Cyclists
near top of Switzerland's Kleine Scheidegg Pass with the Eiger and
its famous North Face on the left, and
the Monch with its huge glaciers on
the right
Groess Gott
By Norman D. Ford
Cyclists
near top of Switzerland's Kleine Scheidegg Pass with the Eiger and
its famous North Face on the left, and
the Monch with its huge glaciers on
the right
On May 14, 2001, I flew (with my boxed bike) to Lyon, France for a month of cycle-touring through the Alps of France, Switzerland and Austria. My goal was to experience biking on some of Switzerland's National Bikeways and on some of many similar bike routes in Austria.
For decades, local people have cycled through these Alpine countries on a series of paved and unpaved rural roads. But only in recent years have these low-traffic farm roads been linked together to form a series of continuous bike routes, each clearly marked by signs.
Switzerland is networked by a series of 9 National Bike Routes while Austria has no fewer than 30 official cycle routes. Many bikeways are several hundred kilometers in length with hotels and gasthof located in villages an easy day's ride apart. Many bikeways can also be linked together to form a tour of several weeks. You can choose from bike routes that take you along the shores of mountain-rimmed lakes or beside scenic rivers like the Danube. Or you can roam more challenging routes that take you exploring wild gorges and up past massive glaciers to cross some of the highest passes in the Alps.
Throw in a series of amazing roads hacked out of sheer mountainsides in France's nearby Vercors Mountains. And you have an extraordinary mountain region traversed by many of the world's most scenic bicycling roads. Best of all, many Alpine bike routes stay close to rail lines with bike-carrying trains passing almost hourly in both directions. Rarely are you more than 10-15 kilometers from a station.
The itinerary I'd planned took me through one world class scenic area after another. Among the most awesome were Combe Laval and the Grands Goulets in France's Vercors. . .the North Face of the Eiger, the waterfalls of Lauterbrunnen Valley, and the Grosse Scheidegg Pass in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland. . . all followed by the Furka Pass, the Rhine Gorge and Austria's Tyrol with its famous Tauern Bike Path.
Compared to the many tours I'd made through France in recent years, this Alpine tour provided an entirely new dimension in bicycle touring. No longer would I ride entirely on paved roads or rely on French to communicate. Though smoothly surfaced, approximately one-third of bike routes in Switzerland and Austria are unpaved. And outside tourist centers, only German is usually understood.
I arrived at Lyon May 15, unpacked on the 16th, and on the 17th took my bike with me by train to Grenoble, a city ringed by mountains where my bike tour began (for details see under "Arriving at Lyon" at end of this report). I arrived in Grenoble at midday on May 17, picked up a free map to the city's bike paths and spent the afternoon exploring them. I stayed overnight at the Hotel Alize near Grenoble station.
In the report below, I name the hotel in which I stayed at each town. (Abbrevations: H = Hotel. RD = Recommended. Example = "H. de La Gare, RD" meaning "Hotel de La Gare, recommended.") In many cases I simply picked a hotel that seemed to be centrally-located from the hotel guide and called to reserve a room the night before arriving. Most hotels were good, others fair and a few not worth recommending. I do suggest reserving a room for Friday and Saturday or holiday nights and also if you will need more than one room. I also had the local Tourist Office at each town call the Tourist Office at my next overnight stop to ensure there were no special events that might cause all rooms to be occupied. By and large, I preferred to call ahead and reserve a room almost everywhere.
Another abbreviation I use is SNBR, short for Swiss National Bike Route. This is followed by the Route number: Example = SNBR #9.
Also in the report below I identify in red type and with **** all parts of my tour which rank among the most scenic and unique bicycling experiences in Europe.
DAY 1: Grenoble to Villard de Lans, 40 kms. From Grenoble, I cycled for 8 kilometers on a paved bike path atop a levee beside the surging Isere River. Then I exited at Sassenage and immediately began climbing on Road D-531 into the wooded mountains of Vercors. The grade looked easy on the map and despite some car and truck traffic, I made the 1,000 meters elevation gain to Engins in 3 hours. Here, the road wound between the rocks of Engins Gorge before entering the compact mountain resort of Villard de Lans.
With two small markets and scores of hotels and restaurants, Villard de Lans makes a pleasant base for exploring the Vercors. If possible, try to visit the Vercors on weekdays rather than during the busier weekends. I also suggest cycling up from Grenoble on quieter Road D-106 rather than on D-531, the road I took. H. Villa Primerose, RD
A series of short,
mist-enshrouded tunnels take cyclists through
the Grands Goulets, a gorge so deep
and narrow that sunlight barely
penetrates
DAY 2: Villard de Lans to La Chapelle en Vercors, 61 kms. Leaving Villard de Lans, Road D-531 headed straight down into the:
****Gorge de La Bourne. For 9 breathtaking kilometers, I coasted easily downhill as D-531 twisted and turned between the steep, damp walls and the battleship-sized rocks of this hauntingly beautiful canyon. Beside the road, the river Bourne rocketted downhill in a series of rapids and cascades. At the canyon bottom, D-531 branches off to Valence and I cycled steadily uphill on D-103 for 14 kilometers to a roadside hotel and cafe at the entrance to:
****Les Grands Goulets. Here, narrow Road D-518 plunges through a series of short tunnels hacked by hand in the 1850s out of the sheer rock side of a gorge so deep and narrow that sunlight barely penetrates. Cycling under the low, rock roof and through the mist-enshrouded tunnels--with water dripping down-- was like riding through a surrealistic, fantasy world. Cyclists on racing bikes sped like silent ghosts through the tunnels, all giving a friendly wave as they passed.
For five kilometers, the road serpentines through the perpetual twilight of the Goulets. Then the canyon widens and you cycle for another 3 kilometers on a spectacular road with rock roof poised a sheer 500 meters above the canyon floor. Finally, the canyon opens up and one of the most dramatic and amazing bike rides on earth ends.
Like many other cyclists, however, I pedalled the entire way down and
up the Grands Goulets twice--a total distance of 32 kilometers. Finally,
it was time to pedal uphill for another six kilometers into the village of
Chapelle en Vercors. H. de Sports, RD.
DAY 3: La Chapelle en Vercors to Combe Laval and return, 60 kms. Today's ride opened with a stiff climb over the col de Carri (1,200 m) and a swift descent through cool pine forests to col de La Machine (cafe, picnic tables). From here, Road D-76 headed north into:
****Combe Laval, a vast mountain bowl at least 1,000 meters deep. Some 700 perpendicular meters above the valley floor, D- 76--only one lane wide--winds precariously through short tunnels and around the massive rock spires and chimneys that tower above the depths of Combe Laval. At lookouts, I peered over parapets at tiny farms and villages on the valley floor below. On weekdays, traffic here was minimal.
The most spectacular and exciting stretch of D-76 hugs the sheer rock wall for almost six kilometers. I cycled the entire length of this breathtaking section twice--a total distance of 24 kilometers.
