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Tours

London to Venice – 2024

£2,875.00

TOUR REF:   LV24
TYPE: Road Cycling
LEVEL: Challenging
DATES: 
19 Aug – 05 Sept 2024
DURATION: 18 days/nights (16 days cycling)
ACCOMMODATION LEVEL: Standard

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    Optional Extras

    • 925 £
    • 85 £
    • 85 £

 

What more can we say? It’s LONDON…..to VENICE! When you are undertaking a 1000 mile bike ride that takes in Paris, Lake Constance, a crossing of the Alps and Lake Garda you need suitably iconic book-ends and they don’t come more iconic than these two. A more varied trip would be hard to find:

Starting at the London Eye we follow our tried and tested ‘London to Paris’ route, then head across the wonderful farmlands of central France to Basel and the Swiss border. From there we hop between Switzerland, Germany and Austria as we follow the Rhine into and then out of Lake Constance. Finally we must cross over the mighty Alps but, while inevitably this is demanding riding, the climbs are manageable if taken slowly and you will be glad that the support vehicle is there to haul the bags and re-fill water bottles. We spend our final night in Mestre, just off Venice Island (where bicycles are not allowed!) and you may wish to consider extending your stay by a day or two to take in the sights.

You should only consider this trip if you are strong, fit and intend to cycle regularly in the months prior to departure. Average daily mileage is 65 but there are some longer (though very flat) days. In the Alps you will climb as much as 8,500 feet in a day.

For the ultimate adventure this route connects with Venice to Dubrovnik if you have time to spare!

Note: Our route uses two Alpine passes that are closed during the winter. There should be no problem at the time the trip is timetabled to run but, in the event of early snows, there is a possibility of closures. Contingency alternate routes have been prepared but these may entail higher mileages and/or modest vehicle-based transfers.

 

If you would like to read other people’s comments on our holidays then do please check out our Customer Comments page.

Itinerary:

Day 1 – London to Lewes – 60 Miles

We assemble close to the London Eye* and our route heads south towards Clapham Common, picking up the Wandle Trail cycle route to take us out of London, through the suburbs of Surrey and out into open countryside. You will be amazed that it is possible to cycle out of London with so little traffic!  Our route then takes us across the South Downs, to Lewes where we stop for the night.  

*Note: There is a Premier Inn less than 200 yds from the start point for those who prefer to arrive the previous day (not included in trip cost)

Day 2 – Lewes to Gournay-en-Bray- 57 Miles

The day starts with a short ride to Newhaven where we catch the morning ferry to Dieppe.  Frome here we pick up the Avenue Verte – a cyclepath along a disused railway line – which we follow all the way to Forges-Les-Eaux before picking up quiet roads to the farming community of Gournay-en-Bray.  

Day 3 – Gournay-en-Bray to  Poissey- 67 Miles

We pass across rolling fields, through small villages of timber framed houses and the Lyons Forest, the largest beech forest in France, before reaching the banks of the River Seine at La Roche-Guyon.  We briefly follow the river before cutting across a large loop, returning at the town of Les Muraux , where we track the river towards Paris.

Day 4 – Poissey to Provins- 74 miles

We follow the Seine valley, crossing and re-crossing the river through Paris, including a ‘must-do’ visit to the Eiffel Tower, before striking southeast to Provins. Inevitably this day includes much urban riding.

Day 5 – Provins to Dolancourt – 77 Miles

After our day through Paris we return to the riding for which France is rightly famous – great roads, minimal traffic and pretty little villages.  We continue southeast, briefly meeting the Seine in Nogent and again in Troyes, capital of the Aube with many half-timbered houses.  Finally we skirt the Forêt d’Orient natural park to Dolancourt.  

Day 6 – Dolancourt to Bourbonne-les-Bains – 65 Miles

The terrain starts to become lumpier as we leave Dolancourt and pass through grain fields to Chaumont, another departmental capital. For the afternoon we continue on to Bourbonne-les-Bains and its thermal springs.

