french alps motorcycle tour

Top 10 Motorcycle Routes through the Alps

By Simon Weir

Author of the best-selling Bikers’ Britain series, former Bike staffer and RiDE editor, rode to Australia in 2019 on a Kawasaki Z1000SX, now runs a touring website at www.simonweir.co.uk

Table of Contents

The route des grandes alpes, vrsic pass loop, slovenia, timmelsjoch loop, austria & italy, the st bernards loop, france, switzerland & italy, col de la machine, france, sella ronda, italy, the five passes, switzerland, stelvio pass, italy, grossglockner loop, austria, la bonette loop.

Share on social media:

Above: Col de Vars in the French Alps on a sunny day  (Picture credit: Mark Manning/Bauer)

There’s nowhere on earth quite like the Alps. They’re motorcycle-touring heaven and once you discover them, it’s easy to get hooked. I’ve been visiting them obsessively for more than 20 years.

The Alps cover a massive area, curving round from Slovenia and Austria in the east to the Mediterranean coast on the French/Italian border. There’s so much to see and different areas have different characters, not least because exploring the Alps means exploring half a dozen countries.

What makes riding here so great is that there’s something for everyone. There are narrow roads, broad ones, even unpaved ones if you know where to look. There are towering peaks and shady gorges, relaxed runs down scenic valleys and steep climbs beside dizzying drops. Whatever you need in terms of riding and scenery is here. 

Here are my ten top rides in the Alps, based around the key passes everyone should ride.

Above: Col du Galbier is one of France’s highest passes (Picture: Mark Manning/Bauer)

Where does it start? Thonon les Bains, France Where does it end? Menton, France How long is it? 435 miles

Why is it great?  If you want discover the Alps, there’s no better place to start than in France – and the natural place to begin is the Route des Grandes Alpes. It was created to attract tourists to the mountains, showing off their natural beauty. It works. It strings together a succession of spectacularly scenic and rewarding passes – including the highest actual pass in the Alps, the 2770m Col de l’Iseran.

What do I need to know?  This route takes two and a half to three days to ride. Timing is key with all Alpine rides. Many of the highest passes on the Route des Grandes Alpes – Col du Galibier and Col de l’Iseran – are likely to be shut until early or even mid-June.

Anything else? Check the Tour de France schedule in July and make sure you’re not there within a week either side of it. The Alps get busy in August, especially the Route des Grandes Alpes. The best month to ride this route is September.

Above: Slovenia’s Vrsic Pass is awesome… but watch out for those cobbled hairpins (Picture: Mihar Rekar/Unsplash)

Where does it start?  Bled, Slovenia Where does it end?  Bled, Slovenia How long is it? 120 miles

Why is it great?  Slovenia still feels slightly undiscovered, though the lakeside town of Bled is a bit of a hip tourist magnet. This 120-mile route loops out into the mountains to climb the 1611m Vrsic Pass – the highest pass in the country. It’s quiet, beautiful and a fantastic ride.

What do I need to know?  The surface can be questionable: from fabulous fresh tarmac for most of the route, the pass itself sees a blend of immaculate asphalt, cobbles – including on a good number of the hairpins – and one or two rougher patches. Exercise a bit of restraint – especially on the cobbles if it’s wet.

Anything else? These mountains were fiercely fought over in World War One. One of the must-see sights on the Vrsic pass is the Russian Chapel, built by the soldiers who fought on these slopes.

Above: Don’t miss Europe’s highest road on the way to Timmelsjoch (Picture: Mark Manning/Bauer)

Where does it start?  Resia, Italy Where does it end?  Resia, Italy How long is it? 185 miles

Why is it great ? Timmelsjoch is an amazing pass: great surface, bends and nicely quiet, as larger vehicles are banned from using it. This loop has an added bonus: a detour to the Otztal Glacier road (as seen in the aeroplane chase in the Bond film Spectre ) which is a dead end, but at 2830m is the highest paved road in Europe.

What do I need to know?  Both Timmelsjoch and Otztal have tolls – as does the Austrian motorway (which this route avoids: if the sat nav wants to get on it, don’t…) Austria has a 95dB noise limit for bike exhausts.

Anything else? The eagle-eyed will have spotted that when the Austrians built a "Europe’s highest road" arch on a parking area, they put on – with touching honesty – a placard displaying its actual height… which is lower than several other famous roads (see Route One). The actual highest bit is at the end of a tunnel on a spur road, where it’d be dangerous to have tourists stopping for pictures. Don’t worry: the route does go there.

Above: Don’t bother heading to the high alps before June… Even then, there can be snow walls on the Grand St Bernard and other passes (Picture: Mauro Paillex/Unsplash)

Where does it start?  Bourg St Maurice, France Where does it end?  Bourg St Maurice, France How long is it? 200 miles

Why is it great?  This is one of the great, well-known Alpine routes – famous because the roads are awesome, the scenery is stunning and it hops through three countries using both the Grand St Bernard Pass and the Petit St Bernard Pass.

What do I need to know?  While the St Bernards aren’t on France’s Route des Grandes Alpes, the stretch from Bourg St Maurice to Flumet (over the stunning Cormet Roselend) is – but this route uses it in the opposite direction to Route 10. Why not do both?

Anything else? Just take care going into Switzerland: the route doesn’t go on any motorway (which requires an expensive vignette toll sticker). If the sat nav wants to get on one, you’ve missed a turn…

Above: Discover the balcony roads of the Vercors (Picture: Mark Manning/Bauer)

Where does it start?  St Nazaire en Royans, France Where does it end?  St Nazaire en Royans, France How long is it? 205 miles

Why is it great?  The Vercors is one of the quietest corners of the French Alps. Towering peaks and sheer gorges are crossed by balcony roads – sheer rock on one side and a huge drop on the other. The most famous of these is Col de la Machine, but our route takes in several more.

What do I need to know?  As this route skirts the edge of Grenoble, you’ll need a Crit Air sticker for the bike. To be on the safe side allow six weeks to order one

Anything else? As well as the balcony roads, this route uses a little bit of Route Napoleon before heading into the quite hills over Col de Menee and the hairpin-heavy Col du Rousset, which is like a laid-back Stelvio.

Above: The Dolomites might be Europe’s most beautiful mountains. This is Passo Sella (Picture: Mark Manning/Bauer)

Where does it start?  Corvara in Badia, Italy Where does it end?  Corvara in Badia, Italy How long is it? 140 miles

Why is it great?  The Dolomites just might be the most beautiful part of the Alps, all towering grey peaks above lush green slopes. They’re well dotted with cafes and villages and criss-crossed by amazing roads. One of the most famous routes is the Sella Ronda – the four passes surrounding a particularly eye-catching set of mountains .

What do I need to know?  The four key passes as Gardena, Campolongo, Sella and Pordoi (the highest in the Dolomites, with the most hairpins). This route extends to take in Falzarego, di Giau (my tip for the most beautiful of all), Fedaia in the shadow of the Marmolada, the highest mountain in the range, and San Pelegrino.

Anything else? The Dolomites are crazy busy in high summer. Best to go in mid-September or even early October. They’re hot on speeding in villages, with plenty of speed cameras.

Above: The Tremola (Old St Gotthard Pass) taken from the modern Highway 2. What you can’t see from here is that it’s cobbled…  (Picture: Simon Weir)

Where does it start?  Andermatt, Switzerland Where does it end?  Andermatt, Switzerland How long is it? 135 miles

Why is it great?  There isn’t an average mile on this well-established and popular route. Every inch of it is outstanding – with amazing views, sublime roads with excellent surfaces (ahem, see below) and wonderful coffee-and-cake stops. It can be incorporated into longer touring routes or treated as a relaxed day in its own right.

What do I need to know?  There are three options for the St Gotthard Pass: the motorway tunnel is out (boring!); Swiss Highway 2 is swooping, half carved into the cliff in a gallery (alright if it’s raining); but the old pass, the Tremola, is the one to ride (it’s the one in the pic). The only catch is it’s cobbled from top to bottom. It’s easier as a climb and in the wet, you might want to take Highway 2…

Anything else? The central bar of this figure-eight route is Furka Pass, which famously appeared in the Bond film Goldfinger . Running the passes in this sequence means you get to ride it once in each direction.

Above: Stelvio Pass divides opinions, but you have to experience it  (Picture: Mark Manning/Bauer)

Where does it start?  Resia, Italy Where does it end?  Resia, Italy How long is it? 185 miles

Why is it great?  Stelvio Pass is one of the greats. It’s Italy’s highest, with 48 hairpins on either side of the mountain. It is a long and demanding pass to ride, but getting a smooth run though the sequences is of hairpins is sweet. Even if you’re cruising, it’s a fabulously scenic pass – just a spectacular place to visit.

What do I need to know?  It’s a popular, busy pass. Try to avoid riding it at the weekend – and getting there before 10am is definitely recommended. This route lets you do that, then moves on into Switzerland for more great riding.

Anything else? When the old Top Gear tried to drive supercars over Stelvio, they couldn’t cope with it and preferred the Fluella Pass… also on this route. Some riders still agree with Clarkson and don’t get on with Stelvio, but I love it. This route is set up so you can ride this on one day and the Timmelsjoch route (No8) the next.

Above: The Grossglockner was built for riding. Don’t let the toll put you off (Picture: Mark Manning/Bauer)

Where does it start?  Zell am See, Austria Where does it end?  Zell am See, Austria How long is it? 230 miles

Why is it great?  The Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse – the Grossglockner high alpine road – was built to be great to drive (the day after it opened in 1935, it was used for a race). It flows sympathetically, is immaculately maintained, has great stops for coffee and it’s beautiful. Weeble, my trusted photographer, described it as the most spectacular of all the passes I’d dragged him round… Just watch out for the cobbles on the way up to Edelweiss-spitze, the Bikers’ Point.

What do I need to know?  It’s an expensive toll, but you can enter and leave as necessary. It gets busy in the middle of the day, so if you want a quiet run, get there before 10am or after 4pm. This route is designed to let you ride it twice, in the quieter periods.

Anything else? This route heads down to Italy, crossing the scenic Nassfeld Pass and returning over the steep, hairpins-in-tunnels Monte Croce Carnico passes. Also remember: Austria has a 95dB noise limit on bike exhausts: no loud cans…

Above: Col de la Bonette – but every mile on this route is as exciting as this (Picture: Mark Manning/Bauer)

Where does it start?  Castellane, France Where does it end?  Castellane, France How long is it? 210 miles

Why is it great?  This route has everything that’s great about riding in the Alps: famous passes, spectacular gorges, flowing valley roads and amazing scenery from start to finish.

What do I need to know?  The focus of the route is the 2715m Col de la Bonette and the loop around the peak, the Cime de la Bonette, which – at 2802m – is France’s highest paved road and the loftiest non-dead-end road in Europe.

Anything else? It also includes the quiet, often-overlooked Col d’Alos, the spectacular Gorges du Cian and Daluis, plus the amazing N202 and (for my money) the best stretch of Route Napoleon. It’s a perfect day in the mountains.

You might also be interested in...

Top Ten Motorcycle Routes in Scotland

Top ten best motorcycle roads in Ireland | Free maps

Top ten motorcycle riding routes in the UK

• French Alps NORTH

French Alps NORTH - Annecy

The impressive mountain range the Alps stretches across the countries of Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland and even a bit over Germany and Slovenia. One-fifth of it lies in France. Did you know it has as many as 128 peaks rising above 4,000 metres / 13.123 ft. With Annecy as our central point we’re at the Northern part of the Alps. Although we have some amazing riding to do in the 3 (!) ride we have in this tour already conquering some of the very well know Alps mountain passes, we cannot cover the whole of the French Alps form Annecy. We don’t have the SOUTH tour yet…… but as we know there is a lot of nice riding to do in that area as well it is HIGH on our list. But for now, we can share the rides of this French Alps North tour.

When you add 1 or more rides of this French Alps North tour to your account, you will get access to our information on Annecy in your account. The e-book holds a list of recommended accommodation – all with suitable parking for your bike - and in the video we show you our favourite ones so you can quickly chose your accommodation. If you want to support us to keep supporting you, we do ask you to book the accommodation via the links that we provide as an affiliate of Booking.com here and in the e-book.

French Alps NORTH ride 1

• Col de la Colombiere
• L'Observatoire

With Annecy as our central point of this tour we’re at the Northern part of the Alps and with this ride 1 we’re going even a bit more North towards Morzine, a famous traditional ski resort just South of Lac Léman, the lake of Geneva. But before we get there for a spectacular view on that lake and an amazing ride over the Route des 3 lacs we are first conquering de Col de la Colombiere. So a lot of fun in the North part of the French Alps!

French Alps NORTH ride 2

• Aix-les-Bains
• Lac d'Annecy
• Col du Marais
• Chateau de Menthon - Saint-Bernard

With this ride 2 of the French Alps North tour we will be circling around Lac d’Annecy almost in its entirety. But first we’re heading West to go to another lake: Lac du Bourget. We have a coffeestop in Aix-les-Bains at the shore of Lac du Bourget, lunchstop at the South tip of Lac d'Annecy and a nice col and view on Chateau de Menthon to top this ride off. Another very enjoyable ride in the North part of the French Alps.

French Alps NORTH ride 3

• Col des Aravis
• Lac Roselend
• Albertville

WOW, we did save the best for last in this French Alps North tour! In ride 1 we went North towards Lac Leman, in ride 2 we went West to Lac du Bourget and in this ride 3 we are going South-East to a smaller, but especially with its iconic Chapelle very pretty - lake: Lac Roselend. But what about the Col de Aravis, Col du Pré (making it one of the most difficult rides we have in our tours) and Col de la Forclaz. This ride truly dives in deep to the French Alps with some serious mountain riding. We love it!

Recommended accommodation with bike parking

Hotel le pré carré, hotel catalpa, hotel les muses, mercure annecy sud, ibis annecy – cran-gevrier, campanille annecy – cran gevrier.

You can choose to do 1, 2 or (if available) 3 rides of a tour. You can add all rides to your account for FREE.

Quazy Rides roadtrip contents

GPX/ITN files (a route, total track and tracks per part for GARMIN, TomTOM and BoomBox) of all the rides and connecting routes.

Informative videos of the central points and highlighted accommodation of our tours and of the rides.

E-books of the tours, including recommended accommodation, and the rides.

Several checklists to prepare your motorcycle holiday.

”How to” video

Different “How to” videos to help you on your way.

• Guided tours
• Self-guided tours
• Motorcycle rental
• AMT 20 years

• Motorcycles
• Tour impressions
• Useful information
• Destinations
• VIP & Super VIP insurance
• Motorcycle Gear Rental
• Tour galleries

Testimonials

• Accomodation & Food
• How to get here
• Payment Methods
• General Terms & Conditions
• Trip Cancellation Insurance
• Privacy policy
• Adriatic Moto Tours in Media
• Our worldwide partners

Alps Deluxe & French Riviera

An amazing ride over the crest of the Alps through Italy, Switzerland, Austria and France with a few days to relax on the gold coast of the French Riviera.