While cycling back to La Chapells I met a group of 25 members of Britain's Cyclists Touring Club on a two-weeks tour that later took them through the Ardeche (near Le Puy). Comparing British and American touring equipment as we rode, we hit the cafe stops at both col de La Machine and col de Carri. Like most European passes, each had a cafe on top.
Back in La Chapelle, I stayed a second night at the comfortable Hotel de Sports (215 francs or $29 U.S. for a comfortable room with shower and toilet "a l'etage"--meaning out in the hall).
This
narrow road winds precariously through short
tunnels and around the massive rock
formations that tower above the depths
of Combe Laval
DAY 4: La Chapelle en Vercors to Grenoble, 77 kms. Leaving La Chapelle early, I stopped en route for yet another ride down and up the Grands Goulets. Then came an exhiliarating ascent through the Gorge de La Bourne into Villard de Lans.
At Lans en Vercors, I turned into Road D-106 and followed this steep, narrow and mostly traffic-free road back into Grenoble. Scores of cyclists were using this road and village cafes en route were filled with men and women wearing brightly-colored Lycra.
On down through the village of St. Nizier, Road D-106 led past scores of plush hillside homes as it entered Grenoble. H. Alize.
Later that evening, I bought a one-way, second class, rail ticket from Grenoble to Montreux, Switzerland. Buying rail tickets the day before can save waiting in line to buy the same ticket next day.
DAY 5: Grenoble to Geneva, Switzerland and Montreux, by train. The only bike-carrying train of the day to Geneva left Grenoble at 09:35. (When traveling by train in France, one must always remember to insert one's ticket into an orange "composteur" machine at the station to get it stamped for travel that day.)
At Geneva station at midday, I stopped off the train, picked up a street map and biked down rue des Alpes to the lakefront. Here, broad pedestrian and bicycle paths led through formal gardens around the lake. Heading east, I soon picked up Swiss National Bike Route 1 and I was riding my first official SNBR. Route 1 runs around Lake Geneva then climbs the Rhone Valley to Andermatt--a trip of several days. Later, I would ride the other end of Route 1: from Andermatt up through deep snow drifts and over the Furka Pass.
Today, though, I was riding in sunny weather past flower- filled gardens bordering huge Lake Geneva. After an hour, I turned back to Geneva station. And I caught a train around the lake to Montreux, my overnight stop. H. Pension Wilhelm, RD. Ph 021-963-14-31.
Swiss trains are a cyclist's dream--the best in Europe with hourly service in both directions on all main lines. Most trains carry bikes. And while you must buy a daily bike ticket (15 Sw Fr), train personnel help you find the baggage car and load and unload your bike. Bike compartments or baggage cars have a bike insignia on the door. Ticket sellers--most speak English--can tell you on which section of the platform to wait so you will be opposite the baggage car when the train stops. At Geneva rail station, I also changed my French francs into Swiss francs and purchased a Swiss telephone card. And at Montreux station, I purchased a one way, second class rail ticket and bike ticket for next day's ride to Chateau d'Oex. When buying in advance, you must tell the clerk on which day you will travel.
Bright red signs direct cyclists
along each of Switzerland's nine National
Bike Routes; seventy per cent of the routes
are paved, the rest are smooth
dirt
DAY 6: Montreux to Chateau d'Oex by train then by SNBR #9 to Montbovon and Saanen, 35 kms.
From Montreux, it took an hour for the narrow gauge train to climb steeply through the Vaud Alps to the village of Chateau d'Oex (970m). From here, I planned to cycle along SNBR #9 to the cheese-making center of Gruyere. Then I would cycle back to Chateau d'Oex and continue for another 16 kilometers into Saanen. A picturesque village of timbered houses with inexpensive hotels, Saanen is a bare 3 kilometers from the posh and pricey resort of Gstaad.
My first day on Swiss bike routes taught me an invaluable lesson. When cycling on partly-paved bike trails, allow at least 1.5 times as long to reach your destination as you originally estimated.
SNBR #9 followed a series of lightly-travelled, partly paved roads that were often hilly. For short distances it also ran on busy highways, sometimes with a bike path painted on the shoulder and sometimes not. As in France, motorists were always courteous and polite to bicyclists. But some of the traffic consisted of large trucks.
Most turns were marked by red cycle-path signs. Some bore the route number. Others were very small diamond-shaped signs. And though I was cycling on SNBR #9, part of the way the route was marked by "VTT #5" signs (Mountain Bike Trail #5). In some areas, too, signs directed cyclists heading along the trail in one direction but there were no signs for cyclists headed along the same trail in the opposite direction.
At each town, local tourist offices give away detailed bike route maps which are more helpful. But most cyclists need the maps BEFORE reaching the Tourist Office. Unlike in France, where signs direct you through town to the Tourist Office, such signs are absent in Switzerland and Austria and Tourist Offices are harder to find.
Once I learned the ropes, finding my way wasn't too difficult. Today, though, it soon became apparent that I would not have time to reach Gruyere and cycle back to Saanen. So when I met SNBR #4 at Montbovon, I cycled a few kilometers along it. Then I turned around and headed back on SNBR #9 to Saanen. H. Saanerhof, RD.
DAY 7: Saanen to Spiez by SNBR #9, 45 kms (and by train to Grindelwald).
From my hotel door, SNBR #9 followed a river to the plush resort of Gstaad. Red bike signs directed me through Gstaad on a traffic-free mall lined by open-air cafes and boutiques. At the other end of town, Route 9 headed steeply uphill while a red cyclist sign warned that the road climbed 235 meters in only 4 kilometers.
The 4 kilometer climb revealed a broad expanse of snow-capped peaks. At Schundreid village, SNBR #9 ran along a busy highway. But a German cyclist pointed out a gravel footpath that completely by-passed the highway. And 30 minutes later I crested the Saanenmooser Pass at 1,200 meters.
Up here, the lush meadows were ablaze with blue and yellow wildflowers, a constant chorus of cowbells echoed from the mountainsides, and the song of the cuckoo was everywhere.
From this peaceful spot, Route 9 plunged down into Zweisimmen village and wound on narrow backroads through a wide valley and across an auto-route into the lakeside town of Spiez. From here, it is possible to cycle to Grindelwald, my destination, on a series of bicycle paths. But that would involve an overnight stay in the larger town of Interlaken. To avoid all this, I put my bike on a train at Spiez and in less than two hours was whisked into the center of Grindelwald.
Surrounded by massive, snow-capped peaks, Grindelwald is a popular tourist center in the heart of the Bernese Oberland-- actually, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Here, I stayed 3 nights at H. Sonnenberg, RD--near the center but up a steep hill.
While Grindelwald is not located on a Swiss National Bike Route, the bike routes I cycled here all connect with both SNBRs #8 and #9. At Grindelwald Tourist Office I purchased a map showing all regional bike routes in detail. Almost all Tourist Offices have such bike maps, usually free, and I recommend picking one up at the earliest possible moment.
