Cycling from Geneva to Genoa...surprising the wife!

[matata]

Im just looking for a few ideas of the way to go on the above route. I was going to fly me and the bike to Geneva. Got a set of panniers,sleeping bag granny gears and a dose of enthusiasm.58 year old 95 kg reasonably fit. Im probably good for a steady 50miles /day. I appreciate there are many routes and not that keen to do the massive climbs but I don't want to miss out if you think its worth it. Any help/ advice / places stay or not would be so appreciated. Ta Nik

[PDQ Mobile]

When?
What time of year?
Masses of snow at higher levels at the moment!

[matata]

good question... mid october

[Brucey]

every small town in that area will have hotels and B&Bs. You can book ahead but even if you don't, you are unlikely to come unstuck, so you can play it by ear if you like.

It is of course not possible to cycle to Italy from Geneva without going over at least one fairly chunky mountain pass. The passes that you might take vary in height, gradient, traffic and scenery. Some of the passes are bypassed (in part) by modern roads and tunnels, leaving a nice road to cycle on; for example the Gnd.St.Bernard pass is (IIRC) about 50km to the top which is 2000 vertical metres higher than the valley floor. This climb is long but not especially steep, and there is not much traffic for much of the route. If you go this way, it might be the only decent-sized climb you tackle.

There are many routes through France which involve lower altitude passes, but there are usually more of them.

BTW by October the weather can be somewhat hit and miss in the mountains. It might snow and it will probably be rather cold.

cheers

[matata]

Ta Brucey, just the sort of info I need. Never thought the weather could be a factor. Nik

[Brucey]

the higher you go, the more extreme the weather can be. I've been caught out by this, in part because you are working hard and going slowly when climbing and don't notice the cold so much. At the top of the high mountain passes it is cold nearly all the time; it isn't uncommon for the noon summit temperature to be around 5C even in high summer.

This page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_St_Bernard_Pass describes the average weather conditions at the pass; in October the average daytime temperature is about 1C and the peak daily temperature averages at less than 4C. The lake near the summit is frozen for 265 days in the year. Lower passes won't be so severe as this, but many passes through the alps are about 2000m or so. A nice day in October will be OK but an average day will be pretty chilly and a bad day could be very nasty indeed.

Barring accidents, the absolute worst case is to work hard on the way up, so that you have pretty much run out of oomph, and then to have the weather change unexpectedly when you are near the summit. Normally you can take refuge at a summit hostel or (in good conditions) get down to a part of the valley where it is warmer in fifteen or twenty minutes, but if it rains or worse yet snows, you can have a much slower, colder, more dangerous descent.

cheers

[Valbrona]

Go on major roads in northern Italy and you will die.
Go on minor roads in northern Italy and you might die.

Note that the Autostrada designation in Italy - blue signs - bars cyclists from lots of roads/tunnels.

[whoof]

I've ridden from Geneva to Nice and the first part would probably be similar Annecy/Albertville/St Jean de Maurienne. All have plenty of places to stay at various price points. If you are arriving in Geneva late and you want somewhere to stay there are Formule 1 and Premier Class hotels near the airport both basic and cheap. They are both in France and the airport is right on the border. Also if you are stocking up with food do so in France and not Switzerland. There's a large Le Clerc not far from both hotels, you can get Camping Gaz there.

You say you have a sleeping bag are you camping? October is out of season so find a rooms shouldn't be a problem.

As Brucey has said it can get cold. I've been at the top of passes in late June and it's been lovely on other occasions it's been freezing cold, snowing or the pass it completely closed. Take a good pair of gloves for the descents.

If you ride over the passes do so at a rate which you find relatively comfortable and you should be OK, they are long not steep. Stop and admire the view*, take photos and snack. *Weather permitting.

Swiss drivers are about the same as British ones but you will only be there a short time. I've ridden Milan to Lyon and Vienna to Venice pus other Italian trips and found Italian drivers to be OK (wrt cyclist and comparing it to the UK). I've never found it necessary to spend much if any time on major roads.

[bikepacker]

I like Valbrona's post, sums up Italy nicely.

You have picked a really tough ride even in the best of weather. I did a similar ride the opposite way going from Savona to Macon to get the EBE. My route was loosely Cuneo, Briancon. Chambery and Bourg en Bresse. You could to from Geneva to Chambery and then follow a similar route only the opposite way. As I say it is tough be prepared for many long hard climbs.

[Brucey]

there is more than one way to skin a cat for sure but having ridden both routes (more or less) I have suggested the GSB pass route for several reasons

- there is only one (albeit big) climb
- IIRC when in the mountain valleys you are not lumped in with the 'main road' traffic too badly; in many places there is a new road and an old road that you can still ride on.
- the route is shorter/quicker

Most routes that lie westwards of this spend more time in France, less in Italy, but may also have many more climbs to contend with. I have ridden through that part of France because I wanted to ride lots of climbs...

BTW Napoleon took his army over the GSB, figuring it was the better way to go.

cheers

[whoof]

there is more than one way to skin a cat for sure but having ridden both routes (more or less) I have suggested the GSB pass route for several reasons

-

Never ridden the GSB pass. I was planning to when I rode from Milan to Lyon but it was closed due to snow (3rd week in June). Did the PSB pass instead, reports I read said there would be lots of traffic, saw about 6 cars and two St Bernards for the entire climb. Maybe I'll go back and give the GSB a try another time.

[bikepacker]

BTW Napoleon took his army over the GSB, figuring it was the better way to go.

cheers

Napoleon actually took his soldiers from where he landed near Nice through Grasse and over the road now called the Route Napoleon. I have done this route a few times until it joins the River Durance.

[NUKe]

You didn't reply as to how you were surprising the wife ? only asking as you brought it up

[Brucey]

BTW Napoleon took his army over the GSB, figuring it was the better way to go.

cheers

Napoleon actually took his soldiers from where he landed near Nice through Grasse and over the road now called the Route Napoleon. I have done this route a few times until it joins the River Durance.

He may have done that as well but in 1800 he crossed the GSB from north to south with an army intending to relieve a siege on (then French held) Genoa.

cheers

[matata]

Im only new to the cycle touring thing and maybe the bernard pass its adventourous to start. I have a sleeping bag but would stay in hostels/inns etc. Just from the feeling of what you guyssay and the time of year (of which i have no choice) i think ill keep it simple and succeed. The wife aint expecting me. She's off for a girly week at a friend need La specia(??) She would only worry about me if I told her before hand. Daft question...does anyone know the prevailing wind. Ta for those nuggets of help so far. Nik