Stopovers to Lake Como
Hello knowledgeable people. Booked to arrive in Calais from the Eurotunnel 12 noon on 16th June and need to be at La Riva Lake Como on Sunday 18th with wife, dog and caravan in tow. Not bothered about tolls, I just want the easiest, most direct route. I need suggestions for stopovers for the trip down. All pointers gratefully received.
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Hi, I think the 'knowledgeable people', and the rest of us, may need a bit more info!
The quickest route is Autoroute to Basel, then via Switzerland, you will need two vignettes available at the border,to Lugano the back up to top of Como.The roads along the lake are narrow in places and as it will be Sunday could well be busy.
We assume that we will travel at app 50 mph on average, we are limited to 90 kph, and with stops we use 40 mph as the figure.Google maps gives a quickest route distance as 665 miles so 13/14 hours without stops.
If you did 4-6 hours on first day, maybe stopover in Reims area, then 8 on day two you will have 3-4 hours on the Sunday.
The distance from Basel is app 200 miles so maybe stop over near there, be cheaper in France,on day two
DK has stayed at Riva so may have more info.
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We did that trip a couple of years back, but opted to meander more than you are planning. So we stopped in Luxembourg, Black Forest (Belchenbrick) and Switzerland (Solothurn). Our return journey was more direct, stopping in Switzerland (Sempach) and in France.
The two French sites used were (I think) near Nancy and Reims, but names escape me. All the sites we used that year were from the CC overseas list.
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As Allan mentioned we went to La Riva in 2009 as part of a longer trip around northern Italian lakes and Venice. My blog here might give you a few ideas re the route and stop off points. Because we were going to Lake Maggiore first we went down through France to St Jean de Maurienne and then through the Tunnel de Frejus. The sites we used en route have links to reviews within the blog. We approached La Riva on the eastern side of Lake Como which is dual carriageway most of the way, albeit much of it in tunnels. La Riva is a nice site and if you have bikes it's a nice ride down to the Lake or a nice walk with the dog.
David
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I suggest the municipal site in Metz for night number 1 (ideal overnight stop and only a 10 minute walk into the centre). By using the French motorway system from Calais you will eat the miles up to Metz.
Day 2 could take you to the caravan site in Faido, just south of the St Gottard Tunnel. By using the tunnel on a Sunday (pm) it should not be too busy. Everything in Switzerland is expensive but the site at Faido is not too bad and has a decent restaurant too.
Day 3 will then be a relatively short one to Lake Como.
Enjoy.
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Hi Dave, if you use the restaurant at Faido and cant eat all you meal can you get a doggy bag?!!
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Alan
I'm sorry but I've no idea. I remember the restaurant was good and not too expensive for Switzerland. The selection of bread for breakfast was also amazing.
The site is just off the motorway, in the Italian speaking area of the country, surrounded by spectacular scenery and the pitches were flat.
It was an easy journey into the Lake Como area the next day.
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We go to Maggiore most years and the routes suggested above are best - Autoroute to Reims, Metz, Strasbourg, Basle then through Switzerland. Depends when your crossing is but we usually spend time at the Municipal site in Obernai for two reasons. One is that you can take a short cut after Metz to avoid the Strasbourg area which can be a nightmare (check the map and look for Saverne). Second, we like the site, easy walk into the attractive centre of Obernai and nice walks around the site. It's an ACSI site by the way.
Although cost is not a big issue for us, we try to get through Switzerland as quickly as possible. When we stop overnight it is about 60 Euros for the modest site that we use and the price of bread, coffee etc. on the motorway is outrageous. Beautiful country though.
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It may be worth finding out the price of the Swiss vignette (valid for journeys out and back) v the Frejus or Mont Blanc tunnels which cost each way. We went in 2013 via Switzerland which I think worked out cheaper despite the cost of stopping at Camping Lazy Rancho in Interlaken.
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The cost of the tunnels, we have used both in the past, is quite a bit more than the Swiss vignette.
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Hi
I don't know if anyone has mentioned getting your dog "veted" just before you set off home, it will save time on the way back and most vets are cheaper away from Calais. You have 5 days to get home after visiting the vet. It's another sunny morning here in Croatia and I'v got to take the dogs to get the bread.
Bye
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Thank you for all your help. Does anyone know the name of the vet suggested in the site review of Grignicourt?
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Google gives the address and names of two female vets there. Are they the ones you want ?
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Have found one in Grignicourt called Annabelle Rousseau. Just wondered if anyone had used her or either of them?
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