DAY 8. Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg and back to Grindelwald, 30 kms. Following the Grindelwald Region Bike Map, I pedalled in bottom gear on paved, narrow roads that switchbacked steeply up to:
****The North Face of the Eiger via the Kleine Scheidegg Pass Road. One of the world's grandest mountain bike rides, the Kleine Scheidegg Road provides a breathtaking panorama of giant snow-clad peaks. From the rugged bulk of the Wetterhorn behind me to the colossal wall of the Eiger's North Face directly above, to the towering peaks of the Monch and Jungfrau, the breathtaking vista included many of Switzerland's highest and most famous peaks. The chalets and hotels of Grindelwald were mere dots far below.
At Alpiglen (1,613m) hikers and cyclists were sipping coffee on a cafe terrace. But the paving ended here. There were no more cars, just a chorus of cowbells as the trail wound up past ancient timbered farms with rocks on the roof to keep the slates from blowing off. Meanwhile, the sheer rock wall of the Eiger's North Face--one of the world's most challenging rock climbs-- loomed almost overhead. While officially called the Kleine Scheidegg, American mountain bikers often refer to this route as the "North Face of the Eiger".
Though 3 meters wide, the trail was so steep at times that I had to alternately walk 100 meters then pedal 100 meters. Most cyclists I met rode mountain bikes with fat tires. But I had no problems with the 26 x 1.5 inch tires I was using.
Snow packed the sides of the trail near the top but by now I could clearly see the hotels atop the Kleine Scheidegg Pass. And around 13:00 (1 p.m.) I reached the summit, 2,063 meters high. Hundreds of people come up here daily on the mountain railway (no bikes carried). Some hike down to Grindelwald, others walk--or take the train--down the other side to Wengen and Lauterbrunnen (a steep descent by bike). Still others continue by train to the frigid heights of the Jungfraujoch.
I did descend two kilometers down the other side, far enough to hear the thunderous roar of an avalanche and I could see a mass of ice and snow pouring down a couloir below the Jungfrau. Back on top of Kleine Scheidegg, I started down for Grindelwald. Returning was a whole new experience with fresh panoramas of the mighty peaks and their glaciers glistening in the afternoon sun.
Occasionally, I had to call out "Groess Gott," the traditional Alpine greeting, as I came up behind groups of hikers spread across the trail. But everyone was friendly. A few hikers were American but I saw no American cyclists. Once on the paved roads below Alpiglen I made better time. And by 16:00 (4 p.m.) I was back in Grindelwald after completing what is undeniably one of the most awe-inspiring bike rides on this planet.
DAY 9: Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen, Stechelberg and return, 50 kms.
From the Hotel Sonnenberg, I biked downhill for 14 kilometers on a car-free, woodsy trail beside a foaming river gray with melted glacier water. At Zweilutschinen, the bike trail forks left for an easy 4 kilometer climb into Lauterbrunnen. Towering peaks surround this popular hiking and biking center.
Opposite the train station, a funicular carries bikes and riders (on a space-available basis) up to a wide trail on which you can cycle for 5 kilometers to the car-free village of Murren. . . and on up towards the Sefinenfurke Pass. This trip doesn't take long and the panorama of glaciated peaks across the valley is mind-blowing.
My favorite junket here, though, is the bike ride along:
****Lauterbrunnen Valley to Stechelberg and back. For 8 kilometers the single-lane paved road winds up the narrow, steep-walled valley while waterfalls cascade down on both sides. Above the falls, a stupendous line-up of snow-peaked crags includes the Monch, Jungfrau, Gletscherhorn, Breithorn and even the Blumlisalp far away above Kandersteg. Worth visiting in the valley is Trummelbach Falls where walkways take you inside the mountain to curious rock shapes sculptured by the rushing waters.
The return ride to Grindelwald includes a 200-meter ascent. This climb can be avoided by putting your bike on one of the frequent trains between Zweilutschinen and Grindelwald.
DAY 10: Grindelwald to Meiringen over the Grosse Scheidegg Pass, 40 kms. It's a 20 kilometer climb from Grindelwald to the:
****Grosse Scheidegg Pass at 1960 meters and there isn't a dull moment anywhere. First, the paved road winds up to the Glacier Hotel. Right opposite is the snout of the huge gray Oberer Glacier, a thousand meters high. Then the road narrows and switchbacks around incredibly tight hairpin bends. I stared in amazement as post buses swung confidently around these bends. Up here on the bare tundra, the buses have right of way over all other traffic and both cars and bikes had to pull off the road to let them pass.
Not that there were many buses or even cars. But when I saw one bus pass with six bikes swinging from hooks on the back I realized I could probably have made this climb by bus. Which might have been a good idea. For snow covered the road near the top. And the cafe-hotel on the summit was filled with hikers and bikers enjoying a mid-morning snack.
While inside I donned warm clothes and rain pants for what seemed like a chilling descent. Deep banks of snow bordered the road down to Meiringen while glaciers plunged down from crags and cliffs almost to the road edge--all making for a powerful cycling experience.
Braking constantly, I wound slowly down the switchbacks to below the snowline. Here it began to rain. So I turned into the rustic Schwarz Alp Cafe where the young couple who ran it had a log fire blazing. Half an hour later, the pelting rain ceased and I pushed off once more. Traffic was almost zero on this side of the pass.
Approaching Meiringen, I encountered several short, unpaved sections but even in the rain, they were smooth and hard-packed. Finally, they led me to a bike path beside a busy two-lane highway and I biked into Conan Doyle Platz in the center of Meiringen. For Sherlock Holmes fans, Meiringen is where Conan Doyle had Holmes killed by Moriarty and a bronze of Holmes in hunting cap occupies a seat in the square.
Nearby I found my hotel, the Baer, RD, conveniently next door to a supermarket and the bahnhof.
From the top of
Switzerland's Grosse Scheidegg Pass, a
narrow road takes cyclists down through 20
kilometers of superb alpine scenery into
Meiringen
DAY 11: Meiringen towards the Grimsel Pass on SNBR #8 and return, 45 kms.
The route I'd planned to follow across Switzerland led from Meiringen up and over the Grimsel and Furka Passes and down to Andermatt. To cross these two passes with a loaded touring bike I would have to stay overnight at a hotel located between the passes. This plan was torpedoed when I learned at the Tourist Office that both the Grimsel and Furka passes were still closed by snow and that the hotel was also closed and inaccessible.
What to do? Since the Grimsel Pass was only 33 kilometers from Meiringen and open to traffic most of the way, I decided to at least spend a day cycling up as far as I could. With the pass closed, traffic should be minimal.
So this morning I left my panniers at the hotel and headed on up through Innirtkirchen to the village of Guttannen. Although there's no actual bike path, this road is designated as SNBR #8 and it links SNBR #9 at Meiringen with SNBR #1 which crosses the Furka Pass.