• Next tour date Jun 14 - 28, 2025 sold out
• Other tour dates Jun 28 - Jul 12, 2025 SOLD OUT

This is a tour for those particularly adventurous and proficient riders. We leave Milan to cruise the crest of the Alps through Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and France, searching out the many lofty passes that twist over the alpine heights. From the shadow of Mont Blanc, we descend through Provencal villages to the gold coast of southern France before again racing from the sea for the high mountain aeries.

The ride is much more than leaning into tight curves or sweeping through glacial valleys. Each evening provides a unique and culturally varied off-motorcycle experience, whether enjoying the rustic ambience of an alpine village or embracing the high living on the French Riviera. From country to country or mountains to coast, the cultural differences are as stunning as the ever-changing landscape. This is the tour that merges rugged alpine riding and the finest of European relaxation.

Tour overview

Dates in 2025, road description, tour starts / ends, accommodation.

• Day 1 Arrival in Milano
• Day 2 Milano - Pontresina
• Day 3 Pontresina - Dolomites
• Day 4 Rest day in Dolomites
• Day 5 Dolomites - Lech
• Day 6 Lech - Grimsel Pass
• Day 7 Grimsel Pass - Chamonix
• Day 8 Rest day in Chamonix
• Day 9 Chamonix - Briancon
• Day 10 Briancon - Nice
• Day 11 Rest day in Nice
• Day 12 Nice - Aix-en-Provence
• Day 13 Aix-en-Provence - Embrun
• Day 14 Embrun - Milano
• Day 15 Flight home from Milano

Arrival in Milano

We will meet you at the Malpensa airport and take you to the hotel in the outskirts of Milan, close to the airport. Depending on your time of arrival, you'll have some time to relax and rest or do some sightseeing before the tour briefing. A short ride by the express train brings you to the center of this thriving metropolis. Duomo, the grand gothic cathedral, Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, the luxury shopping street Via Montenapoleone, best restaurants Italian cuisine has to offer all await you. At 4 PM, we'll meet for the introductory briefing and in the evening go for a welcome dinner at a classic Italian Trattoria.

Milano - Pontresina

After a short ferry ride across the lake we soon reach Lugano in Switzerland, where we start the amazing ride through the Alps. We'll be climbing mountain roads to cross the San Bernardino Pass and Splugenpass. Beautiful scenery of snowy peaks follows us all the way to St. Moritz, to finally settle in picturesque Pontresina.

Pontresina - Dolomites

Passing Livigno we ride great twisties across the challenging Stelvio Pass with its 87 switchbacks. Stelvio is the highest pass in Italy and the highest pass in the Eastern Alps. A ride towards Bolzano provides a touch of beautiful green scene, taking us to the Italian Dolomites. On the way to Arabba, where we spend the night, you can ride Sella and Gardena Pass.

Rest day in Dolomites

Exhilarating mountain roads lead in all directions. You can ride all the way to Lago di Garda or even to Venice and have a cappuccino on the Piazza San Marco. It's really all about riding as you will have a hard time finding better motorcycle roads anywhere in Europe.

Dolomites - Lech

Later on we skirt over Timmelsjoch Pass, also called the "secret passage" for not being used as much as other easier passes. You can also stop to visit the "ice cave" in Pass Museum. Dropping from the summit we head to the attractive village of Lech, nestled in a high valley, to rest in a cozy atmosphere and enjoy a fine dinner.

Lech - Grimsel Pass

Crossing Klausen Pass, snaking down from Sustenpass, we pass numerous waterfalls and climb up Grimsel Pass where we spend the night. It's a great hub from which we explore nearby attractions or ride excellent Alpine roads.

Grimsel Pass - Chamonix

Furka, Gotthard, Novena...just to name a few famous passes waiting for us in the morning! Spectacular Swiss roads hanging on mountain slopes deliver an unforgettable experience. Afterwards we decent into Valais Canton and head to Chamonix!

Rest day in Chamonix

You can experience one of the highest cable cars in the world, which takes you to the top station of the Aiguilles du Midi, the closest point you can get to Mont Blanc without climbing. Or ride up to Great St. Bernard Pass, connecting Switzerland to the Aosta Valley in Italy, also famous for St. Bernard dogs. Those with a climbing spirit can explore the Aiguille du Midi tunnel. After the day spent inhaling fresh mountain air, there's time for some typical Savoyard food and French aperitif. Santé!

Chamonix - Briancon

Massive rock, mountain pastures and snow covered landscapes envelop the view! Riding along Val d'Isere valley we arrive at the historical little French village of Briançon, entering through one of its several drawbridges. Walking along narrow cobble streets surrounded by old UNESCO-listed fortifications and old painted buildings makes it a nice conclusion to the day.

Briancon - Nice

The scenery will be changing as we ride through remote valleys and quaint Old Provencal villages. Salty sea air and pine forests are a refreshing change when we meet glowing Nice.

Rest day in Nice

Whether an art lover, a shopping addict, night clubber or just fond of a glamorous lifestyle, Nice is quite the place to enjoy it all. As a symbol of Mediterranean art of living together with its surroundings provide various opportunities for cultural discoveries, as well as dynamic adventures or total relax. Walk the promenade along the "Bay of the Angels", explore numerous museums, have ice cream in Old Nice, enjoying the amazing panorama from the Chateau. Nice is also a convenient gateway to nearby Monaco and glamorous Cannes - taking the train is best to enjoy the amazing views while riding.

Nice - Aix-en-Provence

The centre of the perfume industry since the 18th century, Grasse can awake all your senses. The route continues through the Provence, scattered with vineyards and lavender fields all the way to charming Aix-en-Provence. Staying overnight in the center of town will reveal all the hustle and bustle of the capital of the Provence.

Aix-en-Provence - Embrun

The fast scenic Route Napoléon takes us across mountains to Castellane and continues all the way to Embrun. It's all about scenery, sitting beneath the mountains of the Hautes Alpes and the northern edge of the Alpes de Haute Provence, overlooking the blue Serre-Ponçon Lake - a perfect stop for the day!

Embrun - Milano

The amazing sand-colored, eroded cliffs above the pass, known as the Casse Deserte, really look like driving through a desert! Snaking through the hilly roads gets us back to Italy, riding through Val Susa and passing the alpine village of Sestriere and Olympic Pinerolo. It's been said that no one should leave Pinerolo without sampling a slice of Galup panettone, the city's almond topped version of the national Christmas cake. We continue the ride, passing Torino to arrive in the afternoon once again in Milan.

Flight home from Milano

Depending on the time of your flight back home, you may have time to stroll downtown Milan and walk on the roof of the famous Milan cathedral, which took nearly six centuries to complete, and is the largest in the Italian state territory.

Day 1: Arrival in Milano

Day 2: Milano - Pontresina

Day 3: Pontresina - Dolomites

Day 4: Rest day in Dolomites

Day 5: Dolomites - Lech

Day 6: Lech - Grimsel Pass

Day 7: Grimsel Pass - Chamonix

Day 8: Rest day in Chamonix

Day 9: Chamonix - Briancon

Day 10: Briancon - Nice

Day 11: Rest day in Nice

Day 12: Nice - Aix-en-Provence

Day 13: Aix-en-Provence - Embrun

Day 14: Embrun - Milano

Day 15: Flight home from Milano

VIP & Super VIP Insurance

For a fixed cost of 25 EUR per day VIP Insurance lowers your security deposit for the motorcycle, while Super VIP Insurance reduces your security deposit to zero (0 EUR) and costs 40 EUR per day. VIP and Super VIP Insurances are available on all our tours and rentals of 7 days or more. Riders must have at least 2 years of riding experiences and must be at least 25 or less than 75 years old to obtain VIP or Super VIP Insurance. Riders with less than 2 years of riding experiences are responsible for full motorcycle value. See the chart below:

Alps Deluxe & French Riviera includes:

• Late model motorcycle with lockable top case plus a Third party liability insurance and Comprehensive vehicle insurance.
• Experienced guide on a motorcycle.
• Support van for luggage, souvenirs, and 1 or 2 passengers.
• 14 nights accommodation in quality, mostly 4**** hotels.
• 14 breakfasts in the hotel.
• 11 dinners, mostly in traditional local restaurants.
• Airport transfers up to 5 days prior to the tour start, on the last day of the tour and one day after the tour. 
• All maps with marked routes for the region being toured.
• Extensive tour booklet.
• GPS with all the routes uploaded.

Not included in the price:

Air ticket, dinners on rest days, most lunches, drinks, gasoline, tolls, personal spending, and tips.

Tour Cancellation Insurance:  more information  HERE.

Western Alps Adventure - the Wonderland

13. 12. 2023

Greg Drevensted, Chief Editor of Rider Magazine, joined us this past summer on our Western Alps Adventure and he called it “Wonderland”.

Our clients say

[email protected]

... or please fill our contact form

+386 30 465 555 / GMT+1h

Adriatic Moto Tours

SMTours d.o.o., Trpinčeva 37a 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija, EU

Sign up, and stay up to date on the latest AMT news:

By agreeing, you give consent to process your data for purposes of this inquiry. Your data will not be shared with third parties.  Privacy policy  /  General terms & conditions

Social media

Follow us and hear our stories, tips, rides suggestions, etc...

instagram facebook youtube

Order your free copy here:

Route des Grandes Alpes

Touring motorcycle route » France » Haute-Savoie » Chablais Geopark » Thonon-les-Bains » Route des Grandes Alpes

• Add to favorites
• Submit as 'Recommended'
• Invert route
• Change starting point
• Split route

JavaScript is required for this feature, but it is either disabled or not supported by your browser. Please enable JavaScript or upgrade your browser.

Source: Toerfietsclub de Liemers

Open this route in our app

Route information

37213 views | Public | Dutch • French

Description by the author

The famous Route des Grandes Alpes is a tourist itinerary through the French Alps between Lake Geneva and the French Riviera passing over all the high passes of the Alps within France.

The road starts at Thonon-les-Bains and climbs via Les Gets and Cluses. It then heads to Saint-Gervais and Megève, over the Col des Saisies (1,633 m). It then passes through Beaufort, Bourg-Saint-Maurice and onto Val-d'Isère. The road then crosses the Col de l'Iseran (2,770 m).

The road then passes through Modane and over the Col du Galibier (2,642 m) and then the Col du Lautaret to La Grave. The road heads to Briançon and then over the Col d'Izoard (2,361 m). The road then heads through Embrun and over the Col de Vars (2,111 m) and onto Barcelonnette, where the choice can be made to continue south over the highest pass of all, the Col de la Bonette (2,802 m)or theCol de la Cayolle (2,327 m). The original end of the Route was Nice but is now Menton, reached via the cols of Sainte-Martin (1,500 m), Turini (1,607 m) and Castillon (707 m).

Navigate to starting point

Places of interest

Routes nearby.

More routes...

Lodging nearby

More lodging...

Services nearby

More services...

Open with...

Navigate route in...

Browser Continue

Please wait, your print is being prepared.

Your print is ready to download. Have fun on the road!

Processing your request has failed. Please try again.

This route on your website

Route image

I found the route to be...

• The route is perfectly adapted to the terrain and I have not encountered any problems.
• The geometry of the route is accurate and correct.
• The route type fits the route.
• The route has a meaningful title and description.

Additional feedback:

Try this feature for free with a RouteYou Plus trial subscription.

If you already have such an account, then log in now.

Try this feature for free with a RouteYou Premium trial subscription.

• Search for a route
• My favorites
• Best rated routes
• Most popular routes
• Node routes
• Signposted routes
• Nature routes
• Cultural routes
• Partner routes
• Create a route
• Upload a route
• Record a route
• Hiking nodes
• Cycling nodes

© 2006-2024 RouteYou - www.routeyou.com

• Description
• What is included?

Let's go touring…

Ardeche and french alps guided motorcycle holiday.

Guided motorcycle-tour to France. The land of fine cuisine, fine vines and even finer biking roads.

This fantastic nine-day guided motorcycle-tour to France includes two beautiful regions, Ardeche and the French Alps. This motorcycle holiday perfectly blends Ardeche’s rugged gorges and the ever-present herbal fragrance of the warm Medetrenian climate with the dramatic vistas of snow-capped peaks and the scent of pine forests and flowery meadows of the Alps. But the best aspect of this two-destination motorcycle holiday is that it allows us to explore the authentic charms of both regions from the comfort of our base hotels. And at the same time, indulge in riding some excellent, nearly traffic-free biking routes and exhilarating mountain passes. 

Our guided motorcycle-tour to France will start and finish with relaxing transit rides across the panoramic landscapes of the Champagne Region, the lush countryside of Loire – the Valley of the Kings, and the green slopes of the Jura Mountains. And it’ll also include a more energetic spin or two over a mountain pass or two in the Vosges Mountains. 

One of the must-see-must-ride places in Ardeche is the Gorges de l’Ardeche. A scenic road with smooth tarmac that tightly hugs the canyon that tightly hugs river Ardeche is perfect for winding along, admiring and taking in the stunning views. During our optional day ride, we’ll also pass through many and stop at several charming, quaint villages with medieval architecture, narrow streets, and local markets where we can take a stroll or sample some delicious regional specialities. However, the most popular attraction is the Pont d’Arc, a natural bridge formed by the Ardeche River. So, if you fancy a bit of time off the bike, this impressive rock arch is a popular swimming spot and a great place to relax.

Annecy, the jewel of the French Alps, is our second destination on this guided motorcycle tour to France. The town is nestled in the heart of the Savoy Region on the shores of the beautiful crystal-clear Alpine Lake. With its Vieille Ville (Old Town), medieval Château d’Annecy, 16th- and 17th-century architecture, traditional restaurants, artisan bakeries, fashionable boutiques and canals trickling through town, Annecy is often referred to as the ‘Venice of the Alps’.

Starting from our base hotel, some closer and some further up the mountain, we’ll have a great choice of mountain passes to ride and places to visit. Some of these include Col de la Forclaz, Col Des Aravis, Col de la Colombière, Col de la Croix Fry, Col de la Madeleine, Col de l’Iseran, Col de Roseland, the glacier-formed Lake Cenis and the traditional Alpine village of Bonneval-sur-Arc. 

Whether you prefer a leisurely ride meandering through the picturesque countryside or more challenging mountain passes, this memorable guided motorcycle-tour to France has something for everyone.

Please study the tour itinerary below for more day-to-day information about this guided motorcycle-tour to France.

PLEASE NOTE: On rare occasions, the itinerary might slightly change depending on hotel availability.

For an alternative to the guided motorcycle-tour to France, please use this link: Italian and Swiss Lakes .

If you require a motorcycle rental for the guided motorcycle-tour to France, please get in touch with our partner, RoadTrip .

