Florence

The Castle Route, Romantic Route, the Alps, Renaissance culture, more Alps, forests and endless wheatfields

July 2020, Coronavirus keeping the crowds down.

France, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy, France again, Italy again, Switzerland, France yet again and home.

Under the Chunnel, down through Europe to Heidelburg. Then across to Rosenthal, before turning South to Fussen. Across the Alps to Verona and on to Florence. Then across the North Italy plain to Savona, back into mountains and through to the Vosges and up through France.

How much fun ? More than a bag stuffed full of funny things.

Available on Amazon if you really want to hear more

150 pages of pulsating adventure across Europe, with some rain and quite a lot of waxing lyrical about twisty roads and mountains, with 50 colour photos. Unless you buy the monochrome version where the pictures are in Black & White. Same purple prose but a fair bit cheaper

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Calais to Nouvions en Thierache

It was a wet start but a joy emerging from the Chunnel in sunshine. A leisurely meander through the French countryside and Parc Naturel de l'Avenois to Nouvion-en-Thierache. Glad to find the lakeside camp. And what else for a late supper than that classic of French cuisine, un kebab.

Nouvions en Thierache to Heidelberg

About an hour before the weather turned slippery, so across France to Longwys and then a bit of Kraftwerk Autobahn to Kaiserslautern. What do you know ? There really is a place called Frankenstein, looked lovely. Can't go to Germany without a BeerKellar in t'olde town.

Heidelberg to Bettwar

A bit apprehensive about treading a tourist route, but the Burgstrasse from Heidelberg to Heilbronn along the Neckar is actually as amazing as described. Don't miss the cafe below the castle at Zwingenburg. Off the river and cross country to Rothenburg just as lovely, bends designed with bikes in mind. Rothenburg looks like the ChildCatcher should be roaming the streets.

Bettwar to Prutz

Can't say the same for the Romancestrasse, except in places. The Altmuhlstrasse was way more enjoyable; fossils, facemasks and forests. Then more castles and the Alps.

Prutz to Verona

It's Sunday and Austria and 6am. Cue the church bells. But what a day, over the Alps, past mountain lakes and over the Stelvio, Gavia and Ballino Passes. It's Sunday, Lake Garda and 6pm. Cue the traffic jam returning to Verona. Thank goodness for filtering.

Verona to Florence

Looked like an average day, albeit biking through Italy. But SS12 is an unexpected masterpiece. Flat wide curves to Bologna with occasional giant roadside sculptures, and becomes heartbreakingly beautiful switchbacks and forest lined valleys over the Dolomites to La Lima. Then it turns into Routa 66 into Pistoia through a string of villages. Just resurfaced, just perfect.

Florence to Savona

Can't leave Florence without popping in to see David, but got a date with a tower before it falls. Then along the coast to La Spezia and up the Cinque Terre coast roads to the beach at Savona. Don't mention Genova.

Savona to Montchavin

A very pleasant run to reach Cuneo, possibly the most beautiful town in Italy, according to our friend back at home who coincidentally lives here. It is pretty georgeous. Skirting thunderstorms at Turin, and up into the Alps again, over Col Mont Cenis and then Col D'Iseran. Sheer ? It's vertiginous. Dramatic rainstorm on the road down from Val D'Isere but only a few miles to Montchavin, wine and a hot shower.

Montchavin to Bussang

Multiple countries today, plus Col de Petit St Bernard, the Mont Blanc tunnel and clear across Switzerland in 2 hours to reach the Vosges. Well worth the motorway vignette to get back into the hills, and a great biking hotel at the source of the Moselle.

Bussang to Feullieres

Once we were out of the Vosges hills and forests, it was mile after mile of dead straight road through flat wheatfields. How much bread does a country need ? Amazing, but watch the fuel gauge. Passed through Joan of Arc's birthplace by chance on the way to the Somme. Cemeteries and memorials abound.

Feullieres to Calais

The campsite by the Somme was super, took a bit of a detour through northern France and then hit the Chunnel more or less on time. Back in the UK, rain all the way home. Next time out, I'm getting the whitewall tyres.