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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

629.0. "Biking in Europe this summer!" by NRPUR::TRUDEAU () Thu Apr 21 1988 19:27

    I am going on my first extended bike  trip this July, to Europe
    for 3 months and am VERY excited about it...I have been fantasizing
    about something like this for a long time! I am going solo and am
    very flexible about my itinerary but would like to see alot of France
    and Italy.  Is there anyone out there who has done this before?
     I need all the help I can get (maps,routes, etc...) I have just
    purchased a Peugeot mountain bike and love it!  I am female (of
    that makes any difference)  All suggestions, hints, info. are  greatly
    appreciated.
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629.1Info about FranceLEROUF::WILSONJohn in Valbonne, FranceFri Apr 22 1988 09:1542
    The DEC office I work in is in the south of France, near the border
    with Italy. I have done a lot of cycletouring in France, but not
    Italy. France is very well covered by 1:200,000 maps, which are
    cheap ($1.50 each), more detailed maps are available as well. Send
    me mail if you would like to me to send you any maps.
    
    The following is based on experience in France, but most of it applied
    to Italy too.
    
    The roads are good, and you don't need a mountain bike on them.
    However there are a lot of long-distance paths that would be make
    great journeys. You can cross the Alps on the paths for example (the
    have frontier police on skis in winter). The south of France is
    very hot in July and August, and the traffic is terrible. You can
    avoid this by staying inland in the mountains, but the going will
    be hard in the heat.
    
    The west and south-west of France are less commercialised and cooler,     
    but a long way from Italy. But you have three months. The Pyrenees
    are quiet, and quite uncommercial, especially on the Spanish side.
    
    As regards what to bring, my personal choice has been to bring a
    sleeping bag for flexibility, but plan to stay in small country
    hotels, which are quite good value in both France and Italy. They
    usually serve evening meals: in any case, even the smallest towns
    have restaurants. Hotels are very welcome after 100km in the heat.
    However, France is otherwise not cheap, but you can buy fruit etc
    easily during the day.
    
    Being female is unlikely to be a problem, as most approaches will
    be only verbal. However, having things stolen is a certainty unless
    you take precautions. You may not want to carry several pounds of
    U-lock around for three months. You will have to keep your bike
    in sight at all times in towns, or lock it up in a secure place.
    This is not a big problem, as hoteliers and camping sites are used
    to cyclists.
    
    Learn as much French as you can before you come (Italians will
    understand French better than English, in the country). This may
    be superfluous advice to a Trudeau. 
    
    John
629.2Notes 502 & 561AMUN::CRITZFri Apr 22 1988 13:333
    	See notes 502. and 561.
    
    	Scott