Driving holiday in W.Europe - tips or guides

[bras0782]

The wife and I are planning a trip to either the lake of north Italy or the Cote d'Azur (French Riviera) in a couple of weeks time. We'll be driving there in the Zed.

Can anyone recommend a book or guide for driving around those areas - tips for great routes, etc.? Any good websites or general tips?

We've never driven outside of England before so any tips will be helpful.

Thanks

 

[Road Trip]

Have a look at this

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=403828&st=0

and this

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=500142

and this

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=299355&st=0&#entry5752688

Hope this helps - Dave

 

[bras0782]

Great write-ups - you certainly like your road trips. Mine is a last minute job - plan to leave in just over a weeks time

A few questions for all:

• 
  1. How do I change my headlights? Do I need something like this?
  
  2. Where can I get a spare light bulb kit? Halfords don't have one for the Zed on their site.
  
  3. Can someone recommend a good road map of (western) Europe, and maybe even a driver's guide if worth getting. I'm planning to drive through France, Switzerland and Italy.
  
  4. Ferry vs. Eurotunnel - pros and cons?

Thanks

 

[GAZA62]

Great write-ups - you certainly like your road trips. Mine is a last minute job - plan to leave in just over a weeks time

A few questions for all:

• 
  1. How do I change my headlights? Do I need something like this?
  
  2. Where can I get a spare light bulb kit? Halfords don't have one for the Zed on their site.
  
  3. Can someone recommend a good road map of (western) Europe, and maybe even a driver's guide if worth getting. I'm planning to drive through France, Switzerland and Italy.
  
  4. Ferry vs. Eurotunnel - pros and cons?
  
  
  
  Thanks

• 
  
  Re your lights no you do not need those awful stick on things look in your manual you can change the lights for euro driving.
  
  Re the bulb kit have you tried the stealers got my bulbs from a friend that works there.
  
  Re the Tunnel or Ferry i have been using the Tunnel for years will not chance my car on a ferry its like a car park plus the tunnel is so easy just drive on and drive off and when you arrive in France you are already in land and clear of Calais plus its only 45 mins from me

 

[Adam D]

Eurotunnel if you dont want your car dented, much easier too and can get some good deals if you book for a quiet time.

 

[bras0782]

Eurotunnel will cost me around £220 for a return, where as the ferry is under £100

Looks like it will be the ferry.

 

[bras0782]

Re your lights no you do not need those awful stick on things look in your manual you can change the lights for euro driving.

How?? Can't find anything in the manual beside how to replace the bulbs and set the auto-headlamps. :?

 

[Road Trip]

I usually book my chunnel well in advance. My trip next month is £140.

The AA road atlas range are very good, or you can get regional maps from places like Waterstones.

I have some Touring Club Italiano regional maps which are very good (again bought from Waterstones)

Sat-nav helps, but I use both.

 

[GAZA62]

Re your lights no you do not need those awful stick on things look in your manual you can change the lights for euro driving.

How?? Can't find anything in the manual beside how to replace the bulbs and set the auto-headlamps. :?

Page 86

 

[Adam D]

Eurotunnel will cost me around £220 for a return, where as the ferry is under £100

Looks like it will be the ferry.

I think the trick is not to buy a return and to get the return leg from the french side on the way back... all you need is the internet and a credit car (unless you can speak french!).

It cost me ~ 50 quid outgoing and similar on the way back iirc. We were travelling off peak though.

 

[bras0782]

Re your lights no you do not need those awful stick on things look in your manual you can change the lights for euro driving.

How?? Can't find anything in the manual beside how to replace the bulbs and set the auto-headlamps. :?

Page 86

Found it! I was looking at a PDF copy I'd downloaded on my computer - it doesn't have any reference to this at all. I think it's a U.S. manual as it refers to Califronian rules (pg 87) amongst others.

Checked my manual and it's there. Thanks a lot for the info.

 

[Medium Dave]

Just got back from France/Italy. I aksed an Italian for any driving tips for Italy. Her answer was just to remember that road signs in Italy are for decoration only!

 

[Z4kma]

Driving tips ... in France if you use the toll roads don't constantly exceed the limit between the toll booths ... they check your average speed when you pay for the ticket (and will get the Police if you have exceeded the limit!).

In Switzerland the roads are brilliant ... but you need a 'pass' if you want to drive on their motorways. This costs about £20 (for a year, no shorter periods seem available) and can be bought at service stations. We got one at the nearest pertrol station after crossing the border.

In Italy most drivers seem to be overly agressive pr@ts, only happy if they are 6 inches from your boot no matter what speed you are doing, and then they decide to overtake on the blind bend ahead ... or was that just because I was in my Zed? The Italian road conditions are also pretty crap (or was that just compared to Switzerland?).

We have just come back from a holiday in St Moritz. We went thru the Tunnel then drove to Lausanne on Lake Geneva for a stopover. Drove the next day thru Switzerland on the A19 (I think) thru Brig and Andermat, over the Furkapass to St Moritz. Top down all the way!

Drove to Lake Como in Italy one day, but felt it wasn't worth it! Not very relaxing driving in Italy ... headed for the Stelvio Pass one day and it was closed!

We used the Swiss motorways on the way back and stopped over in Luxembourg before heading back to Calais.

I'll post some photos soon ... when I've got rid of some of the 500+ that I took!

Have fun

Kevin

 

[bras0782]

Thanks Z4kma, some very helpful tips there

Here's my itinerary (each line represent a day):

HOME -> Calais -> Strasbourg (overnight stop)
Strasbourg -> (via Switzerland) -> Lake Como (stay for 2 or 3 nights)
Lake Como -> Milan (maybe) -> Annecy (via Chamonix and the Mt Blanc tunnel)
Annecy -> Reims (overnight stop)
Reims -> Calais -> HOME

None of the above destinations are set in stone - let me know if you have any recommendations.

I leave in under a week and have only booked the ferry so far. Will look to book some place around Lake Como (any recommendations), but will just turn up to the other destinations and find an Ibis or similar. Did you do a similar thing or did you book all stops in advances? I feel the latter will restrict me to the plan.

Thanks for the tips