Route to lake Garda advice would be appreciated ?.. (1 Viewer)

[crossy]

Evening all,
We are pretty much novices when it comes to travelling in France etc and this year we would like to take our new Burster Motorhome for a trip to Lake Garda and the surrounding area.

We intend to take our time there but only have a 2 week window of the first 2 weeks of July and would like to have 5 nights in Garda.

We will be travelling from Just outside Manchester and would like some advice if possible on which is the best route to get there. We would like to stop over at various places there and back and although we are not tight with money I would like to get the best value for money as possible .we like nice campsites and if there is public transport nearby then that would be good too

I'm unsure of the route and costs so any tips from you guys would be good please.

There's only 2 of us and I'm looking forward to the trip.

Thanks people

Phil

 

[crossy]

I forgot to ask, is Dover Calais the best route or is there a quicker route ? I'm reading through the other threads so hopefully we can picks up some tips there too

 

[haganap]

Hi we live in Cheshire and done this trip in two weeks including heading back via Livigno Switzerland and more France. Dover Calais is best. .

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[magicsurfbus]

Sea miles are more costly than road miles so Dover-Calais is best in that respect. We're not far from you and it takes us about 7 hours to get to Dover, including breaks.

If you go by the most direct route through France to Italy you may end up paying a hefty tunnel toll, ie Mont Blanc, especially if your MH is over 3.5 tonnes.

If you go through Switzerland then through the Gotthard tunnel to Italy you pay a lowish flat rate for the motorway vignette and that includes the tunnel. It's also a fairly straightforward drive.

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous you can cross from France into Italy via Briancon and Montgenevre without using a tunnel, but the road is steep and winding in places, although 'A' Road quality. Lovely scenery.

You should like Lake Garda. We've been a few times for visits of varying length - there's plenty to do and see.

 

[Popeye]

I followed a recommendation by @hilldweller a few years back, worked a treat. He'll give sound advice. Having said that I think he followed the advice of another, @Malcolm Bolt probably.

I remember my first stop was Metz then down to Switzerland, came home spending longer in Switzerland showing the Mrs where I used to stay as a young-un.

You won't be disapointed, cracking trip.

Griff

 

[hilldweller]

Calais Metz Luzern Garda. Simples.

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[EX51SSS]

I forgot to ask, is Dover Calais the best route or is there a quicker route ? I'm reading through the other threads so hopefully we can picks up some tips there too

Dover-Calais by ferry or Folkestone -Calais by train.
I appreciate you aren't tight with money but savings to be had. We also travel from North Manchester but because we have a dog and don't want her by herself, we choose the train. Just booked (last night in fact) nd paid £205.00 (£36.00 for Pepper (our dog)). We travel at a convenient time for us and get into Kent and have a day out in various towns. Herne Bay being our favourite (other towns available) and later travel onto Folkestone or Dover (whichever crossing you choose) for a late crossing. We then go to either one of the Aires or Cite Europe then travel refreshed.

 

[crossy]

Sounds good thanks.
How much are the tolls through to Metz ?? Looked on the map and by motorway it looks like it can be done in a day ??
Thanks guys

 

[hilldweller]

Sounds good thanks.
How much are the tolls through to Metz ?? Looked on the map and by motorway it looks like it can be done in a day ??
Thanks guys

I can't find The Italian Job files right now so from memory.

Calais head through Belgium through Luxembourg ( cheap fill up ) then municipal camping in Metz by the river.
The Luzern need a Swiss pass appropriate to your van. We stopped Camping International on the lake. Glorious city.
Then Monza, Garda. Peschiera del Garda.

This avoids French tolls.

Type Calais->Namur->Metz->Lucerne->Peschiera del Garda into Google maps.

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[crossy]

Great stuff. Thanks a lot. I'm going to book the ferry this weekend, many thanks
Phil

 

[EX51SSS]

The Luzern need a Swiss pass appropriate to your van

How would I find that out in advance please

 

[hilldweller]

How would I find that out in advance please

Just search in here for vignette.

Yours is under 3.5T so you buy a Jan/Jan pass either by post or in here. Price compares well to toll prices, very well indeed if you use more than once.

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[hilldweller]

Great stuff. Thanks a lot. I'm going to book the ferry this weekend, many thanks
Phil

GREEN with jealousy, we're selling house so can't plan yet but need to return this year. It feels like our second home. We've used Camping Cappuccino for many times now, nice site within easy walk to the magnificent town. Verona, Venice easy by train.

 

[crossy]

Cheers, I'm looking forward to getting it planned out, it sounds like a lovely place there in Garda and the surrounding towns etc

 

[Delboyarapaho]

I realise work may be driving your 2 week window but it really is tight for such a distance. the quickest route may be down from Calais through France and through the Mont Blanc tunnel but I believe the tolls will be about £200 each way. and I think you will only save a few hours compared to going through Belgium, Luxembourg, Metz or down through Germany (round Munich) into Switzerland and through the St Gothard pass/tunnel. As others have said you pay a vignette for 10 days travel in Switzerland that cost about £35 and that is the only fees you pay (other than tunnel.ferry cost). We are going this year plan to take 8 weeks (I am retiring). So I am planning to go the route I have said but plan to drop into Alsace en route for a week and then across to St gothard then visit Maggiore, Iseo, Como on the way to Garda. Have a great time and make sure you have time to enjoy the trip rather than make it wall to wall driving just to get there.