Once at Guttannen village, I discovered I could have come this far on a bike-carrying bus (which runs all year). In July and August, bike-carrying buses also operate twice daily to the Grimmsel Pass summit
Above Guttannen, the road wound up a narrow, steep-walled valley dotted with glaciers and waterfalls. En route, I passed 3 tunnels. The first and third were easily by-passed on outside bike routes. But I had to ride ( or walk) through the middle tunnel which was S-shaped, dimly-lit, had a footpath and passed beneath a waterfall.
Above the tunnels I encountered a road block. A uniformed guard said the pass would be open for two hours at midday which was not much help to a cyclist. He also said that a longer tunnel still lay ahead. Since the Grimsel Pass lies on the popular Alpine Star bike route, presumably this tunnel can either be by-passed or is not considered a hazard for cyclists.
By now, however, it was past 13:00. So I called a halt, lunched on sandwiches by the roadside, and coasted back down to Meiringen for overnight.
DAY 12: Meiringen to Andermatt, by train. Since I could not cycle to Andermatt over the passes, I decided to go by train. This meant a 5-hour trip by 3 connecting trains.
The trip began with a 1.5-hour ride to Luzern on a mountain railway. Leaving Meiringen, the train headed straight up an 18 percent grade and without racks, climbed over a mountain range to Luzern.
From Luzern to Goschenen I rode in a whisper-quiet main line train that ran on Pendolino cushioning at speeds exceeding 160 kph. At Goschinen I switched again to a mountain railway for the short climb through rugged mountains to Andermatt. Bikes are so popular in Switzerland that most stations have ramps for wheeling them between platforms. Every station I passed had bike parking areas for commuters. Hundreds of bikes were parked around Luzern station. People ride bikes everywhere in Switzerland and women of all ages shop on bikes. Here in Europe's most affluent country, people don't ride bikes to save money but for healthy exercise and to avoid parking problems.
Every town has a well-equipped bike shop. Fairly decent 5- speed bikes can be rented at larger rail stations. And as elsewhere in Europe, drive-in banks, businesses and eateries are unknown while pick-up trucks are rare and trailers small. RVs and other vehicles are half the size of the gas-guzzling monsters in America. In Europe, too, American-style motels and convenience stores are as rare as bumper stickers. Anyone who cycles in Europe also soon discovers that the modern world is on the metric system and that the U.S. is out of step with the rest of the planet.
Interestingly, on arrival at Andermatt station, I met a German woman cyclo-tourist with American panniers. She spotted my rear view mirror and said, " You must be American."
I discovered that Hermine Stampa Rabe of Kiel, Germany, is spending her retirement cyclo-touring and had cycled across America with an Adventure Cycling group. A vegetarian, she believed that combining vegetarian eating with the exercise of bike-touring was the perfect way to experience superb health and long life.
At 1,440 meters, Andermatt is a high, cool town surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The town is also on SNBR #3 which runs across Switzerland from France to Italy. With an extra day here, you could ride Route #3 to the top of the St. Gotthard Pass (2,108 m) and back. H.. Schweizerhof.
I awoke next morning to see a world of white outside with snow falling steadily. It snowed until 15:00 (3 p.m.). So I'm not counting this day. I also learned this day that, despite the snow, the Grimsel and Furka passes were both open. Surprisingly, the snow began to melt in the evening and by the following morning, the roads were dry and the skies clear and sunny.
DAY 13: Andermatt to the Furka Pass summit by SNBR # 1 and return, 45 kms. The Furka Pass had only been opened the previous day, which meant cars would be few. So today offered a wonderful window of opportunity to ride up the pass on SNBR #1, free of panniers and in clear, sunny weather. This was especially true since it was only 1,000 meters in elevation gain from Andermatt to the top.
****The Furka Pass, 2,431 meters high, is one of Switzerland's highest passes. Starting early, I pedalled for several kilometers on an unpaved trail to Realp village then got back on the paved highway. From Realp, the often-narrow road soars steeply upwards in a series of multi-imposed switchbacks. Poised above the switchbacks, the Treifenbach Hotel was already open and a group of racing cyclists were enjoying coffee on the terrace.
Above here, all but the road was covered by an unbroken mantle of white. In places, the grade was so steep I resorted to walking 100 meters then cycling 100 meters. Though the grade eased as the road climbed higher, the snow became deeper and at hairpin bends, the snow beside the road was 4 meters high.
I passed two other roadside hotels, still closed. And after 4 hours of steady climbing from Realp, I reached the cluster of hotels and restaurants at the top of the pass (all closed, of course). I knew that not far down the other side the tongue of the Rhone glacier reaches down to the road edge. So I coasted down for several minutes hoping to see it. But from mountain peaks to valley floor, all but the road was carpeted with deep, glistening snow.
It was already well after noon. So I turned around and, braking constantly, headed back between the snowbanks and down the endless switchbacks to Realp and Andermatt. To prevent cramp from gripping the brakes, I stopped several times to exercise my hands.
Surprisingly, several cyclo-tourists were staying at my hotel after having crossed the Furka Pass from Oberwald, a town on the west side of the Furka Pass at 1,360 meters. They had cycled the entire way on SNBR #1--a ride of 38 kilometers, all on the highway. (A pair of others had also come from Oberwald by train.)
For me, that was my only day on SNBR #1--which I'd also briefly sampled at Geneva. SNBR #1 ends at Andermatt. Tomorrow I'd start out on yet another Swiss National Bike Route, SNBR #2 which heads east from Andermatt to the Austrian border.
DAY 14: Andermatt to Disentis Muster via the Oberalp Pass on SNBR #2, 32 kms. From the center of Andermatt, it took 3 hours to pedal up-- through a vast panorama of peaks and valleys buried under snow-- to the top of:
****The Oberalp Pass. At 2,033 meters, the Oberalp is one of the easier passes to bike up but it lacks nothing in scenery. Cyclists riding SNBR #2 simply stay on the highway for the entire distance over the pass and down the other side to Disentis Muster.
Three kilometers from Andermatt, the highway passes through an S-bend tunnel, dimly lit but with an interior footpath. Halfway to the pass, there's a restaurant above the road. Then, near the top, both road and railway run together through a tunnel 1.2 kms long. The tunnel is dimly lit but also has gallery openings on the railway side. Due to snow, the galleries were closed by shutters as I cycled through. Otherwise, they would have provided ample light.
Above the tunnel, I cycled past a frozen lake covered with blue ice over a meter thick. A hotel and cafe overlooked the summit and I joined other cyclists for coffee on the sun terrace. Immediately below was a railway station. Though unstaffed, all trains stopped here and I watched cyclists get off from trains which had come up from both Andermatt and Disentis Muster. Had I wished, I could have ridden by train to the Oberalp summit and saved 3 hours of unbroken pedalling.
From the top of the pass I coasted down past deep snowdrifts and under several snowsheds designed to keep the road from being blocked. Once below snow-line, the narrow road wound through deep pine forests to the villages of Tavetsch and Sedrun. It then stayed close to the rail line for the rest of the way into Disentis Muster.
