MONT BLANC TUNNEL

[DEEANDEM]

Help wanted any information on tolls to use the MONT BLANC TUNNEL

IS it best to pay in advance pay a single trip or pay a return trip

My motorhome is a hymer B 654 M-G-W 3900 Kg

[michele]

Not sure about the return fare as we only used a single .

Thought it very exspensive.

Having said that I suppose it was for them to build it ?

[Don Madge]

DEEANDEM - 2007-01-07 2:36 PM

 

Help wanted any information on tolls to use the MONT BLANC TUNNEL

IS it best to pay in advance pay a single trip or pay a return trip

My motorhome is a hymer B 654 M-G-W 3900 Kg

 

Full details of the Mont Blanc tunnel tolls are here http://www.tunnelmb.net/v3.0/gb/tarifgb.asp It's about the most expensive way of transiting the alps, do you have a reason for using that route.

 

Regards

 

Don

[peejay]

As for most things, a return trip works out cheaper as long as you're using the return portion! Not sure if you can pay in advance though....

 

 

http://www.atmb.net/atmb_tunnel.php?id_rubrique=178&lang=en

 

pete

[michele]

Don,

 

Can't remember but roughly E40. Thought that was quite exspensive.

For got to mention that sorry . Think your link will be better.

[DEEANDEM]

Thanks Don A verry helpful web page

[DEEANDEM]

Hi Don

The reason for using this route is that i am, going to Italy for a holiday early April. The C/van club gave me this route. If you or any other motorhome people know of a better route i will be glad to hear from you.

 

[DEEANDEM]

Hi Michele

Thanks for your reply i tried Dons web page and found it very helpful

[Don Madge]

DEEANDEM - 2007-01-08 12:56 PM

 

Hi Don

The reason for using this route is that i am, going to Italy for a holiday early April. The C/van club gave me this route. If you or any other motorhome people know of a better route i will be glad to hear from you.

 

What part of Italy do intend to visit (?)

 

don

[net-traveller]

for route planning try some of these -

 

http://www.uk.map24.com/

 

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/viamichelin/gbr/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm

 

http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp

 

;-)

[DEEANDEM]

Hi Don I plan on visiting Florence & Lucca. Any info on camp sites in that area would be a great help i am going early April not many sites seam to be open so early in the year. Any help that will be great

[Don Madge]

DEEANDEM - 2007-01-08 2:24 PM

 

Hi Don I plan on visiting Florence & Lucca. Any info on camp sites in that area would be a great help i am going early April not many sites seam to be open so early in the year. Any help that will be great

 

We have been to Florence a couple of times, our preferred route out is CALAIS, LUXEMBURG, STRASBOURG, BASLE, ST. GOTHARD TUNNEL, LAKE COMO, MILAN, BOLOGNE, & FLORENCE. The road from Bologna to Florence is very scenic.

 

Travelling through Switzerland requires a vignette.

Vehicles up to 3.5 tons must buy a Vignette costing 40 Swiss Francs and valid for a year (caravanners/trailers have to buy two!).

 

Payment is easy (Euros, Sterling, Credit Cards or Swiss currency accepted. Exchange rate about 2.3 Swiss Francs to the Pound).

 

If your motorhome is above the 3500kg weight limit you will need a special permit for one day (3.25 SF), 10 days (32.50), a month (58.50) or a year (650.00).

 

If you pay for the vignette with Euros or Sterling you will get Swiss Francs in change.

 

Excellent value, as the motorways include the 10-mile St Gottard Tunnel through the Alps into Italy!

 

The Italian Autostrade (Motorways) are not as expensive as their French counterparts and are the easiest way of getting about the country unless you are doing local area touring.

 

We have not visited Lucca but while you're in the area Pisa is well worth a visit.

 

PISA

There is an excellent free parking area for campers in Pisa within a ten

minute walk of the Leaning Tower.

Own toilet facilities are required but water and tank emptying points are

available. It is a large level tarmac area behind the Tamoil filling

station/Tourist coach park.

 

We stayed for two nights with about nine other campers and it was very quiet

There is another camper parking area close to the city wall but it's very

scruffy and gets crowded.

 

Directions.

 

North of Pisa on Via Aurelia SS 1 at KM 336 traffic lights turn left if

coming from the north and turn right if coming from the south. After exiting

underpass at traffic lights turn left into Via Pietrasantina. Enter

underpass and site is on the right behind Tamoil filling station about 200

metres after exiting underpass. Entrance to site is immediately before the

filling station.

 

 

FLORENCE

Camping Michelangelo http://tinyurl.com/yjvdrp is situated in an olive grove overlooking the old city of Florence. There are fine views of the city from the site. There is a bus stop outside the site or one can walk to the city in about twenty minutes. It has two shortcomings the price 30 Euro per night and 3 amp electricity.

 

We stayed three nights but most people only stayed two. The site is excellent for short stays and the facilities are very good and well maintained. The site does have problems when it's wet. The lower pitches tend to get waterlogged after heavy rain.

 

The site gets very crowded. If you have anything over seven metres arrive on site before midday. The reception staff are very helpful with maps and directions etc.

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Leave Autostrada A1 at Florence Certosa. Follow the Florence signs for about 3 miles then follow Piazzale Michelangelo (Yellow sign) signs. This is a very large viewing area overlooking the city. The site is on the left 200 metres past the viewing point. If approaching from any other direction just follow the signs for Piazzle Michelangelo which is well signed from the city centre.

 

Somebody has already posted some route planning sites so this will get you started.

