North Italy and switzerland
 

Hi guys does anyone have a amazing route for me to follow for 7 days round the alps I'm starting at nice as that's the only place I can find to get my bike flown to from the UK cheers

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7 days of Alpine heaven
 

Yes Indeed!
I have had some fabulous rides around the Alps over the past few years, and this year headed down towards Nice so there are some places and roads I can highly recommend. Bear in mind that many of the high passes remain closed until mid-late May, so plan wisely. Also, there are obviously so many roads you could take and most of them will be wonderful. So the following is just a suggestion to start with.
So, from Nice head north on the M6202 main road (the only bit you need to be with any other traffic) until it bends west where you turn R onto the D2205. Head for the Cime de la Bonette, which is the highest paved road in the Alps. Don't miss the summit! On to Jausiers and R on the D900. Over the Col du Vars to Guillestre. Turn R here to take in the Combe de Queyras then Col d'Izouard to Briancon.
North-West to Col du Lauteret, then cols du Galibier and Telegraphe. Go East to Lanslebourg then the D902 to Val d'Isere and on towards Bourg St Maurice.
Take D902 north west to Beaufort then north to Flumet. Through Megeve to Chamonix.
Head up the valley over Cols du Montets then Forclaz to Martigny. From here you can either head up past Sion and Brig all the way to Andmatt which is a relatively straight road (the first bit of straight you will have ridden since Nice) until you reach the Furka Pass, or if you fancy a bit of Swiss chocolate box pastoral scenery go north from Martigny to Bex, then East through Villars to Gstaad. Head to interlaken and Brienz (the north side of the lake is prettier with less traffic) and go to Andermatt via either the Sustenance Pass or the Grimsel and Furka Passes. Once in this region, you need to decid how much riding you want to do. Whichever route you took to get here ( via Sion or Gstaad) you can take the other route back to Martigny. Or you can go South over the St Gottard Pass and ride down to the northern tip of Lake Maggiore - if you do this go west from Locarno towards Domodossola and then back north to Brig over the Simplon Pass and so back to Martigny via Sion. This extension would entail an additional long day's riding, and could be the basis of another trip.
Once back in Martigny, turn South over the grand St Bernard pass and down to Aosta. Go west in the direction of Courmayeur and the Mt Blanc Tunnel, but turn left before you get there at Pre St Didier and go over the Petit St Bernard pass back towards Bourg St Maurice. From here retrace your route back to Nice. Take a different pass from Barcelonette - eg Col d'Allos or Col de Cayolle down to the D4202 and so back to Nice.
This is a big ride, with big mountain passes and almost non stop twisty roads. You are seriously likely to wear to the edges of the tyres and leave the centre band with virgin tread! If you tire of the hills when you are in Switzerland, you can cut the route shorter by going down to L Maggiore as suggested, but then head south on the Italian motorway system to Turin then on south to the Mediteranean. So many options!
Finally, there are obviously lots of routes you could explore and I have described a route taking in lots of high passes. More northwest of Nice is hilly but not so dramatic, but still with many great roads and wonderful if softer scenery. Have a great ride!

That's a great write up of travel by road, mainly within the French/Swiss Alps.
Thereafter you could look at the Sud Tyrol, including the Dolomites, but you won't get around it all in 7 days.

Any half decent map will show you the way - the communications systems (road and rail) are channelled by the obvious mountains with the exception of the occasional tunnels - you don't want the latter on a motorbike; better to go over the tops of the high ground, remaining snow permitting.

You don't say what bike you are using, in 2014 I did 800 km mostly off road in northern Italy on a 36 hour enduro, I've got the GPx file if that's the sort of thing you are looking at doing.

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psmb230nix.jpg

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...pswwffupuy.jpg

Would you mind sharing the GPX file - I'm thinking of heading down that way next summer and it might be useful ! Let me know and I'll message you an email address.

Were the trails all ridable on something like a KTM 690 Enduro (rider with limited offroad experience !)

I've never understood the semi-secret approach that is adopted concerning GPX files.
Wikiloc, and similar sites, distribute them freely albeit that one is often expected to sign up to such websites in order to access the information.

Just looking while writing this post, I see that it is quite possible to attach such small files for all to see.

Just saying (but not so long ago, maps themselves were considered to be state secrets and unauthorised possession of them was tantamount to treason).

A bit :offtopic:

The route would be very much rideable with the 690, I did it with a 1150gs picture above, one or two sections that I could have been easier if I was on my 600 but still enjoyable, apart from my arms they were dropping off when I finished,
Message me your email I'll send you GPx file, it's got a few routes if you want to take road detours for what ever reason, also got petrol stops on route,

Dave I think it's the sign of the times, I used maps for a long time but when you attend these events it's all GPS units and there upload GPx files of the route, I think it's for the young ones cos there don't no what a map is,,,,lol,,,,not like use dave I can remember when we didn't have a tele, our only entertainment was going to the pictures on a Saturday morning,,,,,,lol,,,,


There's nothing like this pebbles

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psele2hlws.png