Rachel and I are looking forward to a very special and exciting event next year. I am of course referring to World Ducati Week.. Which is actually three days.
Planning has begun for a road trip to get there. The question is, which route and how long? Actually that’s two questions. Anyway, current thinking is to do a big loop - get to France via the train then head east to come down to Italy via Germany. On the way back, up in to the south-east of France and head for the train again.
We want to be in Bologna by Thursday 3rd July . I expect the whole trip taking up to a fortnight.
Long, boring, toll-ridden routes are not preferable unless it avoids a ridiculous detour ,or the alternative roads are slow and/or rubbish.
I know there are some well-travelled folks of this parish and I have a TomTom planning web page open and ready. All advice welcome - I’ll post the route as it evolves.
Considering where you live, an alternative for the start and/or end of the journey is the overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam. That lands 8am so you land refreshed for a full days riding, or on the return journey get most of the day for a leisurely unpack and relax at home.
I guessed that. You mention riding down through Germany. That is probably the fastest way. In case you plan to ride through France Switzerland Italy, you can have a free stop in Aix-Les-Bains
Edit, just had a look on maps, from Dover to Bologna there is 1 minute gap (on around 14 hours of travel)
14 hours with a quick stop for a pee. Sounds easy enough.
I did spot that we may passing quite close to Aix-Les-Bains on the way back. I’ll let you know when to put the kettle on. And by that I mean, open the wine.
I’m thinking three overnight stops on the continent. We’re not is a hurry to get there and back. I’ll check mileage once I’ve got potential routes and see if that would work.
Here’s the first, basic directional route out to Bologna. Something to start with and tweak to get a final version. Posting here for thoughts and opinions on where to drag the blue line or add waypoints. Fast ‘A’ roads will be preferable to motorways.
This is just the fastest route including motorways:
A bit more refinement on the route out to Bologna today. TomTom won’t calculate avoiding motorways if the route is over 600 miles so I’ve broken it up in to five days. Motorways will mainly be a backup in case we need to make up some time.
Day 1 is a buzz down to Folkstone to pick up the Eurotunnel train, then a little push in to France, stopping at Arras.
Day 4: This is a detour to do a loop of Alpine passes (Susten, Furka and Grimsel). About 80 miles, I believe. Finish at Como. I’d like to do the Stelvio but it doesn’t fit in at the moemnt.
Alternatively, we could go from Strasbourg to Airolo via the Grimsel and Neufenen Passes. That would take a day off the journey, as well. I’m leaning towards this one at the moment.
That’s a nice exciting trip to look forward to. The Hull ferry to rottingdam will save you squaring off your tyres for the best part of 500 miles rtn as you’ll need plenty of tread on the Ducati run. You’ll also have a fresh and relaxing morning as you land!! Just a thought.
Did a lot of those roads and passes last summer.
We stayed in Andermatt at the famous Bergidyll hotel were EON crew stayed in 1964 to shoot the Furka pass car chase in Goldfinger.
