Message Forums

Hi,

I have booked a 3 weeker to lake Garda this year and have checked the route through "viaMichelin". The route will take us and the outfit through the Mont Blanc tunnel towards Milan and onwards to Lake Garda.

Any experience of this route comments or tips would be helpful, lots of hols in France but first time in Italy.

Thanks

Degsy

Sorry can't help with that route as we have only gone into Italy via Austria via the Brenner Pass and previously was via Villach but only because we were staying in Southern Austria.

David

Hi

We travelled from Holland thru Belguim back into France thru Switzerland and Italy int France and then Spain last year.   Whhheeeww.  What an advernture.  That is why we picked the route going thru the Mont Blanc Tunnel.  It was part of the adventure.  It was about 30 euros last year and the link below, although I dont know how to link it so you get into it with a click, will tell you more.  It took a while, think its about 17 kms long but then we went thru a lot of tunnels and my memory is a bit hazy.  What I would warn you about and it probably was only extremely bad luck that it happened to us but be careful in the smaller tunnels.  There are loads coming from the 'thigh' of Itally into the south coast of France.  Some are only 100 metres long, others can be several km long.  We went through them when it was a really sunny day and the sun was high.  As you drive into them it can become very dark and for a split second you cant focus properly.  Entering one there was something lying on the road, turns out it was a piece of scaffolding which had falled from a lorry.  We didnt have time to stop, wall on one side and lorry on the other so couldn't avoid it - result - two flat tyres and panic.  It was really scary but the emergency services were fantastic.  We were removed from the tunnel on a flat bed within 20 minutes - longest of my life.  Back on the road with 2 new tyres in 2 hours.  Ready for the rest of the tunnels!!!

Don't mean to scare you or put you off cause I would do that route again - the scenery is out of this world - I'm so glad we did go.  Just be careful.

www.chamonix.net/mont-blanc/tunnel_en.htm

Enjoy it.

Hi

Rostrevor - just a query about where you got the 89.90 euro each way from.  I remembered it being about 30 euros and this was confirmed as being close on the web site above - I can't think that we paid £60 ish last year!

Can you confirm that you meant £64 single trip.

Thanks

Queues at Gothard Tunnel also seem to be mentioned. I have only ever hit a queue there once. That was on the busiest holiday Saturday of the season and since the truck convoy system has been introduced, it would appear car queues are a very rare thing indeed.

Rostrevor

I have been through the tunnel in a coach but not with the van. When towing do you go through with the cars or trucks?

David

The 89 euro came from the web site and  it includes the toll road costs.

After the fire in the Gotthard, the authorities lined up the trucks and sent them through in long convoys.   They appear to have reduced the convoy system now a days sending a few trucks through with gaps in the cars.  They must leave 150 metres between themselves and any other vehicles.

Caravans travel through with the cars.

Hi David, I have been through several times and always follow the cars. On occasions we have passed many miles of stationary lorries waiting their turn to go through, it would be a big mistake to join them IMO.

Phil.

I do this journey either by car or on the bike a couple of times a year, AVOID MONT BLANC if you can by far the best way is via Belgium/ Luxembourg/ Germany (great sites) Austria down into Italy over the Brenner pass, 1stly its alot cheaper toll wise yes you pay for Austria but the rest is free, and when in Italy it's not very far on the motorway, I live about an hour half from Garda if that. All you do is follow the Euro route signs a very easy journey plus the bonus of cheap fuel in luxembourg.

Best of luck.

we travelled through Switzerland.  have also been via Austria and Brenner, but Switzerland is the most direct.

only downside, is that Switzerland is so nice, you may want to cut short lake garda, and spend time in Switzerland on the way back

i recommend :

http://www.camping-jungfrau.ch/

have fun what ever you do

Michael

I drive to central Tuscany regularly (I own a camp site there) try part of my route, The Swiss road tax is cheaper than most French mountain crossings: