On Tue, 7 Apr 2009 18:43:52 +0200, Terry Richards wrote in post :
:

"Tim C." wrote in message
...

Depending on where you're going from, an overnight ferry or a drive from
Holland to Hamburg or Düsseldorf and get the train to Verona (or get off
the train at Bozen and hit the Dolomites for a day).

--
Tim C.

Tim,

We are starting from Brittany on account of that's where we live.

That's as good a reason as any :-)
In that case Hamburg is not really practical. There used to be a car-train
from Paris, to St.Gervais-le-Bains and, I think, further but I'm not sure
if it hasn't been discontinued.
You can get across France pretty fast on a bike, and imo the worst part
will be southern/central Italy: pretty straight roads. So you can either
just bite the bullet and hit the Autostrada or try and find a longer but
more interesting route. Personally I'd do a bit of both, m'way for the flat
urban areas, and the odd detour through hilly bits.

--
Tim C.