calais to milan - route advice

[mr_tony]

Right then - off to northern italy in the summer, and plan a 2 day drive down there.

Normally travel through france, heading via Reims, then via lake geneva.

However - wondering if there is a faster route via Germany on Autobahns, then down over the alps through switzerland on the E43?

Any suggestions?

[shim]

last year a group of us did Calais to Nyon (lake Geneva), Nyon to Monza (Milan) via Simplon Pass.

first day was 8am Eurotunnel then 8 hours travel time to Nyon (could have ben 7 hours if we had kept to motorway at the end)

Nyon to Monza next day was pretty easy run, with about 5 hours travel time

Not sure about the Germany route tbh but we came back via Hockenheim and the Ring and i think it was about 10 hours and 4 hours (except rain lenghtenede it a bit) respectively but not as nice a route tbh if you wnat some variation in scenery even on the motorway!

[andyc.]

I do Italy regularly and the quickest route is through France.We do France, Belgium,Luxemburgh,back into France to Switzerland then down to Milan via St Gottardo tunnel.It is much cheeper in Tolls but you need tax for Switzerland,which I normally get cheap off ebay..I think it is 40-50 miles further doing the northern route..

[mr_tony]

Thanks Andy - sound like a sensible route. I'll map it out and sort the swiss tax.

[911teo]

I sometimes do the drive avoiding Switzerland completely...

Calais - Reims - Troyes - Dijon - Mt Blanc - Aosta - Milan.

Traffic is much better in France where you can basically average 100mph. Plus the Autostrada from Mt Blanc to Aosta is spectacular.

This is the map link

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...

[crofty1984]

I get the Hull-Zeebrugge ferry in the evening. Sleep well overnight, get off the ferry in the morning, then Straight down. Belgium, Luxemburg, France,Germany, Swizerland, Italy.
You can do Milan in 12 hours driving.

[andyc.]

911teo said:

I sometimes do the drive avoiding Switzerland completely...

Calais - Reims - Troyes - Dijon - Mt Blanc - Aosta - Milan.

Traffic is much better in France where you can basically average 100mph. Plus the Autostrada from Mt Blanc to Aosta is spectacular.

This is the map link

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...

This route is the quickest especially at night although I tend to prefer la frejus,but its france and there are more tolls and Police.