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For some, it's a pointless slog - for others, the content and highlight of an entire holiday: climbing one of the numerous Alpine passes by bike. The challenge can be very different: the sheer length of the route, the impressive number of metres in altitude or - usually the icing on the cake - the epic view of the surrounding peaks from the pass road.
For all those who have already conquered countless Alpine passes by bike or are planning to do so, there is now a new, wonderfully prepared map from the Hamburg-based publisher Marmota. "222 Passes of the Alps" provides a large overview of the Alpine region, showing pass routes that can be travelled by bike, for example because traffic is temporarily closed there. As always with the Marmota maps, a lot of important information about the Alpine passes can be read in compact form.
Wall map 222 Alpine passes: for planning or as a reminder?
The wall map "222 Passes of the Alps" shows just as many special pass roads in the entire Alpine region from France to Slovenia, from the Bavarian Alps to Lake Garda and the Côte d'Azur. These include all the famous names such as Gotthard and Brenner, Col du Galibier and Stilfserjoch, Great and Little St. Bernhard or the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.
My personal tip from last summer: the Splügen Pass/Passo Spluga. Coming from the idyllic Hinterrheintal valley, you take the pass road down to Lake Como in Italy. On the map, the route is labelled A and B - i.e. coming from Lake Como. This is not meant by the makers as a recommendation regarding the direction of travel. However, riding from A (Italy) to B (Switzerland) adds up to more metres in altitude, namely 2000 up and 700 down.
The countries, the length and height of the climbs and the opening times are listed for each pass road. There are also special notes on toll roads, cobblestone or gravel roads, for example, or whether a pass has already been part of major cycling tours such as the Tour de France or the Giro d'Italia.
A sheet of small stickers is available for 4 euros as a fun gimmick, reminder or planning aid. You can use the various stickers to decorate the maps and mark where you still want to go and which Alpine pass has already been ticked off.
The map with the 222 Alpine passes will certainly adorn the wall of any Alpine fan for 60 euros, but at 140 cm wide it is not suitable for every room.
Map: 222 passes in the Alps
Format: 140 X 100 cm
ISBN: 978-3-946719-45-8
Price: 60 Euro >> available here
Marc Strucken
Editor
