Over and under the Alps - Ducati.ms

Montanan · Aug 17th, 2011, 5:40 pm

On August 14, I rode my 748 from Geneva along the French side of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman), Through Evian and up the Valais to Martigny, over the Col du St. Bernard, down to the Valle d'Aosta in Italy, through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Chamonix and back to Geneva (three countries and 350 km).

It started out as a nice sunny morning with the Alps looking particularly toothy off in the distance....

Starting up the St. Bernard Pass and leaving the terraced vineyards of Martigny in the Valais (a light rain started) and given the smooth pavement of Swiss roads and liberal amounts of paint on the surface, it makes for tricky cornering.

Despite the rain and cold, the climb up to the top of the pass (8,100 ft or 2,470 m) was a blast. The hospice at the top is worth visiting, St. Bernard was a good guy and founded it in the 11th century to help the poor wretches that used this route to cross from southern to northern Europe (they often got lost in the snow and even if they didn't, they were often not prepared for the harsh cold. Of course, the famous dogs were used here as well and some of the famous visitors included Lance Armstrong, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Hannibal (with his elephants).

The road on the Italian side was a bit dryer and a lot less of the slick paint. I got down below the tree line and was just starting to enjoy the light traffic and dryer roads and just about went headlong into a thousand or so sheep (and donkeys).

After they passed, I was able to proceed, however the road was slick with sheep shit (worse than Swiss road paint). While it is not true what they say about Montanan's and sheep; it is true that we know how to navigate slick roads (even sheep dung slickened roads). At any rate, I was getting hungry and a nice Italian road-side panini tent happened along. I had lunch with a couple of Germans (BMW and Guzzi) that were returning home to Berlin from the south of France. The folks running the bar were really friendly and the cheese and sausage panini (sandwich) was excellent and only three euros.

The rest of the way down to Aosta was great and then on to the auto-route (freeway) for a quick ride up to the Mont Blanc tunnel just in time for a good 90 minute wait to get through (Sunday afternoons are notorious for traffic jams). They have taken strong measures to prevent another tragedy like occurred in 1999 when 39 people died as a result of Belgium cheese truck that caught fire.

Finally I got through 7.2 mile (12 km) tunnel and popped out just above Chamonix France, which is a very scenic place, below the Mont Blanc and several imposing looking glaciers.

Finally a 45 minute, 130 km/hr run for home. The bike ran like a top and my middle-aged body and wrists faired pretty well all things considered.

rapete · Aug 18th, 2011, 5:39 am

fantastic pics...nice write up...i envy you. living near the alps must be like in bikes heaven!

i found that out last season when travelling from home - hamburg - to the trentino and further...i can honestly confess, bikewise i´d move to the south.

Bill_Anderson · Aug 18th, 2011, 11:54 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Montanan

After they passed, I was able to proceed, however the road was slick with sheep shit (worse than Swiss road paint).

We refer to that stuff as "brown ice." Nice photos and narrative. Thanks for posting.

Montanan · Aug 18th, 2011, 4:01 pm

Thank you for the nice words. It is a very good area to ride in.

Ted038 · Dec 23rd, 2011, 2:38 am

Since you live in Geneva, i would have expected a better route, seems you keeping the nicer routes for yourself

I like straight, busy (city)roads as much as the next "sporttouring" motorbiker, but E>B>C isn't that special, especially when there are better routes through the hills (know the RdGA ?).
Same with the route after Sallanches, ísn't that a highway ?
And a 7 mile tunnel ? I know distance is limited to 1 day, but why not take the small saint bernhard pass & cormet de roselend ?

When you're blessed to live so close to motorbike heaven, i would expect a bit more effort

n11743 · Jan 28th, 2012, 7:46 am

Wow! I spent 10-days riding throughout Switzerland in the late-summer of 2010. These photos & words of your day-trip rekindled the enjoyment and pleasure that I experienced! And, incidentally, my ride over Passo dello Stelvio led to the recent purchase of a 2003 Ducati 800SS (that I have not yet ridden). I have been trolling through this sight looking at all things technical but finding this 'thread' and this particular 'post' is inspirational. Thanks very much...

CAlexio · Jan 28th, 2012, 8:05 am

Weird to see pics of Martigny and a few roads I know decently well from when I was still young enough to spend summers in Italy... I bet that roadside panino tasted amaZing.

Montanan · Jan 28th, 2012, 1:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAlexio

I bet that roadside panino tasted amaZing.

Oh it did! It was a local Valle d'Aosta sausage in in the panino. The cuoco came out to see if I was happy and his wife offered to snap a photo of the cuocco, me and the panino. When you get out this way again look me up.

Ciao,

Matt