Italian Lakes

[Wanders from Glos]

We are thinking of touring to the Italian Lakes this May/June, probably Orta/Maggiore, Iseo and Garda. We had been considering travelling through France and then across so that we start around Orta/Maggiore but have no fixed plan. My concern is to avoid a finding ourselves on a mountain pass that is not suitable for a motorhome. I was wondering what route others have taken?

All advice gratefully received.

 

[maison]

The Frejus Tunnel works, as does the Mont Blanc Tunnel.

Both are expensive (prices available on-line), but are easy driving.

 

[DABurleigh]

Go toll free via fill-up at Luxembourg, enter Switzerland at Basel, Gotthard tunnel. Just the cheap Swiss motorway tax.

Dave

 

[Parrot Face]

We always go the slightly longer route. Calais through Luxembourg into Germany and down as far as the Fussen area. Cross over Austria using non toll roads to the Brenner Pass. If you are over 3500kg then use the old pass road....no problems an easy pass to take. Then into Italy.

 

[WESTY66]

We always go the slightly longer route. Calais through Luxembourg into Germany and down as far as the Fussen area. Cross over Austria using non toll roads to the Brenner Pass. If you are over 3500kg then use the old pass road....no problems an easy pass to take. Then into Italy.

Could you possibly PM me a detailed route from fussen to Italy via NON go box roads, thanks Ady

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[Parrot Face]

Could you possibly PM me a detailed route from fussen to Italy via NON go box roads, thanks Ady

Sorry I wish I could give you a clever detailed reply, but every time we go we just put it into our sat nav not to use tolls and we always end up going the same way. Google maps also gives you the same route if you go into options and use non tolls. I think the point I am trying to make is not to be too concerned about the Brenner pass which if you are over 3.5 tons you may want to use to avoid the go box. The Brenner pass has lorries and buses using it, it may have 3,5 ton signs on it but this is for trailers. Its a lovely route and we even had to leave it once due to a rare accident. We found a minor road through the pass that was just as easy.

 

[fullfat]

Could you possibly PM me a detailed route from fussen to Italy via NON go box roads, thanks Ady

Via michelin will provide the route for free

 

[DBK]

If you don't mind a slightly longer route, head for Genoble then Briancon and cross over on the Montgenevre Pass. There is an aire at the top of the pass which is worth a stop at if only to clear the lungs with the mountain air, air at the aire so to speak.

I think any road marked in red on the Michelin Road Atlas will be usable by MH and open in May but there might be snow beside the road.

As you get near Lyon and Grenoble using toll roads will probably make sense unless you like to do it very slowly!

 

[WESTY66]

Via michelin will provide the route for free

Thanks, but I’ve played with via Michelin before and maybe I’m a bit thick but the only options it gives me are car, motorcycle,bike, walking? How do you get my 4.25t Moho on there, ps i put avoid tolls and it sent me down the A12 Autobahn then into the reschen Tunnel, all of which is go box territory.??‍?‍

 

[HugoBNB]

Done most of the above routes before we got the MH with the caravan at 13.5m train length with no problems.
Beware though, some of the routes around/between the lakes are more of a problem than the passes themselves. The NW side of Lake Como in particular. I would recommend you use a truck based sat-nav and stick to it. So saying, still be prepared for a lot of stop-starting. A beautiful place to go to though. Look up La Riva at the top of Lake Como. Not the cheapest but, along the riverside at the too if the lake. Beautiful well kept site with lots of space between the pitches.
Enjoy and safe travels.

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[Wanders from Glos]

Thanks all, some very useful suggestions so far... we are very grateful.

 

[PepnKook]

We've done the lakes for the past few years and our favourite route is via Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis/Lanslevillard and dropping down to Susa in Italy. There are two lovely campsites in Lanslevillard, plus a fantastic Alpine restaurant at the Hotel L'Etoile des Neiges and over summer, they are deserted as it is mainly a skiing resort. You avoid the need for a Swiss Vignette as you are mainly in France, but obviously there will be French tolls on the autoroutes if you use them.

