Member Since: 05 Nov 2023
Location: North Lincolnshire
Posts: 74
The Green Ma hine European Tour
I'm starting to get into organising a route through France to cross the Viaduct de Millau before chopping eastward to cross the Alps at Colle Sommeiller. Then, down in to Abruzzo, along the Appennines, to Lago di Barrea where we'll catch up with some old friends for a couple of days. After that, it's back up to Tuscany for a week in a villa before a three or four day dash home across the Gotthard pass and up through the Vosges region of France.
We're seasoned campers and will be camping everywhere along the route except the villa.
Any tips on scenic routes between these locations will be gratefully received.
To keep the lady of the house happy, I need to stick to around 4hrs a day driving, although this could be aggregated to spend more time in a location. Ive got 3 weeks in total to do it.
I will keep researching as well as updating this thread when I find anything.
8th Feb 2024 9:35 pm
LiftedDisco
Member Since: 10 Jun 2010
Location: Towcester
Posts: 1002
When you do the Millau Viaduct, also take a look at the d-road that runs directly under the viaduct (takes you to the visitor centre) as it drops down the side of the valley and runs along the river to give you the very best views of the viaduct from below.
In addition, the route down the valley is one of those ‘best driving roads ever’ with a series of hairpin bends and views at every change of direction…D4 Commercial - 65 Plate, 2016MY
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12th Feb 2024 8:56 pm
TheGreenMachine
Member Since: 05 Nov 2023
Location: North Lincolnshire
Posts: 74
Sounds ideal, and will probably be done, thanks! I might try to find a camp site in the valley.
14th Feb 2024 10:55 am
Worms
Member Since: 24 Sep 2023
Location: Highlands
Posts: 394
I would add two comments on all this:
Firstly, build in time to walk across the Millau bridge from the visitor centre, as a driver you don't really get the chance to enjoy the bridge when you are travelling across it in the car.
Secondly, the stretch of the A75 south of Clerment-Ferrand is pretty horrible. I was on it northbound once in heavy rain, coming up from the South of France via Le Puy, and would avoid it in future if I had the choice. It may have been rebuilt since I was there, but I found it really not up to modern motorway standards, with narrow lanes and no hard-shoulder. It is a busy road, with lots of trucks who are taking no prisoners and quite hard work in the rain.
I've done the cross country route from Millau up by Rodez and Figeac to join the A20 and on up to Brive, which is a much more pleasant route if you have the time to take it easy and enjoy the journey (you would be doing it the other way, of course).Previously:
2010 FL2 TD4e GS
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW - still got this, non-runner on SORN.
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel
14th Feb 2024 3:03 pm
TheGreenMachine
Member Since: 05 Nov 2023
Location: North Lincolnshire
Posts: 74
I will definitely take your advice. I want to avoid A/E routes, particularly during the more scenic parts of the drive and information like this is exactly the sort of stuff I need, so a big thanks to you!
Thinking something along these lines across the south of france... 24 hours driving from Calais so will probably do a big yomp between Paris and Brive so we can take our time through the hills into the mountains.
Click image to enlarge
15th Feb 2024 8:53 am
Worms
Member Since: 24 Sep 2023
Location: Highlands
Posts: 394
Don't overestimate how much you can do in a day, if you are off the autoroutes. Particularly the gorge roads which are very twisty, the traffic is slow and there are only so many bends that the passengers will tolerate between stops. I find France is easy north/south on the big roads, but takes for ever to cross east/west between these.
It's not clear from that map if you are doing the Ardeche gorge route. Vallon Pont d'Arc is full of tacky expensive campsites, but I found a small, quiet, family-run site round to the south, which is pretty much off the beaten track: Camping La Goule. Not one, though, for those who dislike the evening serenade of frogs from the pond, or the wild-boar piglets snuffling around in the night, but right up my street!
Click image to enlarge
Previously:
2010 FL2 TD4e GS
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW - still got this, non-runner on SORN.
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel
15th Feb 2024 9:54 am
TheGreenMachine
Member Since: 05 Nov 2023
Location: North Lincolnshire
Posts: 74
Hi Worms,
No I wasn't aware of that gorge, but it looks like a beautiful way to cross the low lands to the foothills of the alps.
That sounds like our kind of camp site so will check it out.
15th Feb 2024 10:39 am
Worms
Member Since: 24 Sep 2023
Location: Highlands
Posts: 394
Ok, just to add other options to the mix ...
You could look into going slightly further south after the Ardeche, overnight near Pont du Gard (which is well worth a visit, if you've not been), then cross the Rhone at Avignon before heading back north up the A7 to pick up on your original plan.
Alternatively you could head east from Avignon (L'isle sur la Sorgue is interesting) and through the Luberon (which is lovely - think "Year in Provence" or Russel Crowe in "A Good Year") and either turn north over Mt Ventoux or head east along the D900 to join the A51 which runs from Aix-en-Provence to Grenoble.Previously:
2010 FL2 TD4e GS
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW - still got this, non-runner on SORN.
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel
15th Feb 2024 11:21 am
TheGreenMachine
Member Since: 05 Nov 2023
Location: North Lincolnshire
Posts: 74
All good to know and gratefully received. Keep it coming!
I remember seeing a photo of the Pont d'Arc as a kid and thinking that looks cool, so we'll definitely be making a beeline for it.
I'll look into you other suggestions too, thanks again.
19th Feb 2024 4:27 pm
Worms
Member Since: 24 Sep 2023
Location: Highlands
Posts: 394
I know, you mentioned Grenoble and heading into Italy via the Alps, but have you thought of going by Lac de Saint Croixe du Verdon? The area is sometimes referred to as Europe's Grand Canyon. You could either head south down the main gorge road (D952) from Moustiers St Marie down towards Nice or north by Digne or Castelaine to pick up the D900 over into Italy.
Quinson has a good museum of prehistory and kayaking up one of the gorges. There are numerous campsites all round the lake. The hinterland to the north is that classic rolling terrain of big open Lavender fields dotted with old stone barns that is used in all the tourist shots, with distant views to the mountains. To the south is a mix of maquis scrub and olive groves.
If you followed the Luberon suggestion I made earlier, you could loop from the A51 into the Lac de St Croix area via Greoux les-bains and if you felt so inclined take a detour past the ITER Nuclear Fusion site at Cadarache.Previously:
2010 FL2 TD4e GS
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW - still got this, non-runner on SORN.
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel
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