After climbing the Little Saint Bernard pass, I am in Italy! I go down to the Aosta Valley. Nice valley, villages on the hills and lots of castles. But sadly, it is not really adapted for bikes. I try as much as I can to take the littles roads but at the end I always finish on the main road. The 2nd day, I am enthusiastic : there is a bicycle road! But the road stops abruptly in the small track for walkers. I can’t carry 30kg. So I have no choice, I have to climb 200m to Saint Vincent village. After that, I gave up. I rode on the main road but this time : headwinds! So this 2nd day was a trying, 93km but at the end, my first Italian lake. Ok, it is a small one but it is nice to swim in warm water and see a sunset on the lake.

I leave the Aosta valley for the region of Piemonte that I have to cross to join the famous Italian lakes of Lombardie’s region. I understand why we do not hear about Piemonte : fields, lots of industry area, long straight lines (I count the old fiat Panda to keep me busy on these long roads), villages from the 70’s where houses look abandoned. Not easy to enjoy riding but at the end there is the Orta lake. It is already 5pm, so I prefer finding à campersite before swimming. 1st camping : à landfill ; 2nd, 3rd, 4th : fool! Someone called to another camping: yes there is a place for me. But I have to climb 3 km. Best way to finish the day… I arrive just before the rain. I am disappointed when I see the price, 30€ for 1 night, 1 person, 1 tent. And the shower is not included. I know I am in the high season but I didn’t think camping was a luxury.

So the next morning, I decided to find a place for wild camping for the night. But at the same time, my period decided to arrive! Period and bike do not mix well! I think girls will understand me, when the access to the toilet is not easy, it is not funny. Today I wanted to climb Mount Mottarone to have a nice view on both lakes, Orta and Maggiore. But I don’t know if it was my legs, the moral or my period the problem, but I couldn’t make it. It is an 11% climb on 10km, too hard for today. Sadly I chose another road, easier but not so nice view. I arrived at Maggiore lake from Stresa. Bugs hotels, luxury and pay toilets, this is not a place for me. I bicycle along the lake down south, do some shopping for dinner and I go somewhere on the edge of the lake. I am waiting for everybody to leave and I can have a little beach for myself. Shower on the lake – water is so warm. And sunset for dinner on the pontoon. Magical evening. First night of wild camping, I was not being smart but everything was fine.

I can go again on the road on the way to Lake Como. I crossed Varese lake and found à campersite close to Como (with à thunderstorm at night time). The next morning, I can quickly visit Como and its cathedral before taking the ferry. There, with lots of luck and help from Italians, I passed in front of everyone to take à ticket because the only boat who accepted my bike is leaving now!! Or I have to wait 3 hours. Undeterred, I am on the ferry, my bike too. They asked me if I have à mask (because a mask it’s mandatory in the public transport in Italy), I said yes..but a FFP2 mask! Not a tissue mask as mine… anyway, with this hot temperature, everybody takes it off. I traveled during these 2 hours with a French couple. The view is awesome, we are stopping in every village because it’s a public transport. I go to Bellagio, it’s in the middle of the two arms of the lake and lots of people, I take my bike and go. I ride along the other arm to the South, to Lecco. I find a campersite right next to Garlante lake, just under Como lake. Warm water with a mountain view, perfect to start the next day.

This day, I have enough of the camping which unfortunately do not allow to do lots of meetings. Thanks to the website “welcometomygarden”, I spoke with Marco who accept to host me in his garden tonight. To go to his house, I ride along the Adda river, à wonderful bike path. Too nice, I go too far ! I forgot to turn left to go to Bergamo. Little detour with first mechanic problem : I can’t tighten my crutch that move a lot. I stop at a car workshop, thanks to Google translate because it’s bit hard to explain my problem in Italian! Tighten, problem fix, I go to Bergamo but very quickly, it is already 5pm and I have still 20km to Marco’s home. I climb to the old city, the citta Alta. Fortified and cobblestone, the historic heart is very nice. By bike it is not easy to visit so I only enjoy the exterior of the buildings like the basilica and the chapel. 6pm, let’s go. I don’t like biking too late at night but tonight I know where I sleep. Marco told me, it climbs to go to their home… I didn’t expect so much! It’s a 30% slope! Even pushing my bike is hard. 30kg, I feel it. I meet Marco, his wife Roberta and Sarah their daughter. I am welcomed, they have a beautiful view on the vines. The garden is very big, lots of place for my tent. They invite me for dinner, I have very good time with them, with tomatoes and parmesan cheese pasta ! Delizioso ! Roberta doesn’t speak English but she has lots of questions, Marco translate. They offer me to stay for 1 or 2 nights.

I take the opportunity to stay 2 nights, the next day I can ride along the beautiful Iseo lake without luggages, feeling light. Iseo lake offers beautiful views.

I am very thankful to Marco’s family and I take the road to Garda lake. I cross Brescia, I like this little city, nice historic heart, I have to do it again by walk. I am still far away to the lake and the sky start to be dark. It has been few nights there were thunderstorms and winds but during the night it’s perfect and sun during the day. Tonight, it is only 5pm, campings are still far. It is the opportunity to go asking a piece of garden of someone to put my tent before it’s raining. It is not easy to go to someone home to ask for a piece of garden. New challenge accepted! I choose a farm, big garden with a swimming pool, I thought it’s perfect, a family. I saw a man outside. But to explain that I want to put my tent in his garden in Italian…not easy.. especially when I asked me “porque?” Hard to justify myself. At the end he say yes, and I understand that it is the best thing I done since I am in Italy. Paolo show me hut where I can leave my bike sheltered from the rain and after show me his home, the bathroom even a couch (but I prefer my tent). I plant my tent before the rain and take I shower. Now it’s raining a lot. I met Paolo and his friend Omar at the farm. Not easy to speak but we manage to understand each other a little bit (thanks to internet). I learn all the animals name in Italian. Paolo offers me dinner! His Nonna (his grandmother) Nadia who lives with him had already dinner, so I eat in front of Paolo. He cooked spaghetti only for me, he has beans. And the next day they offer me my first Italian coffee and the Nonna has been to the market and came back with biscuits for breakfast. I asked only somewhere to put my tent, I was hosted as a princess. It was a beautiful moments. My travel on my bike can start now. These spontaneous meetings showed me that I was concentrating too much on myself and my bike. Now I will try not to look too much on the campsite and more to see and meet people. This is traveling.

After this beautiful morning, I arrived at Garda lake. I try to ride along the lake, but now it starts to be busy and after a few Kms, the bicycle road finishes on the beach… It is not very nice to push my bike on the sand. So I leave Garde lake and the people without any regrets to join the European bicycle 7. I left the region of Lombardy and the lakes. Now let’s go to Trentino region, which has some great surprises in store for me…

750km done, around 10 Italians lakes, beautiful moments and meetings, the adventure start very well. You can see my trip in these regions in Komoot app : https://www.komoot.fr/collection/1719687/-vallee-d-aoste-et-lombardie

And you can look my trip day after day with this link : https://www.komoot.fr/collection/1670908/-de-lyon-a-istanbul