Please visit our Facebook page for up-to-date information regarding our guided motorcycle-tour to France.

Tour highlights:

When we go:, motorcycle rental:, day by day tour itinerary.

Following our morning Euro-Tunnel crossing, a relaxing ride of a combination of typically French, nearly traffic-free motorways and country roads will take us towards the Champagne Region.

We’ll ride through the lush French countryside, passing through numerous sleepy little provincial towns and villages with traditional, cobbled streets and big Norman churches in the centres. A long wine and champagne-making tradition will be evident everywhere around us.

The first hotel on our guided motorcycle-tour to France will welcome us with comfortable rooms and a traditional evening meal

The second day of the guided motorcycle-tour to France is a longish but quiet day in the saddle. 

Providing that our navigation goes as planned, it should be a nearly motorway-free ride towards our next destination in the Valley of the Kings. At a glance, there isn’t much to brag about today’s ride. However, this is precisely the beauty of touring in France. This beautiful country is one of the few biking bastions left in Europe where we can still experience empty roads and biking solitude. So we’ll be able to wiggle our way through some of the most eye-pleasing countryside, stopping as often as we wish. 

Your final destination for today is the town of Nevers. It has a lively town centre with many shops, cafés and restaurants and a relaxed rhythm of life.

The theme of the third day of our guided motorcycle tour to France is plenty of beautiful scenery and no motorways. Our journey will take us through many rustic hamlets, traditional villages, provincial market towns and two regions of outstanding beauty.

Livradois Forest Nature Park is crisscrossed with a web of green lanes, quiet country roads and smooth N-roads alternating between open countryside, conifer forests, green meadows and high-altitude moors.

We’ll travel via Monts d’Ardèche Regional Nature Park as we approach our destination. This stunning Nature Park is a region of medieval fortress ruins perched on rugged lava cliffs and picturesque hidden villages nestled in the deep valleys.

We’ll arrive at our comfortable hotel just in time for a well-deserved post-ride rest and a pre-dinner cold drink.

Today is our first free day of the guided motorcycle-tour to France. You can organise your agenda, park your bike and relax, explore the town, or join a proposed ride. Our suggested ride-out will take us through the spectacular Ardeshe Gorge or, as the locals call it, Gorges de l’Ardèche and some rugged and scenic countryside. 

Our first port of call will be one of the local wonders of nature, the majestic Pont d’Arc. It is an excellent place to stop for a walkabout and take some fantastic photos. From here, we’ll continue wiggling our way along the gorge towards several towns where we can stop for drinks and lunch before returning to our hotel.

The whole ride is less than 70 miles, and it will be done at a leisurely pace. Or, if you wish, you can modify the mileage. If you prefer a longer ride, please feel free to extend it.

Today, our guided motorcycle-tour to France continues towards our second destination – Annecy, the jewel of the French Alps. 

Also, today, the route could go both ways. It could be a longer ride if we stay off the motorways as much as possible and meander along the picturesque country roads, traffic-free highways, and long-way-around (occasionally wrong-way-around) byways. However, if we prioritise an early arrival and take faster routes, we could make it to Annecy in the early afternoon, giving us more time to explore this beautiful town.

Our journey will take us via two areas of outstanding natural beauty – Vercors Nature Park and Chartreuse Nature Reserve. The route will also take us near and along the shores of two beautiful lakes – Lake Aiguebelette and Bourget’s Lake.

Our hotel in Annecy will welcome us with a comfortable room and a pleasant town atmosphere.

On the second day off of the guided motorcycle-tour to France, you can spend your free day organising your own agenda. Or you can follow our suggested itinerary. This ride includes some of the area’s best and most beautiful mountain passes. 

We’ll begin by riding along the shores of Lake Annecy towards Col de la Forclaz. The pass climbs through pretty alpine scenery alternating between forest, open green pastures and pretty villages. Next, we’ll wiggle through the Alpine valleys and ascend one of the Tour de France classics, the legendary Col de Roseland. Here, we can stop for a coffee by the Lac de Roseland and take some photos of the famous sign marking the top of the pass. As we descend, we can visit the Cheese Museum at Beaufort. Even if we don’t fancy stopping there, we’ll definitely be able to smell it. We’ll complete our ride by riding over Col Des Aravis and Col de la Croix Fry or via the ski resort of  La Clusaz.

If you prefer to park your bike and explore the town, there is plenty to see and do. It might be challenging to associate the present-day image of Annecy with its harsh past. Once upon a time, this beautiful lakeside town was one of France’s most notorious prison towns. The pristine Lac d’Annecy is one of the largest lakes in France and is known as the cleanest lake in Europe. Spend a day getting lost among the cobblestone alleys of the old town. The narrow streets are lined by pastel houses decorated with bright flower boxes. Stop at a boulangerie for a freshly baked croissant and coffee. Or find a pavement table at one of many gelaterias and have ice cream. Spend a bit of time on the shores of the lake, relaxing and people-watching.

Today, our guided motorcycle-tour to France continues. We’ll be heading from one beautiful mountain range to another. Leaving the French Alps behind, we’ll ride a combination of motorways, scenic N-roads and rural country routes towards our next destination in the Vosges Mountains. Most of it is an enjoyable and relaxing ride off the beaten track, starting with the Jura National Nature Park, so we’ll take our time and enjoy it. When we feel peckish or fancy a break, we’ll look for a café or boulangerie. 

As we get closer to the Vosges Mountains, hopping on the motorway is the easiest and quickest way to get to Munster. But we don’t have to. To avoid big towns like Mulhouse and Colmar, we can ascend to the Vosges Mountains by riding several famous and twisty local mountain passes: Col du Grand Ballon and Route des Cretes. The passes will take us via a few small ski resorts and traditional villages surrounded by beautiful mountain landscapes, cultivated fields, green pastures and thick forests. 

Our comfortable hotel will welcome us with a comfortable room and a gourmet evening meal.

As we depart from our hotel, we’ll take a ride over the Schlucht pass, the last mountain road on our guided motorcycle tour to France.

The Vosges Mountains are often overlooked because they are close to the Black Forest. But it is a great biking area. The mountains provide one last “hurrah” ride before descending to the flatter landscapes. There are several cafés and restaurants, and they all offer fantastic views as far as you can see. On most of our guided tours, we usually stop at the beautiful lakeside town of Gérardmer. It has several cafés and boulangeries for a quick drink and a bite to eat.   

For most of the day, we’ll travel through rolling hills, green pastures, thick woodlands and sleepy villages without setting a wheel on a motorway (unless we choose to). It almost sounds like reading a travel magazine, but it’s true. 

Your comfortable hotel in the heart of the Champagne Region will welcome us with a comfortable room and a gourmet evening meal.

On the last day of the tour, we’ll join the motorway that will take us to Calais to board our channel crossing. 

We hope you had a great guided motorcycle-tour to France with RideWithUs, and we also hope to see you again soon. Until next time, thank you, and ride safely.

What's included?

What our customers say.

“Three tours with RideWithUs this year. Great routes fantastic hotels and brilliant roads and good company. Looking forwards to next year. A great company giving great service and value.”

David Pearson

Napoleon Alpine Route - A Guided Motorcycle Tour

French italian alps, france, 3 and 4 star rated hotels, dinner, bed and breakfast, a motorcycle tour lasting 9 days (8 nights) with 7 days riding through the most emblematic french & italian alpine passes offering thousands of different turns, breath-taking landscapes and all this in countries where the 'terroir' is a way of life., on this guided tour you will ride some of the best motorcycle routes starting from french italian alps, we have not set dates for this tour yet and there may have added a new variant, so, check our tour diary. if you are interested in this tour or something similar then please contact us and we shall set a date, alternatively, browse our upcoming tours to see what's new., contact us to discuss your bespoke tour requirements..

This 9 day, 8 night motorcycle tour in a great part of Europe with 7 days riding begins and ends in Nice, France and travels through the Code d' Azure in the South of France then up into the Alps.

Daily routes are 155 to 200 miles and involve around 6 hours in the saddle each day with stops approximately every 90 minutes.The format is to depart after breakfast and ride about 50 miles then stop for a morning refreshment break, ride another 50 miles and stop for lunch, ride a further 50 miles and stop for an afternoon refreshment break and ride the final 50 miles to reach the hotel where the accommodation is in good quality three and four star hotels booked for half board (dinner, bed and breakfast). On a few of the days we stay in the same hotel taking a circuit from that hotel to better explore the area.

This French/Italian Apline motorcycle tour passes through many towns and villages in the Alps together with visiting towns it the high altitude regions you ride through Provence and Cote d'Azure. Riders will therefore experience some fantastic technically challenging roads whilst visiting interesting towns and historic sites on this motorcycle tours Europe.

Look at this itinerary and discover some of the most interesting motorcycle routes in france

Nice sightseeing

Most will arrive at Nice International Airport and transfer to our 4 star hotel close to the railway station. Those arriving early can enjoy the day or evening exploring Nice.

Dinner and overnight in Nice

Nice, Maritim Alps, Monaco, Mercantour National Park, Isola, Jausier (240km 5 hours riding)

The first day is dedicated to the discovery of the Maritimes Alps and its major towns Nice & Monaco.

Nice's nicknamed is “Nice la Belle”, which means 'Nice the Beautiful' and has one of the warmest climate around Mediterranean.

After cruising along the sea on the “promenade des Anglais” in Nice and from the Boulevard Albert 1 up toward Place du Casino in Monaco, the famous Formula One Monaco Grand Prix race, you will finally get out the cities to enjoy the quietness and character of Nice's hinterlands' roads.

Passing through the Mercantour National Parc and Sospel, a lovely small town from the 5th century, the group is now riding small winding roads hooked on cliffs in lost valleys toward the Italian border & Isola 2000.

After few kilometres in Italy, you're back in France via the Madelene pass, which culminates at almost 2000m high and the day ends in the small town of Jausiers.

Diner & overnight in Jausiers.

Jausier to Briançon (220 km 4.5 hours riding)

If you ride this road in early season (April/May) you might be surrounded by snow walls of 3 or 4 meters high at the top!

Before you continue your journey, you visit Mont-Dauphin. Founded in 1693 by Vauban, Mont-Dauphin is a stronghold on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You are now riding toward Briançon and its fortified old town passing through the lunar landscape of Izoard's pass and along the rocky Guil valley dominated by the Castle of Chateau-ville-vielle in Queyras valley.

Diner & overnight in Briançon.

Brancon to Chamonix (240km 5.5 hours riding)

Visit of the old town of Chamonix and tasting of Haut-Savoyard cheese (optional)

Diner & night in Chamonix

Chamonix to Aix-les-Bains (170km 4.5 hours riding)

The "Venice of the Alps" Annecy, awaits you by its lake below the Aravis Valley. You may go for a walking tour of the old town centre and then go back on the road toward Aix-les-Bains.

Rising on the shores of France's largest natural lake of glacial origin, the Bourget Lake, Aix-les-Bains is one of french major thermal towns. You can now take the opportunity of a deserved relaxing evening in a spa.

Aix-les-Bains to Corps (250km 5.5 hours riding)

Essential phase, you ride next the famous curves of Alpe d'Huez then you take the direction of the col d'Ornon and Corps where you sleep in the heart of the French Alps.

In France, there are a number of hotels, restaurants and hotel-restaurants, taking advantage of former post offices. They are the witnesses of this ancient system created in 1477 by King Louis XI of France.

You are sleeping at one of these historic sites tonight.

The many turns of this day certainly have whetted your appetite. In Corps you will find quality Alpine local products with a traditional Murçon & ravioles dinner in the restaurant and taste the cheeses produced by hand in the valley (option). Bon appétit ! Diner & overnight in Corps.

Corps to Castellane (230km 5 hours riding)

The huge Serre-Poncon lake welcomes you next and invites you for a refreshment. By the water, take the opportunity to admire the landscape, the sun shines and the Parc des Écrins faces you, you are in the Hautes-Alpes!

You then continue your journey to Castellane, a frequent biker gathering place where you can enjoy a tasting of local wines (optional) and your hotel.

Diner & Overnight in Castelane

Castellane to Nice (240km 5 hours riding)

You start your last day of riding with the impressive Verdon Gorge. This 50km loop overlooks this canyon carved by the Verdon River. Steep cliffs with nuanced colours, plots of greenery that develop on natural balconies, emerald river, the site of the Gorges du Verdon is unique and rich.

The richness of the Verdon is due to the fact that species are endemic to it, i. e. they only exist on the surface of our planet in the gorges!

You then take the road to Lac-de-Sainte-Croix, the turns naturally follow one another until you return to the hinterland of Nice via the Préalpes d'Azur Regional Nature Park.

You stop on the Croisette in Cannes where the Cannes Movie festival takes place and after a last stop on the Mediterranean coast, on Antibes' beach, it's time to drop off the bike.

You are then transferred to your hotel where you settle in. Then, visit of Nice by foot and, watching the sunset over the Mediterranean, you taste a speciality from Nice: the famous pissaladière. A candied onion pie with anchovies.

Diner & Overnight in Nice

Nice departure

Goodbyes and homeward bound or onward travel. Some might want to stay on and spend more time in the area.

Route Variation

Please note that maps are indicative because it is not always possible to enter all the waypoints and on the day of departure as we need to review our routes based upon the latest traffic and weather information available making changes as and when necessary.

Motorcycles For Rent in French Italian Alps, France, Available on this Tour

Most motorcycles available for hire are obtained directly from local mainstream dealers and are subject to change especially if the tour listed was last run in previous years. We can source others to ensure most riders needs are accommodated. However, apart from our own fleet we do not have exclusive access to third party rental motorbikes and so models, availability and prices must be confirmed. Prices and terms are set by the dealers who supply the machines and they are liable to update them regularly.

Restrictions: Minimum 21 years old. 1 years old "A/A2" Driving License.

Weekly Hire From: Euro €315

BMW F700GS / F750GS

Restrictions: Minimum 25 years old. 3 years exp an appropriate Driving License

Weekly Hire From: Euro €658

The BMW R Nine T Scrambler has 110HP and is a great looking lightweight alternative to the large GS models.

Restrictions: Minimum 28 years old. 3 years exp an appropriate Driving License

Weekly Hire From: Euro €763

BMW R1200RT / R1250RT

Weekly Hire From: Euro €938

BMW R1200GS / R1250GS

Weekly Hire From: Euro €868

Other makes and models of motorcycle may be available for hire on special request, so, if you have a preferred ride just ask and we shall see what can be arranged.

Further details

Parties interested in this tour should get in touch now to intimate interest via our Enquiries Form or email [email protected] or phone +44(0)141 416 0230

 The Alpine Adventure West 

A remarkable ride in the swiss, french, and italian alps ride europe's highest passes., alpine adventure west overview.

