France to Italy through tunnel Frejus
Looking for a bit of information from those who have done this route please.
We have another route planned but we like to have a choice.
We are using the St Malo crossing into France and looking at crossing to the tunnel Frejus. Obviously we will take a few days to get there.
Would it be best to spend the night in France and do the tunnel in the morning?
Is it possible to get to Lake Garda the same day or should we be looking at stopping somewhere and arrive in Garda earlier the next day?
Do the Italian sites close at lunchtime?
This will be at the end of April/May, we will be car and caravan.
Would be grateful for any useful information, thank you ☺️
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We went to Italy more than once that way when my brother in law had a house near Turin., though we preferred the Mont Blanc tunnel to the Frejus tunnel.They are both equally expensive -about 70 euros one way for car and caravan or motorhome.
On the French side of the Frejus tunnel there is a municipal site at St Jean de Maurienne, but you may be too early as it doesn’t open until 1st May. You may therefore be best to go through the tunnel to Camping Gran Bosco on tne Italian side as it is open all year.
From there it’s a boring 5 or 6 hour motorway drag across the north Italian plain to get you you to Lake Garda. We only did it once.
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TG
We used that tunnel when we had our caravan and stayed at the site on the French side mentioned by ET. We decided to use the Tunnel de Frejus because we were heading for Lake Maggiore initially and then Lake Como and finally Lake Garda on that trip before heading out to Venice. As ET also mentions it is expensive and long! Just out of interest is there a reason for using that route to get to Lake Garda? For me the natural choice to Garda would be the Germany/Austria Fern and Brenner Pass and then to Garda?
David
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Thanks DK, the reason we are thinking about that route is that as mentioned we are crossing Portsmouth to St Malo.
We are also considering going across to the south of France and going into Italy along the the coast road. The only issue with that is it's going south to come back north but we thought that would get us into the warmer weather earlier. That and the road north in Italy isn't as good as the road from the Frejus tunnel.
Going the Frejus would save us time and fuel costs so the difference isn't that much. As we have not travelled either of these ways before it will all be new to us. If we do use the Frejus we may well stop off at the other lakes on the way.
We are coming home the way you mention via Austria and Germany as we are coming back Rotterdam to Hull. Didn't want to do that on the way out for various reasons.
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There’s a compromise crossing into Italy in between the expensive Frejus tunnel and the busy Mediterranean coastal motorway. It’s an easy drive over the mountains using a pass which the French call the Col de Larche and the Italians Colle delle Maddalena.
That route is via Grenoble and Gap to Barcelonette - and there’s a choice of sites where you can stop for a day or two to learn the fascinating history of that place. Then an easy road over the pass and stop again on the Italian side at Camping Bisalta at Cuneo and roam the town streets there. It’s little known toUK visitors but certainly worth a day there.
And there are more interesting places to visit as you make your way to Garda from there - and a few campsites if you need them.
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TG
I see where you are coming from, and where you are going
Did you in a previous post consider going along the coast into Italy? We have done it the other way from Pisa. The bit round Genova is interesting and busy. Lots of tunnels and built up areas right up close to the motorway. You could head north from Genova and join the A21 to Piacenza and Brescia and then Garda is right on your doorstep.Going that way into Italy would give you the opportunity of visiting the likes of Cannes, Nice and Monaco if they would be of interest? Having said that the road out to St Jean de Maurienne and beyond is very scenic.David
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Voice from the past here! We used to travel through the Frejus tunnel to the Italian lakes, having visited family in the Savoie. We stopped overnight at St Jeanne de Maurienne before heading up the valley to the tunnel. Here's a link to the campsite.
http://campingdesgrandscols.com/en/
We did the journey in one day keeping to the Autostrade. It's the last bit approaching Garda that's tiring.
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Yes I did, it's still a consideration as we could also drop down to see the Cinque Terra before going north to the lakes. All still in the discussion stage.
It's a very long time ago now that we did the drive up from Pisa but I do remember it well, tunnels and more tunnels 😁
Only managed to get as far as St Tropez last time we were that way so would gives us a chance to see more of that coast.
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How lovely to hear from you. ☺️
Thanks for the link and the information.
It's looking very much like we will need to do this trip again as all the suggestions of routes look interesting.
It wil be the first time touring back in Italy since 1989, I guess things will have changed a bit since then.