Day 7 – Bourbonnes-les-Bains to Belfort – 67 miles

A day of typically French riding with enough undulations to keep things interesting!

Day 8 -Belfort to Rheinfelden – 69 Miles

A gloriously flat day of rivers.  From Belfort we soon pick up the Canal Du Rone Au Rhin and follow its towpath all the way to the outskirts of Basel.  From here we Eurovelo 15 Rhine Cycle Route  for almost 3 days, first working our way through the city before following the Rhine itself, as far as Rheinfelden – a town that sits in both Germany and Switzerland.

Day 9 – Rest Day in Rheinfelden

Rheinfelden is an ‘all services’ town and a good place to catch up on chores or just kick-back and relax.

Day 10 – Rheinfelden to Neuhausen – 63 Miles

Today we follow the course of the Rhine all day.  Shortly before reaching our destination for the day we will pass close by the spectacular Rheinfall – well worth a visit.

Day 11 – Neuhausen to Bregenz – 70 miles

From Swiss Neuhausen we follow the river before returning to Germany in Konstanz where we take a short ferry ride across Lake Constance.  On the far side we follow the cycle route down the side of the lake using minor roads into Austria and Bregenz.

Day 12 – Bregenz to Davos – 75 Miles

Our day starts with some easy miles as we pick up the flood dyke path south.  On the way we briefly pop into Lichtenstein….just because we can!  Before reaching Chur we leave the Rhine and turn east to begin our crossing of the alps.  Nothing to worry about initially but the rate of climb increases as the day progresses, passing through the expensive ski resort of Klosters and in to Davos. 

Day 13 – Davos to Poschiavo – 55 Miles

Today we must climb through the Fluela pass; at 7818 feet this is the highest point in the trip.  To enter Italy we mercifully pass UNDER the mountain, through the single lane Munt la Schera Tunnel using the bus shuttle provided for this purpose, then follow the side of Lago di Livigno through several miles of galleried road.  After lunch in Livigno (this is such an inaccessible part of Italy that it has been granted special ‘duty free’ status to boost tourism) some more climbing over the Livigno Pass, to the small Swiss village of Poschiavo.

Day 14 – Poschiavo to Breno – 48 Miles

A short and much easier day; always in the mountains but little climbing to worry about.  We end our day back in Italy.

Day 15 – Breno to Torbole 56 miles

The big day!  The hardest of the trip with almost 8,500 feet of climb.  Our day starts with a substantial climb to the Croce Domini Pass (6207 feet) after which the going becomes easier but still with some climbs along the way.  Our destination is Torbole at the head of Lake Garda and another welcome bus shuttle will sneak us under the hills that dominate the lake from the west.

Day 16 – Torbole to Vicenza – 56 miles

Before reaching Vicenza and the coastal plain we have one last big hill.  In comparison to the previous 3 days it is an easy climb with a long gradual approach and peaking at a mere 4000 feet.  After that it is downhill all the way!

Day 17 – Vicenza to Venice – 42 miles

An incredibly easy last day with low mileage and even the hint of a descent.  Hotels on Venice island itself are prohibitively expensive and typically will not accept single-night bookings.  Furthermore, bicycles are forbidden from the island.  For these reason we will return to nearby Mestra where we will spend the night.  You should be in your hotel with plenty of time to return for some sight-seeing.

Day 18 – Depart

We will provide a transfer to the nearby Marco Polo Airport. Or why not stay and continue down to Dubrovnik with our connecting trip!

 

Tour Price includes:

Hotel accommodation
Breakfast
Vehicle support
Services of leader/mechanic
Local transfers
Route information
Local transfers to/from airport/railway station

Tour Price does not include:

Lunches or evening meals
Snacks or drinks required during the day
Travel to London/from Venice
Cost of any optional excursions, entrance fees etc

Get In Touch

If you have any questions about any of our trips, please call us on 0800 002 9559 or send us a message below.