Planning a trip to the alps
Discussion
ThisInJapanese said:
Yeah, weather looks awful. We've pushed the trip back by two weeks in a hope that it improves and some of the passes open.
Did you ever do your trip? We also wanted to go in May and do a road trip initial thoughts was head down to Como but Having never done anything like this before I didn't realise the passes would be closed so we delayed things with a plan of going early June and have been keeping an eye on this website https://alpen-paesse.ch/en/ to see which passes were open, quite a few now are but the weather down in Como appears to have been a wash out for weeks now and the long term local forecast is not looking a lot better, I have been looking on live street cams and it seems overcast and wet a lot of the time.
I am very open on a destination for us its more about the journey and read what killboy had said about him favouring the French roads and debated on perhaps heading down into france if I could find a route, we would be coming from Hull- Rotterdam and starting from there.
I am at the point now where it will be first two weeks in July before I have chance to go and hopefully the weather will have settled by then but also aware that temps will have risen and the car I am using is a convertible and is not well insulated So also wondered if September or October would be a better option.
JeffC said:
Did you ever do your trip?
We also wanted to go in May and do a road trip initial thoughts was head down to Como but Having never done anything like this before I didn't realise the passes would be closed so we delayed things with a plan of going early June and have been keeping an eye on this website https://alpen-paesse.ch/en/ to see which passes were open, quite a few now are but the weather down in Como appears to have been a wash out for weeks now and the long term local forecast is not looking a lot better, I have been looking on live street cams and it seems overcast and wet a lot of the time.
I am very open on a destination for us its more about the journey and read what killboy had said about him favouring the French roads and debated on perhaps heading down into france if I could find a route, we would be coming from Hull- Rotterdam and starting from there.
I am at the point now where it will be first two weeks in July before I have chance to go and hopefully the weather will have settled by then but also aware that temps will have risen and the car I am using is a convertible and is not well insulated So also wondered if September or October would be a better option.
Going at the end of the month, Susten Pass isn't open until 16th and we planned to drive it on the 15th. So pushed it back two weeks and have been monitoring all the passes, now we're just waiting for the Susten to open. We also wanted to go in May and do a road trip initial thoughts was head down to Como but Having never done anything like this before I didn't realise the passes would be closed so we delayed things with a plan of going early June and have been keeping an eye on this website https://alpen-paesse.ch/en/ to see which passes were open, quite a few now are but the weather down in Como appears to have been a wash out for weeks now and the long term local forecast is not looking a lot better, I have been looking on live street cams and it seems overcast and wet a lot of the time.
I am very open on a destination for us its more about the journey and read what killboy had said about him favouring the French roads and debated on perhaps heading down into france if I could find a route, we would be coming from Hull- Rotterdam and starting from there.
I am at the point now where it will be first two weeks in July before I have chance to go and hopefully the weather will have settled by then but also aware that temps will have risen and the car I am using is a convertible and is not well insulated So also wondered if September or October would be a better option.
Part of our alpine trip is still closed due to landslide - ironically opens in time for french school holidays - so going to miss a chunk of our drive - and actually it was one of the bits I was most looking forward to.
Cap d'iseran is still closed also - should be open today apparantly - and is later than last year I believe - so think the wet weather they have been having due to the jet stream has had a knock on effect on the snow etc sticking around a bit longer.
Least its brightened up a bit in monaco
Cap d'iseran is still closed also - should be open today apparantly - and is later than last year I believe - so think the wet weather they have been having due to the jet stream has had a knock on effect on the snow etc sticking around a bit longer.
Least its brightened up a bit in monaco
gazza5 said:
Part of our alpine trip is still closed due to landslide - ironically opens in time for french school holidays - so going to miss a chunk of our drive - and actually it was one of the bits I was most looking forward to.
Cap d'iseran is still closed also - should be open today apparantly - and is later than last year I believe - so think the wet weather they have been having due to the jet stream has had a knock on effect on the snow etc sticking around a bit longer.
