Best winter route Calais to Ancona

[Dogsense]

Advice please from experienced travellers.
What is the Best & Safest (preferably low toll cost) WINTER route from Calais to Ancona late December, with UK made 8m MoHo.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Dogsense]

Surprised that no one commented

 

[gus-lopez]

Maybe Offagain or nicholsong could help as they both travel there regularlyish.

 

[jongood]

In ordinary times I would go Lille, Namur, Luxembourg, Saarland, bit of cross country to Mannheim and then cut through Switzerland exiting through St Gotthard tunnel down to Milan and then swing left to Ancona. You end up paying the Swiss toll which assuming you re over 3500kgs is 30 euros for any 10 days in a 12 month period, and then the Italian tolls which are cheap ( its the French ones and the tunnels that are the shockers). Top tip, is fill up in Luxembourg and try to avoid buying it in Italy and try not to get to Milan ring road ( think M25) at rush hour

 

[Tykatem]

Having driven to Ancona several times, I totally agree with jongood

Pete

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[Offagain]

Thanks gus-lopez , I missed this.
We usually travel to Greece in April, back in July, back to Greece again late August and back to the U.K. late October, and haven’t done it in the depths of winter since having the motor home.
I would stick to the toll roads as they’ll be kept open. Calais to Mont Blanc tunnel (very loosely) via Reims, Dijon, Bourg en Bresse and Chamonix. From the Mb tunnel - Aosta, Alessandria, Piacenza, Parma, Bologna, Rimini, Ancona.
You’ll need snow tyres or chains, but make sure chains are the right size and you know how to put them on. We saw several motorists forced to abandon their vehicles in Italy a few years ago when the polizia stopped and checked every vehicle coming off the motorway during a heavy snowfall in March. Those without chains or the appropriate tyres weren’t allowed to proceed. Some were trying to put chains on and very obviously had no clue.

 

[Dogsense]

In ordinary times I would go Lille, Namur, Luxembourg, Saarland, bit of cross country to Mannheim and then cut through Switzerland exiting through St Gotthard tunnel down to Milan and then swing left to Ancona. You end up paying the Swiss toll which assuming you re over 3500kgs is 30 euros for any 10 days in a 12 month period, and then the Italian tolls which are cheap ( its the French ones and the tunnels that are the shockers). Top tip, is fill up in Luxembourg and try to avoid buying it in Italy and try not to get to Milan ring road ( think M25) at rush hour

Thank you. MoHo 4.5Ton. At Corona time, I think will be complicated to cross 6 countries before Greece.

 

[Dogsense]

Having driven to Ancona several times, I totally agree with jongood

Pete

Thank you. At Corona time, I think will be complicated to cross 6 countries before Greece.

 

[jongood]

Thank you. MoHo 4.5Ton. At Corona time, I think will be complicated to cross 6 countries before Greece.

It will depend on several factors at the time of the journey. If it was me I would focus on the weather report because the EU are committed to keeping their open borders, and China bug could choose to strike at any, none or all of them.

This might help you decide what to aim for

Assuming you can get away with classe 2 the french toll from Calais to Chamonix is about 96 euros, the fee to get through the tunnel is 62 euros. Its substantially more if you are classe 3 ( no stickers for you)

Motorway map France : preparing your routes on french motorways - ASFA

Motorway map France : preparing your routes on french motorways : The French Motorway Companies (ASFA) helps you to plan your motorway travel in France: motorways network map, traffic news, route and journey, webcam Find all the tariffs of the french motorways and practical information: tolls...

www.autoroutes.fr

If you fess up for 3500kgs+ at the border the toll through Switzerland is going to cost about 30 euros both ways.

I havent included the Italian bit because that will be similar. But should add that if you get it right you will save yourself a few bob by filling up in Luxembourg or Germany instead of France or Italy.

