Recommendations for Routes/stopovers Dunkerque to Italy

[Tim2]

Now that our only daughter Ruth's wedding happened with great rejoicing on Saturday I can now get down to putting the finishing touches to our Italian Grand Tour - HOORAY. The wedding has take SO MUCH TIME planning that I'm not yet up to full speed on the hols although Camping La Riva and Ferry is definitely booked. Waiting to hear from other campsites - they seem VERY SLOW to respond!!1

I would be grateful for advice on routes from Dunkerque to Lake Como, Camping La Riva.

We are hoping to travel down through France, we're great Francophiles with quite a bit of experience of towing in France

I'm still not decided on whether to use the Autoroutes or try the National roads. We arrive in Dunkerque at 7.00am on Monday 24 July (we've planned a night halt at Dover on the 23 July so that we are ready for a full day's driving in France. We have booked to be at Camping La Riva on Lake Como on the afternoon of Thursday 27 July.

Our outfit is a twin-axle Avondale Landranger(7.36 metres long) towed by a Vauxhall Monterey 4x4 and there just my wife and I travelling and so I'd be interested in hearing opinions on the various route options particularly with regard to gradients, narrow roads, etc for our lengthy combination.

Suggestions for night halts would, also, be appreciated. We have Alan Rogers and Caravan Europe 2006 Guides. We like rural sites preferably with lake/riverside pitches. We may well stay at one site for 2 nights on the way south.

On 5 August we are travelling on to Camping Cavelino near Venice for a 7 night stay.

On 12 August we are travelling on for a 5 night stay near Rome - still debating whether I Pini or Roma Camping Flash.

17 August we are travelling on to near Naples and either (Santa Fortunata, Sorrento or Villaggio Athena, Paestum. Still waiting to hear from them!!) - hoping to visit Naples, Pompei and the Amalfi coast.

22 August we are starting back northwards with as yet unplanned route and stops to arrive at Dunkerque to catch the Norfolk Line Ferry on 29 August at 6.00am

We may well travel north through Italy by a different route to the outward journey, possibly west or east coasts.

All suggestions on routes and night halts grafefully received.

Thanks in anticipation

Tim

 

[Tim2]

Anyone?

I'd be grateful for ANY advice.

As well as routes to Italy, still gratefully received

we'd be grateful for comment on driving/routes once we're in Italy.

We value highly the advice we get on this website as it has proved so reliable in the past. Guidebooks, etc are useful but personal advice by those whoo have "gone before" is invaluable.

Thanks in anticipation

Tim

 

[Tim2]

ANYONE??!!

I'm feeling lonely and ignored. I think this is the of PCMO posts that no one has replied to!!

This is my last try as I'm finalising our route this week.

Thanks in hopeful anticipation.

Best wishes for a super summer to all PCMO posters

Tim

 

[JamesFrance]

Hello Tim,

It's so long since we went that way that I thought someone would have done similar recently and more the route you mention.

We were in a motorhome in October so didn't use sites and went via the motorways of Belgium, Luxemberg, Germany and Austria to avoid tolls. The one big mistake for us was to go through St Moritz and then down the left side of lake Como. The northern part of the lake road is narrow with a rock face on one side and a sheer drop on the other. There was also a stream of logging trucks going the other way and a queue of horn blowing local cars behind us.

We did do the whole of the east coast from Venice down to Brindisi, as we were going on the ferry to Greece. We thought it was uninteresting compared to the west coast which is beautiful in so many places.

Sorry not to be more helpful,

James

 

[BarryB_5039906]

Hi there Tim

Sorry if this is a bit late.......Camping Riva is at the top end of Lake Como I think and you might think of arriving straight fom Chur in Switzerland. HOWEVER, this would mean using the St Moritz route and caravans are not recommended to use this or the Splugen which is closed to caravans. I think you will have to arrive at Como town and travel the length of the lake. This will mean a journey through Switzerland over the Gotthard or the San Bernardino to the east. Both routes will mean entering Switzerland at Basle, but do this from the German autobahn not the French side as the German route is all motorway. Do not forget your vignettes. I have done the San Bernadino and it is a lovely pretty road, not too steep but with long sweeps on the south side. I think it is nearly all dual carriageway and not a full motorway but a quieter route. You have given yourself plenty of time (4 days) and I would choose to stay a couple of days in luxenbourg ( and do fill up the tank here). There are plenty of sites to pick here. We have used a little site near Remich on the Lux / German border for on-route stops it is Camping Port Schwebsingen about 2 miles south of Remich a nice little town on the river. I would then make for Basle or the Black Forest(and have the 2 days here) or possibly Rheinfelden and see the falls. Como then will be a short drive the next day.

