Italian Lakes (1 Viewer)

[PhilandMena]

Thanks for that! They really go after you if your a tag axle or greater than 3 mts. €168.00

 

[SpeedyDux]

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.

We were on a coach going through those tunnels. It took the door mirror off a car travelling in the opposite direction. Nobody stopped - that's typical Italy, I suppose.

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.

Been through the tunnel in the campervan on that road to Lago di Ledro. The locals are insane and take no notice of the ban on overtaking in the tunnel. It is absolutely lovely when you get there in one piece.

 

[GAVLAD]

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.

I called it a vignette but as said, I bought it on the Swiss App downloaded to my mobile - which you can't do for a 'vignette'. But thank you for pointing this out.

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[Colinyellowspanner]

I think I’m right in saying the Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels are the same operator and the same price - expensive! We instead go straight from France to Italy over the Mont Cenis pass which goes “over the top” of the Frejus. It’s the old main route so a decent road, and absolutely stunning. Larger mohos no problem, the coaches use it. We can’t stay away from Italy for long.

 

[DDJC]

I think I’m right in saying the Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels are the same operator and the same price - expensive! We instead go straight from France to Italy over the Mont Cenis pass which goes “over the top” of the Frejus. It’s the old main route so a decent road, and absolutely stunning. Larger mohos no problem, the coaches use it. We can’t stay away from Italy for long.

Totally agree with you about Italy. You'll find us somewhere in Italy every summer.

I pay the tunnel, not because I like tunnels, but because I worry that the wear and tear on the engine, comfortmatic gearbox and brakes is more than 60 Euro. It is also cheaper on fuel and time.

But I can completely understand wanting to see the view. If I had a pair of decent shades, an orange Lamborghini Miura and Matt Monro lilting 'On days like these', I'd take the high pass too. However, a 7.2m moho towing a 5.0m trailer means that we take the tunnel!

 

[Paul and Val]

I feel somewhat ashamed to write this, but as a very experienced driver who loves driving in cities and especially Paris, I found driving around Lake Como in a 335 BMW very stressful indeed. The road is very tight and narrow and I am not sure that I would want to drive that route in a camping car.

We had no problems but I was exhausted from the stress at the end of it after driving around the full Lake. It was summer and very busy and I don't know the other Lakes very well so I cannot advise but if they are like Como then I am a tad embarressed to be, I think, the only person to talk about this. I would be certainly more nervous of that drive than any tolls etc.

The views are spectacular and I wish you well on your trip.

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[DDJC]

I feel somewhat ashamed to write this, but as a very experienced driver who loves driving in cities and especially Paris, I found driving around Lake Como in a 335 BMW very stressful indeed. The road is very tight and narrow and I am not sure that I would want to drive that route in a camping car.

We had no problems but I was exhausted from the stress at the end of it after driving around the full Lake. It was summer and very busy and I don't know the other Lakes very well so I cannot advise but if they are like Como then I am a tad embarressed to be, I think, the only person to talk about this. I would be certainly more nervous of that drive than any tolls etc.

The views are spectacular and I wish you well on your trip.

Completely agree. Nothing to be ashamed about. Not driven it in a motorhome, but in a past life, have done Como and Maggiore in a car. For me, it was similar to the road from Rapallo to Portofino, if you have ever done it. You can only enjoy such beautiful routes if you are a passenger!!

 

[Brains]

Completely agree. Nothing to be ashamed about. Not driven it in a motorhome, but in a past life, have done Como and Maggiore in a car. For me, it was similar to the road from Rapallo to Portofino, if you have ever done it. You can only enjoy such beautiful routes if you are a passenger!!

Did the Portofino road as a passenger in a BMW sport car with an Italian driver.
That was probably 30 years ago, and I still remember it very clearly.
To this day I'm amazed we made it

 

[Grianan]

Bit left field but looks like the Covid-19 lockdown in Northern Italy may be a bigger issue than mountain passes ... let’s hope it doesn’t spread. At this point in time I think I’d be keeping my plans pretty flexible to see how things turn out ...

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[Wanders from Glos]

Bit left field but looks like the Covid-19 lockdown in Northern Italy may be a bigger issue than mountain passes ... let’s hope it doesn’t spread. At this point in time I think I’d be keeping my plans pretty flexible to see how things turn out ...

I thought that too... we never book the tunnel until two or three weeks before and rarely pre-book a campsite so plans can easily change. I understand sites at the Italian Lakes can get busy, but even then we won't try to book until the day before. We don't like to be tied down to an itinerary.

 

[2CVer]

Thanks for that! They really go after you if your a tag axle or greater than 3 mts. €168.00

If you're a tag it's approx. €340 depending which side you start. (VAT in Italy is 22% and only 20% in France).

Class 2 is "Vehicle with two or more axles with a total height greater than 2 meters and less than or equal to 3 meters".
Class 3 is "Vehicle with two axles with total height greater than 3 meters".
Class 4 is "Vehicle with three or more axles with total height greater than 3 meters"

 

[GrahamCardiff]

We stayed at Lake Orta last September. Lovely place (if you like less-touristy Italy) but be aware MH/campervans can't access the town (Orta San Guilio) - you need to park at the top of the hill and walk down. From memory, there's a height barrier at the main car park but a smaller non-barrier car park opposite. Here's a review of the town: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/mar/09/italy-lake-orta-unspoilt

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[7735]

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.

We have used that route, easy hassle free and no tolls until you get into Italy and then they are cheap.
Spongy