 

[Dogsense]

Thanks gus-lopez , I missed this.
We usually travel to Greece in April, back in July, back to Greece again late August and back to the U.K. late October, and haven’t done it in the depths of winter since having the motor home.
I would stick to the toll roads as they’ll be kept open. Calais to Mont Blanc tunnel (very loosely) via Reims, Dijon, Bourg en Bresse and Chamonix. From the Mb tunnel - Aosta, Alessandria, Piacenza, Parma, Bologna, Rimini, Ancona.
You’ll need snow tyres or chains, but make sure chains are the right size and you know how to put them on. We saw several motorists forced to abandon their vehicles in Italy a few years ago when the polizia stopped and checked every vehicle coming off the motorway during a heavy snowfall in March. Those without chains or the appropriate tyres weren’t allowed to proceed. Some were trying to put chains on and very obviously had no clue.

Thank you. Will need the chains if tyres are All Season? Will need them if on motorway in Franc and Italy?

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[Dogsense]

Will cross from France to Italy on the way to Ancona to

 

[PhilandMena]

In ordinary times I would go Lille, Namur, Luxembourg, Saarland, bit of cross country to Mannheim and then cut through Switzerland exiting through St Gotthard tunnel down to Milan and then swing left to Ancona. You end up paying the Swiss toll which assuming you re over 3500kgs is 30 euros for any 10 days in a 12 month period, and then the Italian tolls which are cheap ( its the French ones and the tunnels that are the shockers). Top tip, is fill up in Luxembourg and try to avoid buying it in Italy and try not to get to Milan ring road ( think M25) at rush hour

This is more or less the same route I plan to use if ever we manage to get our twice now cancelled Greece trip in.

 

[Hotelman]

Thank you. Will need the chains if tyres are All Season? Will need them if on motorway in Franc and Italy?

Bump

 

[Dogsense]

Will cross from France to Italy on the way to Ancona to catch the ferry to Greece.
Which crossing on 03/01/22 will be better and why
1) Chambery - Tunnel Du Frejus - Torino - Ancona
2) Chamonix - Tunnel Mont Blanc - Milano - Ancona

Thanks

 

[PhilandMena]

Mont Blanc Tunnel Tolls on the Italian side from 1st January 2021 (22% VAT included)

Vehicle Type	One Way	Return
Cars	€47.40	€59.10
Motorbikes	€31.40	€39.40
Camping cars	€62.70	€78.80

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[Dogsense]

Mont Blanc Tunnel Tolls on the Italian side from 1st January 2021 (22% VAT included

Thanks. similar charge on both Tunnels

 

[jongood]

Thanks. similar charge on both Tunnels

Will you definitely get away as class 2? The one and only time I went through the Mont Blanc Tunnel I think I remember having to argue for class 2 because of weight - we were under 3 metres but over 3500kgs at the time.

This may be interesting to regular travellers, the discount really surprised me

Abonnements pour les caravanes, grands utilitaires, campings-cars - Classe 2 :​

Abonnement 10 passages <Broken link removed> 193,80 € <Broken link removed> 197,00 €	Abonnement 20 passages <Broken link removed> 271,30 € <Broken link removed> 275,90 €
Valable 2 ans en plus du mois de validation	Valable 2 ans en plus du mois de validation
Economisez près de 70 % : 19,7 € au lieu de 62,70 € l'aller simple	Economisez près de 80 % : 13,79 € au lieu de 62,70 € l'aller simple

So if you buy 10 its effectively 20 euros/passage with 2 years plus the month you buy them in but it does say class 2.

 

[Dogsense]

Will you definitely get away as class 2? The one and only time I went through the Mont Blanc Tunnel I think I remember having to argue for class 2 because of weight - we were under 3 metres but over 3500kgs at the time.

This may be interesting to regular travellers, the discount really surprised me

Abonnements pour les caravanes, grands utilitaires, campings-cars - Classe 2 :​

Abonnement 10 passages <Broken link removed> 193,80 € <Broken link removed> 197,00 €	Abonnement 20 passages <Broken link removed> 271,30 € <Broken link removed> 275,90 €
Valable 2 ans en plus du mois de validation	Valable 2 ans en plus du mois de validation
Economisez près de 70 % : 19,7 € au lieu de 62,70 € l'aller simple	Economisez près de 80 % : 13,79 € au lieu de 62,70 € l'aller simple

So if you buy 10 its effectively 20 euros/passage with 2 years plus the month you buy them in but it does say class 2.

Thanks. I don’t think that I will use 10 crossing.