Hope this helps. Please ask if you need more help.

Happy travels

BarryB

 

[catherine_5040027]

Hi there Tim

Sorry if this is a bit late.......Camping Riva is at the top end of Lake Como I think and you might think of arriving straight fom Chur in Switzerland. HOWEVER, this would mean using the St Moritz route and caravans are not recommended to use this or the Splugen which is closed to caravans. I think you will have to arrive at Como town and travel the length of the lake. This will mean a journey through Switzerland over the Gotthard or the San Bernardino to the east. Both routes will mean entering Switzerland at Basle, but do this from the German autobahn not the French side as the German route is all motorway. Do not forget your vignettes. I have done the San Bernadino and it is a lovely pretty road, not too steep but with long sweeps on the south side. I think it is nearly all dual carriageway and not a full motorway but a quieter route. You have given yourself plenty of time (4 days) and I would choose to stay a couple of days in luxenbourg ( and do fill up the tank here). There are plenty of sites to pick here. We have used a little site near Remich on the Lux / German border for on-route stops it is Camping Port Schwebsingen about 2 miles south of Remich a nice little town on the river. I would then make for Basle or the Black Forest(and have the 2 days here) or possibly Rheinfelden and see the falls. Como then will be a short drive the next day.

Hope this helps. Please ask if you need more help.

Happy travels

BarryB

Hi Barry

Haven't seen you on the forum for a while.You gave some route advise a while ago to Lake garda.I think we are at camping Fornella

at the same time as you,thought we might search you out as you have been before and this will be our first time.We have asked for one of the superpitches and are there from 14th to 28th August

Catherine

 

[Tim2]

Thanks James and Barry

I REALLY APPRECIATE you taking the time to reply. Not too late at all Barry I've purposely left final route planning to this week to allow for the helpful comments of the "experienced" like yourselves. I'll be printing out your advice to take with us us

I'll probably be printing out the route plan for Cary, my wife to lose us with (LOL - a bit unfair really) at the end of this week.

REALLY EXCITED NOW - only 6 days to go until we leave home and DEFINITELY COUNTING. I'm just a big kid really.

Thanks again to you both and I'm still open to further comments from anyone who knows, especially on the onward journey from Lake Como further south in Italy.

Best wishes for a good summer to all my readers!!

Tim

 

[JamesFrance]

Thanks James and Barry

I REALLY APPRECIATE you taking the time to reply. Not too late at all Barry I've purposely left final route planning to this week to allow for the helpful comments of the "experienced" like yourselves. I'll be printing out your advice to take with us us

I'll probably be printing out the route plan for Cary, my wife to lose us with (LOL - a bit unfair really) at the end of this week.

REALLY EXCITED NOW - only 6 days to go until we leave home and DEFINITELY COUNTING. I'm just a big kid really.

Thanks again to you both and I'm still open to further comments from anyone who knows, especially on the onward journey from Lake Como further south in Italy.

Best wishes for a good summer to all my readers!!

Tim

Tim, to avoid any confusion, when I said the left side of Como I should have said the West side.

The Splugen pass mentioned by Barry ruined the braking on the Hymermobil I had back in 1986. I had to stop with the brake fluid evaporated from the heat. My fault for going over 20 mph.

I can still remember staying at Bellagio on the eastern side of lake Como 54 years ago with my parents and how beautiful it is.

In 1970 my wife and I with 2 small boys sailed from Malta to England. The best part of that was along the western side of Italy, where we visited the Islands of Ischia, Giglio, Ventotene, Capri, Ponza and Elba, as well as places on the mainland.

Have a really great holiday,

James

 

[BarryB_5039906]

Hi Barry

Haven't seen you on the forum for a while.You gave some route advise a while ago to Lake garda.I think we are at camping Fornella

at the same time as you,thought we might search you out as you have been before and this will be our first time.We have asked for one of the superpitches and are there from 14th to 28th August

Catherine

Hello Catherine

We are at Fornella from 19th to 27th August.........be happy to see you and have chat.......

Happy hols. to all......and I too cannot wait to be off.....

BarryB