• Countries: Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy
• Ride the Col de l'Iseran, the highest pass in all the Alps
• Relax on the shores of the cleanest lake in Europe
• Visit the castle where St. Bernard was born
• Explore Germany's Black Forest
• Cross many of the passes that are part of the Tour de France
• Visit historic cities: Gruyère, Annecy, Freiburg, Aosta
• Conquer dozens of unforgettable mountain passes

Prepare for the big ! Big scenery, big riding days and, of course, big passes. The Alpine Adventure West is a tour for riders who want to toss a boast or two around.

Find out what the roads of the Black Forest are all about. Ride the highest pass in the Alps. Relax on the shore of the cleanest lake in the European Union. Visit the castle where St. Bernard was born. Take fresh "Swiss" cheese. This combination of possibilities is unique to the Alpine Adventure West.

With the focus on towering, majestic mountains, our adventure kicks off in the Old Spa Town of Baden.

Complete with castle ruins overlooking the old town, a river flowing through the middle, an impressionist art gallery, a most engaging cafe culture and a wealth of nightlife, these two days in Baden are filled with possibilities. One of which is to begin tackling mountain passes right away! Albispass, Pragelpass, Sattelegg, and Glaubenbergpass all offer magnificent views from the top and an exciting ride to get there.

Switzerland's Pragel Pass is just one of Rob's "little white roads"

The Journey begins with a bit of Switzerland and a corner of Germany

The Danube flows at its head and the Rhine babbles at its feet. Germany’s Black Forest is set in impressive natural splendor and is the focus of the first day on the road. This wonderful, unspoiled region encompasses ravines and torrents, dense woods and impressive hills. Landscape, nature, climate, especially the people, and the unique agricultural products, are but a few of the things which comprise the wealth of the Black Forest.

Our exit from the hills of Germany across the Rhine river takes us to the French Jura. The terrain is very similar to America's Smoky Mountains, featuring easy riding through picture-perfect villages. Vive la France—great scenery and riding without the annoying crush of tourist traffic.

The Jura - rural France at its best

Our departure from the Jura region is by crossing another of Europe's great rivers, the Rhône.

Double overnight on the shore of Lake Annecy

The French are proud of their—well— Frenchness : Champagne, Chanel No. 5, camembert, croissants. No wonder when we speak of the joy of life, it’s in French: “joie de vivre.” The French believe they have the franchise on culture, cuisine—and especially—romance. You’ll probably agree when you set eyes on Lac d'Annecy, a crystal-clear, turquoise mountain lake in the heart of the Savoie region.

One of the most beautiful towns in the Haute Savoie region, Annecy is a gracious town that is still the quiet joy of provincial France and a perfect example of romance in both location and architecture. Bustle about the shopping core of Annecy or sit in the marvelous lakeside park and commune with nature at its best. Total relaxation on the grass by the lake, a boat ride, a visit to Mont Blanc and a ride up the mountain on Europe’s highest cable car, or perhaps a visit to the ancient castle of Menthon or the Museum of the French Resistance movement; our double overnight here offers something for everyone.

The French Vercors

Certain ranges in the Alps have a way of taunting puny humans. The Vercors is one. Atop the massif is a tranquil, forested, high plateau. The 20th century loggers had product, but no way to get it to market. Their answer was to construct "balcony roads," which were literally blasted out of the vertical mountainside. Today these roads are great motorcycle routes! Getting up to the plateau is a pleasant challenge, one made much more enjoyable by your BMW motorcycle—the perfect machine for this adventure.

The number of passes in the Vercors National Park borders on the absurd. We spend two overnights, and the majority of three riding days in the park to make the most of that absurdity!

Spring from valley to valley

Travel through appealing Alpine scenery with conifer woods, grasslands and some very impressive mountains on the way to a double overnight stop in the Mercantour National Park. The next highlight on the tour is up. Way up, at the top of the highest loop in the Alpine chain. Col de la Bonette stands at 8,907 feet above sea level. Grab that selfie and enjoy the ride down. Ah, the magic of the French Alps!

Our last day in France means... twisty Alpine Roads

The border between France and Italy is punctured by notable roads—small, very high, and traffic-free. Far from the congestion of the valleys, these roads take you to amazing heights. A picnic on a hillside, with a million-dollar view of the whole world spread at your feet, will put any restaurant patio seat to shame!

The Italian side of the Col Agnel

One of the most amazing things about the Alpine Adventure West is that now, many days and many miles into it, the riding continues to get better , and the scenery even more impressive. From the top of the Col Agnel the views seem to go for a hundred miles, south into Italy and north into France.

These are the sort of vistas that are inevitable to run across while riding in the mountains. The stunning aspect of the French Alps is the fact that they are everywhere . Day in and day out, not once, but dozens of times a day the only reaction one can manage is " wow !"

And like clockwork, on the way up the next pass, the Col d'Izoard, comes another " wow " moment when you come around the hairpin and the world opens up to a view that makes you feel quite small.

We are not done with France as yet. There is still the climb up the Col du Galibier for an up-high view of the remarkable glaciers of the Ecrins National Park. The road is quite a bit of fun, too! The highest Alpine pass to roll beneath your wheels is the Col de l'Iseran. Jet black rock outcroppings contrast with glistening blue glacial ice as you climb ever higher.

In 2023 Rob took Gretchen over the Cormet de Roseland for the first time. After 200,000 miles in the Alps, she is hard to impress, and she wasn't. Blown away better describes her reaction. She made it a personal mission to be sure we returned in 2024. (It's a tough job...)   ;)

Back to Switzerland

Hannibal's route though the Alps, 2,200 years ago , is a mystery hotly disputed by historians. In the interest of due diligence in following his trek we cross the delightful Petit St. Bernard into Italy, as it is a possible route used by the warrior, his legion, and his elephants.

It is certain that Napoleon made a winter crossing of the Grand St. Bernard. While we won't be crossing in the winter, we will follow his footsteps all the same. After all, having a theme for a day's ride is a great excuse for having fun.

We enter Switzerland once again on the north side of the Grand St. Bernard where a little detour, up an obscure "Rob road," gives us another chance to get away from traffic and simply enjoy motorcycling.

The top of the Grand St. Bernard Pass, in Napoleon's footsteps

The last two riding days are a romp through the Swiss Alps, with views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau off our shoulder, and great Swiss pavement under our tires. The most impressive passes in the entire country take you up, down, and up again through mountain scenery that is unforgettable!

Miles and miles of twisty roads, a spread of culture, architecture, food and scenery, and as always, the freedom of a Beach tour combine to make the Alpine Adventure West a challenging, delightful, big ride. It is one you will, quite rightfully, boast about for years to come.

The Alpine Adventure West

Tour dates & details.

September 8 ~ 22, 2024

August 24 ~ September 7, 2025

Begins / Ends

Zürich, Switzerland

Tour distance Min / Max

1800 miles / your choice

Free / rest days

Baden, Switzerland Talloires, France Autrans, France Barcelonnette, France

• Day 1 - Arrive Baden, Switzerland
• Day 2 - Baden, Free day
• Day 3 - Riquewihr, France
• Day 4 - Ornans, France
• Day 5 - Talloires, France
• Day 6 - Talloires, Free day
• Day 7 - Autrans, France
• Day 8 - Autrans, Free day
• Day 9 - Barcelonnette, France
• Day 10 - Barcelonnette, Free day
• Day 11 - Le Monêtier-les-Bains, France
• Day 12 - Beaufort, France
• Day 13 - Gruyères, Switzerland
• Day 14 - Baden, Switzerland
• Day 15 - Depart for home

Click on the map below to view the complete itinerary

Tour Prices

• Rider: $8,580
• Passenger: $6,110
• Single Room: $660
• Sports car driver: $6,360 (does not include auto rental)
• 14 nights in 2 to 5 star hotels
• All breakfasts, 11 dinners– includes a variety of a la carte, choice menu, fixed menu, and buffet style dinners.
• Non alcoholic beverages at dinner
• Airport Transfers
• Tour book detailing daily options & points of interest enroute
• Pre-programmed BMW Navigator VI GPS with turn by turn detail of all the daily route suggestions
• BMW Motorrad Certified Guide on a motorcycle
• Support van / driver for your luggage
• Custom duffel bag embroidered with your name and tour

Pricing Notes

• All Prices are in USD unless otherwise stated.
• Prices based on shared twin/double room. Single rooms available at extra charge.
• Rider price includes the choice of a BMW G310R, C650GT, F750GS, F800R, F850GS, F900R, R1200GS, or R1250GS motorcycle with unlimited mileage. Other models are available at additional cost. Find out more about the various models of BMW Motorcycles available for use on a Beach tour .
• Sports car Driver price (where available) does not include vehicle. Please see the list of convertibles and automobiles available for use on a Beach tour for details and prices on the automobiles available.

Not Included

• Alcoholic drinks
• Daily expenses
• Anything not listed in "Includes" under the tour prices

Motorcycles Available

Sports cars available, tour guides.

• Gretchen Beach
• Lefteris Bampaidis

Download a tour application

© 2023. Beach's Motorcycle Adventures, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Alps Tours By Moto-Charlie

• START HERE – TOURS, DATES AND BASICS
• FRENCH ALPS LOOP – The Highest of the High Passes
• ALPS SELECT (SWISS ALPS and ITALIAN DOLOMITES Tour)
• TOTALLY SWITZERLAND – The Perfect Escape
• ESSENTIAL ALPS – Must Ride Tour
• AWESOME AUSTRIA – Keep on Riding Tour
• TOP 10+ (10 Highest Passes + 50 to 70 More Passes)
• Customized and Self-Guided Tours
• About the Cost
• Motorcycles
• Testimonials
• Photo Album
• - START HERE - TOURS, DATES AND BASICS
• - FRENCH ALPS LOOP – The Highest of the High Passes
• - ALPS SELECT (SWISS ALPS and ITALIAN DOLOMITES Tour)
• - TOTALLY SWITZERLAND – The Perfect Escape
• - ESSENTIAL ALPS – Must Ride Tour
• - AWESOME AUSTRIA – Keep on Riding Tour
• - TOP 10+ (10 Highest Passes + 50 to 70 More Passes)
• - Customized and Self-Guided Tours
• - About the Cost
• - Testimonials
• - Links
• - Photo Album
• - Terms

Tours, Dates and Basics

THE TOURS (see Tour Dates below)

• THE FRENCH LOOP – Two tour options – 6 days or 9 days total riding in France riding the highest of the high Alps passes
• ALPS SELECT – 11 days total riding in Switzerland, the Italian Dolomites and a true Italian lakes experience at the edge of the Alps at Lago di Garda
• TOTALLY SWITZERLAND – 9  days total riding all in Switzerland, the epicenter of the Alps
• ESSENTIAL ALPS – 8 days total riding the m ust see   passes focused on the 2 prime riding areas of Andermatt Switzerland/Italian Dolomites along with up to 5 of the TOP 10 highest passes
• AWESOME AUSTRIA – 10 days total riding, with 5 days in Austria and 3 days in the Dolomites exploring some of the most famous high Alpine roads in Europe – includes up to 5 of the TOP 10 highest passes
• TOP 10+ TOUR – 15 or 18 days total riding to hit all 10 of the highest passes in the Alps. You can link t he FRENCH LOOP (5 of the top 10) with either the ESSENTIAL ALPS or the AWESOME AUSTRIA (each with the other 5 non-France top 10 passes)
• PRIVATE CUSTOM TOURS – all of my tours can be reserved for private groups riding the routes as described or customized to includes passes, places and sights handpicked by you and your friends.
• The tours are designed to be LINKED TOGETHER to suit your schedule. You can enjoy a short 6-day tour, link 2 tours together for 14 to 18 days or ride all three.  From 6 days to 27+ days, there is a tour for you.

2024 TOUR DATES:

Current 2024 tour schedule status, all open tours are scheduled to run in september due to higher-than-normal airfares in june and conflicting local events..

• AWESOME AUSTRIA  / September 4 – 13 (10 days)
• TOTALLY SWITZERLAND / September 17 – 25 (9 days)
• FRENCH ALPS LOOP   / September 29 – October 7 (9 days) 
• ALPS SELECT / DATES BOOKED  
• ESSENTIAL ALPS  / DATES BOOKED
• FRENCH ALPS LOOP / DATES BOOKED
• TOP 10+ Tour  / Your Choice – Link the French Loop with the Essential Alps  DATES BOOKED

2025 TOUR DATES:

• THE FRENCH LOOP / June 2 – 10 (9 days)
• ALPS SELECT / June 14 – 24 (11 days)
• TOTALLY SWITZERLAND  / June 28 – July 6 (9 days)
• ESSENTIAL ALPS  / September 5 – 12 (8 days)
• FRENCH ALPS LOOP / September 17 – 22 (6 days)
• AWESOME AUSTRIA  / September 25 – October 4 (10 days)
• TOP 10+ TOUR  / Your Choice – Link the French Loop with the Essential Alps or Awesome Austria Tour

TOUR BASICS

• They are RIDE focused tours for EXPERIENCED riders – Yes we stop at the top of most passes, for lunch, for gas and at 2 – 3 special unique places each tour that would be criminal to ignore – but my tours are about the riding.
• All of the tours start and end in Thun Switzerland , which is easily reached from the Zurich airport and right in the heart of the Alps.
• We have a wide range of rental motorcycles including an almost full line of BMW and KTM models. I can also help book rental motorcycles for non-tour members looking for a Swiss rental provider.
• I offer an  ORIENTATION DAY  before every tour so that Tour Members can get acquainted with the rental bike, with riding various Alpine type roads and with the group they will be touring with.
• My goal is to provide a quality, personal-service, no hassle tour experience at a lower  tour-on-your-own cost than the big tour operators. There is no mark-up on motorcycles, hotels, food or gas. You save $600 to $1,000 per person on shorter tours and $1,500 to $2,500 or more per person on longer tours.
• In exchange for a fixed fee I guide every trip. I also make all the reservations for the motorcycle and hotels. You are welcome to ride with me or own your own.
• There is a limit of 7 motorcycles  per tour, which keeps the group size small. Small is good for keeping a cohesive pace while riding, for daily logistics and for fostering a close-knit sense of camradery on and off the bike.

My “Alps Select” tour picks the crème de la crème of Alpine riding for …. [ more ]

This trip is for people who want a rider’s ride to the highest of the high… [ more ]

This is a specialty tour for riders looking to combine lots of riding with lots of sightseeing. … [ more ]

Global Motorcycle Tours

Slide title

French alps & gorges 2024.

When asked to name our favourite tour the Alps and Gorges would always be at the top of the list. With so many of the roads and destinations written into biking folklore it never fails to disappoint.

This tour combines spectacular scenery with challenging roads that will reward you with an incredible motorcycling experience.

