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We are going to Venice first and returning from Florence in April/May. Would value advice on best routes from Calais or Dunkerque.

We travelled down from Rotterdam,so a bit different.  For Venice it is best to travel through Austria. All the roads are good so either choose whatever is the most direct route, or go past places you want to see.From Innsbruck You can take the Brenner into Italy and either through Bolzano/Verona/Padova, or over to Cortina and down past Vittoria Veneto and Treviso. The latter is more twisty and steeper.  Either way you cannot approach Innsbruck on the road from the north (no caravans allowed on the Zirlerberg, too steep). Approach via the Fern Pass or from the east.

Coming back from Florence you could travel via Genova and Torino back into France and past Lyon, or via Milano and north through Switzerland.  For Austria you will need a Motorway Sticker (buy at border, 14 day ones are available) and for Switzerland you will need 1 for the car and 1 for the caravan and you have to pay for a full year (13 months actually I think).  The only way to avoid these extra costs is to cross directly from France into Italy and back again by a similar route.

The last time we went to Venice we travelled across Belgium and joined the German autobahn system at Aachen. Then down through German, Rudesheim a good stop over, to the Austrian border at Reutte. As Jennifernn say you need a vignette to use the motorways. From Reutte we went over the Fern Pass and dropped down to the Inntel Motorway at Imst and then onto Innsbruck. Good stopover Camping Natterersee. From Innsbruck take the Brenner motorway into Italy, this is a really lovely route. This takes you down the eastern side of Lake Garda and then make your way to Venice. If you are going to venice to spend time exploring Venice I can recommend Camping Miramare.

David

Calais to Venice

Via Luxembourg and Switrzerland  854 miles. Via Germany, Austria and the Brenner pass 910

Florence to Calais via Switerland and Luxemborg 871 miles   Via Turnin and France 910 miles.

Brenner Pass and any of the routes into France attract fairly heavy tolls as do the French motorways.   The Swiss Vignettes for car and caravan work out at around £37 (40 SF each)   For speed and cost, the Swiss route wins hands down. 

Rostrevor

I can't argue in terms of distance but I did not think the tolls+vignette in Austria came to anywhere near £37, mind you it was about 5 years ago we last did the journey. I appreciate that if you travel down through France that you will pay tolls if you use the autoroute.

David

Calais to Venice then Florence to Calais

Swiss Vignette car and trailer £37

Austrian Vignette,  2 month £15.75

Brenner Pass                        £19           (£9.50each way)

Extra Mileage  200              £32 fuel

                                            £29.75 extra cost plus 4 hours extra driving.

Austrian Vignette 10 day      £5.50

Brenner Pass                          £9.50

Frejus Tunnel                       £28

A43 toll                                 £13.50

Extra Mileage 100               £18 Fuel

                                             £37.50 extra cost plus 2 hours extra driving

Plus French Motorway tolls to Calais

I agree with David Klyne's route recommendations, and also with the Camping Miramare one. We turned up there out of the blue towards the end of May last year, and it was lovely! Very friendly, spotless, excellent shop, and  500-yard walk from the ferry terminal. We didn't use the car at all in 8 days.

We stayed at Camping Michelangelo which was also excellent and only a 20-minute walk from the Cathedral, Uffizi, etc (but only 2-amp electricity! ; we managed.) Came home via Genoa, Aoste, Mont Blanc Tunnel, Chamonix (Camping Isle des Barrats is lovely), and back up through France to Calais.

Graham 

We went direct through France to Turin via the Frejus Tunnel as this route avoids Switzerland and the necessity to buy a car pass for the motorways there.  This route is also very direct and easy.

Paul

Quote: Originally posted by chips41 on 24/03/2005

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We went direct through France to Turin via the Frejus Tunnel as this route avoids Switzerland and the necessity to buy a car pass for the motorways there.  This route is also very direct and easy.

 

Paul

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Frejus Tunnel                       £28

A43 toll                               £13.50

Extra Mileage 85                 £12.50 Fuel

Total                                   £54

Plus French Motorway tolls