Least its brightened up a bit in monaco
Which part is closed?Cap d'iseran is still closed also - should be open today apparantly - and is later than last year I believe - so think the wet weather they have been having due to the jet stream has had a knock on effect on the snow etc sticking around a bit longer.
Least its brightened up a bit in monaco
dcb said:
Oh dear.
It's worth mentioning that German drivers are just about the best in Europe.
The Finns give them a close run. Safe, fast, good lane discipline, good observation,
good situational awareness. It's a mostly a delight to drive in Germany.
The Brits tend to be about the worst drivers in Europe. Some posters
think the Belgians are worse, but even at 2nd worst, it's not a good place to drive.
Poor to non-existent lane discipline, poor observation and poor situational awareness
are standard.
Many Germans have the opinion that most Brits drive like Americans and children,
i.e. slowly and badly. If it's your first time driving in Germany, try not to add the hearsay.
In my experience, the biggest dangers on the autobahn are Dutch caravanners and motorhomers (apparently without exception). Like London bus drivers they execute the manoeuvre and then indicate, only they are doing it when the traffic around them is going at 150+ kph. It's worth mentioning that German drivers are just about the best in Europe.
The Finns give them a close run. Safe, fast, good lane discipline, good observation,
good situational awareness. It's a mostly a delight to drive in Germany.
The Brits tend to be about the worst drivers in Europe. Some posters
think the Belgians are worse, but even at 2nd worst, it's not a good place to drive.
Poor to non-existent lane discipline, poor observation and poor situational awareness
are standard.
Many Germans have the opinion that most Brits drive like Americans and children,
i.e. slowly and badly. If it's your first time driving in Germany, try not to add the hearsay.
ThisInJapanese said:
Which part is closed?
Beufort - D902 - D925 - due to landslide - both ways - about 16 miles closed according to tomtom - and closed until mid July.https://euro.dayfr.com/trends/220831.html
Col de l'isearan still closed today - talk it will open either this weekend or next weekend (hoping to drive it on 21st June)
psi310398 said:
In my experience, the biggest dangers on the autobahn are Dutch caravanners and motorhomers (apparently without exception). Like London bus drivers they execute the manoeuvre and then indicate, only they are doing it when the traffic around them is going at 150+ kph.
Agreed. That's why I never go over 200 kph on the two lane bits. Too many people don't look properly.
On the three lanes and wider, I tend to cruise up to about 180-200 kph if I am not in a hurry,
but if her indoors requests it, I am willing to go to Vmax.
gazza5 said:
Beufort - D902 - D925 - due to landslide - both ways - about 16 miles closed according to tomtom - and closed until mid July.
https://euro.dayfr.com/trends/220831.html
Col de l'isearan still closed today - talk it will open either this weekend or next weekend (hoping to drive it on 21st June)
Damn, I wish I'd seen this post before I left - I got hit by those closures on my trip:https://euro.dayfr.com/trends/220831.html
Col de l'isearan still closed today - talk it will open either this weekend or next weekend (hoping to drive it on 21st June)
https://zerolifebuild.blogspot.com/2023/06/beauty-...
Probably too late now after seeing OP has set off , the A8 is still a nightmare of roadworks and construction.
They have been making the motorway better there for years and I saw a completion sign last week of 2026 so only 3 more years to go .
The 3 down to 2 lane section at Pforzheim mainly .
They have been making the motorway better there for years and I saw a completion sign last week of 2026 so only 3 more years to go .
The 3 down to 2 lane section at Pforzheim mainly .
BananaFama said:
Probably too late now after seeing OP has set off , the A8 is still a nightmare of roadworks and construction.
They have been making the motorway better there for years and I saw a completion sign last week of 2026 so only 3 more years to go .
The 3 down to 2 lane section at Pforzheim mainly .
Where is the A8?They have been making the motorway better there for years and I saw a completion sign last week of 2026 so only 3 more years to go .
The 3 down to 2 lane section at Pforzheim mainly .
RedWhiteMonkey said:
ThisInJapanese said:
Where is the A8?
