Published by Andrew on 2 February 2018
All the information you need to cycle from the Alps to the Mediterranean on EuroVelo 17 can be found in the Cycling the River Rhone Cycle Route guidebook.
Cycling the River Rhone Cycle Route (EuroVelo 17)
By Mike Wells
£14:95 print edition, also downloadable in ebook format
Anyone who buys the book can also download GPX files to assist with navigation
Eurovelo 17 became officially recognised in the summer of 2016 and combines the Swiss R1 Rhone and French ViaRhôna route to become a single 1000km cycle path heading south connecting the Alps, Lake Geneva, the lavender fields of Provence, and the wild white horses of the Camargue marshlands to the Mediterranean.
It predominently follows safe and quiet cycle friendly paths and roads. The route generally follows the Rhone river and therefore has the added bonus of being (mostly) gently downhill.
This guidebook by Mike Wells – also author of Cicerone's London to Paris cycling guide, their upated Loire Valley book, and the Moselle Cycle Route guide – breaks the route down into 20 stages of roughly 45km each. It provides maps (1:150,000), guidance and highlights for each, along with invaluable titbits and advice from someone who has an good knowledge of cycling in the area.
Wells recommends April to October as being the recommended time to enjoy the ride, although attention needs to be paid to snow conditions at all times of the year at the start at the Furkapass, as snow can impact the route and access.
Anyone with average fitness should be able to cycle 75km each day and complete the whole route in 12 days, or allow a fortnight or more to break the journey down into shorter stages to allow for a more relaxed timetable, including more sightseeing and longer lunches!
Cycling the River Rhone Cycle Route (EuroVelo 17)
By Mike Wells
£14.95 print edition, also downloadable in ebook format
Anyone who buys the book can also download GPX files to assist with navigation.
