Belgium/Germany - March

[MileHighJunkie]

Hi everyone,

Myself and 3 friends will be leaving Ireland in May for 2 weeks heading initially towards Belgium/Germany from Cherbourg for 2 weeks. I was wondering if anyone and any suggestions after that? We want to avoid France as much as possible.

We were hoping to camp for most of it as well, i think the temps should be around the 15-20 degree mark. Open to any opinions!

Cheers!

Colm.

I just realised we just miss the HU event in Germany in May. What a pity.

[backofbeyond]

Originally Posted by MileHighJunkie

We want to avoid France as much as possible.

What's up with France - all that cheap wine, food et je ne sais quoi. What's not to like.

[MileHighJunkie]

I was told from a few bikers that have been several times that a lot of places are not very biker friendly,some B&B's dont like to see bikers coming. I dont knw how much truth is in that though. The villages apparently shut down in the eve with little or no craic to be had!

So im told!

[Tourider]

You'll find the vast majority of hotels, B&B's and campsites in Europe very biker friendly. In fact they go out of their way to try and attract motorcyclists.
I've a couple of suggestions where to head for in Germany;
1. From Belgium head for the Harz mountains (Goslar or Quedlinburg) and then on the Saxon Switzerland (Colditz, Meissen, Dresden, Elbe valley and Ore mountains)
2. Head south east for the Berchtesgaden Land (Berchtesgaden, Eagle's Nest, Konigssee, Salzburg)

[Endurodude]

I've always found a welcome anywhere in France or wider Europe. I arrived quite late (minutes before it closed for the night) at a campsite in Southern France, handed over my details to stay the night and the owner took one look at my name ( Welsh family line) and started talking about Rugby to me for ages! I didn't have the heart to tell him I don't even like Rugby!

The Western boarder of Germany with France is lovely. Trier and Freiburg are particularly great. Further south, Bavaria generally is, in my opinion, nicer riding countryside than the parts of the north I've ridden, although I did personally really like Berlin. Without really planning to, I stayed in what used to be the eastern side of the wall, and I found it really interesting walking between and seeing the (still) quite marked differences in architecture. I also found it incredibly interesting to see monuments that show how little many of the native Berliners hated the ruling power of the time during the 1940's. The whole city was wonderful and a great history lesson. Still, perhaps you're after a different sort of break?

[backofbeyond]

Originally Posted by MileHighJunkie

I was told from a few bikers that have been several times that a lot of places are not very biker friendly,some B&B's dont like to see bikers coming. I dont knw how much truth is in that though. The villages apparently shut down in the eve with little or no craic to be had!

So im told!

I've never had that in France. Sure, places are full when you turn up on spec and you have to try somewhere else but I've never been turned away because I was on a bike - and that's in decades of travel through the country. France is much more bike friendly than the UK (imho, before someone else chips in to the contrary).

There is some truth in the one baguette and his dog size villages looking like they've been abandoned in the evenings - particularly in the north of France, but I'm not sure it's any better in Belgium or northern Germany. Any decent size town and it's business as usual though. As a rule of thumb (again imho) the "nightlife" gets better as you go further south - although it does depend on exactly what you're looking for

[Lonerider]

The B500 in the Black Forest is a great road to ride, I had to do it twice as the first time I did it it was in the clouds. all over the Black Forest is great.
Top 10 Roads : Driving Routes : Greatest Roads in Europe: View now with Ultimate Drives

The German Side of Lake Konstanz, forget the name of the road but it goes through a lot of small towns and villages with old buildings along the Northern shore of the Lake.

The Rhine Valley is a great area to ride in.

In Belgium a visit to Bastogne is nice, some great roads in through the mountains as you head from Luxembourg and the town has a nice square with cafe bars on 3 sides. Some good museums if you like WW2 history.

