Best route Dunkirk to Italy

[Grahamh]

Thinking of visiting Italy again next spring. Last time we went down through France and over the Mont Cenis pass - nearly burned out the brakes on the van going into Italy and the roads on the Italy side of the pass were awful. Which is the best route - don't really want to go through the tunnel under Mont Blamc either?

 

[JonnyG]

Thinking of visiting Italy again next spring. Last time we went down through France and over the Mont Cenis pass - nearly burned out the brakes on the van going into Italy and the roads on the Italy side of the pass were awful. Which is the best route - don't really want to go through the tunnel under Mont Blamc either?

where are you going in Italy? or where do you intend to visit first? as there are numourous routes you could take. mont cenis possibly being a most unusual and unlikely route to use, if caravaning unless you had stayed nearby on vaction.......
Dunkirk to luxembourg -strassboug- down into switzerland and into Italy by milan is an easy route and avoids most of the french tolls. good route if your going straight south into Italy and heading towards florence rome ect.
dolomites and possibly lake garda ,venice ect you could run to luxembourg into germany austria and head into Italy on the brennar pass..
Aosta, Turin, Genoa ligurian coast .. you could take a route down to dijon.dole and cross into switzerland above lake geneva and do the gran saint bernards down into Aosta.....So really depends on where you are going and what you proirites are ie cost/time stops which route you take but there all good.....

 

[Grahamh]

Sorry, should have said, Florence is the area we are thinking of. Last time we went we visited something like 16 sites in 6 weeks to catch all the venues we wanted to see - not just Florence, and, though enjoyable, it was hard work. Last year we went down the west coast of France and just stayed at 3 sites (apart from thre transit) and found it much more enjoyable.( Messanges I like) This time we thought we might explore Florencen from maybe 3 sites. East side of France seems expensive as far as tolls are concerned. Like the D roads better than the motorways but realised last time that you have to keep to the motorways in Italy as the other roads are so bad. Germany/Austria nice but the autobhans are scary. Have to buy a vignette(sp) I know but in Switzerland you have to buy two I believe - never been there. Dunkirk -Luxembourg sounds good.
Got the new 2014 map today so may have a look at that.

 

[JonnyG]

Ok its all subjective when i'm heading to the south of Italy i head through switzerland and as you say you have to pay for two vignettes but they last for a calender year so no dearer in tolls
than either going through france or taking the german route when extra fuel is also taken into consideration.........from dunkirk you can head to Luxembourg by either going towards brugge
and around brussels or towards lille onto mons namur where both these routes will join togeather the mileage isnt more than 10 miles different but of late we have found the brussel route
better. from luxembourg you drop towards metz from here you again have two options the cheaper [just] scenic route past nancy baccaret st die [n159] toll tunnel that drops you onto the A35
selestat.or at metz pick up the A4[ tolls] but not too much 12 or 13 euros past strassbourg onto A35.........and head into switzerland..... at Basel . I'd take the strassbourg route but aviod friday early evening around basel.....

" Camping Village Norcenni Girasole Club - Figline Valdarno" is about 20 miles south of florence with a train station and indeed a campsite arranged coach into florence its on the chianti wine route
scenic route to siena volterra and the likes....top class site but not cheap to camp on but it has everything best site weve ever stayed at 5 times..... good luck..

 

[Grahamh]

Thanks for that.
Just followed it on the map. About 900 miles so I reckon about 3-4 days. Think I may take your advice and go via Brussels. Make take the scenic route as Italy will be mainly motorways. Think we may take about 5 weeks altogether. Lots of planning to do.