Motorhome hire, Uk-Italy in 3 weeks...?
Discussion
Deesee said:
I think we may be talking cross purposes here, the op asked what routes i have taken to Italy, via luxemberg from calais, so I gave the a5 to basel then san gottard then milan for instance, as a money saver rather than say TMB.
Your road route (via bern and simplon) would be at least that (2/3 hours+), the train at least 2hrs (plus waiting time+), rather than san gottard.
As per do not speed in Switzerland, but thats a story for another day.
Ah. Got you. Well, I'd agree up to the Italian border but destination matters. Dropping into the environs of Milan IMV in holiday season is asking for trouble - I try to keep at least 30 miles away or get through before dawn. It's no joke at the best of times. (I have a house about 40 miles outside Milan.)Your road route (via bern and simplon) would be at least that (2/3 hours+), the train at least 2hrs (plus waiting time+), rather than san gottard.
As per do not speed in Switzerland, but thats a story for another day.
Still worth looking at the Simplon route if the OP wants to avoid Milan and go via Genoa. Any time lost in Switzerland would be compensated by I'd guess (in August) saving three-five hours doing Gottard> Lugano > Milan outskirts>Tangenziale and onwards, assuming two long tailbacks along the route. The GT-Genoa motorway is almost always empty (and very under-policed for those driving something with a bit of poke...)
psi310398 said:
Deesee said:
I think we may be talking cross purposes here, the op asked what routes i have taken to Italy, via luxemberg from calais, so I gave the a5 to basel then san gottard then milan for instance, as a money saver rather than say TMB.
Your road route (via bern and simplon) would be at least that (2/3 hours+), the train at least 2hrs (plus waiting time+), rather than san gottard.
As per do not speed in Switzerland, but thats a story for another day.
Ah. Got you. Well, I'd agree up to the Italian border but destination matters. Dropping into the environs of Milan IMV in holiday season is asking for trouble - I try to keep at least 30 miles away or get through before dawn. It's no joke at the best of times. (I have a house about 40 miles outside Milan.)Your road route (via bern and simplon) would be at least that (2/3 hours+), the train at least 2hrs (plus waiting time+), rather than san gottard.
As per do not speed in Switzerland, but thats a story for another day.
Still worth looking at the Simplon route if the OP wants to avoid Milan and go via Genoa. Any time lost in Switzerland would be compensated by I'd guess (in August) saving three-five hours doing Gottard> Lugano > Milan outskirts>Tangenziale and onwards, assuming two long tailbacks along the route. The GT-Genoa motorway is almost always empty (and very under-policed for those driving something with a bit of poke...)
We tend to stick to direct routes, but have found a few favourites to stop off for a few days or more on the summer hols on the way out, (black forest/garda), so tend to tackle most of the traffic black spots!
Tend to be a bit more direct on the way back, Milan then Strasbourg/Baden Baden (although love the deserted E70/A21 well worth the diversion) Piacenza to Alessandra, then up the a26.
Used to one stop it but have a little one in the car with us now.
As before very impressed with the flow of Simplon last year, and could comfortably incorporate cutting through the Jura then round the top of Lac Leman again!!
Even had a reasonable meal in a restaurant at reasonable prices in visp!
Deesee said:
Even had a reasonable meal in a restaurant at reasonable prices in visp!
That's one really to treasure. Do you remember its name? I've only had indifferent food in that neck of the woods - open sandwiches, burgers in biker cafes etc
Yes, that is a great drive. And Baden Baden does it for me. I also overnight in Müllheim -a bit further south and in vineyards. But crikey, you have a drive. I'm near Stresa - that must feel like halfway home for you!
DJFish said:
But just look at that sunshine! Sometimes you just have to say sod it and go on holiday! 
Indeed, that was the idea with the motorhome however its barely been used bar a few long distance trips. After reading this thread i've spent the best part of the day trying to convince my wife we shouldn't sell it as I love the old bus however I think its a bit small for the sort of trips we do. (Still got a week or so to work on her though before I have to drive it back to the UK to sell)psi310398 said:
Deesee said:
Even had a reasonable meal in a restaurant at reasonable prices in visp!
That's one really to treasure. Do you remember its name? I've only had indifferent food in that neck of the woods - open sandwiches, burgers in biker cafes etc
Yes, that is a great drive. And Baden Baden does it for me. I also overnight in Müllheim -a bit further south and in vineyards. But crikey, you have a drive. I'm near Stresa - that must feel like halfway home for you!
Just waiting for the kids to get a bit older before I take them on that alpine water slide in Brigerbad!
Anyway Stresa, Lago Maggiore, (about 5 and a bit hours from us / italian end), perfecto!
Good luck with the trip
Well that wasn’t too bad, we managed to get across to France on day 1 which we weren’t expecting & we’re a day behind due to pissing about trying to get the fridge working, but we had a lovely couple of stops on the way down:
Night 1 was a ropey camper stop near Arras.