The road up to the Col du Mont Cenis is lovely, really quiet and the drop down into Susa is fairly curvy, but not really taxing and as it's so quiet, isn't a real issue. Once in Susa, head towards Turin and up to Maggiore, then onto Bergamo and you hit Iseo soon after. We're doing Iseo and Garda later in the year and after a year using Gotthard and the 2 hour queue to get into it (goes from dual to single carriageway and is light controlled so only so many vehicles can be in it at a time), is just a pain. Yes, the Mont Cenis way may take a little longer, but driving though that countryside is breath taking.

Interesting fact....the Mont Cenis route is the one thought to have been taken by Hannibal with his elephants and at the Col, there are elephant and Tour de France sculptures (has been one of the mountain stages a few times over the years)

 

[PepnKook]

As an aside, just at the top of Lake Garda is another lake, 8 miles in circumference, called Lago di Ledro. Absolutely beautiful, exceptionally clean water and as it's so small, the water isn't freezing! Well worth a night or two stop over.

 

[Hymerbell]

Thanks, but I’ve played with via Michelin before and maybe I’m a bit thick but the only options it gives me are car, motorcycle,bike, walking? How do you get my 4.25t Moho on there, ps i put avoid tolls and it sent me down the A12 Autobahn then into the reschen Tunnel, all of which is go box territory.??‍?‍

What’s Go Box ?

 

[WESTY66]

It’s an expensive pay as you go box for driving on Austria’s motorways and expressways for vehicles over 3.5t GVW
Apparently it’s a bit over complicated in its use, but I guess I’m gonna have to get used to it cos I’m not letting a box stop me from visiting the most scenic country in the world (IMHO) however I’ll start doing most of it on the A roads ????

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[tribalbrit]

Head for Innsbruck and then over the old Brenner pass as others have said. Free and not to tight a pass, have done it in a 7 m MH and a motorbike. Much better on the bike though.

 

[PhilandMena]

We are thinking of touring to the Italian Lakes this May/June, probably Orta/Maggiore, Iseo and Garda. We had been considering travelling through France and then across so that we start around Orta/Maggiore but have no fixed plan. My concern is to avoid a finding ourselves on a mountain pass that is not suitable for a motorhome. I was wondering what route others have taken?

All advice gratefully received.

We went to lake Iseo a few years ago and went through a mountain pass that was absolutly stunning and about the same time of the year that you are planning to visit too and our Motorhome had no problem with the roads. Some very steep and some tight bends but easy to do. The route is a little south east of Chambery, along the A43 then onto the D1006 past Lanslebourg Mont Cenis and onto the SS25 and follow through into Italy and onto the lakes.

Some pictures of the pass and Lake Iseo. Safe Travels.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Looks fantastic

 

[tribalbrit]

I would stay to the east side of lake Garda as the west side is all tight tunnels where you need to fold in your wing mirrors repeatedly or risk loosing them. Also you don't se much because of all the tunnels too.

 

[peterc10]

Go toll free via fill-up at Luxembourg, enter Switzerland at Basel, Gotthard tunnel. Just the cheap Swiss motorway tax.

Dave

Agree with that. Enter Switzerland at Basle and leave at Como and you are in Italy. 4 or 5 hours on good motorways all the way.

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[Wanders from Glos]

Thanks all for so many helpful suggestions. Lots to consider.

 

[GAVLAD]

