I didn't get a notice you had replied - I only saw your reply when coming back to look at this map again. We purchased our ticket to the start in Barcelona - we are committed!

Hi Kelly -

I looked at the Fernpass route when I was planning our trip, but I quickly decided that it wouldn’t work for us. I did some Google street views and the road looked really narrow with no shoulders. It also goes “up and over” while we’re more of the “around on the flat part” types. :)

The route we took worked really well for us. In the direction you’d be going, the route would be pretty flat after Innsbruck. You’re riding along past farms and through small towns, and the views of the surrounding mountains are still very nice. Once you get to the German border, you’re riding on the dike alongside the river and it’s much less scenic. The same farms and small towns, but no mountains to look at. We started in Rosenheim, so I can’t comment on the section between Rosenheim and Munich.

So no, we wouldn’t change anything about the choice to avoid the Fernpass. But it might not be challenging enough for some people.

Thanks for asking! It’s cool that our journal is useful to someone!!

Hi Rich,

We are finishing up routing for our summer 2025 trip. I found mention of the Via Claudia Augusta, and found your route researching it. I see you largely followed the Claudia Augusta. You deviated around the problem area I discovered, at Fernpass/Nassereith. The couple of journal mentions I found mentioned having to shuttle due to the narrow road.

We are interested in borrowing your route, in reverse. We would finish in Munich, so your start would be close to our end. Do you have anything you would change, or words of wisdom?

Thanks,

Kelly

Hi,
Thanks for a splendid tour journal. It sounds like you had a great time, if one excepts Cagnes-sur-Mer, or better yet tries to forget it.
Here’s looking forward to the next one!
Cheers,
Keith

What a pity you didn’t go to Haut de Cagnes the original settlement up the steep hill. This was an artist settlement linked to Monmartre. We had this as the final destination of a cycle tour from Hamburg. The reason- during World War 2 my aunt (a kiwi so no French papers) on the day that the Nazis invaded Paris escaped with her partner, an artist. They rode bikes from Paris to Cagnes and spent the rest of the war there in the artist community

Thanks for the reminder about why this area is better in deep off-season. It should be fine by the time we get there in late November as long as the mistral isn’t howling.

I’m sorry to see your trip end but look forward to the next one.

Glad your tandem is working again! Great photos!

What a great looking walk! The photos are amazing!

This really is an amazing bike path. I hope we get to ride it again ourselves someday.

You two are so lucky! Good job having your breakdowns come at places where you can find the help you need.

Great trip! Way to power up the Nauders climb. I enjoyed seeing the Bolzano-Trento section of VIA I missed last fall, what a great stretch.

Isn’t it the best cycle route! Well done! Thanks for sharing your excitement of this lovely route, even with your bike issues, you had a fabulous trip!

Happy to hear that all is well with your bike. You have been so fortunate to have your bike problems readily resolved while you're "Wobbling".

I’m so impressed how you look on the bright side! I’m sorry to hear you had a problem with your bicycle but very happy to hear it was resolved! I hope that’s the last of the problems for you and that the weather and terrain improves.