Swiss border Forums

Waleem

Hi All
We were planning to go to France this August for two weeks and have already booked our Dover Calais crossing. My Wife has decided that she now wants to go to Italy instead! Questions-
1. Best (cheapest?) way to get to Italy from Calais in a 7 metre A class.
2. Which part of Italy is most within reach, remembering that we only have two weeks!
Many thanks for any advice you can give!

autostratus · Moderator

Sounds like a cue for Russell (Rapide561) to join in. Smile

Rapide561

Hi

You should have no probs at all with a 7 metre van. Routing first of all

Assuming your van is over 3500 kg.

Calais - Dunkerque - Lille - Belguim - Tournai - Mons - Charleroi - Arlon - Luxembourg - France (again) A31 motorway signed at Metz, then A4 to Strasbourg and A35 to Mulhouse and the Swiss border. From Basle, Lucerne, Gotthard, Lugano, signs to Italia and Milano.

Just by the Swiss border is Lake Como. Another couple of hours and you reach Lago di Garda sud.

This route is toll free from Calais to roughly the St Avold area of France.

You will pay three Frecnh tolls - which totalled 15 euros for us - including the trailer.

You will also need a Swiss toll pass.

If you weight less that 3500 kg, you can avoid tolls in France altogether. After Luxembourg, stay on the A31 signed at Metz - Nancy and then on the RN to Epinal and Thann. Follow signs to Mulhouse and Basle.

For a quick journey I suggest....

West Mids to Dover - lunch time crossing - arrive Calais 15.00 and crack on to Luxembourg.

Day 2, Luxembourg to Garda area.

Calais to Garda is about 750 miles. Calais to Luxembourg about 250.

I did the journey over three days, spending a night in Belgium and a second night in Obernai - south of Strasbourg.

How far can you go in two weeks - well with a 3 day journey, Garda, Lido di Jesolo and possibly Northern Tuscany. An extra day needed for Rome and the South.

A two week tour - three days out and three back would give you a nice 8 or 9 days lay over.

From a base at Lake Garda (south) you can easily explore Verona, Venice and so on. Trains run from Desenzano and Peschiera to these Italian cities on the Milan - Venice line.

If you want any more ideas, please come back.

There are some lovely campsites and if you look at

MissEllie

Hi Russell
Have you ever travelled the route from Calais down towards Lyon, touring the Jura region, across to Geneva and then into Italy? We are thinking of travelling this way in the Summer.
Cheers
Elaine

Rapide561

Hi Elaine

Yes - only with a 40 foot coach with a tri axle back end. We were heading for Genova (Genoa) and then down the coastal road to Tuscany. It was back in 2001 I think. I was the tour guise on the coach and I can remember that trying to make tea and coffee on the A12 was a joke!

Another coach route was.....

Calais, Belgium, Luxembourg, Metz then overnight stop near Dijon. On then towards Besancon, Lake Geneva, Montreux - perfect for lunch, then a photo shoot at the Chateau de Chillion, before heading for Brig and over the Simplon Pass. Coffee and cake there and then another overnight stop. On then towards Italy.

I have never done Dijon to Garda in a day but am certain it is possible. I guess it is about 400 miles from Dijon to Lake Garda South. The overnight hotel we used to stay in was 325 miles, out skirts of Milan.

Russell

Oldskool

Hi Elaine

I have done the Italy route via the Mont Blanc tunnel and then on to Liguria, taking the fantastically scenic A40 north of Lyon to Chamonix. If you are looking to hit the Med then this is a good route as it is quick. Driving past Genoa is one hell of an experience if you like tunnels Shocked

On our return we did a day's drive from Verbania (Lago Maggiore) to Auxerre via the Simplon pass and through/over Switzerland back to the A40 at Chamonix

I'm not sure I would repeat the return journey again in one day as we were on the road for nigh on 13 hours...Great scenary though Wink

DJP

We went to Italy last summer via France and Mont Blanc tunnel. Spent over £150 on tolls (We also tow a Smart) Major problems at Mont Blanc. They made us unhitch the Smart and drive seperately cost 80 Euro as opposed to 200euro if we left it on as a trailer. Faced with not wanting that expense again, we decided to come back from Italy via Austria (we had to buy a GO box as motorhome is 3800kg + Smart) that was about 53 euro. Then into Germany, Luxembourg, Belguim back into France for the ferry. Total cost for tolls including GO box for the return journey. Just over £50. £100 cheaper! Fuel was cheaper. Scenery was spectacular. We stayed in Austria for a couple of days at Zel em Zee and Bruge for a couple of days.
Dennis

mandyandandy

Just the thread I needed so thank you Waleem, we are planning 2 week trip at Easter to the same place, staying at the northern end of Italy and coming back through France.
Route is(was if you lot have negatives to it):
Calais to Lille
Lille to Charleroi
Charleroi to Arlon (Luxemburg)
Arlon to Offenberg (Germany)
Offenburg to Fussen
Fussen to Bolzano (via Landeck and Merano) will we see snow
Bolzano to Bergamo (Italy)
Bergamo to Genova
Genova to Nice
Nice to Gap (via Digne les Bains and Sisteron)
Gap to Macon
Macon to Langres
Langres to Cambrai (via Reims)
Cambrai to Calais

Gawd ,,, sounds like a heck of a trek, but we are movers and lack to get around , no doubt in the summer when we try again it will be a little more relaxed.

Picked up gen from other members on toll free routes, didn't realise we had to pay to cross Austria, we have 7mt van 3850 payload, is it going to be a fortune?

Have to say love to see routes others take as it gives a real start to those of us never having travelled this sort of way before, so thanks to you all.

Waleem

Thanks for the very informative replies-particularly Russell's. I may be in touch again for more specifics if that is OK ?