Member Since: 25 Oct 2008
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 172
Driving England to Italy May / June 2017
No fixed route as yet, ending up in Rimini.
Channel tunnel or Ferry?
All suggestions for roads to drive, and must see places on route greatly appreciated.
Thinking four or five days each way, and would love to drive a high pass or two.
Scenery and pleasant places to stay en route essential.
13th Nov 2016 9:01 pm
RRSTDV8
Member Since: 07 Apr 2014
Location: Here
Posts: 13609
I used the Chunnel last month for the first time. Very impressed and no sea sickness to worry about with SWMBO.Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2012 RRS SDV6
2008 RRS TDV8
"When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know who's children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken. How many lives shattered. How much blood will spill, until everybody does what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning: SIT DOWN AND TALK!"
13th Nov 2016 9:19 pm
AVO30
Member Since: 13 Nov 2014
Location: Bridgend
Posts: 224
Countryman depends what part of Italy but I used to do channel tunnel then drive via Reims (dont attemp to go near Paris!) then I used to hook off between Dijon and Lyon. Stop at Bourg en Bresse, that was usually the point I was getting tired... then take the A40 via Geneva amd the Mont Blanc tunnel stopping for a cuppa or lunch in Chamonix, essentially dropping down towards Genoa.... boting as hell drive through central France but as soon as you hook off it becomes beautiful.
Aire de Service de Bourg-Jasseron, Aire de Bourg-Jasseron, Autoroute A40, 01250 Jasseron, France
There is an Ibis hotel at the service station above.....
13th Nov 2016 9:49 pm
AVO30
Member Since: 13 Nov 2014
Location: Bridgend
Posts: 224
Just noticed your destination..... after Mont Blanc Tunnel you drop down the valley and you could go just south of Milan via Parma!
13th Nov 2016 9:51 pm
mse
Member Since: 27 Jun 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 2707
If your up north, go from Hull to Hook of Holland then through Holland, Germany (call into the black forest) and to Italy
Although we dont go from hull, i personally wouldnt drive through FranceMike
13th Nov 2016 10:42 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
We did an Italian road trip last year. We crossed on the Hull-Zebrugge overnight ferry. Then drove to Switzerland for a couple of days. From there we drove over the St Gotthard pass, and in to Milan for a stopover. Then it was down to Urbino, not far from Rimini, where we stayed for 3 nights.
Next stop was Pisa, then up into the Alps to drive some of the famous passes, including the Stelvio. From there we drove down to Lake Como, which was lovely. Then home via a stop in Brussels.
It was a full on road trip, and thouroughly enjoyable. The alpine passes are full of traffic, and cyclists. The best roads are in central Italy.
13th Nov 2016 10:42 pm
muddywheels4wd
Member Since: 16 Dec 2010
Location: East Riding of Yorkshire
Posts: 1681
I did it 04 in my D2 metropolis - best road trip ever 8)
Took the tunnel and stopped first night in France, second night Zurich and arrived nr Florence day 3
We had young kids then so took it easy - always wanted to do it again in the RRS but never found the time - also wanted to drive down to Algarve but again never found the time
Go for it Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW
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13th Nov 2016 11:48 pm
professorpool
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Woking
Posts: 3213
AVO30 wrote:
Countryman depends what part of Italy but I used to do channel tunnel then drive via Reims (dont attemp to go near Paris!) then I used to hook off between Dijon and Lyon. Stop at Bourg en Bresse, that was usually the point I was getting tired... then take the A40 via Geneva amd the Mont Blanc tunnel stopping for a cuppa or lunch in Chamonix, essentially dropping down towards Genoa.... boting as hell drive through central France but as soon as you hook off it becomes beautiful.
Aire de Service de Bourg-Jasseron, Aire de Bourg-Jasseron, Autoroute A40, 01250 Jasseron, France
There is an Ibis hotel at the service station above.....
Will be going the same way to Les Gets in Feb pretty much (the early part).
Always use the chunnel - as dont have to get out of vehicle and much faster. Also, they are more flexible on changed train times - if you arrive a bit learly or late.
