Calais to Lake Garda 2024
I am sure this has been discussed and debated on many previous threads. However some of the ones i have read date back 2014...
So as i am looking for advice and guidance for one maybe two stopovers for a night en route to lake Garda in June.
We have a 3500kg New Fiat Ducato based Swift campervan. I already have the French Plein Air sticker rated at number 2, so no issue going into Emission Zones etc.
I am getting a late Eurotunnel on a Sunday 24/06 this year.
I dont mind which route to take, and costs of tolls etc are no problem.
As i drive an articulated truck driving 10 hours etc is no problem, we have regularly driven down to southern Spain from Calais with one or two stops in France.
Any up to date route or decent stops would be greatly appreciated.
Comments
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Mark, Some would go across Germany and Austria to the Brenner Pass. But others would go across France and Switzerland to the Gotthard tunnel. So it’s best to untold a big paper map and choose your route before we can help you with suggested sites..
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We have done this trip many times. There are a number of options for you to consider. One is through France and Switzerland but the one I favour is Tunnel, then through Belgium, S Germany, Austria and Brenner Pass into Italy. I tow a caravan so it takes me 3 stops to do this trip, two stopovers should make for quite an easy trip in a camper at 10 hours a day (we do 6 hrs max!!).. I stop near Calais for night one then early start gets you past Luxembourg, then a third night in S Germany/Austria. The Crit Air is only necessary for visits to certain French cities as is the Umwelt for Germany it is not necessary for the Autoroutes/Autobahns although you will need a Vignette for the Austrian Autobahns. End of June it will be getting busy in the Garda area so you may wish to research site availability - look at joining ACSI; I have not got my 2024 book yet but I'm sure someone who has this years book will advise. Have a great trip, Italy is our favourite holiday destination.
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I also favour the Belgium, Germany, Austria route, it is quick and easy. If you just want night stops the I recommend you consider using the French/Belgium Aires and the German Stellplatz. These motorhome/campervan stop over sites are much cheaper than using campsites. To search these out use one of the Apps, I favour Search4Sites but there are others e.g. Park4Night. I usually cross the channel in the early afternoon and head for a French Aire e.g. Bergues for the first night. Next would be roughly halfway to the Germany/Austrian border. I have used the Stellplatz at Saarlouis, a 270 miles day trip. A last night before Lake Garda would be on the Stellplatz at Fussen, a 282 miles day trip then down the Fern Pass and up the Brenner for the final leg to Lake Garda about 220 miles away.
peedee
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When we have been to Lake Garda and usually then onto Venice we would go via Germany and Austria using the Fern and Brenner Passes into Italy and that motorway takes you down the eastern side of the Lake. Where I differ from others is that the initial part of the journey goes down through France to Metz and then onto the autobahn system when you cross into Germany. Obviously tolls to pay but a much more relaxed drive than going through Belgium in my view.
David
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Our preferred route from the tunnel is into Belgium, Germany (via Stuttgart / Ulm) then the Fern Pass to Imst then Brenner Pass into Italy. If you have a late tunnel crossing the Aire at Calais (Rue d’Asfeld) is handy and open late.
We normally take an early morning tunnel and stop in Remich, Luxemburg for our first night. There’s an excellent Stellplatz (Aire) on the Mosel there. Camping Fink in Imst is excellent for an overnight (or longer) or there are a number of Stellplatz in Fussen. The route is toll free but you will need a motorway vignette for Austria (about 10 Euros) and the cost of the Brenner Pass is about another 10 Euros. I doubt you’ll have to book sites on Garda in June (Whitsun is early this year). Get the Campercontact App for details of all the sites en route.
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You don't have to use the Brenner Pass autoroute, motorhomes/campervans are permitted to use the old Brenner Pass road the B182 so avoiding the toll. Its a good A class route and in my view far more interesting than zooming along the autoroute. It runs parallel to the A13 which you can rejoin at the border with Italy. Italy toll charges are not expensive at about 10 cents a mile.
peedee
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If you are ending up in Pisa (as you yourself said) then your direct route home will be through Switzerland. A Swiss vignette will do for both journeys, so you might as well use it for the outward journey as well. Why slog along the German autobahns in their notorious slow traffic - on a route which is longer?
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Then you may have to contend with the Gottard tunnel an even more notorious bottleneck unless you go over the top. The only traffic problems I have encountered is around Hamburg or at road works of which there were none last year on the Germany/Austria route. Even travelling through central Germany last year, Essen/Dortmund heading for Dresden was no problem.
peedee
P.S. The Gottard tunnel has got so bad they are thinking of introducing tolls in addition to the vignette to try to reduce the traffic
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Back in the day, we used to travel to Garda via the Frejus tunnel. For speed and simplicity ( and don't mind the tolls) travel down the A26 from Calais then head down past Reims and Dijon to Beaune. Overight stop at Les Bouleaux at Vignoles having topped up with diesel at Intermarche after leaving to autoroute. https://campinglesbouleaux.wixsite.com/lesbouleaux (in ACSI guide).
Next stop at Saint Jean de Maurienne and Camping Des Grands Cols. http://campingdesgrandscols.com/en/ . The following morning head up the valley to the Frejus tunnel and then into Italy above Turin. Along the autostrade towards Milan and you'll be at the south end of lake Garda by afternoon.
The tunnel is expensive! https://www.sftrf.fr/uk/index.aspx , but we always found it worthwhile.
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