Calais to Tuscany - route ideas?
Discussion
Posted this on the Roads section, but over here you guys probably have done this run too many time to count?
Post in Roads forum
In short, Calais to Tuscany, 2 to 3 days each way, recommended routes. Google suggests the quickest is via Switzerland, but I have always been under the impression that it is somewhere best avoided (police, roads, local drivers, expensive), and via France or Austria is a better option.
What I had been mulling over was going via Germany (on a weekend though), with some Autobahn fun, and over the Alps via some nice passes.
Return leg via France, via the Annecy area maybe, but I will have my parents onboard for the trip to England, so it will be a slower run. And French food and drink will keep them happy (but I am sure they will still drive me up the wall!).
Any ideas and suggestions would be appricated!
Cheers,
Stuart
Post in Roads forum
In short, Calais to Tuscany, 2 to 3 days each way, recommended routes. Google suggests the quickest is via Switzerland, but I have always been under the impression that it is somewhere best avoided (police, roads, local drivers, expensive), and via France or Austria is a better option.
What I had been mulling over was going via Germany (on a weekend though), with some Autobahn fun, and over the Alps via some nice passes.
Return leg via France, via the Annecy area maybe, but I will have my parents onboard for the trip to England, so it will be a slower run. And French food and drink will keep them happy (but I am sure they will still drive me up the wall!).
Any ideas and suggestions would be appricated!
Cheers,
Stuart
Louis. said:
so wre are you heading to in Tuscany ?
Hi Louis,I will be meeting up with my parents near Montefiridolfi, where they are attending a conference. Although I haven't seen them for a year, they will probably drive me nuts within a day! So my plan was to do some more exploring around Tuscany. I have been over twice before, but it has been limited to Siena and Firenze for a few days. Last time I was over in 2004, I was banned from any twisty roads by my friend who was with me becuase she would get car sick! Flat out down the Austostrada in the rental car was fine though...
Where are you in Tuscany?
Stuart
smack said:
Louis. said:
so wre are you heading to in Tuscany ?
Hi Louis,I will be meeting up with my parents near Montefiridolfi, where they are attending a conference. Although I haven't seen them for a year, they will probably drive me nuts within a day! So my plan was to do some more exploring around Tuscany. I have been over twice before, but it has been limited to Siena and Firenze for a few days. Last time I was over in 2004, I was banned from any twisty roads by my friend who was with me becuase she would get car sick! Flat out down the Austostrada in the rental car was fine though...
Where are you in Tuscany?
Stuart
having done London - Parma at least twice a year for the last 30 years the best route I've found is Bethune, St Quentin, Reims, Chalons-en-Champagne, Troyes, Langres, Vesoul, Belfort, Basel, Luzern, Belinzona, Como, Milan, Parma
all A-roads (bar Switzerland) and can easily be done in 15 hours - I usually leave London at 7pm and am 'in piazza' enjoying a coffee at lunchtime
no traffic, nice and cool, very few plod = toe down
all A-roads (bar Switzerland) and can easily be done in 15 hours - I usually leave London at 7pm and am 'in piazza' enjoying a coffee at lunchtime
no traffic, nice and cool, very few plod = toe down
sleep envy said:
having done London - Parma at least twice a year for the last 30 years the best route I've found is Bethune, St Quentin, Reims, Chalons-en-Champagne, Troyes, Langres, Vesoul, Belfort, Basel, Luzern, Belinzona, Como, Milan, Parma
all A-roads (bar Switzerland) and can easily be done in 15 hours - I usually leave London at 7pm and am 'in piazza' enjoying a coffee at lunchtime
no traffic, nice and cool, very few plod = toe down
SE, that one sounds good - got the map out checking it all A-roads (bar Switzerland) and can easily be done in 15 hours - I usually leave London at 7pm and am 'in piazza' enjoying a coffee at lunchtime
no traffic, nice and cool, very few plod = toe down
15 hours is very good going!
smack said:
sleep envy said:
having done London - Parma at least twice a year for the last 30 years the best route I've found is Bethune, St Quentin, Reims, Chalons-en-Champagne, Troyes, Langres, Vesoul, Belfort, Basel, Luzern, Belinzona, Como, Milan, Parma
all A-roads (bar Switzerland) and can easily be done in 15 hours - I usually leave London at 7pm and am 'in piazza' enjoying a coffee at lunchtime
no traffic, nice and cool, very few plod = toe down
SE, that one sounds good - got the map out checking it all A-roads (bar Switzerland) and can easily be done in 15 hours - I usually leave London at 7pm and am 'in piazza' enjoying a coffee at lunchtime
no traffic, nice and cool, very few plod = toe down
15 hours is very good going!
