7-10 day France Italy road trip

[gotoPzero]

Thinking of taking a drive out to France / Italy in September.

My route at the moment would be Tunnel over to France.
Day 1 Basel (arrive late)
Day 2 Basel
Day 3 Como
Day 4 Como
Day 5 Turin
Day 6 Turin
Day 7 Geneva
Day 8 Reims
Day 9 Drive home

OR

Should I fly out to Milan and hire a car and just drive round the same area i.e Como, Turin, Geneva etc?

Are there any emissions type restrictions (2019 petrol Audi) in any of these places?

Its a long time since my first proper road trip through France - drove down to Monaco in about 2007 but always flown since then.

Any where on that list not worth visiting and maybe anywhere else that's better?

[vaud]

Valais in Switzerland - thermal baths at Saillon or Ovronnaz. Sion is a pretty town.

Col du Petit Saint-Bernard into Italy (Aosta) but it drops you a bit far West, unless you swapped Turin for Como.

[fatboy b]

Personally I’d sack-off Turin and either stay 2 more nights in Como or go to Bormio. Great scenery up there and the Stelvio.

[vaud]

fatboy b said:

Personally I’d sack-off Turin and either stay 2 more nights in Como or go to Bormio. Great scenery up there and the Stelvio.

I'd agree. I'd take Milan over Turin if a city is needed.

Geneva is nice for a day or so. Vevey is a nice stop along the lake for lunch.

[gotoPzero]

Thanks guys this is the good info I needed I dont know this area at all. Is Stelvio likely to be open?

[QJumper]

As I understand you'll need an emissions sticker for Reims, as well as Geneva and parts of Italy. You need to get these in advance, usually only a few Euros. You also need a sticker to drive on Swiss motorways, around 30 something Euros, and can be bought at the border.

Here's some links for the emissions info:

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-in-euro...

https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/countries-mainme...

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law...

https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/countries-mainme...

[mr pg]

gotoPzero said:

Thanks guys this is the good info I needed I dont know this area at all. Is Stelvio likely to be open?

Yes, but rubbish to drive, although great to look at.

[gotoPzero]

QJumper said:

As I understand you'll need an emissions sticker for Reims, as well as Geneva and parts of Italy. You need to get these in advance, usually only a few Euros. You also need a sticker to drive on Swiss motorways, around 30 something Euros, and can be bought at the border.

Here's some links for the emissions info:

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-in-euro...

https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/countries-mainme...

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law...

https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/countries-mainme...

Oh goody that looks like a total chew on.

So basically correct me if I am wrong the French sticker should cover me on Swiss roads too?

So best to just get the French one?

[vaud]

You will need a Swiss vignette for Swiss motorways and expressways.

[QJumper]

gotoPzero said:

Oh goody that looks like a total chew on.

So basically correct me if I am wrong the French sticker should cover me on Swiss roads too?

So best to just get the French one?

Yes, I believe the French emissions sticker is valid for Switzerland.

You'll still need the Swiss motorway vignette, but they'll sell you that at the border.

[Dazzled]

I’m going to go against the flow here…
I’d suggest France down to Route de Grande Alpes ( perhaps overnight in Reims on way down?)
Leave RdGA north of Menton and go via Col du Turini (famous Monte Carlo rally stages) over to Turin. Stay in one of the Lingotto hotels and visit the Italian Job test track on the roof and other IJ locations in the city.
Then head off to Como and Stelvio. If you want to make the most of Stelvio stay in Bormio, get up at the crack of sparrow and go have a play before the cyclists and motorhomes get there.
Switzerland always sounds lovely but other than the picturesque alpine views it’s a nightmare. Avoid Lausanne at all costs, similarly Basel and Geneva. The juice ain’t worth the squeeze. If you cross the Swiss border in the countryside rather than on a motorway you aren’t forced to buy a Vignette and tbh you can get away with it if you’re just passing through.
Similarly with the French CritAir stickers unless you plan on hanging around central Paris.

[gazza5]

For the few euros the french sticker costs I would just get it, stays with you for the life of the car (un like the swiss one which expires).

I just view it as one less thing I can get pulled over for, plus with other cities rolling it out (not just Paris) it just made sense to me to get it, but you are free to make your own choice.

Be prepared for lots of roadworks, our route through belgium had tonnes of them, and france.

[omniflow]

gazza5 said:

For the few euros the french sticker costs I would just get it, stays with you for the life of the car (un like the swiss one which expires).

I just view it as one less thing I can get pulled over for, plus with other cities rolling it out (not just Paris) it just made sense to me to get it, but you are free to make your own choice.

Be prepared for lots of roadworks, our route through belgium had tonnes of them, and france.

The French sticker and the Swiss sticker are two completely different things.

The French sticker shows the emissions compliance of your car and is needed to drive into some cities (same thing needed for Germany and possibly other countries)

The Swiss sticker is effectively a Toll payment for their motorway network and you need to buy a new one every year.

To use the motorway network in France, you pay tolls. You have to do this regardless of whether or not you have the emissions sticker.

[vaud]

Oh and don't speed in Switzerland. At all.

[QJumper]

omniflow said:

The French sticker and the Swiss sticker are two completely different things.

The French sticker shows the emissions compliance of your car and is needed to drive into some cities (same thing needed for Germany and possibly other countries)

The Swiss sticker is effectively a Toll payment for their motorway network and you need to buy a new one every year.

To use the motorway network in France, you pay tolls. You have to do this regardless of whether or not you have the emissions sticker.

The emissions sticker and Swiss motorway sticker are two different things.

It's my understanding that Switzerland also requires an emissions sticker, at least for Geneva, but they accept the French one.

[gtidriver]

Ive been to Como a few times now. The first was a very last minute 6 day get away before my wife and I started IVF. Fond memories of lazily sitting outside the cafe next to the seaplane hanger drinking a (me beer) and (wife coke) and eating chips. Watching seaplanes being shunted out on to the lake and take off was wonderful to watch, also drove around the lake on a different occasion to, that to was great. Loads of great views of the lake as you travel round, it'll take a good few hours though.

[gotoPzero]

Thanks just starting to weigh it all up now I think I will apply for the French sticker thingymebob as that might come in handy in the future.

[gotoPzero]

Sticker ordered, anyone doing this please note their system really does not like firefox... ended up using Chrome.

[randomeddy]

Came through the tunnel on Saturday, it was a nightmare, just chaos.
People queuing in the freight lane off the mway then pushing in.

Not following the boarding lanes then pushing in.

Train was an hour and a half late leaving.

Worth it though, stayed near the nurburgring for two days and made a spur of the moment decision to book a lap in a mclaren ring taxi. I was sat waiting and wondering if he would give it some or just poodle round.

He drove the thing like he had stolen it. I can now understand why so many people stack it, the track is bumpy with so many dips to catch people out.
BMW museum was ace.
Stopover in Milan tomorrow then onto Modena.

[JP__FOX]

randomeddy said:

Came through the tunnel on Saturday, it was a nightmare, just chaos.
People queuing in the freight lane off the mway then pushing in.

Not following the boarding lanes then pushing in.

Train was an hour and a half late leaving.

I went through on Saturday over 2 hours later than planned... Worst tunnel crossing I've had! But thankfully no issues on the way back last night.