Is that Ibis the one at the service station with the big cockeral outside it?D3 07 SE - still going strong
D3 07 HSE - gone to car heaven
FL1 - gone to Romania
D3 05 HSE - gone to a divorce diet
D1 V8 manual - gone but not forgotten
RR Classic - gone to car heaven
Jeeps, Lexus, X-trails... Too many to name..
14th Nov 2016 12:19 am
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
I assume you're caravanning so I would suggest a site that you mustn't miss just past Dijon. It's called Crotenots and is run by Jean Luc and his wife Frederique. They run a nice site but the little bistro is just unbelievable. Jean Luc is a ex Michelin stared chef from Paris who wanted out of the smoke. He bought this place and it's just amazing. Best to book the bistro when you book the site as the places go very quickly. The locals go there as well and it's always full. When I say full it's outside under a tree on plastic patio tables but please don't let that put you off. A four course meal of stupendous quality is 17€.
http://www.crotenots.com/
The place is on route with the directions given previously and a wonderful drive it is too. You'll love it.
Menu
Bistro
FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
I prefer the ferries as they don't have the stupid Chunnel delays....
I generally stay at the IBIS to get an early start...
Agree with Rheims & around Strasbourg.....into Switzerland & the Gottard Tunnel or if you want to drive a pass & get to a logical place this is the better one.
The roads into northern Italy - Milan etc......good
The pass of passes is the Stelvio which just isn't a logical way from anywhere to anywhere...but well worth driving to & "doing".... you can't really do this as a rally drive as there are far too many other vehicles.....the drive from Morano to the top (48 hairpins "up") into Switzerland (54 hairpins down largely gravel roads with zero crash barriers.....closed many months of the year)
I drove this in the XK......rewarding, scary & interesting.
If your doing that drive the toll road electronic passes for France & Italy....well worth the bother & cost
Done the Grand Tour round trip four times annually - I go to Marmomacc the Verona stone show each year....BREXIT - done properly.
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14th Nov 2016 7:59 am
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
With a caravan BL?
I always use the tunnel, been held up once for an hour, still quicker than the ferries by a long way.FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
14th Nov 2016 8:03 am
professorpool
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Woking
Posts: 3213
Haven't got a ferry in about 8 years now.
What delays?D3 07 SE - still going strong
D3 07 HSE - gone to car heaven
FL1 - gone to Romania
D3 05 HSE - gone to a divorce diet
D1 V8 manual - gone but not forgotten
RR Classic - gone to car heaven
Jeeps, Lexus, X-trails... Too many to name..
14th Nov 2016 8:11 am
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
TBH I've used the tunnel for 22 years and been held up once for an hour. I use it at least twice a year if not three or four times a year and use Tesco vouchers for the past 3/4 years as you get 3 x the value to £. So a trip to take a car and caravan in high season is about £360 - £370 return, I use the vouchers so £120 of vouchers plus about a tenner in cash. I arrive about 40 mins before leaving, ten mins before the gate closes and usually drive straight on, the crossing is 35 mins and your driving in France. Stay at the Black Horse site in Folkestone which is a 5 min drive from the tunnel the night before going.
Coming home I stay at camping Erables in Coquelles with Old Bernard Bouteroy. Lovely old guy and again just minutes from the tunnel.FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
14th Nov 2016 8:19 am
AAA.Happy.Disco1.Fan
Member Since: 04 Nov 2010
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 2895
With a TinTent, from the "North"
Hull ==--
Also possible, and it used to be very cheap being tucked up with HUGE lorries
To and from Harwich=== Hook of Holland
South via Germany.
14th Nov 2016 8:39 am
stephenw46
Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 1218
We will be going to lake Garda again in 2017 for the 9th time , we have looked at different routes over the years & spoken to a lot of people about it , as th children have fledged the nest we took our time this year first stop caravan site Dover caught the ferry ⛴ in the morning then stopped in Luxembourg. & bumped into forum member great site in the town & had a lovely walk around next stop was Switzerland found a site in the axi book a ten minute drive off the main road a nice enough site with a bar restaurant & plenty going on then into Italy
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