My driving in Italy story !!! (1 Viewer)

[BreweryDave]

We were at a beautiful place in the French Maritime Alps called Castellane and decided to drive straight through to Massa in Tuscany on Thursday, I've been posting my travels on my face ache page, but thought I'd share this one with you


If you think a drive through the Alps down to the Med at the French Riviera past Monaco and along the Italian riviera sounds fantastic, yes it does 'sound' fantastic - the reality is a bit different

We knew yesterday was going to be 'challenging' as we had a choice of trying to find somewhere around Nice to stay, a mid way Italian stopover, or a ' go for it' kinda day! The Cote D'Azure is decidedly motorhome unfriendly in terms of sites and Aires, and with 3.5T weight limits everywhere, no good in our 5T van!
Research with all of the resources I have to hand failed to find anywhere decent to stop, so set the sat nav for Massa in Italy to include motorways and tolls and set off down the mountain for a 400km jolly!
To be honest, I was actually looking forward to it ( I do love driving) but I refer you to paragraph 1

The roads down the mountains were as twisty as the day before but it was a bit overcast so less stunning views. Arriving into Grasse it all had the look of the stereotypical south of France glamour, fabulous buildings and plush looking hotels, well dressed women with little dogs under their arms, and men in berets playing the accordion on every street corner ....

2 hours after starting out, we hit the motorway. Me and the van both breathed a sigh of relief for a bit of straight smooth tarmac, and jak finally opened her eyes

Now, you'd think that stretch of motorway, being in an area that ain't short of a shekel or two, and passing some chic and glamorous places like Cannes, Nice, Monaco and along the Italian coast might be a pleasure like so many other continental motorways. Well, sadly no, very busy and with shuttering or fencing all along the coast side, hardly any views and no hard shoulder ( clearly the real estate is too valuable!) and the edge of the carriageway just fenced or shuttered

And then we crossed the border into Italy, and it all changed............

I now know where Chris Rea got the name from for his song ( you know the one!!!) cos we were on it

Has to have been the most horrible and uninspiring drives I've ever done! Never before have I been on a motorway where the sat nav shouts out 'warning' for sharp bends! Most of it was 2 lanes, and boy were they narrow lanes! Every lorry in the world was on that road, along with every driver who ever attended the RNIB driving school.

All the anectodal stories of Italian drivers are true, QED! They are obviously taught to use the full travel of any pedal they press every time, so it's either full power or full brakes, and all that after having had their brains removed - remarkable. And don't worry about leaving a gap, gaps are meant to be filled, clearly so you can fit more knobs on the road then there's the tunnels most of the drive felt like it was underground, there was a tunnel every few hundred yards, must've been through well over 100 of them along our route, and the paint was peeling off the walls inside every one . Yes, I bloody noticed that as there was sod all else to notice whilst dealing with all the knobs and the narrow lanes and the lorries, and I didn't even mention what they go like with the side winds when they emerge from a tunnel and out onto a viaduct it's not like they haven't been there before

................and relax. The loveliest words I heard all day were from my good old sat nav - ' you have reached your destination'

Will be here for a few days now, let my tyres cool down

 

[Sheddy]

Done the same drive a few years ago Dave with the toad ! Was so pleased to get off in one piece when we got to La Marina, some of the most stressful driving I have ever done, I used to think the M4 around Newport was bad with all the ducking and diving going on, but those Italian tunnels and narrow lanes were scary.
Have a case of tinnys that will settle your nerves.
Cheers
Ed

 

[2657]

We were at a beautiful place in the French Maritime Alps called Castellane and decided to drive straight through to Massa in Tuscany on Thursday, I've been posting my travels on my face ache page, but thought I'd share this one with you


If you think a drive through the Alps down to the Med at the French Riviera past Monaco and along the Italian riviera sounds fantastic, yes it does 'sound' fantastic - the reality is a bit different

We knew yesterday was going to be 'challenging' as we had a choice of trying to find somewhere around Nice to stay, a mid way Italian stopover, or a ' go for it' kinda day! The Cote D'Azure is decidedly motorhome unfriendly in terms of sites and Aires, and with 3.5T weight limits everywhere, no good in our 5T van!
Research with all of the resources I have to hand failed to find anywhere decent to stop, so set the sat nav for Massa in Italy to include motorways and tolls and set off down the mountain for a 400km jolly!
To be honest, I was actually looking forward to it ( I do love driving) but I refer you to paragraph 1

The roads down the mountains were as twisty as the day before but it was a bit overcast so less stunning views. Arriving into Grasse it all had the look of the stereotypical south of France glamour, fabulous buildings and plush looking hotels, well dressed women with little dogs under their arms, and men in berets playing the accordion on every street corner ....