A massive convent overlooks the town of Disentis Muster which has several hotels, a tourist office, bahnhof and supermarket. H. Furka, RD.
DAY 15: Disentis Muster to Ilanz and Chur by SNBR #2, 65kms. From Disentis to Chur, SNBR #2 stays on paved and unpaved backroads, dropping an overall 565 meters in 65 kilometers. That may sound easy. Nonetheless, I recommend an early start. As far as Ilanz, the first 35 kilometers traverses several rough sections with short, steep hills. And after Ilanz, there are two climbs of at least 200 meters each. Overall, the route is narrow and slow.
From Disentis bahnhof, Route #2 winds down a narrow unpaved road through the woods to the village of Trun. The road--now rough, narrow and slow--stays first on the north bank of the Rhine then crosses a bridge to the south bank and enters Ilanz on a woodsy riverside trail. The small, busy town of Ilanz has several hotels.
From Ilanz, SNBR #2 followed a secondary road up to Versam village then wound around steep mountainsides and across a gorge to a balcony overlooking the Rhine Gorge. Heading on down, the road suddenly plunged into a long, curved, unlit tunnel with an unusually-wide footpath and curb. While cycling through, it was so dark that I struck my pedal on the curb and was almost thrown off.
Lastly came a long, gradual descent into Bonaduz village. It really took concentration to follow the small, red bike route signs during the twisting descent on narrow lanes down to and across the Rhine and on up to the ancient village of Tamins.
More rural backroads took me down again to the flat Rhine Valley, on past the steepled hilltop church of Domat-Ems, and down Pulvermublestrasse into the heart of Chur. Here I stayed in the historic old town at H. Drei Koenig, RD.
DAY 16: Chur to Bad Ragaz by SNBR #2, 35 kms. The free cycling map from the Chur Tourist Office showed a flat 25-kilometer route direct from Chur to Bad Ragaz. I cycled this route beside the Rhine as far as Landquart. But there I found the route closed due to construction.
Not to worry, though! SNBR #2 passed nearby and offered a scenic, hilly route to Bad Ragaz that was only ten kilometers longer. From Landquart, Route 2 headed uphill through the picturesque villages of Malans and Jenins into larger Maienfeld.
No signs identify the names of villages in Switzerland and in Malans I had to go into a store and ask where I was. Ancient timbered houses and churches lined the narrow streets of each village. Then SNBR #2 cut through vineyards on grape-pickers' roads and I biked on through Flasch village and crossed the Rhine on a narrow one-lane bridge.
"Take the first paved road left after the bridge," a Dutch cyclist advised.
He was right. Rheinstrasse took me straight to the bahnhof and I cycled up Bahnhofstrasse into the center of Bad Ragaz. Like many places that are or were thermal spas, Bad Ragaz is a pleasant small town with a variety of comfortable and inexpensive accommodations. The Tourist Office, a bakery and two supermarkets lay within 50 meters of my hotel, H. Rossli, RD.
DAY 17: Bad Ragaz to the Walensee on SNBR #9 and return, 65 kms. Bad Ragaz lies on or very close to both SNBRs #2 and #9. SNBR #9 is also called the Lakes Route and I'd previously cycled it during Days 6 and 7. To sample it again, I decided to stop for two nights at Bad Ragaz and make a day ride out and back on Route 9 to a mountain lake called Walensee.
On flat, traffic-free backroads and bike paths, Route 9 meanders through the villages of Mels and Sargans to the small town of Walenstadt. Here, Route 9 hugs the south shore of the long, spindly Walensee while the massive wall of the Churfirsten mountain soars above the opposite shore. My ride ended at Weesen. a resort at the far end of this blue mountain lake and I returned the same way. This is a popular area bike ride and en route I met at least 150 other cyclists. Many wore vacation clothes and rode upright 5-speed bikes.
Car-free
and 100 meters long, this covered bridge takes cyclistsfrom the Rheintal
Bike Path straight into Vaduz, capital of Lichtenstein
DAY 18:Bad Ragaz to Lichtenstein and Feldkirch, Austria, 40 kms (thence by train to Zell am See, Austria). From Bad Ragaz, I planned to cycle into nearby Austria and to ride through Austria's Tyrol to the resort of Zell am See, a trip of about a week by bicycle. But I found myself in Zell am See much sooner than I had expected.
Leaving Bad Ragaz, I rode along a wide, flat, smoothly-paved bike path beside the Rhine called the Rheintal Radweg. (Radweg means "bike path" in German). Starting about 8 kilometers north of Bad Ragaz, I found a similar bike path on each side of the Rhine. After cycling 16 kilometers along the west bank, I came to an incredible covered wooden bridge. Spanning the Rhine and over 100 meters long, the bridge led to a bike path that took me swiftly into Vaduz, capital of the principality of Lichtenstein.
Nowadays an offshore financial center, full of banks and tourist shops, Vaduz is apt to be disappointing. Its major attraction is the prince's castle poised on a mountainside about 200 meters above the town.
Back on the Rheintal Radweg, I cycled north again. Here, I met an enormous group of teenagers on bikes--over 150, all led by adult males. This was the largest of the many groups of cyclo- tourists of all ages that I met on this trip.
Each road bridge across the Rhine had a bicycle path. Traffic seemed less at the second bridge. So I pushed my bike up a ramp on to the bridge and cycled east on backroads towards Feldkirch, the first town in Austria about 8 kilometers away.
No one checked my I.D. as I rode through the frontier check point between Switzerland and Austria. I stopped here, however, to change my Swiss francs into Austrian schillings and to buy an Austrian telephone card.
It was still before noon when I rode through the cobblestoned streets of Feldkirch and found the Tourist Office in the town's historic center. Inside, I told the English-speaking receptionist of my plan to cycle on to Bludenz for overnight, then next day to ride over the Arlberg Pass and on down to Innsbruck and Zell am See.
That was how I learned that all hotel and gasthof rooms in the entire area were fully booked for the next two nights due to a special event. However, the lady had a solution.
Since my intent was to cycle to Zell am See, she suggested that instead, I take a train to Zell am See and cycle back to Feldkirch--the same ride but in the opposite direction. A train would leave about 13:30 she explained and I'd be in Zell am See in about four hours. Zell am See is full of places to stay and she was sure there were plenty of vacancies.
Since it began to rain, this seemed a good idea. I caught the train, enjoyed a ride across the Arlberg Pass (through a tunnel) and shortly after 17:00 cycled out of the bahnhof at Zell am See. At the Tourist Office around the corner, a receptionist booked me a room at the Pension Alpenrose.
Thus I found myself in Zell am See, a pleasant lakeshore resort full of hotels, gasthof, pensions and privatzimmer (B&Bs), markets, bakeries and bike rental shops. The regional bike map I'd picked up at the Tourist Office also showed scenic bike routes radiating in every direction. H. Pension Alpenrose, RD.
