armstrongpiper Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Planning trip to Northern Italy, to include route through Austria and return France. Have ambition to use Grossglockner mountain road. On return to France, to avoid Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels, a possibe alternative is the Mont Cenis Pass. So, question is, what are peoples' experiences of using these roads? I would be grateful for any advice. Thanks, Neil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 armstrongpiper - 2012-02-20 9:57 AM Planning trip to Northern Italy, to include route through Austria and return France. Have ambition to use Grossglockner mountain road. On return to France, to avoid Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels, a possibe alternative is the Mont Cenis Pass. So, question is, what are peoples' experiences of using these roads? I would be grateful for any advice. Thanks, Neil B Grossglockner is no problem, even for a large motorhome (I've done it both in a van conversion and a large coachbuilt). It is a long climb and fall, but the road is generally very well engineered, particularly on the Northern side, and the views are spectacular. As long as you can find somewhere to park, the side trip near the top up to the Franz-Josefs-Höhe for the view of the glacier is worth it (from memory, parking was mainly multi-storey when we visited). I did, however, manage to melt the auto-sleeper fitted wheel trims on my Trident descending the Southern side, the brakes got so hot! (so use the gears to slow as much as possible). We've found the campsite at Heiligenblut, at the Southern foot, good for a stopover on both occasions we've been there, but from reports I've seen recently it would appear it might be a bit busier than it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 armstrongpiper - 2012-02-20 9:57 AM Planning trip to Northern Italy, to include route through Austria and return France. Have ambition to use Grossglockner mountain road. On return to France, to avoid Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels, a possibe alternative is the Mont Cenis Pass. So, question is, what are peoples' experiences of using these roads? I would be grateful for any advice. Thanks, Neil B Grossglocker agree with above post. Mont Cenis is very easy good wide road not even much in the way of hairpins or big drops. At the top of Mont Cenis it is worth a stay for a couple of nights, plenty of room to park, couple of shops, cafes and toilets, lot of nice walks up to the forts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I've been over Mont Cenis pass with 15 metre lorry no problems, but not in winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwyn Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Mont Cenis is lovely and would agree there's places to stop at the top. Not done Grossglockner as we thought it was ridiculously expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armstrongpiper Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Many thanks for replies. Col de Mont Cenis it is then. Grossglockner too if the weather is OK - just have to do it once in a life, like many other personal ambitions - did Aiguille du Midi last year, and it was absolutely beathtaking in scenery and, er, breathing the thinner air. Neil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 armstrongpiper - 2012-02-22 11:21 AM Many thanks for replies. Col de Mont Cenis it is then. Grossglockner too if the weather is OK - just have to do it once in a life, like many other personal ambitions - did Aiguille du Midi last year, and it was absolutely beathtaking in scenery and, er, breathing the thinner air. Neil B Drove your van over the Midi, I am impressed. You do not say what time of the year you are going but if after the start of June you really should do the Col L'Iseran after Mont Cenis, 2nd highest in europe. If you do not want to stay at Mont Cenis nice ACSI site at Lanslevillard called Camping Val Cenis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armstrongpiper Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Had to go up the Midi without the 'van, as they refused to take it on the cable-car. Going to Austria and Italy in June. Thanks for the tip of the ACSI site is Lanslevillard. Neil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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