I do calais-Belgium[no tolls]-Luxembourg[for very cheap fuel]-then bit of France to French/German border then south to Switzerland[great motorways at speed and never been caught,have to pay for road tax though ..but lasts for year and is only about Eu50]then milan to bologna then across to firenza.
The french route through montblanc or La frejus is quicker by a couple of hours,and is about 30 miles shorter but costs lots in tolls and speeding fines.[Did that route from Calais in 5 hours once through the night, to Italian Border.]Done Sicily non stop in 21 hours,including ferrys, before they turned the complete Motorway from Napoli to Regio Calabria into a contraflow.
If you have 2 days you could take in alot of scenery!
xjandy said:
The french route through montblanc or La frejus is quicker by a couple of hours,and is about 30 miles shorter but costs lots in tolls and speeding fines!
Just don't get caught speeding in Switzerland, or you'll find out how much a speeding fine can hurt! I've tried a few routes to Florence but found that Montblanc > Genova etc or Switzerland > Milan are the easiest/quickest, of course if you're not in a hurry and want to take in the scenery there are loads of routes.
xjandy said:
do they demand cash? been flashed loads but never stopped.There again It is normally 2-3 in the morning when I hit Switzerland.
I've been flashed and they won't pursue it out of the country (well maybe French drivers) but the fines, if caught, are big (cash or impound vehicle) and means tested, (at least for locals) of course they've got to catch you first ... 
Thanks guys for the tips. Heading off tomorrow afternoon, and on to Brussels for dinner and a few beers staying with a friend. Then taking Suturday to get down to the Alps, all dependant on what the traffic is like. I'll probably go via the east side of Switzerland as it looks like a few of the passes are opening up there.
I am just trying to decide if I take my mountain bike along for the week in the Tuscan hills.. Considering I am going to have the olds and 2 medium suitcases for the return leg - a BM 5 series boot is quite big, but not massive.
I am just trying to decide if I take my mountain bike along for the week in the Tuscan hills.. Considering I am going to have the olds and 2 medium suitcases for the return leg - a BM 5 series boot is quite big, but not massive.
Thread resurrection - any new suggestions to this advice?
Planning a trip to Florence with the other half. Allowing two full days driving from London each way. Like to take in some passes in the Alps. Won't be hooning. Much. As the other half gets scared
Planning a trip to Florence with the other half. Allowing two full days driving from London each way. Like to take in some passes in the Alps. Won't be hooning. Much. As the other half gets scared
Edited by shost on Tuesday 24th May 00:40
shost said:
Thread resurrection - any new suggestions to this advice?
Planning a trip to Florence with the other half. Allowing two full days driving from London each way. Like to take in some passes in the Alps. Won't be honing. Much. As the other half gets scared
overnight in France around Mulhouse on the way down - cheaper than Switzerland and only 30 mins from Basel. The Schlumpf car collection is also in Mulhouse:-Planning a trip to Florence with the other half. Allowing two full days driving from London each way. Like to take in some passes in the Alps. Won't be honing. Much. As the other half gets scared
http://citedelautomobile.com/en/home
Late reply, I don't come in here much, and you've probably already gone.
My wife is from Livorno so we go down regularly. If we want to do it quick we go down through France and Mont Blanc tunnel (I used to do Glasgow to Livorno in 18 hours via Frejus in my younger days when MB tunnel was still closed). We'll stop off somewhere overnight now to break the journey. If I'm taking it easy we go down the German side to Interlaken, spend a night or two there, and then across the passes (Furka/Grimsel/Tremelo).
My wife is from Livorno so we go down regularly. If we want to do it quick we go down through France and Mont Blanc tunnel (I used to do Glasgow to Livorno in 18 hours via Frejus in my younger days when MB tunnel was still closed). We'll stop off somewhere overnight now to break the journey. If I'm taking it easy we go down the German side to Interlaken, spend a night or two there, and then across the passes (Furka/Grimsel/Tremelo).
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