DAY 19: Zell am See to Krimml on the Tauern Radweg, 75 kms. My original plan had been to ride from Feldkirch over the Arlberg Passs to Landeck; then to take the Inn Valley Radweg to Innsbruck and Worgl; to continue partly by bike path to Zell am Ziller and over the Gerlos Pass to Krimml; and finally to take the Tauern Radweg to Zell am See. Perusing bike maps the previous evening, I realised I could still ride part of this route. But instead of cycling back to Feldkirch, there were other, even more rewarding bike rides which could all be done while staying at Zell am See.
Today, the first step in my revamped itinerary was to cycle for 75 kilometers along the Tauern Radweg to the mountain resort of Krimml.
****The Tauern Radweg, one of Austria's most scenic and popular bike routes. This famous bike path starts at Krimml and takes you first to Zell am See, then continues to Salzburg and to Passau on the Danube River. Here it connects with the Danube Radweg which leads on to Vienna. Cycling either of these Routes requires a tour of several days.
The Tauern Radweg section I would ride today followed a series of mostly paved, almost traffic-free backroads through several villages surrounded by the mountains and forests of Tauern National Park.
Green directional signs marked almost every turn and I found plenty of hotels and cafes at villages like Uttersdorf and Mittersill. Hundreds of cyclists ride the Tauern Radweg every day and many hotels displayed a green flag indicating that cyclists were especially welcome.
As far as the rail station at Krimml, most of the ride was level. But the station is 5 kilometers from the town and all of it is uphill, a climb of 150 meters in elevation on a pleasant woodland trail. Hundreds of tourists also visit Krimml each day to view Krimml Falls, highest and largest waterfall in Central Europe. Which explains why Krimml is full of hotels and gasthof.
The Gasthof zum Post, RD, where I had booked a room for two nights, flew the green, bike-friendly flag. Among many cyclists staying here was a group of 25 Americans who were cycling the Tauern Radweg on an Elderhostel tour. They were interested to see this website which I showed them on the gasthof's computer.
A
chalet-style hotel beside Austria's famous Tauern
Bike Path flies the
green "bike-friendly" flag.
DAY 20: Krimml to Gerlos Pass and return to Krimml, a one day loop ride of 38 kms. I soon discovered that it often rains in Austria. Drizzle continued all day with mist and poor visibility at higher altitudes. The weather probably discouraged most tourists in cars and on motor cycles. Thus I encountered little traffic as I pedalled up the new (toll) road to the Gerlos summit at 1,628 meters. That was a mere 600 meters elevation gain from Krimml with a 9% grade. But for cyclists coming from Zell am Ziller on the other side of the pass, it's a climb of 25 kilometers with an ascent of 1,000 meters.
At the summit I found clean toilets behind a road maintenance building. Starting down the other side, I coasted for several kilometers downhill until I met the Alte Gerlosstrasse or Old Gerlos Pass road. This steep and narrow road parallels the new road over Gerlos Pass but brings you down, not to Krimml, but to the village of Wald. To complete the loop back to Krimml, I had to ride an additional 8 kilometers, all uphill with a climb of 150 meters.
Though trucks and buses avoid the old road, many car drivers use it to avoid paying the toll. While descending the old road on grades as steep as 20%, the mist was so thick I turned on my rear red flashing light.
Once in Wald, it took an hour to bike back up to Krimml. While passing Krimml bahnhof I watched a total of almost 80 cyclists unloading their bikes from a train that had just arrived from Zell am See. Despite the mist and drizzle, this was a rewarding all-day loop ride--which I made without panniers. Back in Krimml, I spent an hour walking and biking to a viewpoint above the thundering Krimml Falls. H. Gasthof zum Post, RD.
DAY 21: Krimml to Zell am See on the Tauern Radweg, 75 kms. This was the same as Day 19 in reverse. Today's ride took only six hours and I had more time to look at villages and houses along the way. Many Austrian villages appear quite modern. But in the country, the square two-story farmhouses seem massive in size with balconies lined by flowers and curious wrought-iron spires on the roof.
Descending gradually beside the Salzach River, today's almost car-free ride led through the market square in Neukirchen and on past Stuhlfelden Castle to Hollersbach. Approaching Zell am See, the towering ice-covered summit of the Gross Glockner (3,800 meters) loomed above the bike trail. Below it lies the Gross Glockner Pass where the high alpine road reaches an elevation of 2,500 meters. Tomorrow, I hoped to reach the summit of the Gross Glockner Pass and to cycle down.
Meanwhile, today I could have taken one of the frequent mountain railway trains for the 90-minute ride from Krimml back to Zell am See. Yet the Tauern Radweg is such a magnificent bike ride it seemed foolish not to cycle it a second time. In Zell am See I stayed at the Pension Klothilde, RD.
DAY 22: Zell am See to Steinbruck on the Tauern Radweg (Saalach branch), returning to Zell am See, 80 kms. Looking out the window at 06:00 I saw the familiar Austrian drizzle and overcast skies. Above Zell am See, the mountains were blanketed by a dense mass of cloud. It was useless to think about the Gross Glockner today. The TV also predicted similar conditions for tomorrow--the final day of this tour.
The Gross Glockner road is normally open from May 30 to October 15. Starting around June 12, post buses also carry bikes to the Gross Glockner Pass. They also continue for an additional 9 kilometers along the Gletscherstrasse road to the Franz Josef Haus to view the Pasturze Glacier with its huge cracks and crevasses.
To cycle up the Gross Glockner Pass road, most cyclists start from Fusch, about 15 kilometers from Zell am See, which has hotels and a cyclists' village. Above Furleiten, the road climbs for 1,600 meters in elevation via 14 switchbacks with an average grade of 13%. Many cyclists ride up only as far as Fuscher Torl (2,404 meters) then return. But it's possible to bike on up through a tunnel (no info) to the pass and continue to the Franz Josef Haus (reported to have overnight accommodation but check). I was also told that several restaurants high up near the Gross Glockner Pass have rooms for overnight.
So much for the Gross Glockner. Due to the weather, today I would ride the Tauern Radweg. At Zell am See, the Tauern Radweg splits into two branches. Both branches lead to Salzburg. But one branch follows the Saalach River while the other branch runs beside the Salzach River.
Today I biked on the Saalach River branch. All bike paths start beside Zell am See bahnhof and the Tauern Radweg led north around the Zeller See. The usual stunning views of snow clad peaks were blocked by low cloud and drizzle. Near town, the 3-meter wide bike path was crowded with bicycle commuters and kids riding to school on bikes.
For much of the day the Radweg traversed hayfields and the sweet smell of new mown hay filled the air. At times on this trip, I saw men cutting hay the traditional way, with scythes.
Almost all village houses are two-story with four bedrooms and a two-car garage. Everyone appears prosperous and the standard of living seems higher than in the U.S. Yet supermarkets are crowded and small.