TOUR PRICE - PER PERSON

Two Persons : One Bike : Double Room £980 pp

One Person : One Bike : Single Room £1530

One Person : One Bike : Shared Room £1080 pp

DEPOSIT £150.00 PER PERSON

PLEASE NOTE

Dependent on time of booking and/or hotel availability details and price may vary. We will always advise you of any change to the published itinerary.

TOUR NUMBER

DURATION 9 Nights - 10 Days MILEAGE Daily 180 – 290 (not including ride outs) Total 2130 INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE Euro Tunnel Outbound & Return 9 Nights 3 & 4 star en-suite accommodation All breakfasts included with accommodation Detailed Route Plans and Maps Comprehensive tour manual GPS coordinates (Garmin Mapsource file) Detailed Daily itinerary NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE Fuel Toll & Vignette charges Admission charges Meals other than specified Personal travel, accident and medical insurance Motorcycle insurance Motorcycle breakdown recovery insurance Bike Hire Hotel parking unless specified Drinks Local taxes if applicable HIGHLIGHTS Champagne Tourist Route Jura Mountains Annecy Bourg Saint Maurice & St Bernard’s pass Route des Grandes Alpes & Col De I’Izoard Route Napoleon Gorges of Verdon & Corniche Sublime Mont Ventoux & Cevennes National Park Ardeche and Tarn Gorges Millau Bridge Auvergne national park Orleans

TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1: 255 miles

From Calais your tour heads quickly south to Reims and to the Champagne region of France. Time saved on the motorway system in the morning enables you to enjoy the rural roads in the afternoon as you take the ‘Champagne Tourist Route’ through the vineyards before finally arriving at your first overnight stay in the beautiful town of Troyes. With narrow cobbled streets and medieval half-timbered buildings this picturesque French town is just waiting to be explored.

Day 2: 250 miles Your onward journey now continues through the Jura Mountains to the medieval lakeside town of Annecy. Your town centre three star hotel with secure parking is your base for the next two nights. Annecy was once a prison town but now is one of the most popular resorts in France. With a warren of back streets and passages and numerous bars and restaurants it is just waiting to be explored. Day 3: 170 miles Standing by the beautiful Annecy lakeside the Alps are clearly visible and serve as an excellent introduction for your included ride-out which takes you to Bourg Saint Maurice and along the St Bernard’s pass. Day 4: 225 miles Leaving Annecy behind you begin perhaps one of the more challenging days of the tour as you continue your journey along the ‘Route des Grandes Alpes’ and climb the highest paved mountain pass in the Alps, the Col De I’Izoard. Your base for the next three nights is the 16th century town of Castellane. The town lies directly on the Route Napoleon which has been voted as one of the best motorcycling roads in the world. Whilst here you can choose to relax and discover the surrounding area or take one of our supplied ride-outs which of course includes the famous Route Napoleon. Day 5 - 6 (supplied ride-outs 84 - 150 miles) With canyon walls that rise over 12,000 feet from the Verdon River below your carefully planned ride-outs include the spectacular Gorges of Verdon. You will first take the north rim to Moustiers Sainte Marie and then continue along the south rim and the spectacular Corniche Sublime. The second supplied ride-out takes you over the challenging Col de Alos which although quite narrow in places still affords fantastic views over the surrounding mountains. The ride-out continues as you experience the Col de la Bonette which contains the highest mountain pass in the French Alps. Day 7: 180 miles Leaving this stunning area behind you continue over Mont Ventoux which has long been one of the challenges of the Tour de France. Your day ends riding through the Ardeche Gorge whose impressive limestone cliffs wind back and forth and present spectacular views of the canyon below. Day 8: 190 miles Today you enter the Cevennes National Park and continue towards another of nature’s wonders, the Gorges Du Tarn. The gorge itself rises over 1,600 feet from the valley floor and is more than 3000 feet wide. To complete the day you continue under and over the famous Millau Bridge. This British designed structure attracts thousands of tourists a year and quite rightfully so. The central pillar is higher than the Eiffel Tower and it is possibly one of the most breathtaking bridges ever built. Day 9: 286 miles After spending the night in a family run hotel you continue to the Auvergne national park. This area contains no less than four chains of extinct volcanoes which have shaped the landscape and resulted in some excellent biking roads. It is no coincidence that this area often plays host to the tour de France and today you ride a major section of the route. The town of Orleans is your destination today and your hotel is situated directly on the banks of the River Loire. The old town is only a short walk away so your last night is spent in one of the many restaurants which line the narrow streets. There are also plenty of bars in the area and if you want to take in a few sights there is the fabulous Sainte Croix cathedral, comparable only to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Day 10: 265 miles Following breakfast you head north along the back roads of Centre-Val de Loire region until you eventually join the Autoroute system to the Eurotunnel and your onward journey to Folkestone. Euro Tunnel times are flexible and can be changed to suit individual requirements. With detailed route maps and GPS coordinates guiding you every step of the way this could just be the self guided tour you have been looking for. The riding in the mountains can as always be challenging but if you are an experienced rider or a competent first timer this tour would be suitable.

INSURANCE It is recommended that all clients take out appropriate Personal Travel, Accident and Breakdown cover. This is essential for repatriation of yourself and your motorcycle in the event of an accident or medical emergency.

Global Motorcycle Tours 12 Foxglove Drive

Whittle Le Woods Chorley - Lancashire PR6 7SG Phone: 01257 410686 Mobile: 07731 986502

Terms & Conditions

GDPR - Privacy Policy

The Ultimate Alps Motorcycle Route Guide

Welcome to the Alps Motorcycle Route Guide! This article is packed with info on touring the Austrian, Italian and Swiss Alps by motorcycle. It includes an expert 14-day ride report on the BEST Alps route out there with maps, top alpine passes and everything you need to know for the perfect Alps motorcycle tour!

The Alps Motorcycle Route Guide

By Paul Yarrow

Over 40 years of motorcycle touring experience in the UK and Europe

This Alps route guide is a two-week motorcycle immersion in the beautiful Austrian, Italian and Swiss Alps. It covers as many of the top Alpine passes as possible and makes for an unbelievable Alps motorcycle tour. You’ll find everything you need in this guide starting with loads of info on the region, a downloadable Alps Route Map and a day-by-day route guide. If you have any more questions, please feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this article.

The Alps route map

The Alps route is a 13-night, 2,648-mile loop from the Eurotunnel at Calais. Here are the main destination points: Folkestone – Calais – Alle-sur-Semois – Bad Teinach – Garmisch – Braies – Livigno – Bellinzona – Weggis – Faschina – Turckheim – Soissons – Calais.

Download the entire route: myrouteapp.com/yarromoto 

When to go.

I travelled in June to ensure that the passes were open. You may find that the extra UK Bank Holiday days in May or August/Sept would be more useful for your planning purposes. If you go in May, bear in mind that some of the higher passes may still be closed or subject to local weather conditions. Check out this handy website for more info on European School Holidays

My total cost in June 2019 for dinner and hotels was approx £1,130 (£80-£85 per day). If you want to make it a cheaper trip, simply avoid Switzerland’s hotels, plus Eurotunnel, fuel, lunch snacks and bar bills. I prefer quality hotels with secure parking whenever possible. Cheaper accommodation is widely available dependent on your preference or budget.

Accommodation 

Here’s a list of hotels I used on my trip and recommend:

• Hostellerie Le Charme de la Semois   Alle-sur-Semois, Belgium  T: 0032-6150-8070
• Hotel Therme Bad Teinach, Germany T: 0049-70-53-290
• Hotel Rheinischer Hof Garmisch-Partinkirchen, Germany T: 0049-8821-9120
• Hotel Asterbel Braies, Italy T: 0039-04-7474-9025
• Hotel Posta Livigno, Italy T: 0039-0342-99-6076
• Hotel Bellinzona Sud Switzerland. T: 0041-91-8570-171
• Hotel Friedheim Weggis, Switzerland T: 0041-41-390-1181
• Sport Hotel Domig Faschina, Austria T: 0043-43-5510-2060
• Hotel des Deux Clefs Turckheim, France T: 0033-38-9270-601
• Best Western Plus Soissons, France T: 0033-360-71-4000

Alternatively, check out this Booking.com map of all available hotels in the area.

You should take originals of your passport, driver’s licence, insurance certificate, MoT if required, your V5 (logbook) and insurance for your motorcycle. It’s also highly advisable to get travel insurance.

READ MORE: The UK Motorcycle Travel Insurance Guide

International Driving Permits (IDP) are available from your local Post Office and will be required once the UK leaves the EU, probably from Jan 2021. Check the Gov website for more information.

Getting there and away

From the UK I always prefer to take the faster Eurotunnel at Folkestone to Calais, as you can usually time your arrival with a short stop in the boarding line before a speedy train ride to France.

Alternatively, there are slower ferry options available such as Direct Ferries from Folkstone to Calais or the  DFS Ferry from Dover to Calais. If you are travelling from further north, there is a ferry from Hull via P&O Ferry to Zeebrugge, Belgium. 

We recommend booking and checking with directferries.co.uk as you can find up-to-date and current sailing times and routes and book in advance.

And, you could always opt for a transport company to take your bike to Europe so you don’t have to ride all those motorway miles. 

Or, if you’re flying to Europe to rent a motorcycle to ride the Alps, then we recommend using skyscanner.net to find the cheapest flights. Just make sure when selecting dates that you click ‘flexible dates’ and select by month. That way you’ll find the cheapest dates in green.

• How to Transport Your Motorcycle from the UK to Europe
• Recommended UK to Europe Transport Companies

Riding gear, luggage and packing for an Alps motorcycle tour

Below you’ll find info and a selection of links to more in-depth guides on choosing the right gear and equipment for your touring trips.  

Riding gear

Your riding gear depends on the time of year you travel. But let’s assume you’re not going in the middle of winter, so in that case you’re going to want functional touring gear that can cope with hot weather and also keep you warm when blasting down motorways and riding in altitude. You’ll find touring specific gear guides such as our best touring jackets and helmets, winter guides and how to choose the right kit in the below section. 

READ MORE: Motorcycle Riding Gear Guides

Your focus on a European motorcycle tour is to enjoy the riding and so your luggage system shouldn’t hinder or affect your handling and riding. There are plenty of options out there and what you go for will depend on how much you carry, what bike you own and budget. Take a look at the luggage guides below for help choosing the right luggage for your trip.  

READ MORE: Motorcycle Luggage Guides

For a European tour, you don’t need to go crazy with your packing kit list. Everything should be kept as light and minimal as possible with low volume gear. This will ensure your luggage stays tighter and more compact against the bike. Here are all of our dedicated packing guides for you to read up on.

READ MORE: Motorcycle Packing Guides

And here’s a selection of equipment you might find useful on your tour. For example, getting a quality sat nav is important so you don’t waste valuable riding time and can plot out the best routes beforehand. 

READ MORE: Motorcycle Electronics Guides

Top tips for motorcycle touring in the Alps

Speed limits vary between the countries mentioned in this guide, so I recommend that you visit the AA website   and check for current limits.

• Speed limits in France are far more strictly enforced than years gone by and fines can now be routed back to UK riders due to information sharing with the DVLA. This may change once Brexit is finalised, but at the moment you should take extra care.
• Be especially careful within 20 miles of Calais and close to any service areas with a cash point!
• Unless you see a sign indicating otherwise, the speed limits are generally 130kmph (80mph) or 110kmph in the rain on motorways. On other roads, the speeds can range from 50kph to 110kph. Some villages now have 30kph limits (18mph) and again, these are often enforced. (Check AA site above).
• Switzerland: Do not get caught speeding! it can be expensive even if you’re a few kph over limit. 25kph+ over a limit and you will receive a massive fine and be walking home. They can be very covert with their mobile checks, so you probably won’t be aware of an issue until they step into the road and ruin your day.
• Many European villages/towns also have a flashing traffic light system as you enter. If you are speeding, then you will find another set of traffic lights a short distance later, which may be set to red as your penalty for a few moments.

Vignettes are required for Austria and Switzerland and can be purchased via these links or while in transit.

Take Care on the mountain passes. They can be full of motorcyclists, cyclists, camper vans, coaches, tractors, car clubs, horses and cows, and they’re all competing for your part of the road. Also, local motorcyclists know these roads intimately and will usually demonstrate their knowledge, so check your mirrors twice before initiating an overtake.

When do the Passes open? The Drive Alive website is a great resource for checking the status of Passes. This website specifically covers the alpine passes in Switzerland and it offers a downloadable smart phone app.

Check List: Tyre life, travel tickets, passport expiry date and credit/debit cards, euro currency, motorbike insurance/tax/recovery service, travel health insurance, International Driving Permit. Also, download a copy of the official European Accident Statements form before you depart.

Ride Report: The Ultimate Alps Motorcycle Route

Day 1: calais to alle.

• Rating: 3/5

We arrived in Calais at about 10:30 and headed south-west on the A16/E40 motorway network, followed by the E42/N225 via Mons, then joined the N40/N53 across the flat countryside of northern France. At Chimay we took the N99 to Couvin and then onto the E420 through rolling countryside and woodland to Hiraumont.

The final section was an absolute joy as we joined the D1 to ride through the woods, which flow beside the winding River Meuse and then across the bridge to a refreshment stop in Montherme. The road goes on for a further 18 miles and snakes its way beside the River Semois before arriving at a comfortable hotel with ample parking set close to the village of Alle, Belgium at 17:00. The temperature reached 23.5C.

Day 2: Alle to Bad Teinach

• Rating: 4/5

We looked forward to the longish ride to the next overnight in Bad Teinach among the German mountains. Heading south via Alle, we joined the narrow D6 and rode through more woodland down to Douzy before joining the faster and busier N964 road south all the way to Bras-sur-Meuse. 

The route heads east for a few miles to a coffee shop/restaurant located close to the Ossuaire de Douaumont  war cemetery. We paid our respects to the lives lost in 300 days of endless conflict during the Battle of Verdun, which raged between Feb–Dec 1916.  Please read and respect the online rules regarding photography if you intend to look inside this historical monument.

We continue across more rolling countryside before joining the N904 and the open straight roads typical of northern France through the Parc Naturel Regional de Lorraine. From Dieuze continue east on D roads crossing the River Rhine into Germany at Gambsheim and to the well-known spa town of Baden-Baden.

Now we head across the National Park Schwarzwald Nord to join the 462 as it heads south besides the River Murg and then to Seewald. Heading out on the 294 for the last 20 odd miles via some tight, forested bends for our arrival just before 18:30 at an amazing, 4-star spa hotel set within the Black Forest and offering excellent facilities.  Today’s temperature reached 26C.

Day 3: Bad Teinach to Garmisch

Riding southeast on minor roads to our two nights in Garmisch, Germany. Skirting around the North of Rottenburg on the 28, then after joining the L385 you’ll find a fantastic stretch of fast and winding road between Weiler and Ofterdingen.

