Italian and Swiss Lakes guided motorcycle holiday

Today, we continue our Italian and Swiss-Lakes guided-motorcycle-tour and travel to the beautiful Vosges Mountains. 

In general, it will be a quiet day in the saddle, and it looks like there isn’t much to brag about. However, this is precisely the beauty of touring in Belgium and France. These are some of the very few European countries where we can still experience nearly traffic-free roads and biking solitude. 

Our route doesn’t have to include any motorways at all. However, to make quicker progress and avoid some big towns like Toul, we’ll have motorway options available to us if we choose to use them. After the city of Toul, fuel stop and lunch, we’ll continue towards the Vosges Mountains, wiggling our way through some of the most eye-pleasing countryside.

Gérardmer is the gateway to the Ballons des Vosges Natural Park, providing a perfect setting to conclude our ride before arriving at our destination. A sweet and easy climb up the Col de la Schlucht will take us to our destination. 

Our comfortable hotel in Munster will welcome us with a cosy room and a delicious evening meal.

On day three of the Italian and Swiss-Lakes guided-motorcycle-tour, an early-ish breakfast and departure might work out well to make the most of our ride. 

We’ll be heading from one beautiful mountain range to another. Leaving the Vosges Mountains behind, we’ll have two apparent riding options. To avoid big towns like Colmar and Mulhouse, we can descend from the mountains by riding several sections of the famous and twisty local mountain passes: Route des Cretes and Col du Grand Ballon. 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. 

After crossing the Swiss border, hopping on the motorway is the easiest and quickest way to get to Sils Maria. But, providing the weather is good, it is worth riding over the panoramic Julier Pass. The ski resort of Surses has several pizzerias, cafés and restaurants, making it a convenient place to stop, relax and enjoy the stunning chocolate-wrapper Alpine vistas.

Our hotel in Sils will welcome us with stunning views of snow-capped mountains, a comfortable room and a delicious evening meal.

The ride on day four of our Italian and Swiss-Lakes guided-motorcycle-tour is short-ish in terms of distance. However, from the riding point of view, it is a big ride with a big heart that never stops giving. 

The ride starts with the Bernina pass, Passo di Foscagno and Passo Forcola, and Bormio and Livigno ski resorts. All passes are high mountain passes and come as almost back-to-back ascents and descents in close succession.

The legendary Bernina pass is famous for its car rallies, Glacier Express train and breath-taking alpine vistas. But above all, it is a joy to ride. On the other hand, both Passo di Foscagno and Passo Forcola have tight hairpins, run through several dramatic-looking tunnels/avalanche galleries, and occasionally require increased attention. Also, both passes pass through areas of unparalleled natural beauty, and the stunning scenery alone is enough to make you feel on top of the world.

An enjoyable spin over Paso del Tonale and Passo dell Ballino and a coffee break at the famous ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio will conclude our ride.

Today is our day off, and you are free to organise your own agenda if you wish. Some popular things to do are various boat trips on the lake. Also, there are endless choices of visits to local tourist attractions. In addition, vineyards, as well as wine-tasting houses, might be more tempting prospects.

The numerous boat excursions are usually the most popular choice. The tours include visits to some of the most beautiful towns, such as Riva del Garda, Malcesine, and Sirmione. A cable car ride will take you to the top of Mount Baldo.

Alternatively, some may opt for a train trip to Verona or Venice. The ‘City of Love’, Verona, is less than forty miles from our hotel. It is a city of myths, spirits and magic. It is also the scene of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

The lagoon city of Venice is a little further down the rail tracks but definitely worth a journey. Venezia is the beautiful city where the Merchant of Venice fought for his wealth. This trip is a unique opportunity to take that ‘always wanted to do’ gondola tour along the maze of narrow city canals. 

However, if you fancy a ride, you can go for a self-guided spin around three lakes. First, you’ll follow Lake Garda to Salo. Then, next, you’ll traverse to Lago Di Idro. And finally, you’ll head to Lago Di Ledro and return to the hotel.

On day six of the Italian and Swiss-Lakes guided-motorcycle-tour, we’ll leave the Mediterranean hustle and bustle of Lake Garda behind and head towards another beautiful lake at the edges of the picture-perfect Swiss Alps. 

