Austria: Alpine Altitude Tour Trip Report June 2023

AUSTRIA: ALPINE ALTITUDE TOUR – JUNE/JULY 2023
Traverse the soaring hairpins of Austria and Switzerland’s finest high alpine passes with Co-Guide, Bradley Johns.

Day 1
An early channel tunnel crossing and we’re on our way.
We ticked off the miles meandering through the French countryside, fuelled by McCoffee , patisseries, glorious sunshine and clear blue skies.
Arriving at our picturesque stop for the night and treated to a three course meal and local wine.
What a strat to a trip!

Day 2
After waking to the bird chorus and more fine weather we topped up on coffee and croissants and were on our way.  Our first stop was the immensely moving World War One memorials in Verdun, of which the size and scale is hard to comprehend.
After having a walk round and taking in as much as we could, we headed to the town of Pont-a-Mousson, just in time for their bi-annual fair.  After stopping for lunch and planning our way around it, it was on to some more twisting and undulating country roads before we eventually arrived at our stop for the night, the great spa town of Baden Baden.  The local Weissbier is a must!

Day 3
From Baden-Baden we get to tackle the notorious and legendary B500 or Schwarzwaldhochstrasse for short.
Winding up to an altitude of 1000 meters, offering views of the Rhine plain and Vosges mountains, this panoramic road is a must for any rider.
After a short coffee stop and cool down in the towns fountains, we pushed on across southern Germany, working our way through rolling countryside and numerous little towns, before ending the day a mile from the Austrian border and in the foothills of the Alps.

Day 4
Today was a shorter day but nonetheless impressive.
We crossed over to Austria and we’re headed for the Alps!
Lunch was at Lake Walchsee, where we could admire the views and the ongoing water sports while we ate.
Pushing on, we passed plenty of picture perfect villages with stunning mountain range backdrops before arriving at Hinterglemm, a busy ski town which is just as alive in the summer.
One intrepid rider among us even managed to squeeze in a trip the Berchtesgaden (Hitlers Eagle Nest)
Finishing off in an equally impressive hotel, where we were able to relax with a sauna and swim before dinner.

Day 5
Today we had a choice of activities ranging from riding the Grossglockner, Austria‘s highest paved road, visiting Berchtesgaden, Hitlers Eagle Nest, or touring the Eis Riesen Welt, the worlds largest ice cave.
Not surprisingly on this biking holiday the majority decided to tackle the Grossglockner, and I can see why.  The billing as one of the best driving roads in the Alps containing 36 hairpins and an elevation of 3798 meters was not to be missed.  You really have to experience it to appreciate its engineering and spectacle wonder.  Even the occasional shower couldn’t dampen this experience.
The rest of the group decided to explore the town and surrounding areas as well as making good use of the excellent spa facilities on offer.

Day 6
Today we are heading to Switzerland: the 5th country on our list in nearly as many days.
A steady ride to our lunch stop for the day, an American style dinner with plenty of memorabilia, talking points and some great burgers!
After lunch we hit the Swiss border and spent the rest of the day tackling switchbacks, sweeping beds and taking in some amazing scenery.
Highlight of which being the Fluela pass

Day 7
A shorter day today as we move from Valbella to Obergoms.  Just as well as the scenery was breathtaking, giving us ample time to soak it up, whenever the weather permitted us to that is.
The Furka and Grimsel passes were just outstanding!  The photos just don’t do it justice.
We managed to do the Grimsel pass twice, to and from the Reichenbach waterfall (accessed by a funicular).  Just as well as on the second crossing we could barely see the bike in front
A real four season day.

Day 8
What a day!  Simply one of the best days you can have on a bike.
Today was another explore day and for the bikers was a chance to string 5 of the most famous passes in Switzerland together (Oberalp, Sustenpass, Neuufenenpass, Gottard and Furka) and boy they not disappoint!  Just incredible!
Also on offer was a 3 hour alpine hike to the Grimsel Lake, or you could opt for the more sedate scenic glacial steam train which started and ran past our hotel.
A great day, as can be seen by the smiles at dinner

Day 9
Today we leave the Alps behind and head across Switzerland and into France, effectively making our way home
We were soon distracted from this as we take in the beautiful Swiss Bio Parks, countless small towns and lakes along the way, before having a little play and ending in the Vosges mountains.

Day 10
A nice start to the day as we carve through forest roads making our way through the Vosges stopping at its capital, Epinal.  Grabbing a quick coffee and a walk round the 11th century Saint Maurice Basilica.
Pushing on we could soon see the landscape change, flattening into rolling hills, opening up the dramatic skies.
Dodging the rain we made it to our last and final night of the tour: a fantastic hotel in the heart and also the capital of the Champagne region, Châlons-en-Champagne.
On to our farewell meal, full of reflection and appreciation for the great memories and friendships we have formed on this very special tour.

Day 11
Our last day sees us ride to Calais across northern France.  The flat open road gives us all time to reflect on all the places we’ve visited and roads we’ve riden, such a remarkable trip made even better by the people it was shared with.
11 days, 2000 miles, 6 countries, 4 mountain ranges, countless laughter and memories that’ll last a lifetime

We’re sure you will have been inspired by this trip report, so why not ask us about upcoming dates so that you can experience it first hand?