 

Safe travelling

 

Don

 

[michele]

Don,

 

That's a wonderful bit of informative info there . For any one wishing to go me included you only read that to make you want to go..

 

Well done have you ever thought of setting up a googley earth for M/H run by you ........you seem to have been on loads of travels & are always a mindful of info & help to people ... well done you.

 

Take Care (lol)

[DEEANDEM]

Hi Don

Thanks for all your help i will look at your recomended rout on the map

I am also looking at camping II Poggetto in Florence If any body has tried this site please tell me what you think of it

[Mel E]

If you're going all that way, you MUST visit Sienna. For our money, it's a much more beautiful city than Florence/Firenze.

[DEEANDEM]

Hi Mel

Siena is not so far away from Florence so i may take a look there

Dons route looks good so i may try that way. Any advice for that route will be good.And any advice on camp sites on route. I will be going late March so i think only a limited number of sites will be open.

[Tony Jones]

We visited Florence & Venice in 2003, and the site we used for Florence was Camping Village Il Poggetto. It's a wonderful site with its OWN vineyard & restaurant (which locals come into use!). The restaurant looks out over the valley, typically Tuscan scene. We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary there.

 

The bus (air-conditioned) stops outside to go into Florence.

 

Don't know how seasonal the site is, but I'd guess it's big enough to justify opening all year.

 

Give the place our love, and enjoy yourselves!

 

Tony & Liz

[Don Madge]

DEEANDEM - 2007-01-09 1:29 PM

 

Hi Don

Thanks for all your help i will look at your recomended rout on the map

I am also looking at camping II Poggetto in Florence If any body has tried this site please tell me what you think of it

 

See http://www.campingtoscana.it/online/ita/poggetto/default.asp I don't think they open until the end of March.

 

Don

[Administrator]

If visiting Firenze, I highly recommend a visit to the Uffizi Gallery - if you buy/reserve your tickets beforehand, you'll avoid the long queues (which can stretch twice around the street outside in the middle of summer!).

 

You can get your tickets here , but you could try shopping around a bit first.

 

If you go during the warmer weather, Firenze has a superb leather market where you can pick up any style of leather jacket for a fraction of the normal cost (they don't generally see many customers once the weather tops 25 degrees and they're grateful for the sale!), and they'll usually tailor it to fit. They're superb quality, too.

 

Siena is also fantastic, and less tourist-y than Firenze. If you get a chance, try and catch a trial for the 'Palio' horse race - they pour sand all around the central plaza to create a racetrack, and a horse and rider from each of the 17 contrade (districts) battle it out to be the first to cross the line (even a riderless horse can win the event!) - tremendous stuff.

 

If you're feeling particularly spry, you can try climbing the tower in Siena's central plaza - it's a very long way up and gets choked with overweight American tourists later in the day, so best try it as early as possible! The views from the top are well worth it though.

[Homenaway]

We haven't visited Florence but went to Siena in 2005. worth visiting but get there early in the day. Also the motorhome parking area near the station was very dirty and scruffy and a fair slog of a walk to the centre

 

We visited Lucca (not in the MH) a few years ago. It was a delightful smaller old town with walls all round and many interesting buildings. We found it a more initimate place to visit still with plenty of history

 

enjoy your trip

Steve

[Brian Kirby]

We went to Italy spring 2006.  I'd suggest you get the Caravan Club Caravan Europe 2 for sites.  The entries are written by caravanners who, while not motorhomers, do give a "warts and all" account of the sites.

For Florence we stayed at Villa Camerata.  This is in the grounds of a youth hostel and is about 25Euro/night.  The facilities are very basic, but clean.  Bus to/from centre stops outside.  Tickets from reception.  Probably not best of available sites.  I agree about Uffizi, we never got in, nor to the Bargello to see the Michalangelo sleepers, because of the queues, and that was May!  However, there is so much else to see even missing the two major galleries wasn't too much of a fag.  Florence, however, is expensive.  Sites, meals and food.

For Siena we stayed at Camping Colle Verde.  Access is steep and the site a bit difficult to find.  Facilities a bit tired and not too well maintained.  No nearby shops, so best arrive stocked.  However, you can walk into Siena, although it is a down and then up hill walk.  Takes about 20 mins, but you get to see more of backstreet Siena!  Worth a visit, everyone goes to the Campo, so it gets very crowded.  However, I was less enchanted than on our previous, second, visit.  I thought it had gone off a bit and had lost some of its charm.  Nevertheless it is an absolute "must".

For Pisa we stayed at Camping Torre Pendente.  Largish site with good facilities.  Cathedral/tower 15 mins level walk.  Good supermarket at about half way.  However, beyond the tower and the cathedral, which are magnificent, is the rest of Pisa which is well worth a day's wander.  Walking up the stabilised tower is now exhorbitant in price, but if you've never done it, go.  It is an amazing, and ultimately memorable, experience just going up and down again.  Oh, and the view from the top isn't bad either!

If you want to try out Venice, hunt out Camping Serenissima at Oriago, between Venice (Mestre) and Padua.  Excellent Panorama hyper at Marghera: no real shops near Serenissima, so best to arrive stocked.  Bus from outside site across causeway to Venice (Piazzale Roma) and back.  Runs to time except peak hours due to traffic.  However, be prepared for crowds, even off the beaten track.  Padua is nice too, so two birds with one site.

However, you'd need to check 2007 opening times for all the above before relying on them.  Do allow for the "Italian" factor - the buses may run on time, but not all the sites open when they say!