We then headed for a morning coffee stop in Zwiefalten and parked beside the water fountains at the front. Beware of village speed cameras along the next stretch. Our next major town is Leutkirch, after which we join the L319 for a glorious 10-mile cross country route on some fast sweeping curves towards Kempten. 

We join a main road to cross the River Iller just outside Hegge and onwards to Reutte in Austria and the L255 that skirts the large lake. Stop near the Hotel Seespitze for afternoon refreshments and photos.  Now it’s just a 30-mile ride around the Ettaler forest to arrive at our hotel on the western outskirts of town at 16:30.  The temperature reached 26C.

Day 4: Eibsee

This can be a rest day to explore Garmisch town centre or head for a short ride to the Eibsee cable car station for a lift up to the Zugspize mountain (Germany’s highest at 2,600m) and the glacier and igloo hotel. 

However, you can always opt for a loop ride around the roads circling the nearby Zugspitze Mountain, which loom over the Garmisch area instead. 40 miles into the ride and we easily missed the Heckenbach Waterfall beside the hairpin 11 road leading up to a parking/viewing vantage point on the south side of Kochelsee Lake. 

There’s some fantastic photos to be taken here before a short five-mile ride to the lakeside village of Walchensee for a morning coffee stop at the Seestuberl Restaurant/Cafe and more photos. Due to its beauty, this is apparently a favoured area for retirement by wealthy ex-Munich residents. 

We then headed via the wooded river valleys to Mittenwald and the open Leutasch Valley. It’s worth a quick stop for a bike/view photo here.  After a light lunch stop in Oberer Mooswaldweg, which sits at the south of the loop ride, we then headed onto the fast winding valley roads to Lermoos before a short ride back to Garmisch in the shade of the mighty Zugspitse mountain. The temperature reached 27C.

Day 5: Garmisch to Braies

• Rating: 5/5

We left at 09:30 for this 9-hour day to Braies in Italy mainly due to photo stops and filming. Heading south to Telfs before jumping on the A12 motorway for a short distance and picking up the B186 south for 32 miles down a river valley to the toll station for the Timmelsjoch Pass 2,509m. There are many viewing points to enjoy and several café/hotels as you negotiate the splendid bends up and over this well-known road.  

A little further on we find the start of the ride up the San Leonardo Pass SS44 with its multitude of hairpins. We lunched at the Gasthof Schlossborg located on the right some way up. The terraced area offers wonderful views into the valley and you can also watch the low-riders scraping their pegs around the hairpin. Afterwards, we ride the bends on our way further up this pass and over to the Jaufenpass 2,094m, which becomes the Di Giovo (apparently the Italian translation of Jaufen). 

The SS12 and SS49 take us further into Italy and our modern 4-star ski hotel at Braies, which is located about one mile off the SS49 and up a lush, quiet valley, dwarfed by the surrounding Dolomite mountains.  The spacious timber beamed bedrooms are very comfortable and come with large balconies. The temperature reached 25C.

Day 6: Braies to Livigno

We left the hotel at 09:15 in warm sunshine and returned westward in the anticipation of another 9 hours of riding numerous passes before eventually arriving in Livigno, Italy.

First, we returned on the ribbon of roads leading back over the SS44 via Giovo/Jaufen and San Leonardo passes down to Merano. From there we picked up the SS38 heading further west for about 35 miles to Spondigna.

About 7 miles from the start of the Stelvio Pass, we exited a tunnel to be met with pouring rain and hail stones that forced an early roadside lunch stop further down this road to change out of sodden Gore-Tex gloves.

The SS38 now heads along the approach to the infamous 48 hairpins and steeper side to the Stelvio Pass summit. I strongly suggest that you try to traverse the Stelvio early morning, or much later in the day than myself at 15:30-16:00 otherwise you’ll find it heaving with bikes, car clubs and camper vans. Due to the traffic, we found it quite “challenging” meeting other travellers on the hairpin corners where sometimes one or the other will have to come to a complete stop. You will relish the opportunity of a break at the summit to calm your nerves, take onboard refreshments and buy your Stelvio sticker as proof of passage.

Head over the summit towards Bormio now and steer left at the first junction unless you fancy a pleasant diversion down the Umbrail Pass.  However, we continued down the many bends with spectacular views on our descent of the SS38 to Bormio. There are usually a couple of Stelvio cameramen on this section to snap you for a memento. Perhaps slow to enjoy the cascades of water falling in front of you on one particular downhill section.

Once at the bottom there are about 20 miles to go. It started to rain heavily on us for the remainder of the ride as we ventured over the Foscagno Pass towards central Livigno and our traditional ski hotel with views of ski slopes from the rear bedrooms. The hotel provides a slippery floored underground car park too. The temperature today was variable.

Day 7: Tirano

A rest day to explore the delights of Livigno, or take my short morning loop ride via Tirano in the south. At 09:30 I led a small group on a clockwise ride to stretch our bike legs. The weather app forecast better weather for the morning before rain would come into the area later.

We headed back over the Foscagno Pass, through the border crossing with its backdrop of peaks and down via Bormio before heading south on the SS38. This is a fairly main road with around six 2km-long tunnels with 70kph limits on our way to our morning stop in Tirano. We had just settled down to our coffees and pastries in the centre of town when out of nowhere a train appeared through the town centre and up the road junction next to us!

Onward on the SS38 in a northerly direction this time, cross the border again, stop at Lake Poschiavo for a photo op, into the town of the same name and watch out for rail tracks that cross the road. The drizzle started as we pushed on up the fast and exciting Bernino Pass. We made progress up and over the border summit where, surprisingly, roads remained fairly dry, before returning to Livigno as the rain really set in. Duty Free fuel in Livigno, so try to fill up here.

Day 8: Livigno to Bellinzona

• Rating: 5/5 (if dry)

A snaking 8-hour south-westerly adventure today via the Fluella, Albula, Julier and San Bernadino Passes to our next location in Bellinzona, Switzerland.

We left the hotel at 09:00 in the rain with a forecast of more during our day. Turning north out of Livigno, we ride past the reservoir and pay 12 euros per bike at the toll booth. It’s for the 3.5km single-bore Munt La Schera tunnel that fires you through the mountain side from Italy into Switzerland once the traffic lights change in your favour. It was well lit and not as claustrophobic as I had expected. As we exited the tunnel into Switzerland, a border guard checked our bikes for visible vignettes as we rode past him. These should only be required for the motorway system at present, so unsure why he checked.

As we turned left onto the 28, I reminded myself of Swiss speed limits as we threaded our way up the tree-lined bends to Zernez before continuing on the 28 along the winding River Inn valley and into the centre of picturesque Susch. Taking a left at the junction signposted for Davos and at the top of the rise, we see the sign that confirms the Fluelapass 2,383m is open. By now it was properly raining and my Gore-Tex gloves were giving up the fight to repel water. We rode the open hairpins up the Fluelapass to a coffee stop for a warm-up at the welcoming Gasthaus zum Tschuggen .

Heading down the open sweepers of the valley beyond into Davos, where we head south-west towards Alvaneu down a ribbon of bends hugging the valley side to the T-junction at the bottom. We turn left, up the valley towards the Albulapass 2,312m and as we ride higher, the mountains on either side start squeezing in on the road as it first narrows before quickly opening into another valley where the roads deteriorated a little down to Preda. Afterwards, we turn right onto the 27 and follow the perimeter road of Engadin airfield on our left before riding through the famous ski town of St Moritz.

At Silvaplana, we turn right on the smooth 3 with its wide and rocky outcrops up to the open Julier Pass 2,284m before the sharpish hairpins on the far side of the summit and switchbacks down the other side to beautiful Lake Marmorera. We then rode north up the 3 to the town of Albula where we continue on the well-maintained sweeping roads signposted towards Chur. At Thusis we head south on the fast A13, pass Nufenen and join the smaller 13 up the valley and through hairpin corners. It leads to the summit of the San Bernandino Pass 2,066m and Moesola lake where the weather eventually started to brighten.

Be warned, Swiss prices can be horrendous…we pulled into a small, family-run refreshment stop mid-afternoon and innocently ordered four coffees with three slices of home-made cake, a bottle of water…and my turn at paying the bill came to 34 euros. Ouch!.  We swiftly moved on following the A13 to our hotel which backs onto views but is part of a less attractive fuel/restaurant/parking complex within the Bellinzona valley. 

Day 9: Bellinzona to Weggis

Eight hours of warm weather was predicted on our way north via the Lukmanier Pass and Klausenpass to Weggis for two nights overlooking Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.

We left in 22C warmth up to Gorduno. Then the 2 running north to Biasco before turning onto the 416 further north and our first climb of the day up the fast and smooth Lukmanier Pass 1,915m, which offers spectacular vistas. At the summit, Lake Sontga Maria provides a great photo opportunity before descending the curves of the open valley to a bend in the road at Pardatsch. Here you can park to look at the stream and the nearby polished boulders formed into evocative forms.

Continuing down via Disentis and the 19 along the elevated roadway of another valley, all the way to Landquart before changing onto the E43 dual carriageway and eventually passing the long Walensee lake on the right-hand side. After the lake we take an exit south onto the 3/17 for about 20 miles and then onto the best part of day: the Klausen Pass 1952m.

I had never ridden the brilliant Klausenpass before, but we fought for road space with the cattle that littered the lower pastures before we negotiated the easy hairpins with stunning views back down the valley. It dramatically rises through myriad of bends, although choked with traffic in places, reaching a small, snowy plateau and the Restaurant Clariden for refreshments and photographs of the valley. The descent on the far side of the summit was challenging for my vertigo. It’s more like a wide balcony road with little in the way of barrier protection other than a few infrequently spaced steel posts and one horizontal rail that optimistically hopes to save you from a flight to the valley floor.

Once we reach the bottom of the 17, we headed onto the 4 dual-carriageway north with the sun bouncing off the surface of Lake Lucerne on our left while heading to our hotel in an semi-elevated location within Weggis. Its exact location is not immediately obvious, but after a few moments we realise that it must be at the top of a single-track residential lane. The location provides a stunning view for miles over Lake Lucerne from the balconies of our spacious rooms in this twin-building hotel arrangement. The evening meal was served on the terrace as we basked in a delightfully warm evening overlooking the lake. The temperature ranged 24-27C today.

Day 10: Furka and Grimsel

Another fabulously sunny morning for our rest day in Weggis.  However, a small group of riders decided to join me on a five-hour loop ride to tick off the Furka and Grimsel Passes that we had to detour the previous day. 

It was already very warm as we left Weggis on a clockwise route back around the 2B main road on the eastern side of Lake Lucerne. 47 uneventful miles later and we arrive on the smaller roads approaching the Furkha Pass and stop for a morning coffee at the Hotel Post  in the charming alpine hamlet of Realp.

Refreshed with caffeine, we headed up the 19 used for a cameo part in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. The roads wind up to the summit of the Furkha 2,431m before traversing to the Rhone Glacier at 2,300m and the Belvedere Hotel , which was built in 1882. In the 1950s the glacier extended about 2km further than in 2019, right down into the valley basin and town of Gletsch. Unfortunately, the glacier has retreated so much over the last 100 years that it’s mostly retreated past the hotel and car park now.

From here, the bends are faster down into the valley floor and along to Gletsch where we turn right off the 19 and head up the many sweepers to the Grimsel Pass 2,165m summit car park and Lake Totensee. Snow still stands tall on either side of the road up here.

We ride downward on the wide hairpins past the Grimelsee and Raterichsbodensee lakes to Guttennen. Beyond these the 6 road to Innertkirchen is particularly enjoyable with fast woodland bends, elevations and well-maintained roads. The 4 road then heads towards the city of Lucerne and past the rich green colour of Lakes Lungernersee and Sardersee before joining the dual-carriageway and a return to Weggis. The temperature today was 26C.

Day 11: Weggis to Faschina

We enjoyed our last breakfast on the lawn overlooking Lake Lucerne in 20C. Another day in paradise!

We head eight hours east to Faschina in the mountains of Austria via the Klausenpass in reverse direction this time: the toll road, Silvretta Pass and the Hochtannbergpass.

Our route started with another ride of the fantastic Klausenpass on stunning roads. Continue on the 17 road up to Niederurnen before turning further east on the A3 dual-carriageway along to Regitzer Spitz. Join the A13 passing Vaduz in Lichtenstein and up to Feldkirch. We had to stop several times for water because of the 33C heat. Thankfully it was only 24C in the long and frequent tunnels as we headed south east on the A14/188 to Partenen.

Rolling up to the western toll station of the 22km long Silvretta Pass 2037m. It’s known as the “Dream road in the Alps for connoisseurs” containing 34 fantastic hairpins, but bear in mind that it usually remains closed until early June. We experienced traffic lights and road works along the lower Vermuntstausee reservoir section, but I guess you have to expect constant maintenance on any type of toll road.

The road is race-track smooth over the majority of the pass length and can be fully exploited if the traffic is light. The best photo stop is regarded to be high up between bends 22 and 23, but to be honest I’d lost count by then and just chose a point at a section overlooking double hairpins. Pushing onto the summit and past the huge reservoir of Silvretta-Stausee, which perches on the far side with the road threading its way down the hillside to the eastern toll station. 

We then travel towards Pians before hooking onto the S16 road travelling west now and onto the mountain roads via St. Anton, then joining the 198 road north to Warth. Only 20 miles remaining via the 200 road over the Hochtannberg Pass and into the slower riding through the peaks of this ski area to our hotel , which is located on a hairpin bend and proudly stands near the top of a valley in Faschina with stunning views from our balcony rooms. Drained from the heat and glad to finally arrive, we grab a beer on the sunny, elevated terrace and wait to cheer the remainder of our group as they appear over the summit. Temperature reached 33C today.

Day 12: Faschina to Turckheim

Due to predicted high temperatures today, some of our group chose to leave very early this morning. Two of us left at 08:45 for an eight-hour day to our next hotel in the cobbled centre of Turckheim in France. As we needed to free-up some time to visit the Bugatti Museum in Mulhouse on our way, we chose to navigate a quicker route. You may choose to re-route this day across fewer main roads.

We started with a short ride back to Damuls before heading west on the L51 in the direction of Feldkirch. Only a few short miles from the hotel we unexpectedly found the twists of the Furkajoch Pass, which provided another memorable photo opportunity before pursuing 15 more miles and then riding via Koblach and onto the minor road through the delightful Apfenzellar valley in 27C heat. As we stopped to take more photos of the vista, we both confided that the heat was making us a little lightheaded, so we promised to stop more regularly for water breaks.

Just outside of St Gallen we jumped onto the 1 dual-carriageway for 30 miles to Winterthur before changing onto the 7 travelling further west to Koblenz and crossing the River Rhine onto the 34. Riding north of Basel and into Mulhouse and the car park for the Schlumpf Motor Museum . The entry fee was 13 euros per adult. We would’ve probably paid twice that amount just to sit in the air-conditioned restaurant and cool from the sweltering heat.

