1200 mile journey, help me to plan please.

[DelGirl]

I am driving from the south coast to Italy in late August. My destination is close to Rome.

I have never driven so far before and need to plan stop overs. I know from Calais it is about 16 hours, checked route on Via Michelin. So, am thinking of driving about 5 hours per day. It is just me and 5 year old dd. Has anyone ever done a journey like this and have any tips.

Should I aim to do most at the beginning of the day or break it up into 3 parts perhaps and do some driving early in the evening when dd may sleep and it will be cooler?

Very loose planning stops are Metz in France and maybe Lucerne in Switzerland. Does anyone know of any hotels we could stay. Was thinking of the Premiere Classe in Metz as really just a stopover but Lucerne seems a bit more expensive. Was thinking maybe of pushing a bit more to get into the Italy instead and stop near Milan.

They don't have to be amazing stop overs, I don't plan on doin g a whole lot other than sleeping but if it was picturesque it would be nice or something to amuse dd for a couple of hours.

So, any thoughts out there?? Thank you very much.

Do you absolutely have to drive? Unless you have a car with the wheel on the left, you'll find it super confusing for the first couple of hours. Luzern is very expensive, we live about 30 km away. I would try to carry on until you reach Italy. I would definitely avoid the Gotthard tunnel and try the pass, the snow should have melted by then. If it were me doing the driving, I would try to get it all over and done with in one go. Stop for lunch then press on. The weather should be fine then so you can spend an afternoon at a beach/lido/badi/pool. Good luck.

Please do take a break every 2 hours - even if you have spent 2 hours stuck in traffic. Your brain needs it and the danger is that without it you either get drowsy or white line fever. Also this will help your dd to enjoy the journey.

Try this link for hotels www.logishotels.com we have used these in France when looking for a pleasant family hotel with a good meal.

To plan your route it might be worth splashing out on some route planner software. We use this to get some real detail on where we will be and when. This helps to plan the stops.

If you use sat nav then you can reset the direction at every stop - useful if you are the only driver. Also great for the inevitable questions about 'how long 'til we get there?'. The precise response seems to satisfy!

I found I quickly got used to driving on the other side of the road. I found it best to be in a car with which I am familiar.

Enjoy the journey - it can be a great adventure for you and your dd.

We're doing something similar in terms of distance and direction but will stretch out the stopovers. Our plan:

Brussels - Bavaria
Bavaria - Verona
Verona - Tuscan Coast

on way back - Lake Como
Como- Brienz (Switz)
Brienz - Brussels

We might do one more stop in France - Colmar/Strasbourg, or just go for it - haven't decided yet.

Do you have a portable DVD player? If not, buy, borrow or steal one! You will also need to by a Vignette to use the Swiss motorways - 40 euros. I think you can order one in advance, or buy them from a service station near the border.....This is one of my next jobs to investigate.

I always work on the 5 hours a day max, try to leave early and get it over with. You never know if you will end up stuck in traffic. Then when you arrive at each destination, you can chill, eat, go for walk /swim etc.

Kreecher - Yes I have to take the car as we're moving to Italy . I would prefer a left hand drive but won't be getting one for the time being and everyone I've spoken to said they don't find it hard being on the wrong side. I'm not so sure but I don't have much choice anyway.

Suzie - I absolutely will be, was planning on a toilet and coffee stop every hour or so to break it up. I have a satnav so may try that though I have ended up on some dodgy roads in Italy before when it takes me the most direct route lol, as Sputnik can vouch for . Not my finest moment lol

Portofino, thats a good reason for doing a 5 hour stretch actually then really chill in the evening. See, it should be common sense but it is hard when you have so much to think about.

We have a portable dvd player thankfully.

Is the swiss vignette cheaper online?

My one hassle will be tolls but it's minor really. I will be on the wrong side. I did think of handing dd the cash and getting her to chuck it in but somehow I think that it may go wrong

I am assuming I should book any hotels in advance and not just turn up? Was thinking I could end up driving for longer and getting further but 5 hours does seem plenty to me.

bump

I would book in advance if I was in your situation with DD in the car. It is no fun to get caught out and have to sleep in the car (we have been there).

Logis are nice if you want something a bit different from the chains but they do normally expect you to eat there as many are more restaurant with rooms than rooms with restaurant (IYSWIM).

I think you are right about 5 hours max as sole driver. Our experience is to try to drive when others arent eg start early as Portofino advises but then take a break during rush hour. Then back on the road but take an early lunch. Our experience in France was not to get in the way when French are going home for lunch. Get back on the road when everyone else is tucking into their Salade Nicoise. I agree with Portofino, plan to stop early, that way you will have 'come down' from the drive and will be able to get rested before the next day.

Congrats on moving abroad - we did 5 years elsewhere. It was a marvellous experience.

Using Google Maps or ViaMichelin allows you to see hotels along your route. I always like Novotels in France and there are some in Italy but mostly near Airports. We're being a bit leisurely this year so I'm avoiding the motorway hotels. I too ALWAYS book in advance. Hotels on the major routes south get booked up!

5 hours doesn't sound long, but if you stop for a break every couple of hours, or hit a traffic jam, 5 hours "driving" time can turn into 7 or 8 "real time"....