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TG
The Frejus tunnel is an easy route into Italy. It’s a pity the municipal site in St Jean de M doesn’t open until 4th May because it’s an excellent site in a beautiful area. We normally go the Germany, Austria Brenner route to Italy but spent about 2 weeks in St Jean de M in July 2021 to avoid Covid19 quarantine before entering Italy. I recommend you take the E70 route through Asti to avoid the inevitable delays around Milan. It’s a much more relaxing drive. Umberto Camping in Asti is a convenient stop for one or more nights.
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Hi TG, We used the Frejus last summer enroute to Lago Trasimeno from Roscoff. The reason was that wanted to visit Annecy after two covid cancelled trips and that was the the best route from there heading South.
We did consider the Mont Blanc, but there were roadworks on the approach roads at the time, and the prices are similar at around €70 for car+van.
If we were going to Garda we too would likely go the Fern Pass route and, as you intend, we came back that way last year to Hook of Holland however, heading to Garda from St Malo is near enough the same route as from Roscoff and that gives a couple of options.
The toll free route SE from St Malo is pretty good and you have choices-go via the Frejus, go via the MB, go via Basle or the Simplon Pass.
We have done them all-Simplon was done when the Gotthard Tunnel was closed due to a rock fall-and the difference in distance is only 20 odd miles between the shortest and longest. The cost of the tunnels is only about €10 less than the Swiss Vignette so the costs for each route will be very similar.
I think we would be going via Switzerland and, as the Simplon Pass drops you onto Maggiore, that would possibly be first choice-but we would love to go back to Camping Rannochio at Piano Porlezza to spend some time on Como-so many choices!!
One point on planning-we have for many years used viaMichelin but, after it being problematic recently, are finding our old go to site Mappy.com a good alternative..
Have a great trip!
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Thanks DN and A&J, all useful information helping us to plan our trip.
If all goes well and we enjoy Italy I can see us returning again next year to try out some of the other routes and lakes.
Can anyone say if the sites close reception over lunches, don't want to turn up and have to sit outside for hours. If we know in advance we can plan to arrive before or after like we do in France.
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TG
From my own experience, albeit some years ago now, there is no set pattern. We once stayed at a campsite called Ca Savio near venice and we had to wait for it to reopen after lunch (not quite as long as some German sites!) but the campsite we prefer to use nearer the ferries and a mile or two down the road the reception seemed to be open all the time. Even with the convenience of the site accepting visitors during the lunch period it didn't stop a German Fräulein tapping her copy of the rules book at me when I dared to tap a few pegs in to secure the sun canopy on a very hot day!!! Once you have decided what campsite you want it might be worth an email to check. Probably one thing to consider in the Northern part of Italy is that it is quite focused towards German visitors and that could include opening habits?
David
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Thanks DK, it's over 30 years since we last camped in Italy. Back then it was common place to have to wait outside the campsite until it opened or as happened a few times in the summer months wait for a pitch to become available.😲
Having lived in Germany for 20 years I remember the strict rules of silent hours on campsites, my German is a bit rusty these days but I'm sure I'll manage to get by. As I speak no Italian I always used to speak to them in German it sometimes got us a better pitch😉
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Last year we aimed to travel shorter distances each day than we had previously-and arrived at Annecy just in time to see the reception door being locked!
It has happened to us just once before-on Camping Mediteraneo, the site next door to the one DK mentions-and is a lesson learned-I just need to remember it now!
We have holidayed in Italy with the van more than any other country and if we could only choose one country to go to Italy would be it.
If I think of Italy, the picture is sitting outside the van, glass of red in hand, the swans serenely drifting by and the last hydrofoil ferry heading into Peschiera-our stay last year at Lago Trasimeno was a lovely variation of this and a change from the inevitably busy Garda.
Having said that it is possible to head up into the hills and sit outside at tiny bar where you are the only customers.
Wherever you go have a great time!!
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We haven't used it for awhile and thought it would be nice to have it on a long trip.
Some of the places we want to visit having a car to run around in will give us a bit more freedom and we won't have to move on so often.
The PVC comes into it own when we travel in winter and not linger to long in any one place. Though last year we did stay quite a few times for a week and once for 9 days. I think it all depends on where you are and what you are planning to do. Last autumn/winter we just took our time and chilled out.
Much prefer packing up the PVC, weight not such an issue. Caravan we have to be careful, lots of things have to go in the car.
This trip will be a decider on keeping the caravan or not 😏
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