Euro HOG Rally 2010, Lugano, Switzerland
- Thread starter Dr Loguey
- Start date
Dr Loguey
Member
Hi Sworrub, yup, really looking forward to it - this will be a major trip for us! You might be able to answer a few quick questions:
1. Where can we get the Swis Vignette before we go?
2. Do you think Calais to Lugano is feasible in 3 days' easy riding (wife not comfortable at speed yet). Thinking of overnights in Riems and Strasbourg?
What route did you take and how long did you take? Any info most welcome as this will be our first foreign trip and don't really know what to expect.
Many thanks,
Loguey
1. Where can we get the Swis Vignette before we go?
2. Do you think Calais to Lugano is feasible in 3 days' easy riding (wife not comfortable at speed yet). Thinking of overnights in Riems and Strasbourg?
What route did you take and how long did you take? Any info most welcome as this will be our first foreign trip and don't really know what to expect.
Many thanks,
Loguey
ugocon
Active Member
Ciao Loguey.
Regarding the "vignette" you can buy it right after the border.
There's an office at the Customs that sells it: just ask to an officer, very easy job.
No need (and probably no way...) to get it before the journey.
For the trip can't help: I'd personally make only one stop, but if you want to take it easier, it's up to you.
Been in Strasbourg once: nice city, take the tour on the boat.
It's where I ate my first (and only...) "escargot": snails!!
Not bad, though...:s
Ciao
Ugo
Regarding the "vignette" you can buy it right after the border.
There's an office at the Customs that sells it: just ask to an officer, very easy job.
No need (and probably no way...) to get it before the journey.
For the trip can't help: I'd personally make only one stop, but if you want to take it easier, it's up to you.
Been in Strasbourg once: nice city, take the tour on the boat.
It's where I ate my first (and only...) "escargot": snails!!
Not bad, though...:s
Ciao
Ugo
sworrub
Member
As ugocon says you can buy them at the border or you can buy online at this link Vignette
Yes 3 days should be easy I made it to Dijon from dunkirk (I travelled with norfolkline much cheaper than going to calais with other lines and only a few miles north of calais) in 6 hrs on the autoroutes. I kept to the speed limit all the way a bit knackering tho.
Yes 3 days should be easy I made it to Dijon from dunkirk (I travelled with norfolkline much cheaper than going to calais with other lines and only a few miles north of calais) in 6 hrs on the autoroutes. I kept to the speed limit all the way a bit knackering tho.
martin14
Active Member
Hi Loguey
Vignette at the border is the easiest.
Dont forget your passport.
3 days is plenty of time.. you could tease your wife by telling her I did a trip
in last November from Milan, Italy to Alicante Spain, 1500 km, 2 days :s
the route: try this
ViaMichelin: Maps, route planner, route finder, UK maps, European maps, hotel booking, travel guides
you can play with the settings for shortest, sightseeing, etc. mostly highways is 10 hours riding time.
looks like coming in thru Basel, and straight across, should be a great ride.
Hotel maybe not Strasbourg, but Colmar or Basel.
The 'N' National roads are more scenic, its the old highway network.
Lots of roundabouts though.
Dr Loguey
Member
Hi guys,
all very helpful - thanks very much. Settled on route down stopping at Bethune and Strasbourg only. Now looking for ideas for the way home, thinking of maybe three days up to Calais.. Anywhere you would recommend as a real "must see"? Don't even know whether to come back via Germany or France so ideas on either would be welcome.
Have heard Annecy, France is well worth seeing and would consider calling back through Strasbourg as we'll probably not see much of it on the way down as arriving late and leaving early. Is Dijon worth seeing, or anywhere in Germany?
Have even considered trying to 'tick off' a few extra countries by meandering through Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg & Belgium although I think this might just end up as a mad rush without appreciating any of the places - anyone done this? :eam
As I say, we've three(ish) days to get from Lugano to Calais and don't want to get back and find everyone telling us we should have made a short detour to see somewhere entirely unmissable (although that's bound to happen anyway I suppose!) so if you've any suggestions I'm all ears..!
all very helpful - thanks very much
. Settled on route down stopping at Bethune and Strasbourg only. Now looking for ideas for the way home, thinking of maybe three days up to Calais.. Anywhere you would recommend as a real "must see"? Don't even know whether to come back via Germany or France so ideas on either would be welcome.Have heard Annecy, France is well worth seeing and would consider calling back through Strasbourg as we'll probably not see much of it on the way down as arriving late and leaving early. Is Dijon worth seeing, or anywhere in Germany?
Have even considered trying to 'tick off' a few extra countries by meandering through Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg & Belgium although I think this might just end up as a mad rush without appreciating any of the places - anyone done this? :eam
As I say, we've three(ish) days to get from Lugano to Calais and don't want to get back and find everyone telling us we should have made a short detour to see somewhere entirely unmissable (although that's bound to happen anyway I suppose!) so if you've any suggestions I'm all ears..!
ugocon
Active Member
What to say?
France looks all alike: hills and hills.
Cities in that part of Germany and France are more or less same style.
If you want to make a detour.... go to Paris! :s
Not far and at least you can have a quick tour and say: I've been in Paris with my Harley!
Another place nice to see is the most typical Swiss Canton, Appenzel, but it's on the other side of Switzerland, towards Germany and takes less than two hours from Lugano.
From there you can go to St. Gallen (UNESCO site) and have a very good beer too!
I'd spend one day in Switzerland that is worth to see and then maybe go to visit Luxembourg: a fairy tale place!
Never been there, but people I know say that it's nice, clean and mountainous.
From there go to Belgium passing through the Ardennes and then to Calais.
Don't waste your time in Brussels: not worth a visit (BTW I'll be there next week...)
Out of Switzerland there are no customs, so you can pass easily from France to Germany to Luxembourg to Belgium depending on where you feel like to go with no waste of time at the border!
Just my two cents
Ugo
France looks all alike: hills and hills.
Cities in that part of Germany and France are more or less same style.
If you want to make a detour.... go to Paris! :s
Not far and at least you can have a quick tour and say: I've been in Paris with my Harley!
Another place nice to see is the most typical Swiss Canton, Appenzel, but it's on the other side of Switzerland, towards Germany and takes less than two hours from Lugano.
From there you can go to St. Gallen (UNESCO site) and have a very good beer too!
I'd spend one day in Switzerland that is worth to see and then maybe go to visit Luxembourg: a fairy tale place!
Never been there, but people I know say that it's nice, clean and mountainous.
From there go to Belgium passing through the Ardennes and then to Calais.
Don't waste your time in Brussels: not worth a visit (BTW I'll be there next week...)
Out of Switzerland there are no customs, so you can pass easily from France to Germany to Luxembourg to Belgium depending on where you feel like to go with no waste of time at the border!
Just my two cents
Ugo
If you go to Luxembourg. Go to Luxembourg City the place is very nice, visit the city tunnels dating from WWII and earlier. Also head up thru the Mosel River Valley of Germany. If you have not purchased a round trip thru Calais. I would do Calais to Lugano to Hook of Holland and them home. Than would give you a good cross section of Europe to visit. And there are several locations to see within easy driving distance of each other. For Germany you could do the cities of Trier, and Koblenz via the Mosel river and Luxembourg is about 30-45 mins from Trier, Paris is about 4-5 hours. In my opinion the Mosel River Valley has much better wine then the Rhine River Valley. Also there should be some nice festivals going on during that time frame. I used to live in Cochem which is located half way between Trier and Koblenz.