The suggested route is short-ish but includes travelling through some of the most breathtaking Alpine scenery, stopping as many times as we wish and riding some fantastic biking roads. The entire ride is like travelling through one giant beautiful postcard. It will take us around the snow-capped mountain peaks and through the green valleys dotted with ski resorts and traditional villages. 

The short-but-sweet Passo Duron, the trendy ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio and the scenic Passo Campo will provide a thrilling start to our journey. There are many cafés and restaurants along the routes where we can stop for lunch and comfort breaks. The whole experience of the quiet mountain serenity makes it hard not to love motorcycling in the Alps.

On our way to Lugano, our route also includes the legendary Passo Del Tonale. On this section of our route, convenient locations to stop are at the top of Passo Del Tonale and Jolly Bar in Edolo.

Our biker-friendly hotel in Lugano will welcome us with a comfortable room and a delicious evening meal. 

Today is a good day to park our bikes, relax and enjoy the warm Mediterranean sun. The old town of Lugano is an elegant mixture of Swiss and Italian architecture, with a fantastic scene of cafés, bars, restaurants and food stores.

Parco Ciani is a beautiful lakeside park worth visiting. From the park, you can walk along the Lake’s shores. It’ll take you to the nearby rustic village of Gandria via the Lugano Olive Tree Trail (about three miles from the town centre). 

Lake Lugano is a definite highlight of everything to do in Lugano. The Lake is a worthy rival to nearby Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, offering numerous boat trips.

A cable car ride up to Monte Brè is also well worth an effort. The 1000-meter-high mountain top is one of the sunniest spots in Switzerland, affording the spectacular vistas of the surrounding mountains and the city and Lake below. 

However, if you fancy a ride, you can go for a self-guided spin over the legendary San Berardino Pass and return via the twisty Splügen Pass. The trip is about 140 miles long and will take most of the day. 

We’ll start day eight of our Italian and Swiss-Lakes guided-motorcycle-tour by pointing our front wheels towards the iconic Simplon Pass.

Simplon is considered one of the most beautiful mountain passes in the Swiss Alps. On this pass, you will know you’re in Switzerland! It is a perfectly paved road with countless bends and switchbacks. The only distraction will be the fresh mountain fragrance, breathtaking scenery, and distant clanging of cowbells for miles.

Also, the restaurant at the top of the pass is an excellent place to have lunch, relax and take in the breathtaking mountain vistas.

Our hotel in Montreux will welcome us with a comfortable room and breathtaking mountain and lake views.

Our last free day of the Italian and Swiss-Lakes guided-motorcycle-tour presents another opportunity to explore another beautiful lakeside town.

The town of Montreux is nestled between forested mountainsides and a crystal-clear Lake Geneva. A walk along the promenade provides one of the real highlights of this trip. It has excellent mountain views, gorgeous floral displays, and numerous sculptures. For rock music fans, there is a wonderfully erected statue of the Queen legend, Freddie Mercury. 

Those wishing to continue with the rock tour can also visit the Queen Museum. The Museum is located in the former Mountain Studios in the Casino Barrière de Montreux. The Funky Claude’s Bar is also not that far from the statue. You will find a memorial to Deep Purple and their classic song ♪♫♫♪ Smoke on the Water ♫♪♫♪ here. This legendary item was composed after the famous Montreux Casino burnt to the ground during Frank Zappa’s gig. 

To add a historical note to your stay in Montreux, you can visit Chillon Castle. It is a romantic castle on Lake Geneva and one of the most-visited monuments in Switzerland. 

If you fancy a self guided ride, you can take a spin over Col des Mosses and return via Col du Pillon. The trip is about 80 miles long.

Today, we’ll be leaving Montreux in Switzerland and heading towards another different in character but equally beautiful destination in the bubbly Champagne Region of France. 

Leaving Switzerland behind, we’ll follow rural country roads, main fast routes and some motorways. But most of the route, we’ll be winding through traditional villages, cultivated fields and green forests. The landscapes will gradually become hilly, chalky, and dotted with vineyards.

Our overnight stay will be in one of the most renowned champagne towns in the Champagne region. Our comfortable hotel is located in the city’s centre, surrounded by timber-framed houses and a great selection of cafés, bars and restaurants.

After breakfast, we’ll ride back to the channel tunnel for an afternoon crossing. 

We hope this fantastic Italian and Swiss-Lakes guided-motorcycle-tour met your expectations and you had a great time with RideWithUs.

Thank you for joining us, and we look forward to RidingWithYou you again soon.