Sicily to France by bike via Puglia to the Lyon area

Hi there, We’d like to take our bikes to Sicily in early April for Easter, then cycle back home via Puglia to the Lyon area. Has anyone got any tips? 1: How to get there? Train or ferry? 2: Camping or other options in big cities? Is it true that campsites are really expensive? 3: Recommended route We’re open to all suggestions. Thanks, and happy holidays!

For this kind of plan, aside from e-bikes, the simplest option was flying—carbon footprint aside... that's what we did recently. For the route, we tried the coastal path from Bari to Venice... a few details at www.lethieu39.fr. I preferred taking the west coast, heading toward Naples... a few routes we enjoyed testing... and my favorite from Civitavecchia, via Sardinia, Corsica, and the Rhône Valley.

Good luck with your prep! PS: Campgrounds are pretty expensive... bring maps and look for associations that offer discounts. We used ACSI in the off-season.

Sorry ... for the route BARI / France (Rhône Valley) via the WEST coast: https://www.lethieu39.fr/cyclotourisme/cyclo-de-la-crête-au-jura/l-italie/ + following pages ... and for a return via the EAST coast, VENICE and beyond ... https://www.lethieu39.fr/cyclotourisme/cyclo-voyage-grèce-jura/italie-d-ancône-à-venise/ or even, for the route between Ancona and Venice: https://www.lethieu39.fr/cyclotourisme/2019-balade-en-croatie/retour-vers-l-italie/ happy planning and happy end of the year

Thanks! Which discount card are you talking about for campsites? Is wild camping possible? Happy New Year!

Actually, it's the same one I use in my camper van (2 people - electricity included - packages from 16 to 19 € per night... or sometimes a reduced rate for hikers if it's cheaper). https://webshop.acsi.eu/fr/campingcard-acsi.html?__SID=6ee20f26ffe2423771feeb8765b72461U Otherwise, there must be other cards... for example: https://cccnp.jimdo.com/adh%C3%A9sions/carte-camping-club-international/

We haven’t tried it much, or rarely in the mountains, but regarding wild camping, it’s forbidden in Italy.... here are a few details on the topic: https://www.campstar.com/trends/fr/camping-sauvage-en-italie/ Happy New Year!

I did the Col de Larche (Alps) to Brindisi in 4 weeks, 3 years ago. Bivouacked 99% of the nights, zero problems. I remember pitching my tent near a chapel, in fields—some Italians passed by, and we mostly just chatted. There was even this one time a farmer on a tractor, after mowing his meadow, offered to let me stop by his place since he’d be on my route the next morning.

That said, there’s a difference between wild camping and bivouacking. I didn’t take the coast but went through the Apennines and the central mountain range. I followed the shoreline starting about 50 km north of Brindisi, and I found the coast particularly dirty—not really keen on swimming there.

Small side note: sadly, I’d never cycle in Italy again—it’s way too dangerous for my fragile little heart :o

Yes, I can confirm that too—it's better to go through the inland areas even if it's tougher and slower. The Adriatic coast isn't anything special, and it's pretty crowded. It's a *little* better heading north from Naples... I've never had any issues pitching my tent wherever I wanted in Italy. At worst, just ask—people generally love the French and travelers. Happy Holidays. L.

Hi there, We’re planning a bike trip down Italy in the autumn and maybe early winter, depending on how long it takes us. Does an inland route become impossible—or at least really tricky—after a certain month (on average), because of the cold and snow?