Drive through eastern France to Northern Italym by: Anonymous
My route going down to Italy is beautiful and you see the real France. Not for those in a rush, however the rroads are amazingly clear. calais - St.Quentin - Reims (worth a stop). Saint Dizier - Chaumont -N19 to Langres - Longeau - Breteille - Besancon N57 another favourite . Then yo Orbe - Lausanne Route 21 to Bex then to Martigny.
Sep 19, 2014 Rating
Guidance please for this drive by: Julie C
We have decided to take the plunge and drive to Lake Garda next year. We are going to take the Dover/Calais ferry over - which is the best route? We quite like the idea of staying overnight in Strasbourg - can anyone recommend a place to stay please?
Any advice greatly received?
Aug 05, 2012 Rating
Driving route to Lake Garda by: Greg
Hi quickest route , straight out of Calais onto motorway E15/ , sat nav would be a best option . heading for Paris, but at Paris turn carry on to Reims on the E17 then head to Chalons Following signs ti Dijon as you approach Dijon take the A39 Motorway towards Dole,Lons,Bourg en Bresse Then onto Geneve/Mont Blanc/ through the tunnel to Aosta in italy most if not nearly all this route is toll road including the tunnel , On Italian motorway head Milan go round Milan ring route heading for Brescia, Verona Venezia. I would stop after 6 hours from Calais . A cheaper route would be out of Calais heading for Dunkirque then turn off for Lille going into Belgium sat nav needed going towards mons charlerol to Namur turn off to Luxembourg all toll free , go through Lux to Metz toll then to Strasbourg toll free road to Basel into Switz need Vinette , via Luzerngottardo tunnel free but traffic very heavy expect delays going into Italy at Lugano , Milan.
Aug 04, 2012 Rating
We drove! by: Claire
I dont know if I am too late to advise you, but avoid driving too much through France as tolls are expensive. We went Belguim / Luxembourg and stayed overnight in Strasbourg which was exactly half way and perfect :) We then drove down from Strasbourg (German side as far nicer!), through Switzerland, down to Milan and across. It is a long but amazing journey. Keep the camera in the car, because all the lakes, sites and mountains you by pass are amazing. Dont do the passes - take the tunnels, especially if the weather isnt so good through switzerland. have an amazing time - Lake Garda is stunning!! :) (if you want to know anything else, you can always mail me clw0582@hotmail.com) :)
Jul 18, 2012 Rating
Calais to Garda by road by: Anonymous
Three options France/Italy via Mont Blanc Tunnel.
Easiest route and cheapest is by avoiding the French toll motorways and Mont Blanc tunnel! My prefered route (740 miles) is Calais/Dunkirk ferry into Belgium, Luxembourg, back into France, (Metz to Strasbourg - short stretch of toll motorway) into Switzerland ( Vignette needed for the Swiss motorways - 28CHF each, two needed if towing caravan) then onto the Italian toll motorways which are not as expensive as French tolls. Other options are through Germany/Austria (860 miles) which are toll free but the extra mileage works out more expensive than the Swiss vignettes. At the moment, 18/07/2012, the pound is up against the Swiss franc as well as the Euro so fuel in Luxembourg and Switzerland is cheap!! If you can call £1 a litre cheap! There are many hotels/motels along the way for overnight stays.
May 20, 2012 Rating
Calais/Lake Garda by: David (Sheffield)
Have done this trip a few times using 3 different routes. Most direct is through Switzerland for which you would need a 12 month vignette(about£25)Calais, Reims, Metz,Strasbourg,entering Switzerland at Basle. Then past Lake Lucerne through Gotthard Tunnel past Lake Como enter Italy north of Milan.In Italy take the autostrada to Bergamo, Brescia then Lake Garda. Would probably need to stop for the night between Strasbourg and Basle. Last year after Reims we continued south in France to Troyes, Dijon, Macon where we turned east towards Geneva to go through the Mont Blanc Tunnel and then on to Milan. This worked out a lot more expensive in tolls for some reason? This year we are going past Strasbourg into Germany going past Stuttgart, Ulm, Memmingem, Kempten into Austria. Then Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass straight down the side of Lake Garda. You need a vignette for Austria but it's only about 8 euros for 15 days.