We went to Italy last summer.
Outbound we travelled through Luxembourg, Metz, Colmar, Lake Lucern (entered Swiss via Basel) (pre paid for the Swiss tolls via the Swiss App on phone which includes Gottard tunnel and motorways tolls but satnav took us off motorway and then I got a £250 on spot speeding fine before satnav took us back onto motorway!)
Gottard tunnel was easy and traffic no problem although opposite direction was hectic due to road works. Then onto Lake Garda staying at Peschiera del Garda.
I think that the Swiss vignette was about £28.
Nobody asked to look at it - even officer moritz who bravely ran out in front of us and directed us to the sid3 to kindly deliver his pay up now or we take your wheels didn’t even want to see it. (I wanted to show him the vignette seeing as I’d bought it but no bugger was interested)
On way back we drove up the Brenner pass road (horrendous traffic in Italy 20mph stop start nearly all of way to border)
Bought my go box at the service station before Brenner pass service station.
Stayed at Innsbruck Kranebitten, then onto Fussen via Fussen pass.
Returned go box at last services on Fussen pass.
I can’t remember whether the go box tolls cost me £70 or €70. I have it written down somewhere.
Our mh is a 9m tag at 5250kgs and we had no issues with the above route.
I’m told that taking a non motorway route in Austria doesn’t mean that you don’t need a go box as some of the tunnels fall under the toll charging and signage can be tricky where you find yourself onto a chargeable road. However, we stuck to the main route and just cursed every time the go box chirped.

I think some of the lake side roads on the west (left) of Lake Garda are winding with tunnels into the cliff but if you search on here, plenty have posted photos and updates of their trip. - you can then message the original poster and ask how they got on.

 

[peterc10]

We went to Italy last summer.
Outbound we travelled through Luxembourg, Metz, Colmar, Lake Lucern (entered Swiss via Basel) (pre paid for the Swiss tolls via the Swiss App on phone which includes Gottard tunnel and motorways tolls but satnav took us off motorway and then I got a £250 on spot speeding fine before satnav took us back onto motorway!)
Gottard tunnel was easy and traffic no problem although opposite direction was hectic due to road works. Then onto Lake Garda staying at Peschiera del Garda.
I think that the Swiss vignette was about £28.
Nobody asked to look at it - even officer moritz who bravely ran out in front of us and directed us to the sid3 to kindly deliver his pay up now or we take your wheels didn’t even want to see it. (I wanted to show him the vignette seeing as I’d bought it but no bugger was interested)
On way back we drove up the Brenner pass road (horrendous traffic in Italy 20mph stop start nearly all of way to border)
Bought my go box at the service station before Brenner pass service station.
Stayed at Innsbruck Kranebitten, then onto Fussen via Fussen pass.
Returned go box at last services on Fussen pass.
I can’t remember whether the go box tolls cost me £70 or €70. I have it written down somewhere.
Our mh is a 9m tag at 5250kgs and we had no issues with the above route.
I’m told that taking a non motorway route in Austria doesn’t mean that you don’t need a go box as some of the tunnels fall under the toll charging and signage can be tricky where you find yourself onto a chargeable road. However, we stuck to the main route and just cursed every time the go box chirped.

I think some of the lake side roads on the west (left) of Lake Garda are winding with tunnels into the cliff but if you search on here, plenty have posted photos and updates of their trip. - you can then message the original poster and ask how they got on.

If you really did buy a Vignette for Switzerland, it is a good job that the policeman did not want to see it, otherwise you could have been in for another hefty fine. Vignettes are only valid for vehicles up to 3500kg.

If you are over 3500kg you need a yearly pass (cost about 32sf I think) which allows you to use the motorways for any 10 days in a period of 365 days. The 365 days start on the day you first enter Switzerland. Each day you are in Switzerland you have to fill out an entry on the pass before you start driving. I am not sure you can buy the yearly pass on line, but we were last there 4 years ago so that may have changed.

 

[scotzsue]

I would stay to the east side of lake Garda as the west side is all tight tunnels where you need to fold in your wing mirrors repeatedly or risk loosing them. Also you don't se much because of all the tunnels too.

confused by this as we have been to Garda a few times and the tour and local buses have no problems on the East side, found the west a bit tight though. Not been in the motorhome yet but we are going this year around the same time as the OP some of those photos of the twisty roads make me feel physically sick so ight be missing out those parts Have been to Italy on the bike but to Como, had satnav and had memorised whch road to take when we came out the tunnell, that road was blocked though so was a bit hairy till we got back to the right road, no diversions in place either. Brilliant holiday we may rethink our route as we will have a 3.5T van so go box not a problem although we will still need the sticker for that.