2 hours after starting out, we hit the motorway. Me and the van both breathed a sigh of relief for a bit of straight smooth tarmac, and jak finally opened her eyes

Now, you'd think that stretch of motorway, being in an area that ain't short of a shekel or two, and passing some chic and glamorous places like Cannes, Nice, Monaco and along the Italian coast might be a pleasure like so many other continental motorways. Well, sadly no, very busy and with shuttering or fencing all along the coast side, hardly any views and no hard shoulder ( clearly the real estate is too valuable!) and the edge of the carriageway just fenced or shuttered

And then we crossed the border into Italy, and it all changed............

I now know where Chris Rea got the name from for his song ( you know the one!!!) cos we were on it

Has to have been the most horrible and uninspiring drives I've ever done! Never before have I been on a motorway where the sat nav shouts out 'warning' for sharp bends! Most of it was 2 lanes, and boy were they narrow lanes! Every lorry in the world was on that road, along with every driver who ever attended the RNIB driving school.

All the anectodal stories of Italian drivers are true, QED! They are obviously taught to use the full travel of any pedal they press every time, so it's either full power or full brakes, and all that after having had their brains removed - remarkable. And don't worry about leaving a gap, gaps are meant to be filled, clearly so you can fit more knobs on the road then there's the tunnels most of the drive felt like it was underground, there was a tunnel every few hundred yards, must've been through well over 100 of them along our route, and the paint was peeling off the walls inside every one . Yes, I bloody noticed that as there was sod all else to notice whilst dealing with all the knobs and the narrow lanes and the lorries, and I didn't even mention what they go like with the side winds when they emerge from a tunnel and out onto a viaduct it's not like they haven't been there before

................and relax. The loveliest words I heard all day were from my good old sat nav - ' you have reached your destination'

Will be here for a few days now, let my tyres cool down

Alternative routes are available!

Ferries from Barcelona to Genoa and Civitavecchia, used them both in the opposite direction, after reading your post it seems a wise decision especially as one of the journeys was with the 5'er.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[BreweryDave]

Couldn't agree more ! Will be getting the ferry next time!

 

[sallylillian]

Did the trip a few years ago in our 12 mt RV. My wife will no longer drive our MH in Italy even though we have downsized. I agree about the motorways, if they do have a v small hard shoulder that disappears completely at a tunnel entrance without warning! No where to go.

 

[BreweryDave]

So true, and the sliproads onto the motorway are more like T junctions they're so short!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Clive]

Stop whining, you know you loved it really

 

[mikebeaches]

We were in Tuscany last month in a rental car, and yes the Italians are a bit crazy. They don't even treat the speed limits as 'advisory', even though they are supposed to be mandatory. Not quite sure how they get away with it, 'cause there were cameras everywhere.

And they hated it when we stuck to the speed limits, many of which were - admittedly - ridiculously slow - presumably because the Italians just ignore them in any case. The hooting and dangerous overtaking, when we were just tootling along obeying the speed limits....

 

[bobandjanie]

When we left Italy last September Janie said " THAT'S IT " never going to Italy again, they all have a death wish.

Well after our chill out in Spain this winter .................Here we are at Lake Garda sat in the Sun nice BIG corner pitch that I could get 5 x 6meter motorhomes On, and for the last 2 days watching a big Concorde trying to get on a decent pitch.
Don't know weather to mention we leave on Monday.

I think it takes a while to get use to Italy and the more they toot me trying to get me to pull out in front of something the longer I sit there, once an old trucker always an old trucker. Bob.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[BreweryDave]

When we left Italy last September Janie said " THAT'S IT " never going to Italy again, they all have a death wish.

Well after our chill out in Spain this winter .................Here we are at Lake Garda sat in the Sun nice BIG corner pitch that I could get 5 x 6meter motorhomes On, and for the last 2 days watching a big Concorde trying to get on a decent pitch.
Don't know weather to mention we leave on Monday.

I think it takes a while to get use to Italy and the more they toot me trying to get me to pull out in front of something the longer I sit there, once an old trucker always an old trucker. Bob.

Shame you're leaving lake Garda, intend heading there early next week!

 

[Granjan]

Thanks for posting this @BreweryDave the ferry sounds like a much more enjoyable option.

 

[sallylillian]

So true, and the sliproads onto the motorway are more like T junctions they're so short!

Forgot about them, and sometimes you come off a motorway slip road to join another motorway ostensibly and the road is like a dirt track.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DBK]

It's different but no better on the coast road along the Italian Riviera - between the towns it's fine but the traffic in the towns can be solid with the added fun of scooters overtaking on both sides. The motorways around there seem very old but they have some good ones in other parts of the country and the tolls are not too expensive.

 

[pyro]

And I thought the driving standards in Portugal were bad!!

 

[jtp890]

Are u sure u can get back by august? Local pub has Magic Rock honey IPA @ 7.6%

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TerryL]

Shame you're leaving lake Garda, intend heading there early next week!

We're heading that way too at the end of the week, but probably take a few days "en-route". Will keep an eye out.

 

[Dave K]

When we retire (in many years time!) I always fancied taking the route you've mentioned, I'm a bit put off by that now, is Italy not very accommodating for us motorhomers then Dave, or is it just a particularly bad route?

