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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10359
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| Italy and Lake Garda next year |
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I have been reading through some of the posts on here about taking the tintent down to Lake Garda, so I guess my ask here is for more info.
Some of the sites close to the lake menotioned in other posts look like quite small pitches, and with an 8Mtr T/A I dont fancy trying to squeeze it onto an 80mtr sq pitch (been there, done that in france - me no likey  ) - would like at least 150Mtr sq
Possibly looking at the run from Calais going right across Switzerland, and maybe stopping for a few days somewhere by Lake Lucerne - anybody done that?
Also - how practicle is it to get to Venice from Lake Garda - doesnt look to far. Been to Venice before and would like to go back - easiest on the train I guess, no point in trying to drive.
Any advice/tips always appreciated
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
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 15th Aug 2018 9:41 am |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8243
 
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What you need to be aware of with Switzerland is they don’t particularly like caravans, some of their A roads with tunnels probably only 4 Meters high by 4 meters wide are equal to our B roads, some roads do not allow caravans, some of their “caravan sites are in front gardens and only take 4/5 caravans, the price of food particularly meat is scandalous (we went veggie for 10 days), you have to “tax” your car and caravan for a year just to pass through, this can be done at the border and is a sticker you put in the window, very heavy fine and /or confiscation if you don’t.
Apart from that it is a fabulous place, we stayed on a large site set in parkland on the edge of Lake Geneva at Lausanne, can’t recommend it enough. We travelled down through Germany.
We have been to lake Garda many times but not with the ‘van. It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 15th Aug 2018 12:12 pm |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10359
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Hmm - didnt know that tax bit, so might be easier to stay on the French side of the border and then across into Italy - a shame as a stopover for 2 or 3 days by Lucerne looked like a decent thing to do.
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 15th Aug 2018 12:47 pm |
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flydive
Member Since: 21 Aug 2007
Location: Lugano
Posts: 1535
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M3DPO wrote:you have to “tax” your car and caravan for a year just to pass through, this can be done at the border and is a sticker you put in the window, very heavy fine and /or confiscation if you don’t.
It's a CHF 40.00 sticker per vehicle( car + Caravan) to use the highway (not tax for the normal road) and as said is valid for one year.
Fine if caught on the highway without is CHF 200.00 per vehicle missing it. No confiscation, unless you do not have the money to pay the fine(they accept credit cards) and only till you pay.
You will find that the French and Italian highway will work out way more expensive than that, twice as much just for the trip from the Italian border to Venice(one way).
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| 15th Aug 2018 1:29 pm |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10359
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OK, so in one of the other posts on this topic one of the chaps has mentioned a site called Fornella (Via Fornella 1, San Felice del Benaco, 25010, Italy) which looks OK, but I would need to ensure a premium pitch to get the pitch size.
Looking at sites around Lucerne seems a bit hit and miss - one or 2 look OK, but the reveiws arent great, and from the looks at a route coming down past Mulhouse, Basel, Lucerne, Lugano and onto Milan looks the straightest.
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 15th Aug 2018 2:11 pm |
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astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8147
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We went to Verona and Garda on our honeymoon in 2017 and stayed right near the lake-side in Garda (in a hotel) but we cycled down the lake side to Bardolino and Cisano and passed quite a few campsites en-route.
Have to say the first one we came across I actually thought the caravans had been parked up for storage as they were parked that close together  I guess that's what you want to avoid......
As to the area it is easy to get around by boat across the lake (there are cheap 'bus' boats but tourists tend to get sucked into using the more expensive ones) to various towns and they all have different attractions of sorts. We liked Limone and Malcesine. Found Riva (very northern tip) to be a bit more commercialised/shopping type place but they all have some interesting historical sights. Garda is actually quite a small place compared to some of the others.
Lots of places will do a day-trip with a mix of coach and lake-boat cruisers that will go 'round' the lake in a day and you hop on and off to suit. You can drive all the way round it (including the pillared tunnels used in one of the Bond movie's - better view from the boats) but it was extremely busy in September when we were there.
If you like Opera (or even if you don't TBH) try Malcesine (pronounced Mal-chesney) as they often have opera's playing there with an eccentric English lady throwing her 'castle' doors open to stage them. When we went they had some 'big name' stars on and have to say they were abso-bloody-lutely-a-mazing. Again there are places that do a trip out there on arranged coaches and they were remarkably cheap, not worth taking your own car.
Everywhere we eat was good with decent prices, you pay a little bit more right on the lake-side but plenty of choice. Nice to eat there and then look for a bar in side streets to pay a little less to drink or snack. Lot's of tourists don't seem able to think that more exists at these places beyond what they can see getting off the boat so some of the best (and often cheaper) eateries are a little further away.
Lovely place to visit though.