Approaching Saalfelden, two sets of signs marked the bikeway. One set bore the words "Tauern Radweg" while others said," Rad und Bike". Each marked a different route, I was told, but both led to Saalfelden.
Radweg signs clearly marked the way through the busy, small town of Saalfelden. The route then became more hilly as it led past churches with onion-shaped domes to Steinbruck village. Here I met a group of forty middle-aged Austrian men and women out for a spin on their bikes.
Returning a different way on the "Rad und Bike" route, I cycled back to Zell am See for another night at the comfortable Pension Klothilde.
DAY 22: Zell am See to Taxenbach and return via the Tauern Radweg (Salzach branch), 50 kms. Light rain continued to mar this day but I still passed over a hundred cyclists including many couples in their 60s and 70s. Few Austrians are as obese, flabby and unfit as most Americans. Although cycling through the Alps is ten times safer and more pleasant than cycling in the U.S., I cannot recall meeting a single American cyclist touring independently. Incidentally, I passed hundreds of women cycling alone.
A key Radweg sign missing from the south end of Zell am See is confusing. But most cyclists seem to guess the route correctly. On through Bruck village the bike route roller-coasters on a mix of paved and unpaved backroads beside the Salzach River. One short section cut across a privately-owned hayfield on a narrow footpath.
Taxenbach has several hotels and restaurants and a historic church. Many people wore Austrian costume for a local festival. Beyond Taxenbach, the Radweg had not been completed and cyclists had to ride for several kilometers on the edge of a busy highway. Several bikers told me they were taking the train around this section. However, I did not have time for this. Instead I rode back to Zell am See, met a tandem couple from the North of England, and we celebrated the end of this tour with a glass of red wine each in an outdoor cafe. H. Pension Klothilde.
Getting Back: That evening, I bought a one-way second class rail ticket from Zell am See to Geneva, including an Austrian bike ticket. Next morning, I left Zell am See early by train for Innsbruck and changed there to a fast train to Zurich. In Zurich I switched to another fast train for Geneva. Once in Switzerland I had to pay, on the train, for a Swiss bike ticket. Fortunately, I had reserved a hotel room for one night near Geneva station. (Hotels are expensive in Geneva, Zurich might have been a better stopover.) The trip to Geneva took all day. In Geneva next morning, I bought a French rail ticket to Lyon and reached there at noon. All trains carried bikes, which go free in France.
ARRIVING AT LYON AT THE START OF THE TRIP. After a change of planes at Paris, I arrived at Lyon's St. Exupery airport at midday on May 15. First job on landing in France was to change about $200 U.S. dollars in cash into French francs (or Euros) which I always do at one of the many bureaux de change at either Paris or Lyon airports. This ensured that I had enough local currency to pay for a taxi to carry my bike box, luggage and myself from Lyon Airport to the Apartotel Citadines Part Dieu, a hotel of small efficiency units located near Lyon's main railway station. I'd previously reserved a room for two nights here by email and checked that I could leave my bike box (with suitcase inside) in their baggage room until my return 5 weeks later for the flight back home.
To go from the airport into Lyon, it's worth knowing that most small French taxis can carry only one bike box plus luggage and one passenger. (When you consider the alternatives--cycling 50 kilometers into a strange city with jet lag, ordering a van, or taking the airport bus--two or more cyclists traveling together may be better off by simply paying for an individual taxi each.)
Next morning, after sleeping eleven hours, I picked up a street map at the hotel desk and walked two kilometers to the Tourist Information Office. Here I asked for free hotel guides to Rhone Alpes (the province through which I would cycle in France) plus other free hotel guides to as many other provinces as possible. Unobtainable outside France, I left these invaluable hotel guides in my suitcase for possible future trips. Then I changed 600 U.S. dollars in travelers checks into French francs (or Euros) at the AOC Bureau de Change at 20 rue Gasparin near the Tourist Office. Check that they still pay a better rate than banks before using them. Banks near the Tourist Office also gave good exchange rates but others at the Part Dieu station really fleeced travelers by charging huge commissions.
Finally, I walked to Part Dieu Station and purchased a one way second class rail ticket to Grenoble, two hours away by train, where I would actually start bicycling. If you're over 65, you may qualify for a 20% fare discount. At a station kiosk, I also bought a telephone card, essential for using public phone booths. Then I called and reserved a room at a hotel next to Grenoble station for the following night.
When To Go. Between May 10 and June 20, or September 12 to October 20 are the best seasons. Between June 20 and September 12 much of Europe is crowded, traffic more intense, rooms may be difficult to find, and rates are often higher. If you go earlier in spring or later in autumn than the dates I recommend, you risk encountering snow at higher elevations or finding passes closed by early snow.
Maps I Used.
For FRANCE, I used Michelin's #244: Rhone Alpes, plus a free map of Grenoble's bike paths which I picked up at the city Tourist Office.
For SWITZERLAND I used 3 Michelin road maps: #216 Neuchatel to Basel. #217 Geneva to Andermatt . and #218 Andermatt to St. Moritz. These maps were useful for overall planning and for finding the way during my tour.
Yet the ultimate key to cycling on the Swiss National Bike Routes is the Veloland Schweiz English-language website at www.cycling-in-switzerland.ch.
This invaluable website includes the following:
1. A large map of the 9 Routes.
2. A description of each Route.
3. A listing of bike-friendly hotels along each Route.
4. A list of 58 "Bike & Train" Connections where you can put your bike on a train to by-pass a steep climb, a tunnel, a rough road or a congested area etc.
5. A description of 3 guidebooks (currently in French or German only) each of which describes in detail, with maps, 3 of the National Bike Routes. Volume 1 covers Routes 1, 2 and 3; Volume 2 covers Routes 4, 5 and 6; and Volume 3 covers Routes 7, 8 and 9. Also available is a "Cycling in Switzerland Route Map" (1:500,000) with English text which shows all 9 National Bike Routes on a large map of Switzerland. The guidebooks and maps are also keyed to the 58 "Bike & Train" connection points. Both guidebooks and map are also available on the Net from this website.
Frankly, I found each of the guidebooks too big and heavy to carry on a bike. Considering they are not yet available in English. I also found them rather expensive. I got along quite well with the Cycling Route Map which is relatively inexpensive.
While in Switzerland in 2001 I saw both the map and guidebooks on sale at kiosks and newsstands. However, the guidebooks or map can also be ordered in USA from Netstore USA at much lower shipment costs. Netstore's website is: www.netstoreusa.com/buch/index/de3220v.shtml Also available at larger Swiss rail stations are free copies of the "Bike & Train" booklet which lists all 58 points on the Bike Routes which can be by-passed by train. Train timetables are given for each location.
Also very helpful are the many local bike maps available free at most Tourist Offices in Switzerland.
In AUSTRIA I found Michelin Map #926: Austria, helpful for overall planning. The Feldkirch and Bregenz Tourist Offices distribute excellent bike maps and route descriptions in English for the Vorarlberg region bordering Switzerland.