The museum is massive. The Schlumpf brothers had to originally take larger collections that included different models just to acquire the Bugatti they really desired, so the variety of vehicles is truly mind boggling. The 1.5 hours we had spare for the collection did not do it any justice. I would also have liked to spend more time within each of the specialist areas that also covered motorsport and the contemporary Bugattis. Guess I’ll have to revisit sometime then! 

Our final destination was located directly north of Mulhouse on the western side of Colmar, and in the central cobbled area of Turckheim old town. Our charming hotel is a Renaissance building built in 15 th  century and classified as a historic monument since 1930. It has to be the most interesting of this trip with a maze of ground floor rooms, is full of character, has a romantic dining room and warmly decorated bedrooms…but no a/c.  The temperature reached 33C today.

Day 13: Turckheim to Soissons

The route today is from Turckheim to Soissons via the old Reims motor racing grandstands. Our group left the hotel at 08:30 and it was already a scorching 28.5C.

Due to the predicted 36C at the height of the day, I abandoned my longer, original route for a relatively direct five-hour ride. North west today and a lovely 25 miles through the cooler Vosges switchbacks on the D415 with very little traffic to Arnould.

North on the D415 up to the N59 dual-carriageway starting at Sainte-Marguerite through to the southern outskirts of Nancy and the A31/N4 westward 80 miles to Vitry-le-Francois. We had to stop frequently for refreshment stops along the way.

The N44 took us past Chalons-en-Champagne and the N31 to the Circuit Reims on the D27 for the obligatory photographs. Soaking up the atmosphere while wandering around the old racing pits and grandstand complex in 35C heat.

Having ticked that box, we headed back onto the N31 which took us the 30 miles to our next hotel in Soissons. The hotel was quite a modern contrast from last night. It was very welcome after such a hot day’s ride, however, I was less pleased to hear that the a/c had yet to be installed. Another hard day’s night to look forward to then. The temperature reached 36C today.

Day 14: Soissons to Calais

An 08:50 start on our last day of the trip for our D roads north-westerly ride across countryside to the Eurotunnel at Calais. We pick up the D6 across the typically flat farmland of this area, up to Blérancourt before taking the D934 via Noyon and more open countryside. We divert around the centre of Roye and back onto the open D934 to then move onto the less busy D23 with a few more sweepers north to Doullens.

The D916 heads across more countryside via Frevent and then the D104 farmland up to Fruges. The sparse traffic on the D191 offered more elevation changes as we glided through long sweepers between little villages and towns, across the lovely Parc Naturel via Coulomby to join the A26/E15 for the last 20 miles to arrive at Eurotunnel check-in at 12:50.

 A quick note: for 2020, the Tour de Suisse cycle race has been cancelled, so you won’t experience the route closures that we had to detour around on one day.

About the author

Paul Yarrow is based in the UK with 40 plus years’ touring experience of the UK & Europe. Two years ago, he started filming his trips and created a growing YouTube channel, plus social media pages to share his trips, photos and routes with other motorcyclists.

You can follow Paul’s travels here:

• YouTube: Yarro Moto 
• Facebook: Yarro Moto
• Instagram: Yarro_Moto
• Downloadable route: myrouteapp.com/yarromoto 
• Read more of Paul’s articles on our   Contributors page

Read more on motorcycle travel in the Alps and Europe

Thanks for checking out our Ultimate Alps Motorcycle Route and Guide. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycling in the Alps and Europe that we recommend you read next. 

• Europe Motorcycle Guides
• Motorcycle Touring Guides
• Riding Gear Guides
• Luggage Guides

We may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase a product using the affiliate links on this page. We’re not sponsored, are completely impartial and don’t run ads. So this helps us keep the site running. Thank you for your support.

Try these next…

What to Pack for a Europe Motorcycle Tour

Motorcycle Travel Guide: Europe

The 5 Best Motorcycle Sat Navs

Motorcycle Touring for Beginners

The Motorcycle Luggage Guide

The BEST Motorcycle Touring Jackets

Are you planning a motorcycle tour in the Alps or do you have any questions or tips to share? Let us know in the comments below. 

26 thoughts on “the ultimate alps motorcycle route guide”.

Cracking writeup. Just got to wait for this all to clear up and then will be looking to follow this route. Thanks

Hi Davey! Glad you liked Paul’s article. Hoping it clears up soon and you get to go on your tour! Let us know how you get on. Cheers!

Cheers Davey, you’ll love the routes…just watch your speed in Switzerland. All the best. Paul.

Hi Paul one thing i cant agree with you more is fitting all the route in the ride. I’m piking up a bike form Munich for 6 days and I need your help sharing an actual route to plug it my Tom-tom . I’m thinking Germany , Vienna , Italy Swiss and Back to Munich . Can you please advise

Hi Maliter,

Paul may not check this article’s comment section before your trip starts in two days time, so you could always try sending him a message on his Facebook page: Yarro Moto

And if you need to download a route urgently, then go with my forum suggestion of: As you’re starting your trip imminently, I have a good suggestion for you. Visit http://www.simonweir.co.uk and take a look at his downloadable GPX routes. They’re priced at about 70p per route so very, very fair. He has a Contact page where you can get in touch if you need additional help.

Cheers and best of luck,

thank you Andy , Regards

Can I ask you how far in advance you booked your hotels,re: did you book them all in advance of your trip or as you went

Also, would you estimate that there’s is always sufficient accommodation available tom allow say booking 1 day ahead ?

All hotels were pre-booked, as I find that to be my preference.

There are a huge choice of hotels to choose from.

I completely agree with you Paul about fitting all the routes in the ride. As I am biking from Munich for six days, I would appreciate it if you could send me an actual route that I can plug into my Tom-Tom. I’m thinking of Germany, Vienna, Italy, Swiss, and back to Munich. I would appreciate your advice

Apologies for the delay in responding, I do not always get flagged immediately with fresh comments on here.

As you can see above, you can download the routes that I rode but with a full time job, I do not have time to offer a custom route-planning service on demand.

I would suggest looking to use the route planning MyRoute-app for your desktop. Use the ‘HERE’ map option, plot your overnight stops first, then use the Toolkit > Avoid > Highways, then drag the route to ride interesting roads between your stops…flip between the ‘HERE’ map and the ‘Michelin’ map option, so that you can see where the interesting Green/White roads are highlighted, that normally suggests the better route.

Have a great trip and I hope this information helps.

Thanks to Paul & MadorNomad for sharing this ride! I’ve been following the advice & route guidance closely and now have all these routes plotted into my Calimoto app. I’ll be travelling down from Inverness, Scotland so I’ll be using the ferry crossing from Newcastle – Amsterdam, but otherwise my planned routing & overnight stops will remain largely the same. I’m happy to say my Hotels & Ferry all booked for July 2023. Thanks guys! Andy

Hi Andy, Thanks for your comment and I’m glad to hear you found this article helpful. Enjoy your trip and all the best! Please do let us know how you get on once you’re back! And ps, thanks for subscribing to our newsletter and Paul’s Youtube channel! Much appreciated 🙂 Cheers, Andy

Now subscribed to the MadorNomad Newsletter & Paul’s ‘Yarro Moto’ Youtube channel. Invaluable sources of info! Thanks

Thank you Andy, I appreciate your support on my YouTube channel. I’m in the process of editing the video of my recent 18 day Sept trip around the ‘Pyrenees, Portugal & Picos’, which you may find interesting. I look forward to hearing how your own trip goes? ATB, Paul.

Good article and as someone planning a trip from Australia this year very helpful.

However, when checking accom on the booking links you had, the rooms were substantially higher than suggested(80 quid a day, the hotels were 150 quid).

Would this be due to the time of year(i’m looking at June/July)? Or were you finding smaller places as you went that are not on booking.com?

My plan is to not book ahead to give myself as much flexibility as possible, just find accom whereever i am as i need it. Is this viable and what would be the realistic cost of cheap accom?

I found the very same thing, re: room costs. I’ve opted for hotels in similar areas but more within my budget. I’ve provisionally booked hotels through Booking.com, so they’re all together in one app – pay on arrival. I’m SO looking forward to this tour!

As mentioned on my comment to Liam’s post above/below…my trip was June 2019, so 4 years ago this Summer. Switzerland is hugely expensive for beers/food/accommodation…FINES etc, so budget accordingly!

Sounds like you’re well on your way with your plans…you’ll have a great time.

Personally, I’m riding the ‘High Alpine Passes’ of France in September 2023 because although I’ve ridden many of the Passes before, it was before I got into filming my trips. So, hopefully I’ll have a full account of them this year.

Best wishes with your trip and consider following my exploits via the FB & Insta links above.

Thanks Paul. I watched your YouTube series on the Tour too & enjoyed that too! I’m [very] new to filming my bike rides, but I’ll definitely be filming this one! I’ll use my time before I head off in July to get some filming practice & have my routine sorted. Many thanks for all your info! Cheers Andy

You are very welcome Andy, have a great time. Paul.

Hi Liam, you may have read that my trip was in June 2019, so, it’s not too surprising to hear that costs have risen in 4 years I’m afraid.

The hotels were all selected and pre-booked by the two trip organisers from our PEMC motorcycle club in the UK, as about 20 people were on this trip, therefore, leaving it until each evening to find a suitable hotel was not an option.

If you’re riding alone or in a small group, you should be able to decide on accommodation each day but I suggest that you don’t leave it until late in the afternoon. Better to pre-book each morning with a location in mind. I’m obviously out of date on the costs Liam, so you’ll need to look into this yourself.

Why not take a look at the PEMC list of events for 2023, you may find something that interests you…then leave the hotels etc to the organiser. Ride on your own each day, if that’s your preference, but have food and company with the rest of the group each evening?

Let me know how you get on, or DM me via my FB or Insta links for further info.

Yeah, i did see it was 4 years ago…. I’d have hoped they didn’t increase that much, but such is life.

Thanks for the advise re.PEMC, but i am very much a solo traveller and do things very randomly so it probably wouldn’t suit me.

Totally understand your thinking, if you prefer solo travel Liam. Good luck with your trip, have a fantastic ride. Paul.

Hi Paul, my wife found your site last year and we are following it with 5 other couples, we arrived in Garmisch last night and I must say we had three fantastic days following your route. Today is a day off the bikes as we’re heading up the zugspitze and visiting the Eibsee hotel where Chris worked while she was a student. Thank you for sharing all this brilliant information. Rich

Hi Richard, I’m glad that you found the routes helpful and thank you for taking the time to post your feedback. Continue to have a great adventure! Paul.

Hi Paul, We have just completed day 8 Livigno to Bellinzona and I can’t stop grinning!! The weather has been perfect and the roads have been very quite. One member of our group ignored my reminders about the Vignate and has had a €200 fine plus having to buy it anyway!! Thanks again Rich

Hi Richard, Day 8 is a great ride! Sorry to hear of the Vignette fine, in my experience it’s better to have one and not need it…but the Swiss have a way of funnelling you onto a motorway somewhere! Hope the rest of your trip is epic. Paul.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

  Notify me when new comments are added.

• Voronezh, Voronezh Oblast /

This restaurant is famous for offering Argentine and Brazilian cuisines. Brazeiro offers you perfectly cooked medium steaks , mexican soup and kobe beef . Tasty cheesecakes and good ice cream have a good taste. It's time to degustate delicious wine or good craft beer . Here you can drink great americano , lemonade or juice .

Sitting on the terrace, you will enjoy a beautiful view. The cheerful staff shows a high level of quality at this place. Guests say that the service is fine here. Pay fair prices for eating at this spot. The lovely decor and peaceful atmosphere let visitors feel relaxed here. Google gives it 4.5 so you can select this restaurant to have a good time here.

Restaurant menu

Frequently mentioned in reviews, ratings of brazeiro, visitors' opinions on brazeiro.

Food guides for travelers

Similar restaurants nearby

Tasty dishes in voronezh.

Restaurant features in Voronezh

Off-road motorcycle tour French Alps

7 days / 6 nights 40% off road, guided : july 07-13, 2024 sept 01-07, 2024 sept 16-22, 2024 & on request, france italy, from €1,575, off-road motorcycle tour french alps.

Enjoy our guided off-road motorcycle tour across the French Alps . Ride one of our adventure bike rental on the best dirt roads of the French Alps all the way to the Mediterranean Sea …

Across the French Alps - Off road

Stunning off-road motorcycle tour in the French Alps . This adventure bike tour takes you on the most beautiful dirt tracks of the Alps , from the Lake Bourget , largest natural lake in France, to the Mediterranean Sea . Enjoy the ride through the Ecrins National Park , the mountain ranges of the Queyras and Parpaillon , the Ubaye Valley and the breathtaking Mercantour National Park . Drive on the best off-road military tracks of the Alps , such as the legendary Col du Parpaillon and its scary tunnel, highest track in France at 2,637m ; or the stunning Via del Sale which winds along the ridges of the French-Italian border at altitudes between 1,800 and 2,260m ! The route also offers stretches of paved roads with beautiful curves ; including the mythical Col du Galibier and the Bonette Road , the highest road in Europe at 2,802m ! This off-road motorcycle tour is an excellent choice if you want to experience a wild adventure across the French Alps …

Most beautiful tracks of the Alps – Écrins & Mercantour National Parks – Best military tracks of the French Alps – Parpaillon tunnel (highest track in France at 2,637m) – Via del Sale military road – Bonette Road (highest paved road in Europe at 2,802m) – Alpine and Mediterranean Gastronomy

Off road safety, local knowledge.

For both safety and organizational reasons , it is strongly recommended to practice off road riding with a tour guide . Our local knowledge and experience are the key to ensure the feasibility of this tour from both technical and regulatory points of view .

The experienced French and English speaking tour guide manages the group, adapts to the speed and interests of the riders, and can resort to plan B when the weather conditions or unpredictable problems in the high mountains come up.

Small group tours

In order to fully enjoy the ride in a safe, relaxed and friendly atmosphere, we operate small group tours from 4 to 8 riders maximum .

Useful information

With daily distances between 170 and 200 km and about 40% off road , you have to know how to handle tight corners and hairpins on a dirt road with a dual sport or adventure bike.

Dual sport and adventure bikes

Our off road tours are open to adventure bike riders on any type of dual sport and adventure bikes such as GS, Africa Twin, Vstrom, Ténéré, Tiger, KTM Adventure … We strongly recommend that you install protection parts on your motorcycle (crash bars, skid plate, handguards…). All our adventure bike rentals are kitted out with protection parts from our partner Outback Motortek .

We advise you to use adventure motorcycle tires combining grip and comfort on and off the road (Michelin Anakee Adventure, Continental TKC 70, Heidenau K60, Mitas E-07…) .

Riding gear

We recommend to wear protective riding gear offering comfort and protection on and off the road: helmet, jacket, pants, gloves and boots.