 

[tribalbrit]

As I said the east is okay. The west is tight with lots of tunnels, the buses are okay as it's them that hit your mirrors. no matter how far you stuff yourself into the verge your left mirror attracts the Italian white van man. I ended up just folding it in and left it till through the tunnels.

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[Puddleduck]

Go toll free via fill-up at Luxembourg, enter Switzerland at Basel, Gotthard tunnel. Just the cheap Swiss motorway tax.

Dave

That's the way we go as well. Colmar is a nice place to stay for a couple of nights on the way down or back - reasonably priced site at Colmar Marina.

 

[scotzsue]

Colmar is a nice place to stay for a couple of nights on the way down or back - reasonably priced site at Colmar Marina.

Stayed there on our way to Italy on the bike keep meaning to go back this year may well be the year.

 

[DDJC]

We do this every year and use three routes. Two tunnels and one pass.

For the Western Lakes, Maggiore, Lugano and Como
1. Through Eastern France go south down the Autoroute des Anglais, Autoroute du Solei and Autoroute Blanche (A26, A4, A26, A5, A31, A6, A39, A40, to the Mont Blanc Tunnel. Come out in Valle d'Aosta. Couple of sites in within a hour of the tunnel. Arc en Ciel -Small one/two nights only, but peaceful with amazing views. Camping Mombarone. Bigger site, nice restaurants nearby. Two nights max I would say. From Mont Blanc, all of the western lakes are within easy days travelling. You would love the area around Feriolo on Lago Maggiore with five camp sites. Would recommend Camping Conca d'Oro.

2. Again through Eastern France, same route until you get to Macon, where you stay on the A6. At Lyon, follow signs to Grenoble and then on through the Frejus Tunnel. Round Torino (huge industrial city) and then head for Milano and the lakes.

For the Eastern Lakes, Garda, Idro & Iseo
3. It is a long route round, but the scenery is unmatched. Head south again but before Chalon, stay on the A4 for Metz. Down into the Black Forest in Germany. Several good sites there. Keep south and choose to go round or through Switzerland to the Tirol. The Tyrolean Alps in Austria is IMHO the cleanest, most beautiful place. Campsites are expensive, but worth it. Anyway, head down through Brenner Pass. It is two lane dual all the way. If you have a <7m motorhome and are feeling brave, you could go down the Otzal Valley and cross the Timmelsjoch Pass at 2509 metres (about two and a half the height of Snowdon!) Don't try this route if your brakes or tyres are even remotely under-par .

We have also driven the Great St Bernard Pass from Switzerland to Valle d'Aosta. In a car. I would not do it in a motorhome! The Swiss side has few barriers, narrow stretches and tight bends, and is clogged with mad cyclists riding two or three abreast. Even madder are the Swiss car drivers who all overtake on blind corners. You have to see it to believe it. The Swiss have a non-nanny state attitude to road safety. If you drive like a prat and fall off the edge, then it is because you drove like a prat. The Italian side is well surfaced with barriers, and is a huge sigh of relief. Good luck if you try it!

If you are feeling adventurous, you could try going through Switzerland to Lago Locarno. Go Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Thun, Interlaken and follow round the the Gotthard Tunnel, you then approach Locarno from the North. Again, great scenery, but can't recommend if you are more than 6m. We did it in a car!

Anyway, have fun.

 

[PhilandMena]

How much is the Mont Blanc tunnel these days for a motorhome ?

 

[DDJC]

How much is the Mont Blanc tunnel these days for a motorhome ?

Nothing a low interest rate mortgage couldn't cover.

It seems to go on height. We tow a two axle trailer, but our height is less than 3m so last year we paid about 59 euro. However, it has just gone up to 61 euro.

Mont Blanc Tunnel Toll Prices - Get from France to Italy

Information on the Mont Blanc Tunnel connecting the Chamonix Valley, France with Courmayeur, Italy via an 11.6 km tunnel, prices, dates, rules.

www.chamonix.net

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