Mr.Weatherby

Hi,

I'm plannnig to ride from Barcelona to Oslo this spring. I have never ridden outside of the U.S., so I'm looking for any suggestions I can get. Mostly, I am going to need some maps to get my route planned out a bit. Recommendations?

Thanks!

marmotte

Hi, Mr Weatherby,
maybe it's a bit too cold in spring (or rainy), but if your clothes are ok: why not?

I made Baden-Baden - Girona (near Barcelona) last summer, which would be the first part of your tour (first 1000 miles). I took pictures and you can see them on my homepage . If you want to have maps to get your route planned: I used the maps of https://www.michelin.fr/fr/groupe_france/home.jsp . Follow the link "Les cartes et les itinéraires".
marmotte

MichaelW

Stanfords of London sell every map known to mankind.

Guest

Michelin maps or Touring Club Italiano. The Touring Club maps are very descriptive and good at explaining the terrain (steepness of hills, scenic, no slow traffic allowed highways, etc.).

www.thesavvytraveller.com in Chicago sells every map- and they have one for every country too.

Koffee

becnal

Rhone River, up to Doubs River, up to Rhine River. Following these rivers all the way will keep you on dedicated bike baths most of the time, and you can't get lost cause you simply follow the river. They are really well signed.

Get the Ester Bauer Bikeline mapbooks. The Rhine ones will insure that you don't need twenty different maps.

Travelinguyrt

Ah fair Barcelona, spend a week there and you will forget about Oslo

marmotte

[QUOTE=becnal]Rhone River, up to Doubs River, up to Rhine River...QUOTE]

Maybe Rhone valley (which also means mediterranean coast) is too crowded even in spring. I can remember this heavy traffic when I was there. That's why I prefer Tarn (or lot) valley. If you're not used in climbing it's a little bit harder, but it's nicer and if you plan to ride such a long distance as up to Oslo, it'll be ok.
marmotte

becnal

Yes, it's true the Rhone river has really big motorways (autobahnen) with a lot of traffic, but 99% of the time there is a much smaller side road that parallels the big motorways. And it is also beautiful, as I am sure the Lot river is as well.

I did Frankfurt to Finisterra this summer, along the Rhibe, Doubs and Rhone.

marmotte

hopefully you didn't ride this (3000 km?) trail during this bad weather period we had in later August (I had it, and it wasn't that funny all the time with changing tires twice during heavy rain within 15 km). (but it was great nevertheless).
marmotte