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[magicsurfbus]

There's a free wooded aire a short distance north of Metz here - we use it as a first stop whenever we're heading that way into Europe.

If you follow the @hilldweller trail to Garda the Verkershaus transport museum in Luzern is worth some of your time.

If you'd like a slightly different journey back, I can recommend heading north from Garda via Bolzano (home of Otzi the Iceman), through the spectacular scenery of the Brenner Pass (all motorway), hang a left at Innsbruck and head for the German side of Lake Konstanz, then up through the Black Forest to Strasbourg. For Austrian autobahns you'd need a vignette that can be purchased at service stations near the border, doesn't cost much. We took that route this autumn, and on the basis of what we saw we're definitely heading back to Lake Konstanz later this year.

 

[davidbaldam]

We did it 2 years ago, Calais into Belgium, Luxembourg back into France, into Switzerland then Italy. Took 2 days as we wanted to take our time but probably can ba done with 1 stop.

 

[Theonlysue]

Calais Metz Luzern Garda. Simples.

I remember the Italian job you organised.
Brilliant!

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[crossy]

Some good recommendations there thank you which I will definitely take on board. I will plan this weekend and get booking. Some of the campsites on previous threads look good so I will get one or two booked for the lakes.
Thanks again

 

[Hellski]

Thank you to @crossy for starting this thread as well as those that have contributed. The information provided is very useful as I'm currently looking for ideas for a main holiday this year and will also only have two weeks; I'm also a slave to work and will be for at least another 20 years!!

I would prefer to keep my options open in regards to length of time at various locations. Would it be essential to book sites outside of school holidays or are there enough sites in the areas mentioned that you would be able to find somewhere with availability?

 

[Rob Turner]

Thank you to @crossy for starting this thread as well as those that have contributed. The information provided is very useful as I'm currently looking for ideas for a main holiday this year and will also only have two weeks; I'm also a slave to work and will be for at least another 20 years!!

I would prefer to keep my options open in regards to length of time at various locations. Would it be essential to book sites outside of school holidays or are there enough sites in the areas mentioned that you would be able to find somewhere with availability?

Outside of school holidays would be fine, there's always somewhere. Campercontact is where you need to look when you get to the area you want to stop.

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[orridge]

We did it last summer Calais to Metz (via Belgium & Luxembourg)/Interlaken (we Stopped in Switzerland for a week so there is probably more direct route)/Visp over the Simplon Pass and down to Lake Garda.

Over 3.5t you can buy a swiss vignitte for 10 days around 28 euro and we avoided the french tolls completely.

 

[Moodybrook]

Mont Blanc tunnel but I believe the tolls will be about £200 each way.

Just googled http://www.chamonix.net/english/travel/mont-blanc-tunnel

From 1st Jan 2017 Mont blanc tunnel single "camping car" 57.60 euros. I wanted to play Chamonix golf(with o/night) after stopping at Annecy for a bit, then thro tunnel and bimble along the Aosta valley to Italian lakes.

I didn't think that was too bad I looked at alternatives and reckon I would burn as much diesel and brake pads to make the tunnel look cheap ? I must measure my roof height accurately and I know I am in the under 3.5T bracket.

Where is my thinking going wrong ? cheers !

ps I retired on Friday !

 

[Delboyarapaho]

Moodybrook I think it depends how you get to the Mont Blanc tunnel. If you go through France on the auto routes, I think the tolls are about 100 Euros before you get to the tunnel. That's a lot of fuel just for going through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany for free and paying a relatively small toll in Switzerland

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[PORKSTER]

I got all the info from here I needed done the trip twice now. last time I left uk late friday night via tunnel stopped at Gravelines got my head down up early quick breaky Ist stop camping Lucerne via Lux for cheap fuel. then quick easy drive to the lakes so easy far better than driving in UK

 

[Moodybrook]

how you get to the Mont Blanc tunnel

Yes of course and it would depend on how long you have to get there and if just getting to the lakes quickly is the main ambition in life etc. but there are easy non toll routes to Annecy. My Cheapy Chinese sat nav won't let me spend a penny unless I override it !

"Katy" (the digital voice) gets very disgusted if I make her RECALCULATE !!

My wanting to play the Chamonix course(that won't be cheap either unless I bat my eyelashes nicely and plead Scots poverty !! no, concerning money I have no shame !!) means I really need to bite the Tunnel bullet so I'm sort of caught by the short and curlies (madam avert your eyes! ).

The other thing is if I went thro Austria or even Switzerland I think Johnny Italia wouldn't see me I'd probably stop there !