Wayne

[MileHighJunkie]

Originally Posted by Tourider

You'll find the vast majority of hotels, B&B's and campsites in Europe very biker friendly. In fact they go out of their way to try and attract motorcyclists.
I've a couple of suggestions where to head for in Germany;
1. From Belgium head for the Harz mountains (Goslar or Quedlinburg) and then on the Saxon Switzerland (Colditz, Meissen, Dresden, Elbe valley and Ore mountains)
2. Head south east for the Berchtesgaden Land (Berchtesgaden, Eagle's Nest, Konigssee, Salzburg)

Thanks Tourider, ill have a look at those roads. Cheers!

[MileHighJunkie]

Originally Posted by Endurodude

I've always found a welcome anywhere in France or wider Europe. I arrived quite late (minutes before it closed for the night) at a campsite in Southern France, handed over my details to stay the night and the owner took one look at my name ( Welsh family line) and started talking about Rugby to me for ages! I didn't have the heart to tell him I don't even like Rugby!

The Western boarder of Germany with France is lovely. Trier and Freiburg are particularly great. Further south, Bavaria generally is, in my opinion, nicer riding countryside than the parts of the north I've ridden, although I did personally really like Berlin. Without really planning to, I stayed in what used to be the eastern side of the wall, and I found it really interesting walking between and seeing the (still) quite marked differences in architecture. I also found it incredibly interesting to see monuments that show how little many of the native Berliners hated the ruling power of the time during the 1940's. The whole city was wonderful and a great history lesson. Still, perhaps you're after a different sort of break?

Cheers, i guess anywhere is a matter of opinion regarding France, we initially had the idea of France but when we started to look at a 2 week stint we decided we'd prefer to head further east and do a bit more.

Thanks for your input!

Colm.

p.s shame on you with the Rugby, you hosting the world cup and all!

[MileHighJunkie]

Originally Posted by backofbeyond

I've never had that in France. Sure, places are full when you turn up on spec and you have to try somewhere else but I've never been turned away because I was on a bike - and that's in decades of travel through the country. France is much more bike friendly than the UK (imho, before someone else chips in to the contrary).

There is some truth in the one baguette and his dog size villages looking like they've been abandoned in the evenings - particularly in the north of France, but I'm not sure it's any better in Belgium or northern Germany. Any decent size town and it's business as usual though. As a rule of thumb (again imho) the "nightlife" gets better as you go further south - although it does depend on exactly what you're looking for

Cheers, i guess its more so that we have 2 weeks and would like to see more than just france.

[MileHighJunkie]

Originally Posted by Lonerider

The B500 in the Black Forest is a great road to ride, I had to do it twice as the first time I did it it was in the clouds. all over the Black Forest is great.
Top 10 Roads : Driving Routes : Greatest Roads in Europe: View now with Ultimate Drives

The German Side of Lake Konstanz, forget the name of the road but it goes through a lot of small towns and villages with old buildings along the Northern shore of the Lake.

The Rhine Valley is a great area to ride in.

In Belgium a visit to Bastogne is nice, some great roads in through the mountains as you head from Luxembourg and the town has a nice square with cafe bars on 3 sides. Some good museums if you like WW2 history.

Wayne

Thanks for the link, ill check it out now, Black Forest is def on the list.

Colm

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by MileHighJunkie

Thanks for the link, ill check it out now, Black Forest is def on the list.

Colm

Lake Constance, the Bodensee, is a natural chock point in the flow of traffic; the net result is that it is pretty busy on the north shore, most of the time (also on the south, in Switzerland).

Go a bit further east from the Bodensee and there are good roads on the north and south of the border between Germany and Austria; those are much better than the Bodensee hinterland, all the way to Fussen and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

[Lonerider]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

Lake Constance, the Bodensee, is a natural chock point in the flow of traffic; the net result is that it is pretty busy on the north shore, most of the time (also on the south, in Switzerland).

Go a bit further east from the Bodensee and there are good roads on the north and south of the border between Germany and Austria; those are much better than the Bodensee hinterland, all the way to Fussen and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Yes and all the way from Garmisch to Bertchesgarten and Obersalzberg, great area

Wayne