Yet by far the most useful map was the English language "Tauern Bicycle Path" (both Salzach and Saalach routes) available free at Krimml Tourist Office (and possibly on sale elsewhere). Also helpful in the Zell am See area was the German language map and guide booklet "Radtouring im Pinzgau" (bike touring in Pinzgau) and also the area bike map, both free at Zell am See Tourist Office. Also good was the Kompass German language map- guide to the Tauern-Salzach Radweg, on sale at kiosks.
Before leaving home, I downloaded a copy of Thomas Webb's guidebook "Cycle Austria and Beyond" from his website at: www.cycle-europe.com. The text is full of helpful advice and the book covers 9 popular Austrian bike routes including the Tauern, Inn Valley, Vorarlberg and Danube bike paths.
Hotel Guides.
FRANCE: to reserve a room by email for my arrival in Lyon, I used one of the French hotel links listed under France in "Helpful Websites for Bicycle Touring" on this website. Once in Lyon, I picked up a free hotel guide to all hotels in the province of Rhone Alpes. Alternatively, you can pick up a free hotel guide to each of the departments comprising Rhone Alpes. Grenoble, and most of the Vercors, are in the department of Isere.
SWITZERLAND: Veloland Schweiz's website described above under "Maps I Used" lists scores of hotels and other accommodations along each of the 9 Bike Routes. Hotel locations are given in both directions for each Route. Also given is the phone number, website and email address for each hotel so that you make a reservation in advance by email or telephone. Each of these bike-friendly hotels carries a Cycling in Switzerland sticker or plate on the door and many also fly flags. I noticed that some of these hotels were rather pricey.
I found less expensive accommodations for most Swiss towns in Lonely Planet's guidebook to Switzerland; also on the Internet sites of individual Swiss Tourist Offices; and in a copy of the "Swiss Hotel Guide for 2000" which I obtained free by writing to the Swiss National Tourist Office, 608 Fifth Ave., New York NY 10020, USA. From these sources I copied the names and phone numbers of several inexpensive, centrally-located hotels and gasthof located at towns where I planned to stay during my tour. Once in Switzerland, I picked up free hotel guides to local areas as I went along. The 3 volume Velo Schweiz bike touring guidebooks also list hotels along each Swiss National Bike Route; they are the same as those on the Velo Schweiz website.
Another feature on the Velo Schweiz website are packages that include bike rental, overnight accommodation and return rail transport for 3-5 days of cycling on the National Bike Routes.
AUSTRIA: again, the Lonely Planet Austria guidebook listed inexpensive hotels at most centers. The website "Cycling Tours in Austria" at www.radtouren.at/english also lists bike-friendly hotels along the more popular bike routes. Also given are email addressees for Tourist Offices along the bike routes. By sending an email request for hotel lists and a bike touring map to each, you will almost certainly be sent these items by airmail.
The Austrian National Tourist Office at www.anto.com may also send you hotel listings. Their cycling website at www.anto.com/cycling.html is also worth visiting.
The Tauern Bicycle Path guidebook also lists bike-friendly accommodation as do the Kompass series of bicycling maps. Austria also has many Bed & Breakfasts called Privatzimmer, which charge half the rates of hotels, plus gasthof and pensions which also charge less. During weekday nights in the off-season, most resort towns have vacancies in all types of accommodations.
By "hotel listings" or "hotel guides" I mean the names and phone numbers of hotels, gasthof, pensions etc., for towns where I plan to stay overnight, with some indication of size, price and location. With this information you can then call ahead and make a reservation.
About telephone cards. In 2001 in Austria and France, I found that phone companies had begun limiting calls from public phone booths to about three minutes. This is to prevent people tying up these booths with long conversations. You are cut off automatically and you cannot re-dial from the same booth with the same card until after a period of 10-15 minutes. So keep conversations brief and get to the point quickly. To avoid this cut-off when making overseas calls, I found it best to call to AT&T etc., from the phone in my room. Since this counts as a domestic call, charges were not high.
Bicycle Specifications. I took an older, much-used Specialized Hardrock mountain bike with Specialized Nimbus 26 x 1.5 inch tires. The crankset is an inexpensive STX with 22-32-42T while the 7-speed cassette has a large cog with 32T. This combination provides a low and powerful hill climbing gear of 18 inches (equivalent to riding a unicycle with a wheel 18 inches in diameter). Bikes are carried on European trains by suspending the front wheel on a hook. As many as 80 bikes in a baggage car may all be swinging freely from hooks with possible risk of scratching or minor damage. Above all, you need rugged wheels with at least 36 spokes. My wheel spokes are 13 gauge and I have never had a broken spoke or wheel damage. I used old fashioned cantilever brakes which can be easily disconnected from the cables for packing in a box. By removing the handlebars, pedals, saddle, front wheel and fender, and bottle cages, I find the bike fits easily into a bike box 137 centimeters or 54 inches long. I pad the inside of the box with sides from another bike box and use plastic shields to protect the rear axle. The box is closed and all edges protected with duct tape and I carry half a roll of duct tape in my suitcase for the return trip. Duct tape is unobtainable outside the U.S. Full size fenders, not shorties, are essential for cycling in the Alps. The average mountain bike without front suspension and costing under $400 is usually adequate for years of long distance touring. Many such bikes already have 22-32-42T cranksets. With the exception of a Goretex rainsuit, I avoid carrying anything expensive on a bike tour. For example I use toeclips and ride in a pair of Walmart jogging shoes in which I can also hike. These are the only shoes I take. I do not advise taking a road bike. Bags consisted of a handlebar bag, a pair of generous-sized panniers and a light rucksack carried atop the rack for overflow items. Air France carried my bike box and one suitcase without charge. Always remove all bags, pump and computer from your bike before boarding a train and carry them separately.
Miscellaneous Tips: for other information, including timetables of trains that carry bikes, look under the Alpine countries listed in "Helpful Websites for Bicycle Touring" on this site. I have also not repeated the wealth of advice on touring France given in other reports on this website. Particularly in Austria, it is becoming easier and less costly to obtain currency from ATM machines and to use Travelers Checks only as a back-up.
For those like myself who buy food at supermarkets, bakeries and produce shops, opening and closing hours in Europe may be inconvenient. Almost all foodshops close during holidays and most supermarkets are closed on Sundays.
In France, most foodshops stay open all day Saturday and smaller ones remain open until noon on Sunday. A few close on Mondays. In Switzerland, foodshops close around 16:00 on Saturdays and are closed all day Sundays. In Austria, foodshops close as early as 12:00 on Saturdays and stay closed all day Sundays.
To fit these schedules, I usually stayover at the same hotel on Saturday and Sunday nights and make an all-day out-and-back ride on Sunday.
Outline Route Maps from Grenoble to Grindelwald to
Feldkirch
Outline Map Feldkirch to Zell am See, Austria