Best route to Italy

[BrianA]

SWMBO has decided that next year (ie September 2018) we should go to the Italian Lakes.

Question is, what is the best route ?

We'll be starting at Calais (we always use the tunnel, for the dogs) and would prefer to avoid the motorways in Belgium / Northern-Central Germany as we've had bad experiences with these in the past. We'd plan on a fairly leisurely trip, stopping on the way at good sites / places of interest.

What recommendations does the panel have ?

[DaveFL2]

Won't be the best but just a different option.
Not much detail at the moment Brian but a rough idea, last year after the tunnel and staying/planning at 'Gandspette' for two nights we travelled down the eastern side of France, using non toll roads all the way until reaching Italy.
East of Reims, through Langres, bypassing Dijon until reaching Annecy and having a week there, during that leg we stopped off at the Ardennes and the Jura area. From Annecy we headed towards Albertville and the A43 taking the very expensive Frejus tunnel across the border into Italy, then it was towards Turin, Milan and Lakes Maggiore, Como and Garda with Maggiore being the best and Garda being very commercialised.
Surprisingly tolls in Italy were very reasonable, we took the toll roads because of the long leg from Annecy to Maggiore, roads were excellent but toll stations very frequent on ring roads around cities, we paid by Euro.
We chose this way because we were in no hurry and looking for something a little different than the usual via Switzerland or the Brenner pass, and were heading towards Slovenia afterwards, with the return via Austria and Germany.

[Jaydug]

It's quite a few years since we travelled to Italy but our route from Calais took us close to Namur then down to Luxembourg. From there to Metz and Nancy and across to Colmar. Then to Basel and through Switzerland to Milan. From there our Italian tour took us to Florence, Rome, Pompeii, then back to Florence and across to Ca Savio on the far side of the Venice Lagoon.

[BrianA]

Thanks folks.

Any more suggestions, anyone ?

[DianneT]

We still prefer to go Calais, Round Brussels ring road, down to Bitburg, Hohenstadt and down the Fernpass to Innsbruck then over the Brenner. If you catch the Brussels ring at the right time especially a Sunday it is a doddle. On that route this year the only problem Road at the moment is down to Bitburg with an Umleitung that some have found difficult. This is due to return to normal this month with roadworks finished.

The A8 Karlsruhe to Ulm where you turn South the Autobahn has had extensive work done over the last 2/3 years but is clear now. The problem on that road now is ring around Munich which has 6 large roadworks going on but you would not touch that.

The Belgium Autoroutes we follow have been extensively renovated in recent years and are a lot better than our Motorways I can tell you.

Of course there is the alternative we have taken many times is from Bitburg to the Black Forest, Bodensee, into Austria via the Arlberg Tunnel, which will be fully re-reburbished and open next month. Then along the A12 to Innsbruck and over the Brenner Motorway. This route gives you some wonderful places to visit. Brian I can send you a route for either way with excellent ACSI CC sites en route and places to visit.

Cheers Dianne

[BrianA]

Dianne, I want to avoid the Brussels ring and the German mways past Cologne etc - twice we've done that route in recent years and twice it's been a real hassle - and one of those involved the Brussels ring on a Sunday

[HughR]

The only time we have been to Italy we went down through France to Strasbourg and into Germany stayed near Freiburg and then into Switzerland at Basle. Crossed Switzerland and into Italy. Fantastic views and roads, we were a solo car but easily done towing or in a motorhome. The vignette(s) are a consideration on this route. Freiburg to Italian lakes easily done in a day but we were timebound.
We are Italian lake bound next June so reading these posts with interest.

[DianneT]

Dianne, I want to avoid the Brussels ring and the German mways past Cologne etc - twice we've done that route in recent years and twice it's been a real hassle - and one of those involved the Brussels ring on a Sunday

We don't ever go to anywhere near Cologne too far north and east don't know which Autobahn you mean. Doing trip to Austria this year and back the A6 Autobahn near to Würzburg had many roadworks and the Munich ring. They were the only trouble spots we had. We went that way as visiting friends at Ingolstadt.

Going down we only had a Slow trip around Brussels ring going down due to time being going to work time. No serious hold up. Coming home on the Sunday no problems from Oberweis to Calais.

Going down the Road through France past Namur we have had serious problems in the past and have avoided over the past 14 years with the Caravan. We always have problems going through France and now avoid it altogether and won't pay theirs and Swiss Tolls which adds high expense onto the journey. If you travel anywhere in Europe in the holiday season you are bound to find some build up of traffic around cities. We have had much more problems on the route to and from the Tunnel in recent years the surface on the M20 is terrible.

[DaveFL2]

Up to you Brian, you could as we do in France and leave the toll roads to users who want to be at their destination as quickly as possible, or take the 'D' roads. We found the 'D' roads fairly quiet, very driveable and scenic around the month of May but obviously more villages and towns which didn't faze us, depends if you're in a hurry to get there or happy to do less daily miles and more camping sites.

[BrianA]

Dianne, I want to avoid the Brussels ring and the German mways past Cologne etc - twice we've done that route in recent years and twice it's been a real hassle - and one of those involved the Brussels ring on a Sunday

We don't ever go to anywhere near Cologne too far north and east don't know which Autobahn you mean. Doing trip to Austria this year and back the A6 Autobahn near to Würzburg had many roadworks and the Munich ring. They were the only trouble spots we had. We went that way as visiting friends at Ingolstadt.

Going down we only had a Slow trip around Brussels ring going down due to time being going to work time. No serious hold up. Coming home on the Sunday no problems from Oberweis to Calais.

Going down the Road through France past Namur we have had serious problems in the past and have avoided over the past 14 years with the Caravan. We always have problems going through France and now avoid it altogether and won't pay theirs and Swiss Tolls which adds high expense onto the journey. If you travel anywhere in Europe in the holiday season you are bound to find some build up of traffic around cities. We have had much more problems on the route to and from the Tunnel in recent years the surface on the M20 is terrible.

Oops sorry, I meant Frankfurt (E35) not Cologne