Its the Autobahn that runs from the Luxembourg/German border to AustriaBananaFama said:
RedWhiteMonkey said:
ThisInJapanese said:
Where is the A8?
Its the Autobahn that runs from the Luxembourg/German border to AustriaKillboy said:
This is Colmar to near Metz - could reverse it: https://www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/6333195...
And then here is a loop around Colmar : pt1 - https://www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/6328933...
pt2 - https://www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/6329006...
We're doing this tomorrow! :-) And then here is a loop around Colmar : pt1 - https://www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/6328933...
pt2 - https://www.myrouteapp.com/en/social/route/6329006...
Col D'Iseran opened for us - then was closed the one day we did it, got to the top, had to turn around, then got caught by a speed camara I think.
It was closed for the one day we did it due to some snow crumbling over the road, these are unplanned of course, and no signs anywhere till we got to the top. Had a 2 hour detour back to albertville, grenoble, gap etc to barcellonette where we were staying.
It was closed for the one day we did it due to some snow crumbling over the road, these are unplanned of course, and no signs anywhere till we got to the top. Had a 2 hour detour back to albertville, grenoble, gap etc to barcellonette where we were staying.
nelmo said:
Damn, I wish I'd seen this post before I left - I got hit by those closures on my trip:
https://zerolifebuild.blogspot.com/2023/06/beauty-...
Its always a issue for June driving, its lovely and quiet - thanks for the link, good reading, we did just over 2100 miles on our trip and spent £386 on fuel, alot more on tolls , awaiting that bill. Car was a golf r, including driving around the alps etc. Its too twisty to go all out attack mode.https://zerolifebuild.blogspot.com/2023/06/beauty-...
Very informative thread this, thanks all..
Mid Sept We’re looking at taking the GT4 down to overnight at Reims, then down to a recommended AirBnB at Lucerne for 3 nights, and combining some local drives and walks with a core driving day doing the Susten,Grimsel,Furka passes..
Two questions please:
1 Tolls - is this a card thing you have to buy or something different ? Is France different to Switzerland?
2 Aside from passport and insurance details, are there any other paperwork requirements needed ?
Mid Sept We’re looking at taking the GT4 down to overnight at Reims, then down to a recommended AirBnB at Lucerne for 3 nights, and combining some local drives and walks with a core driving day doing the Susten,Grimsel,Furka passes..
Two questions please:
1 Tolls - is this a card thing you have to buy or something different ? Is France different to Switzerland?
2 Aside from passport and insurance details, are there any other paperwork requirements needed ?
I'm just back from the trip, and will do a full write-up shortly, answering your questions though
- For France we got a Bip and Go tag from here: https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk/subscription/ There are other ways to go but you end up dealing with customer service in France, which can be tricky from what we've read. It worked really well and meant we didn't have to mess around at the tolls in France
- Switzerland, you have to get a Vignette, which we did at the border and it only took 5 minutes: https://www.ch.ch/en/travel-and-emigrate/holidays-...
In terms of the documents, I took my insurance, break down cover docs and V5. If your car breakdowns and you are dragged back to the UK on a flatbed, you will need proof of ownership to repatriate the car (or so I've read). I have all this in a folder at home, so I took it and put it in my bag.
Will share routes and other thoughts on a thread when I'm in the mood to write it!!
- For France we got a Bip and Go tag from here: https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk/subscription/ There are other ways to go but you end up dealing with customer service in France, which can be tricky from what we've read. It worked really well and meant we didn't have to mess around at the tolls in France
- Switzerland, you have to get a Vignette, which we did at the border and it only took 5 minutes: https://www.ch.ch/en/travel-and-emigrate/holidays-...
In terms of the documents, I took my insurance, break down cover docs and V5. If your car breakdowns and you are dragged back to the UK on a flatbed, you will need proof of ownership to repatriate the car (or so I've read). I have all this in a folder at home, so I took it and put it in my bag.
Will share routes and other thoughts on a thread when I'm in the mood to write it!!
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