Thanks very much, all the advice is greatly appreciated. I think I will just start early and go as far as I possibly can and not actually set any restrictions on myself other than how I am feeling and how dd is iykwim. Much better to have a leisurely evening.

I think the excitement of reaching our new home and 'life' should keep me going.

Right, just need to work out my stops now.

Thanks again

Very exciting! Have a good trip. We once drove from Scotland to Rome in one go - pre DC though!!!

Vignettes cost 40 francs. I don't think you can buy them online, you can buy them at the borders though or in petrol stations either side. Do get one, I belive it is a 250 chf fine for not displaying one.

Thanks alot for all the info.

It has taken me hours but I think I have my route plan.

What do you think to this.

I will have been driving quite alot the previous week. I have a wedding to go to on the Saturday.

Sunday I will drive 3 hours to my mums.

Monday it is about 1.5 hours to Dover - Calais. Then I plan to drive about 2.5 hours to (near) Reims.

Tuesday drive 4.5 hours to Baldersheim near French/Swiss border.

Wednesday Drive 5.5 hours to Castel di Sotto which is between Parma & Modena Italy.

Then I will have about a 4 hour drive to 'home'

All the hotels I have chosen have a pool and are child friendly as I think dd may get cabin fever so at least she can have a splash about weather permitting and I can chill with a glass.

If anyone is interested or has any bad reviews of the following hotels, let me know as I haven't booked them yet.

1st - Hotel Au Tambour - Reims
2nd - Hotel Au Cheval Blanc - Baldersheim
3rd - Castelnovo Di Sotto

Sorry for the long post but any input is great.

I'd like to warn you about Reims - we did a stopover there in April and it was utter chaos from the motorway and throughout the centre as seemingly the whole of the town centre is being dug up to lay tram tracks. Not sure how far along the work will be now but it looked like there was several years worth of work left! The hold ups were on all the motorways heading into Reims as well.

Might be worth looking at stopping off somewhere else close by?

Thats useful to know, thank you. I've done a quick search but can't find anything apart from something from on TripAdvisor for earlier this year. hmm, will give it some more thought. I could end up diverting and ending up in other traffic though.

Hi, we've just driven back to the South of France from Bavaria via Switzerland and my top tip would be to allow a lot more time for transiting Switzerland than you think is necessary. There were loads of roadworks and we found Swiss drivers to be pretty awful (sorry to any Swiss in here, if it's any consolation the drivers around here are significantly worse )

Another top tip for Switzerland - motorway signs are green instead of blue We got totally lost coming over the border from Austria

You can pay for the Swiss vignette in Euros at the border crossing, it's €30.

And FWIW I drove a RH drive car over here for years when I first moved and if you are a halfway confident driver (which it sounds like you are) then it's no big deal. Major drawbacks are visibility while overtaking and motorway toll booths. For the latter just hop out, they're used to it!

I have often done the trip and I have found that from Reims head down towards Chamonix and the Mont Blanc Tunnel. I never take the French Autoroutes as they cost and the Route Nationals are almost as good and you can stop where you want, which is vital when travelling with children. You then have the option of going down the main Autostrada to Milan and on towards Rome or you can go out to Turin then take the coast road down to Rome. Slower but much more fun.

Sorry I can't tell you about hotels as I sleep in the car or in friends houses.

I really envy you and hope you have a great journey.

We have stayed here in Metz twice.

Cecil Hotel

It's fine and has secure parking which can be booked.

When we drove to Switzerland we broke the journey in Reims, we ended up staying in the Holiday Inn in the centre - as we couldn't get the automatic checkout thing to work in the cheap dive I had booked us into!

Thank you so much for your advice, it's very useful info. Well it seems driving a RHD shouldn't be a problem as no-one has said it's hard.

Fenouille, I think the Swiss part of the trip is 4.5 hours so that hopefully allows for any delays (luckily) Even if I cross the Swiss/Italian border late, I don't think it will bother me much as I will be on the home straight.

Jodevises - thanks, I have looked at diverting through the Montblanc. A friend suggested it too but it adds about 3/4 hours on which is essentially another night in a hotel so I don't save but thanks anyway. I am hoping the autostrada's will be much like they are in Italy and have plenty of stops along the way?

CHeese - I did look at staying in Metz but decided to go a little further or shorter, can't remember lol.

Actually looked again and it's the longest journey but I do plan to leave between 6/7am. definitely 8 at the latest so I can get a good start before lunch time. Getting excited, just want it to hurry up

well it has taken me bloomin hours of backbreaking searching but I have finally booked everything. I've spent sooooooo many hours thinking and dreaming about about it, I (and probably everyone who knows me) is tired of thinking about it. Now it's booked, I can move on (hopefully)

So, I decided to avoid Switzerland all together and go from Le Havre (less UK travel time)

Stopping at Appoigny in France, Chatillon in Italy, then Calenzano also in Italy, then 'home'

Doing 8:30 - 12:45 ferry then 3.5 hours drive
5 hour drive the next day
4 hours the next day then 2.5 onm the finaly day, I think

Anyway, nobody could be the slightest bit interested but just incase they are, I posted