed to the LBS and they set me straight. The next ride was more like it, even with the same weather.