Geneva to Innsbruck - suggestions ?

AndrewClark

I've got the first 2 weeks in September off and need to go touring, I've not been away this year!

On trip I'm considering is Easyjet to Geneva and then ride to Innsbruck and fly back from there, camping along the way. No route planning done yet but I guess I could pop across to Italy as well.

I've done Geneva to Nice twice, and if my form is the same I'd expect to be doing approx 60Km and one big pass a day.

Never been to Switzerland proper or Austria so all advice regarding routes,maps/books campsites & good places to go would be very welcome.

SCR Pedro

Hi there,

I would certainly recommend that you try to spend some time at Zell am See. It's not far from Innsbruck, and is by far the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life. I honestly did not want to leave. Look at the link in my signature, there are some pictures in there, but you might have to go to page 4 or something. I don't know.

But anyway, very close to Zell am See is the Gross Glockner. I wasn't into cycling at the time, so I didn't realise I was so close to such an awesome climb. This of course just gives me a very good reason to go back one day. Also, there is a campsite on the north end of the lake.

In Switzerland, you might want to check out both Zermatt (Matterhorn), and Grindelwald (Eiger & Jungfrau). Be warned though, the rumours of Switzerland being expensive are very true!

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers
Pedro

Edit: I'll save you the bother of searching. http://www.flickr.com/photos/scr-pedro/page7/ There are others on page 4 & 5 too.

El Gordo

Well, I've ridden from Annecy to Innsbruck a few years ago as part of a bigger tour and it was amonst the best riding I've done in my life so would definitely recommend it.

I've got my route marked out on a map at home so I'll try and remember to look it up and remind myself of the particular highlights. Climbing Sustenpass in July in the snow was certainly memorable.

wakemalcolm

Try the Kummerly + Frey cycling in Switzerland map: takes in the whole country in one 1:300,000 map. Have navigated a number of tours using it and it includes the 9 national routes plus several local ones.

Haven't done Susten but Furka and Grimselpass in the same area are certainly memorable and if you're heading into the Italian border area, you could be on for the Stelvio although when I was there around the same time a couple of years ago, it was snowing at the top.

Enjoy!

Roger_This

'I would certainly recommend that you try to spend some time at Zell am See. It's not far from Innsbruck,

But anyway, very close to Zell am See is the Gross Glockner.

In Switzerland, you might want to check out both Zermatt (Matterhorn), and Grindelwald (Eiger & Jungfrau)'.

Don't want to sound negative, but while all of these are certainly beautiful destinations, Zell am See and Gross Glockner are a long way past Innsbruck if you've come from Geneva, and Zermatt is a long steep side-track from Visp if you're taking the souther route. Grindlewald is also a bit of a side-track from Interlaken if you take that route.

Going north via Berne and Zurich might be your best bet - less mountainous scenery, but less, er mountains :?