Night 2 was at a lovely little campsite near Troyes as we hung around for ages waiting for the hire company to find a local agent who was willing & able to have a look at the funbus.
After along hot wait at the camper place in Dijon they diagnosed a dodgy relay but didn’t have time to fix it.
So on with the journey.
We crossed the alps via Mt. Blanc in darkness punctuated with some spectacular lightning storms & spent Night 3 in a picturesque camper stop in Hone.
We tried to make Naples that night but instead took a detour into Umbria to spend Night 4 next to Lake Bolsena which is near Orvieto.
This had the advantage of being situated near a large gathering of Porchetta stalls which took care of lunch for that day.
Then it was on to Naples for a stroll into town before facing the truly chaotic ferry terminal.
Night 5 was in a luxury cabin with complimentary mini-bar
So here we are, it’s day six and we’re just waiting for Nonna to cook us a light lunch before we get set up in the campsite down the road.
Apologies for the wonky photos....
Night 1 was a ropey camper stop near Arras.
Night 2 was at a lovely little campsite near Troyes as we hung around for ages waiting for the hire company to find a local agent who was willing & able to have a look at the funbus.
After along hot wait at the camper place in Dijon they diagnosed a dodgy relay but didn’t have time to fix it.
So on with the journey.
We crossed the alps via Mt. Blanc in darkness punctuated with some spectacular lightning storms & spent Night 3 in a picturesque camper stop in Hone.
We tried to make Naples that night but instead took a detour into Umbria to spend Night 4 next to Lake Bolsena which is near Orvieto.
This had the advantage of being situated near a large gathering of Porchetta stalls which took care of lunch for that day.
Then it was on to Naples for a stroll into town before facing the truly chaotic ferry terminal.
Night 5 was in a luxury cabin with complimentary mini-bar
So here we are, it’s day six and we’re just waiting for Nonna to cook us a light lunch before we get set up in the campsite down the road.
Apologies for the wonky photos....
Edited by DJFish on Monday 6th August 10:49
Well there’s a Rollerteam dealer in Palermo so we’ll get them to look at it, it’d make life a bit easier on the way back but we really needed it for our non-stop, self sufficient blat down here....
I did consider jury-rigging a feed from the ciggy lighter but that was vetoed on the grounds of health & safety.
However the hirers have comped. Us an extra two days for the inconvenience, which is nice.
I did consider jury-rigging a feed from the ciggy lighter but that was vetoed on the grounds of health & safety.
However the hirers have comped. Us an extra two days for the inconvenience, which is nice.
DJFish said:
Well that wasn’t too bad, we managed to get across to France on day 1 which we weren’t expecting & we’re a day behind due to pissing about trying to get the fridge working, but we had a lovely couple of stops on the way down:
Night 1 was a ropey camper stop near Arras.
Night 2 was at a lovely little campsite near Troyes as we hung around for ages waiting for the hire company to find a local agent who was willing & able to have a look at the funbus.
After along hot wait at the camper place in Dijon they diagnosed a dodgy relay but didn’t have time to fix it.
So on with the journey.
We crossed the alps via Mt. Blanc in darkness punctuated with some spectacular lightning storms & spent Night 3 in a picturesque camper stop in Hone.
We tried to make Naples that night but instead took a detour into Umbria to spend Night 4 next to Lake Bolsena which is near Orvieto.
This had the advantage of being situated near a large gathering of Porchetta stalls which took care of lunch for that day.
Then it was on to Naples for a stroll into town before facing the truly chaotic ferry terminal.
Night 5 was in a luxury cabin with complimentary mini-bar
So here we are, it’s day six and we’re just waiting for Nonna to cook us a light lunch before we get set up in the campsite down the road.
Apologies for the wonky photos....
I thought that was the one I brought back from Italy brand new in March, as we had fridge problems with it! But it was a different reg! We found that when it would not work on mains etc, switch it to gas, start it on that, let it cool a bit, then go to mains and it would work fine. Night 1 was a ropey camper stop near Arras.
Night 2 was at a lovely little campsite near Troyes as we hung around for ages waiting for the hire company to find a local agent who was willing & able to have a look at the funbus.
After along hot wait at the camper place in Dijon they diagnosed a dodgy relay but didn’t have time to fix it.
So on with the journey.
We crossed the alps via Mt. Blanc in darkness punctuated with some spectacular lightning storms & spent Night 3 in a picturesque camper stop in Hone.
We tried to make Naples that night but instead took a detour into Umbria to spend Night 4 next to Lake Bolsena which is near Orvieto.
This had the advantage of being situated near a large gathering of Porchetta stalls which took care of lunch for that day.
Then it was on to Naples for a stroll into town before facing the truly chaotic ferry terminal.
Night 5 was in a luxury cabin with complimentary mini-bar
So here we are, it’s day six and we’re just waiting for Nonna to cook us a light lunch before we get set up in the campsite down the road.
Apologies for the wonky photos....
Edited by DJFish on Monday 6th August 10:49
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