Day 1 : Arrival in Aix-les-Bains

Transfers, meet & greet, relax, visit and briefing.

Wash away some jetlag, have a walk to the nearby lake, wander in the old streets and shaded parks, delight yourself in the hot pool… By the end of the day, enjoy your first evening filled with familiarizing yourself with the excitement of what lays ahead whilst enjoying a taste of the Alpine Cuisine.

Day 2 : Aix-les-bains → Col du Lautaret

Great start of this off-road motorcycle tour in the French Alps on the Emparis Plateau in front of the most spectacular view on the Meije and its glaciers . Rivers, torrents, waterfalls, lakes with transparent waters… the scenery is splendid ! You spend the night at over 2,000 meters of altitude, at the top of the Col du Lautaret !

Day 3 : Col du Lautaret → Lake Serre-Ponçon

The adventure bike ride starts on the most beautiful tracks of the Écrins National Park . Viewpoints, magnificent valleys, hidden villages, larch forests and many off-road passes are on today’s program! The last dirt track offers superb views on the Lake Serre-Ponçon and the clifftop town of Embrun . You spend the night on the heights of the lake Serre-Ponçon, surrounded by mountains… A great riding day on our off-road motorcycle tour in the French Alps !

Day 4 : Lake Serre-Ponçon → Mercantour

Memorable itinerary on this off-road trip in the Alps with the ascent of the Parpaillon track , the highest track in France at 2,637m , which leads to the legendary Parpaillon tunnel . The daylight at the end of the tunnel will guide you through the 520m of this very impressive military structure completed in 1901 ! Enjoy the adventure bike ride on the trails that lead to the Cime de la Bonette , the highest road in Europe at 2,802m . Then discover the superb off-road tracks of the Mercantour National Park where you spend the night…

Day 5 : Mercantour → Upper Roya Valley

Another stunning ride on this off-road motorcycle tour in the Alps on the small roads and tracks of the Mercantour mountain range . Today’s itinerary leads you to the superb Upper Roya Valley in the Southern French Alps . Overnight stay in the heart of the preserved landscapes of the Vallée des Merveilles …

Day 6 : Upper Roya Valley → Nice

Beautiful final day of our adventure bike tour in the Alps on the old military track of the Via del Sale which winds along the ridges of the French-Italian border at altitudes between 1,800 and 2,260m ! As you ride along, discover old military fortifications in a grandiose high mountain scenery. Our off-road motorcycle tour across the French Alps ends with a dip in the Mediterranean Sea , a good beer and an excellent dinner in the historical Old-Town of Nice …

Day 7 : Departure from Nice

After a last breakfast facing the Mediterranean Sea , you are free to go back home or to extend your stay . For those who have rented a motorcycle from our agency in Aix-les-Bains, a magnificent stretch of road (paved this time!) will bring you back to your destination in a few hours…

Route and overnight places may change due to unforeseen events.

Tour prices

July 07-13, 2024 sept 01-07, 2024 sept 16-22, 2024 & on request get your private guided tour on the dates of your choice.

 Low seat can be ordered as a free option Depending on the bike model and upon reservation

Included services

Included services :

*if motorcycle rental option chosen

Services not included :

Why Ride with us ?

Motorcycle tours agency.

27 rue Jacotot 73100 Aix-les-Bains, FRANCE

Tel : +33 6 21 39 73 00 Email : [email protected]

BMW R 1300 GS Basse

Correcteur d’assiette adaptatif

Hauteur selle basse : 820 mm

Avec correcteur d’assiette : 800 mm

237 kg          145 cv

350 km / jour

Bagagerie moto : 140 L

Assurance tous risques

 GPS TomTom Rider ou support de téléphone (au choix)

  Dépôt de garantie : 2 500 €

Permis moto A

25 ans min.

BMW R 1300 GS LOW

Adaptive Vehicle Height Control (AVHC)

Low seat height : 820 mm

With AVHC : 800 mm

237 kg          145 HP

350 km / day

Luggage capacity : 140 L

Fully comprehensive insurance

 GPS TomTom Rider or phone mount (as per your choice)

  Security deposit : € 2,500

Full motorcycle driving licence

25 years old min.

Honda 1100 Africa Twin

Hauteur de selle : 850 / 870 mm

Hauteur selle basse : 825 mm

231 kg          102 cv

Bagagerie moto : 154 L

Dépôt de garantie : 2 200 €

24 ans min.

Seat height : 850 / 870 mm

Low seat height : 825 mm

231 kg          102 HP

Luggage capacity : 154 L

Security deposit : € 2,200

24 years old min.

KTM 890 Adventure R

Seat height : 880 mm

Low seat height : 855 mm

215 kg          105 HP

Luggage capacity : 120 L

Hauteur de selle : 880 mm

Hauteur selle basse : 855 mm

215 kg          105 cv

Bagagerie moto : 120 L

BMW R 1300 GS

Seat height : 850 mm

Low seat height : 800 mm

Hauteur de selle : 850 mm

Hauteur selle basse : 800 mm

Honda CB 750 Hornet (A2)

Hauteur de selle : 795 mm

Hauteur selle basse : 770 mm

190 kg          35 kW / 47,6 cv

Bagagerie moto : 114 L

Dépôt de garantie : 1 200 €

Permis moto A2 ou A

18 ans min.

Seat height : 795 mm

Low seat height : 770 mm

190 kg          35 kW / 47,6 HP

Luggage capacity : 114 L

Security deposit : € 1,200

A2 & full motorcycle driving licence

18 years old min.

KTM 390 Adventure (A2)

Hauteur de selle : 855 mm

Hauteur selle basse : 830 mm

172 kg          32 kW / 44 cv

Bagagerie moto : 88 L

YAMAHA MT-07 (A2)

Hauteur de selle : 805 mm

Hauteur selle basse : 780 mm

184 kg          35 kW / 47,6 cv

Bagagerie moto : 80 L

HONDA CB 500 X / NX 500 (A2)

Hauteur de selle : 830 mm

196 kg          35kW / 47,5 cv

Bagagerie moto : 144 L

  Dépôt de garantie : 1 200 €

20 ans min.

YAMAHA TÉNÉRÉ 700

Hauteur de selle : 875 mm

204 kg          74 cv

Bagagerie moto : 98 L

Dépôt de garantie : 1 800 €

21 ans min.

YAMAHA TRACER 7 GT (A2)

Hauteur de selle : 835 mm

Hauteur selle basse : 815 mm

197 kg          35 kW / 47,6 cv

Bagagerie moto : 116 L

Dépôt de garantie : 1 500 €

YAMAHA TRACER 9 GT

Hauteur de selle : 825 mm

Hauteur selle basse : 810 mm

220 kg          119 cv

Bagagerie moto : 133 L

23 ans min.

BMW F 900 XR

Hauteur selle basse : 795 mm

219 kg          105 cv

Bagagerie moto : 136 L

BMW F 750 GS

Hauteur de selle : 815 mm

227 kg          77 cv

Bagagerie moto : 146 L

Dépôt de garantie : 2 000 €

22 ans min.

DUCATI MULTISTRADA V4 S

Hauteur de selle : 840 / 860 mm

240 kg          170 cv

26 ans min.

TRIUMPH TIGER SPORT 660

206 kg          81 cv

Bagagerie moto : 106 L

SUZUKI SV 650 (A2)

Hauteur de selle : 785 mm

197 kg          35 kW / 47,5 cv

Bagagerie moto : 117 L

GPS TomTom Rider ou support de téléphone (au choix)

Seat height : 805 mm

Low seat height : 780 mm

184 kg          35 kW / 47,6 HP

Luggage capacity : 80 L

Seat height : 855 mm

Low seat height : 830 mm

172 kg          32 kW / 44 HP

Luggage capacity : 88 L

Seat height : 785 mm

197 kg          35 kW / 47,5 HP

Luggage capacity : 117 L

GPS TomTom Rider or phone mount (as per your choice)

  Security deposit : € 1,200

20 years old min.

Seat height : 830 mm

196 kg          35kW / 47,5 HP

Luggage capacity : 144 L

Seat height : 875 mm

204 kg          74 HP

Luggage capacity : 98 L

Security deposit : € 1,800

21 years old min.

Seat height : 835 mm

Low seat height : 815 mm

197 kg          35 kW / 47,6 HP

Luggage capacity : 116 L

Security deposit : € 1,500

Seat height : 825 mm

Low seat height : 810 mm

220 kg          119 HP

Luggage capacity : 133 L

23 years old min.

Low seat height : 795 mm

219 kg          105 HP

Luggage capacity : 136 L

Seat height : 815 mm

227 kg          77 HP

Luggage capacity : 146 L

Security deposit : € 2,000

22 years old min.

Seat height : 840 / 860 mm

240 kg          170 HP

26 years old min.

206 kg          81 HP

Luggage capacity : 106 L

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Nom * E-mail * Sujet * Choisir Location moto Autre information Moto Choisir Honda CB 500 X (A2) Suzuki SV 650 (A2) Yamaha Tracer 7 GT (A2) Triumph Tiger Sport 660 Yamaha Ténéré 700 BMW F 750 GS Yamaha Tracer 9 GT BMW F 900 XR BMW R 1300 GS Ducati Multistrada V4 S Autre Message Phone Envoyer

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Voyage * Choisir Week-end Annecy - 2j/1n Week-end Vercors - 2j/1n Routes du Tour de France - 3j/2n Tour du Mont-Blanc - 3j/2n Tour des lacs des Alpes - 3j/2n Alpes et Jura - 4j/3n Route Napoléon - 4j/3n Grands cols des Alpes - 4j/3n France - Tour des Alpes - 5j/4n Alsace et Jura - 7j/6n Sud de la France - 7j/6n Thonon à Menton - 6j/5n Route des Grandes Alpes – Small - 5j/4n Route des Grandes Alpes - Best of - 6j/5n Route des Grandes Alpes - XL - 8j/7n Stelvio Express - 6j/5n France, Suisse et Italie - 9j/8n Alpes, Tyrol et Dolomites - 10j/9n Best of Europe - 12j/11n Auvergne & Transpyrénéenne – Best of - 7j/6n Pyrénées et Auvergne - 12j/11n La Grande Boucle - 13j/12n Off-road - Alpes & Piémont - 4j/3n Raid off-road - Transalpes - 6j/5n Vietnam - 14j/13n E-mail * Entrez votre e-mail et recevez le descriptif du séjour en PDF ! Phone Envoyer

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Nom * E-mail * Sujet * Choisir Séjour Liberté Séjour Guidé Sur-mesure Autre information Voyage Choisir Week-end Annecy - 2j/1n Week-end Vercors - 2j/1n Routes du Tour de France - 3j/2n Tour du Mont-Blanc - 3j/2n Tour des lacs des Alpes - 3j/2n Alpes et Jura - 4j/3n Route Napoléon - 4j/3n Grands cols des Alpes - 4j/3n France - Tour des Alpes - 5j/4n Gorges du Tarn et Cévennes - 5j/4n Sud de la France - 7j/6n Alsace et Jura - 7j/6n Thonon à Menton - 6j/5n Route des Grandes Alpes – Small - 5j/4n Route des Grandes Alpes - Best of - 6j/5n Route des Grandes Alpes - XL - 8j/7n Stelvio Express - 6j/5n France, Suisse et Italie - 9j/8n Alpes, Tyrol et Dolomites - 10j/9n Best of Europe - 12j/11n Auvergne & Transpyrénéenne – Best of - 7j/6n Pyrénées et Auvergne - 12j/11n La Grande Boucle - 13j/12n Raid off-road - Alpes & Piémont - 4j/3n Raid off-road - Transalpes - 6j/5n Raid off-road - Gorges du Tarn - 5j/4n Vietnam - 14j/13n Autre Message Name Envoyer

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Email * Entrez votre email et recevez toutes les infos et actus moto The French Ride ! Website S'abonner

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Email * Sign up now to stay in the loop and receive great motorcycle travel inspirations! Message Subscribe

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Name * Email * Your country Subject * Select Motorcycle rental Other information Motorcycle Select Honda CB 500 X Suzuki SV 650 (35kW - 47,5hp) Yamaha Tracer 7 GT (35kW - 47,6hp) Triumph Tiger Sport 660 Yamaha Ténéré 700 BMW F 750 GS Yamaha Tracer 9 GT BMW F 900 XR BMW R 1300 GS Ducati Multistrada V4 S Other Message Name Send

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Tour * Select your tour Annecy - Venice of the Alps - 2d/1n Balcony roads of Vercors - 2d/1n Roads of the Tour de France - 3d/2n Mont-Blanc tour - 3d/2n Alpine lakes tour - 3d/2n Alps & Jura - The lakes tour - 6d/5n Route Napoléon - 6d/5n Legendary passes of the Alps - 6d/5n Best of French Alps - 7d/6n Alsace & Jura - 9d/8n Best of South of France - 9d/8n Route des Grandes Alpes - One way - 6d/5n Route des Grandes Alpes - Small - 7d/6n Best of Route des Grandes Alpes - 8d/7n Route des Grandes Alpes - XL - 10d/9n Stelvio Express - 8d/7n Majestic Alps - 11d/10n European Alps tour - 12d/11n Best of Pyrenees & Auvergne - 9d/8n Passes & Volcanoes - 14d/13n The Grand Tour - 15d/14n Off-road - French Alps & Piedmont - 6d/5n Off-road - Across the French Alps - 7d/6n Email * Enter your email address and we'll send you the tour description! Website Send

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Name * Email * Your country Subject * Select Self-guided tour Guided tour Custom tour Other information Tour Select Annecy - Venice of the Alps - 2d/1n Balcony roads of Vercors - 2d/1n Roads of the Tour de France - 3d/2n Mont-Blanc tour - 3d/2n Alpine lakes tour - 3d/2n Alps & Jura - The lakes tour - 6d/5n Route Napoléon - 6d/5n Legendary passes of the Alps - 6d/5n Best of French Alps - 7d/6n Gorges du Tarn & Cévennes - 7d/6n Best of South of France - 9d/8n Alsace & Jura - 9d/8n Route des Grandes Alpes - One way - 6d/5n Route des Grandes Alpes - Small - 7d/6n Best of Route des Grandes Alpes - 8d/7n Route des Grandes Alpes - XL - 10d/9n Stelvio Express - 8d/7n Majestic Alps - 11d/10n European Alps tour - 12d/11n Best of Pyrenees & Auvergne - 9d/8n Passes & Volcanoes - 14d/13n The Grand Tour - 15d/14n Off-road - French Alps & Piedmont - 6d/5n Off-road - Across the French Alps - 7d/6n Off-road - Gorges du Tarn - 7d/6n Other Message Comment Send

RIDING GEAR RENTAL

Helmets, Jackets & Gloves

from S to 2XL

LOCATION ÉQUIPEMENT MOTARD

Casques, Vestes & Gants