Through the Alps and Corsica

I took a packaged tour of the Alps in 2002. Thank goodness I took this book with me. This book had so much more quality information than the touring company, it was unbelievable! Each night, we would return from some awsome ride (not on the base or recommended route). It became a nightly ritual to review where we went. People, including the tour guide, wanted to know how I knew of these roads, I showed them the book. Next time, I will just take this book and go, no tour company! I am a heavy rider, 30K miles per year, close to 400K miles ridden.

I use to go on travel with my motorcycle just one or two times a year. I'm really busy and I haven't too much time to plan these travels so I bought this book thinking it could help me to plan a travel by the Alps. But it was a surprise!!! All the travel was perfectly planned in this book! Hotels, Restaurants, special places, roads, etc. Just a little deception: the pictures are black and white!

I took John's first edition of this book and a map and rode the Alps and the Dolemites for ten days. We reviewed the routes and stops each morning and evening. This is a great resource if you are traveling in the area. I brought three other books on this topic and left them behind at hotels as the trip progressed, as I realized I did not need any other resources. Use this and an internet translator site (like Babelfish)and you can make your reservations in some of the same hotels that Edelweiss and other formal tour groups use.This new edition expands on the first by adding Corsica and updating the Alps/Dolemite section. It is a great read. John is the recognized authority on this area for those of us that don't speak other languages well, and don't live there.He is also correct in stating that the riding in this region is addictive.

Don't leave home without it! No one should go to the Alps or Corsica without this 2nd revision in hand. It contains a wealth of additional information and is virtually a complete rewrite of the first edition. It should rightly be called "Journeys Through the Alps & Corsica" because it is indispensible for all travelers regardless of mode of transportation. Traveling the recommended routes by motorcycle may be more fun but every piece of information is invaluable whether you're traveling by car, van, truck or bus. Following the recommended routes will put you in touch with the real Alps & real Corsica as well a provide an enormous amount of cultural and historical background. Highly recommended for all travelers.

Hermann has distilled the Alpine motorcycle experience perfectly. Being do-it-yourself types we were reluctant just to follow somebody's advice. In no time we realized that Hermann was providing incredible insight into how to approach an Alpine motorcycle tour. His itineraries outline the best order and ways to see the multitude of passes that exist. His suggestions for base camp towns always seemed to lead to the most picturesque, quaint spots. Hermann's directions, with their accompanying, simple to use maps, never led us astray. From his wealth of experience, he shares little gems that one would more than likely miss on one's own. We highly recommend this book for anyone planning a tour in the Alps, with a tour company or on their own.