Twice I've driven big swathes of Europe (and doing a third with a drive down to Portugal in September) and on both of those occasions we didn't go across Switzerland as it's just too expensive if only 'passing through' with annual vignettes and fees, etc. where other countries do them weekly/fortnightly/monthly, etc. Guess it keeps the riff-raff out
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| 15th Aug 2018 2:21 pm |
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flydive
Member Since: 21 Aug 2007
Location: Lugano
Posts: 1535
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astonbuilder wrote:Twice I've driven big swathes of Europe (and doing a third with a drive down to Portugal in September) and on both of those occasions we didn't go across Switzerland as it's just too expensive if only 'passing through' with annual vignettes and fees, etc. where other countries do them weekly/fortnightly/monthly, etc. Guess it keeps the riff-raff out Laughing
Not trying to defend Switzerland, it really does not matter to me if you use it or not(well less caravans on the road the better  )
There are no fees except for the "vignette"
But try to work out how much the cost for the "peage" in France and the "pedaggio" for Italy are, then compare it to the cost of the Swiss "vignette"
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| 15th Aug 2018 2:34 pm |
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Triplet3
Member Since: 26 Nov 2016
Location: Southampton
Posts: 320
 
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Visted Verona and Venice from Lake Garda. Had an early start each day to make the most of the day but perfectly doable. Well worth the effort while your there.
We parked near a bus stop (on an unused road/track to an industrial estate (recommended by the guy running our campsite) and caught the bus into Venice which was the cheapest way to do it and parking for the day was free 1995 Discovery 1 300TDI
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 - Gone
1979 Series 3 109" - Gone
Last edited by Triplet3 on 15th Aug 2018 3:03 pm. Edited 1 time in total
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| 15th Aug 2018 2:37 pm |
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astonbuilder
Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8147
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Not buying or selling the merits but I had to drive across France, I had options to go round Switzerland and Vignette cost made that choice somewhat simpler at those times.
Will probably do it at some point (without a caravan - wouldn't tow one if my life depended on it..... )
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| 15th Aug 2018 2:39 pm |
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ruben
D3 Decade
Member Since: 26 Sep 2006
Location: ASTURIAS
Posts: 2439
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I toured Switzerland for 2 weeks a couple of years ago and I paid an annual vignette for it, which seems simply indecent. But I did, take it or leave it, forcibly they also hang you ... the sticker looked on my windscreen very recently, like that of Austria and the Czech Republic, although in these cases they were very cheap because were not annual, they were biweekly or monthly, I do not remember, something plus reasonable. lost in translation!
DISCOVERY 3 SE man. TDV6 2006, my true love!
DEFENDER 2 SE D I6 MHEV 2024, other live.
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| 15th Aug 2018 2:55 pm |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10359
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so just found this on the Swiss "documents for travellers page" (https://www.ezv.admin.ch/ezv/en/home/information-individuals/documents-for-travellers-and-road-taxes.html):
Road taxes
Road taxes are incurred when goods are transported in Switzerland:
The use of Swiss motorways with motor vehicles and trailers up to 3.5 tonnes is subject to payment of the motorway tax (vignette).
The mileage-related heavy vehicle charge HVF depends on the total weight, emissions level, and kilometres driven in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
It applies to motor vehicles and their trailers that have a total permissible laden weight of more than 3.5 tonnes and are used to transport goods.
so as the D4 and 'van are approx 4.2 tonnes does that put me in the HVF category or is that only if transporting goods.
Keep the info coming guys - it all helps me make an informed decision 
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 15th Aug 2018 3:13 pm |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8243
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No, as you’re not transporting goods, but it is a few years since I went and you definitely had to have a vignette for the caravan, if they are still the same they only stick on the window and are not assigned to a particular vehicle, so if you know someone who can use them when you get back 
I do know someone who risked it without one and got court, they had not got sufficient cash to pay the “on the spot fine”, his wife was taken into custody while he produced the cash for the fine It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 15th Aug 2018 3:59 pm |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10359
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^^ that could be tempting not to get one
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 15th Aug 2018 4:16 pm |
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Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
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We're off to N Italy for a month in a fortnight. We'll be going via Austria and returning via France - ie avoiding Switzerland, for the reasons cited earlier.
From what I gather very tight pitches seem to be the norm in Italy and if you want a bigger pitch you pay extra.
Best place for researching European sites is eurocampings.co.uk
Also, be aware that from mid September onwards an increasing number of European sites close down for the year ... 
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| 15th Aug 2018 4:48 pm |
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flydive
Member Since: 21 Aug 2007
Location: Lugano
Posts: 1535
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M3DPO wrote:if they are still the same they only stick on the window and are not assigned to a particular vehicle, so if you know someone who can use them when you get back
Just be very careful with that, it could get very expensive very fast
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| 16th Aug 2018 8:42 am |
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