 

[scousebird]

Many years ago we drove along that motorway from Antibes to San Remo, well I don't mind telling you I nearly sh1t my pants. I made Alan drive back along the coast, took us hours but much nicer road.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Dazzlin]

Must just be me.

Did same route but 'downhill' (Italy to France) last year.

GREAT road. Lot of tunnels, but nice drive.

Only in a 3.9t van but easy drive conpared to our trip over the Dolomites from Austria!

 

[bobandjanie]

I think the coast road is worse, all the motorbikes coming at you on your side of the road, and when you stop at traffic lights all the scooters surrounding you and by the time they have gone the lights are red and your surrounded by the next batch.

Shame you're leaving lake Garda, intend heading there early next week!

We're at Camping Butterfly on acsi €17 plus tax I think nice site and good cycling, been here a week and becoming too comfortable, so we will have a look round the lake and keep an eye open for you two.
Bob and Janie.

 

[BreweryDave]

When we retire (in many years time!) I always fancied taking the route you've mentioned, I'm a bit put off by that now, is Italy not very accommodating for us motorhomers then Dave, or is it just a particularly bad route?

I can't speak for anywhere else as my wheels aren't turning till tomorrow when we head up towards lake garda, but I gather that bit of motorway is not the best!!!
Shall stay my comments until I've driven some more here!!!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[JeanLuc]

Italy can be 'challenging' and after our last visit, we swore we would make more use of the motorways next time as they are cheap and at least you can make some reasonably rapid progress. Whilst we love the N and back roads of France, the equivalent in Italy can be awful.
I don't like the coastal route into Italy; our favourite is via Barcelonette and over the Col de L'arche to Cuneo. For Tuscany, we then head towards Genoa and round the motorway to Lucca. We used to use the alternative pass through Briançon but it is becoming very built-up with nasty ski resorts.

 

[mitzimad]

we did it in the oposite direction rovinge croatia to antibes on a go for it day to beat bad weather as you say highway to hell

 

[Theonlysue]

@BreweryDave sounds like Morocco lol

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Mousy]

I think the coast road is worse, all the motorbikes coming at you on your side of the road, and when you stop at traffic lights all the scooters surrounding you and by the time they have gone the lights are red and your surrounded by the next batch.



We're at Camping Butterfly on acsi €17 plus tax I think nice site and good cycling, been here a week and becoming too comfortable, so we will have a look round the lake and keep an eye open for you two.
Bob and Janie.

Hi Bob and Janie, try Bardolino it's fab, lovely cycle path along the lake to Garda, ACSI sites on the lake front, nice restaurants in Bardolino and boat trips across the lake. We were there last month and really enjoyed it..

View from the campsite continental Bardolino

Market day at Garda

Cycle path around to Bardolino

 

[Armytwowheels]

@BreweryDave sounds like Morocco lol

I was thinking the same, especially the but about the scooters! Except that each scooter has a family of four and a goat on!

 

[MillieMoocher]

Interesting story @BreweryDave

We are just south of Florence at the moment having come down via French side of Geneva then through Mont Blanc tunnel to Garda, using in effect motorways all the way.

I didn't find the standard of motorway driving in Italy too bad, the lane discipline seemed good when compared to UK.

No doubt tailgating is a national pastime, and they certainly seem to cut in quick after an overtake.

Lorries I didn't think we're any worse than you'd encounter on the A1, with the advantage that they're not allowed in certain lanes to reduce the impact of the slow overtake they indulge in.

The slipway entrances are short as you say, but everyone seems to filter in ok without any of the UK aggression about closing the gap or panicking because they are unable to match the speed of the traffic they are joining and causing grief.

Have we enjoyed driving in Italy on motorways - not really, but TBH we haven't found it any worse than the M62 around Manchester of the A1 just about anywhere south of West Yorkshire. Don't particularly enjoy that either!

All interesting experiences but it'd be a shame if anyone was put off Italy due to the way the locals seem to drive.

I'd still say the place is worth a visit

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[SOS]

Italy meant the end of our caravanning days! The caravan was brought back and promptly permanently pitched. Having to be guided down a mountain by the police did it for us!

 

[bellabee]

@BreweryDave, a timely post. We had been contemplating taking that route to Genoa in Feb, as we were thinking about Sicily for the winter, as an alternative to Spain. So, I think it'll be Spain/Portugal again! We'll try Sicily at a different time of year, when we can rely on getting there over the Alps!

 

[Malcolm Bolt]

We came from les Arcs in France via the motorway into Italy on Friday.

I travel in the inside lane with the trucks and rarely had any problem with other drivers.
It is just that the constant tunnel, bridge, tunnel, repeat repeat repeat is so bloody boring. It isnt a road you can relax on at any time so there is rarely an opportunity for the driver to take in the fantastic views reported by the passenger.
We turned north using the A26 then A7 and A21 to Cremona and all of this was more enjoyable, as was the run into Venice along the A4.

Ferry? Yes will certainly consider it on any further trip.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}