Hi Alistair
I was flattered to note that you had "taken onboard" 3 of my recommendations for your visit to Italy.
Certainly when we stayed at Camping Chenefleur in 2006, when we broke down nearby travelling north, and in 2007 when travelling south, we only phoned ahead just before we arrived. There was a choice of excellent pitches on both occasions. Fred the Dutch owner is a lovely man and he EXTREMELY helpful when we broke down, twice, in the area in 2006. He will probably remember us - Tim and Cary Irwin with the twin-axle caravan who arrived with the caravan towed behind the breakdown truck twice!!! - feel free to mention our names.
Camping Acasias will be closed for the winter (open April to October according to CC's "Caravan Europe") but, again, when we stayed there whilst travelling south in 2006, we just phoned ahead on our day of arrival. There was loads of space. The wardens at that time, although very helpful, only spoke French!!
As I probably said in your previous thread we rarely book, apart from phoning on our day of arrival, although, as teachers, we only travel in late July/August. We have rarely not found a pitch in France, Belgium, Italy or Germany. In addition we have often overnighted at autoroute aires in France.
We stayed at Camping La Riva for 2+ weeks in 2006 - we did book that as it was our first visit to Italy.
I would recommend the route I suggested previously of the free autoroutes through France, Belgium, Luxembourg and France and then the N66 from near Nancy followed by Switzerland's autoroutes and then through the St Gotthard Tunnel. We went over the St Gotthard Pass the first time as the traffic queues for the Tunnel were very long. The pass was a very towable road with a good carraigeway. It was gentle hairpins up and down with a flat "plateau" section in between. The autoroute from the St Gotthard tunnel/pass brings one very close to Como, at the southern end of Lake Como. It is autoroute all the way, apart from the N66 "leg" and the dual-carraigeway along Lake Como. One does have to buy autoroute vignettes for car AND caravan to use the Swiss autoroutes but that does include using the St Gotthard Tunnel. I don't know if you are aware that the St Gotthard at 13 miles long is the longest road tunnel in Europe!!
From Como there is an excellent dual carraigeway along the EASTERN shore of the Lake nearly all the way to Camping La Riva. I would strongly recommend against using the road on the minor road along the western shore. Although it appears to be a shorter route to Camping La Riva, which is on the North Western shore of Lake Como, this road is VERY narrow through some of the village and not really suitable for towing.
Another warning against La Riva is to beware of the squally storms that the site can suffer from. In 2006 we were in the middle of taking down our awning because of an expected storm when the storm arrived "early" and blew our awning onto the caravan roof. Don't let that put you off, however, as we had a super time there.
Sorry if I've repeated any of what I said in your previous thread. I imagine you have looked at my reviews of the 3 above sites on ukcampsite.co.uk.
I'll be happy to answer any specific questions if you post again. We loved Italy and I'm sure you'll have a super time.
Best wishes.
Tim