Quickest way to the Alps

[singh911]

In a couple of weeks, we're going to the French Alps (Chamonix) for two weeks. The kids are coming in the family car, the Porsche is going too.

Whats the quickest way down there - in the past, i've just driven straight down from Calais but wondered if anyone has taken the ferry to somewhere else and found it to be quicker via say Belg, Germany etc.

Cheers

Ajit.

[claphamgt3]

Dover/Calais on the ferry or tunnel is quickest, then squirt down to Reims, Dijon, Lyon & up into the alps. If you fancy tacking about an extra 1.5 - 2 hours onto the journey but having fantastic fun, turn off the autoroute at Reims and cut across on the old routes nationale to Dijon - these are simply fantastic roads.

All autoroute, it will take you about 6-7 hours. A bit longer if you splice in the RN work

[sleep envy]

claphamgt3 said:

If you fancy tacking about an extra 1.5 - 2 hours onto the journey but having fantastic fun, turn off the autoroute at Reims and cut across on the old routes nationale to Dijon - these are simply fantastic roads.

Seconded. Over the years have done every combination of route to the Alps and this is my all time favourite.

[verysideways]

If you want to make the drive a bit more interesting, take the autoroute to Dijon and then cut off there, head up into the mountains and drop down to Geneva. If you look at the map, you effectively cut the corner of France by popping into Switzerland. It's a beautiful drive from Dijon to Geneva and then on to the Chamonix valley.

[claphamgt3]

Another lovely sounding route - though not one I've tried - is the route that James Bond takes whilst trailing Goldfinger to Geneva in the novel "GOLDFINGER" If one reads the book, I reckon that there's enough detail to work the route out.

Anyone done this?

[bermyandy]

In cham, you have to pop over to the other side through the St bernard pass too

Nice tight bendy road that from memory kind of brings you out on your way to the 3 valleys kind of..

ALthough make sure its open. Its a bugger reversing back

[singh911]

Thanks for that guys, makes me want to go right now!

If I can get my head around how to post pix, i'll put some up of the road trip when i'm back.

cheers

Ajit.

[johnfm]

Jet2 from Leeds to Chambery, then 1hr20 min leisurely drive, hit slopes for 1 pm.....

[singh911]

John - the only downside to that is you can't take you're Porsche with you. I made the mistake three summers ago - tooling around in a hire car on those wonderful roads kicking myself for flying down rather than taking my car.

Ajit.

[chfs911]

If you want the "quickest route" you need to go via Spa, Nurburgring and down via Baden Baden( was in the news for some reason?) to Bern and then Geneva.

You need a Motorway pass for Switzerland. Vignette. You can get it from Swiss Travel Services in London.

Some good unrestricted Autobahn on the way down.

We came back this way and went down via Dijon Autoroute (boring) Need to watch your speed all the time. Dijon to Geneva was good through the tunnels but still restricted.

Charles

[polarexpress]

Ajit,
You've got 2 weeks. So why the rush to get down there? I drove down that way 2 years ago: Calais, Dijon, Geneva, Montreaux, Gruyere, to Meribel. Spent 2 days going in circles around Les Trois Vallees before heading south via the Col St Bernard across to Turin then down south to Monaco. You can have as much fun returning via the Gorge du Verdon...
With the TomTom and a map, you'll discover some new routes along the way...
Cheers,
Adrien