We are off to Italy with our 5 in September. Driving to Dusseldorf and putting the car on the overnight train to Livorno in Tuscany. Spending 10 days at two agroturismos around Siena and Florence before heading back home via Calais.
So I’m after your thoughts on which route to go back. We leave Florence area on Monday morning and have to be in Calais on Saturday to catch train home. Initially my thoughts were to go via Swiss Alps, and read a lot about the different passes. However Switzerland seems pricey - needing a vignette, expensive petrol and accommodation, so my preferred option is now to go via Route De Grandes Alps:
Monday Florence - Asti
Tuesday Asti - Bourg Saint Maurice (via Route de Grandes Alps - through Val dL’sere)
Wednesday stay put for day
Thursday Bourg Saint Maurice - Chamonix area
Friday Chamonix - Champagne area
Saturday Champagne - home via Calais.
Has anyone done this route, or part of it? does it sound like a good option?
Any recommendations for an overnight stay between Geneva and Calais to break up the journey?
Particularly excited about the train from Dusseldorf to Ital on the way out. If anyone is interested details here:
We’ve traveled down through France and Italy to Greece every year for about the last 5 or 6 years. Always try and find new places to stop overnight but one place we’re returning to this year is the B&B Hotel at Reims, it’s near to a railway station (but no noise) and on a tram route to get from the Hotel into Reims, somewhere we’d like to go visit.
The Hotel is new and of great quality for an overnighter, as well as being conveniently placed about 2.5hrs away from Coquelles for the Chunnel.
We’ve also traveled on the Autoslaap when it ran from D’en Bosch to Livorno, but this was on a motorbike and for the loading procedure I had to ride, crouched over the tank to avoid hitting my head, along one of the undulating narrow car wheel tracks on the lower of two levels, with the upper level less than a foot above the bike screen. Absolutely horrible experience, and it looked a whole lot easier for the car drivers!
We booked a 2 person private cabin which was comfortable and very convenient, and had the last sitting on the meal at 8pm as those with children had booked the 7pm sitting… recommended. Final point, take enough cash to pay for any wine you chose as they don’t take cards.
I’m deciding to take the motorail from Dusseldorff to Livorno then along the south coast. I am thninkign of taking the Route Napolean from Grasse to Dinge then back to Avingon. Will I see enough of the route Napolean or should I drive right to Grenoble? Plus Should I go in September or late August?