If I don't do Mount Blanc Tunnel - how bad drive over?.

Citysafe

Citysafe

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44,034
MH
A Class EuraMobil
Exp
2002
We will be down in Switzerland in next few days. I wondered about the drive over the mountain rather than the tunnel. We have the time.

I also understand there is a quiet aire on the route over. We are heading into Italy ultimately.

Anyone have any guidance experience ?
 
Citysafe said:
We will be down in Switzerland in next few days. I wondered about the drive over the mountain rather than the tunnel. We have the time.

I also understand there is a quiet aire on the route over. We are heading into Italy ultimately.

Anyone have any guidance experience ?
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We have been over the top some time ago in a T5 pop top. From what I remember it was really nice without any bad points that stick in my memory.
If you do then you wont miss the cow bells, they can be heard clunking across the hills. The poor cows must be stone deaf.(y)
 
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although there are various ways over the mountains into Italy, as far as I know there is no road option close to the Mont Blanc tunnel. I may be taking your question too literally, but if you turn up in Chamonix, I don't think you have any options to cross without driving a lot of miles (y)
 
Depends where you are in Switzerland. I seem to recall the Gotthard Tunnel being pretty straightforward, and the price is included in your Swiss motorway vignette, whereas the Mont Blanc Tunnel toll is quite expensive for a MH.

As for going over the top, I think our SatNav took us over the Grimselpass one summer and it wasn't desperate. It's going downhill that's more of a problem than going up - you need to use low gear a lot and be careful not to overheat your brakes. As long as you're on the equivalent of an A road it's possible in a MH.

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I've been across the petit St Bernard pass a few times and it comes out at Courmeyer. It is OK.

Just drove the monster Mercedes moochermobile across the St Gottard pass this morning (just as well, there appeared to be a lot of queueing for the tunnel) and apart from thick fog at the top it was OK. Left Milan this morning and now in Mulhouse.

Speed cameras everywhere in Switzerland, by the way
 
You don't say if you have been through the tunnel, but if you havnt , it cost us 30 odd euros, but well worth it , to go in , in snow and out to sun, brilliant.
But if you have done it it's probably worn off now
 

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The last one was in , this is out
 
If you do go over the Cenis, there is a lake at the top believe it or not. Oh if Victors is still there you can park up and get a good meal. Say hello to Sonya for me;).
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Snowbird said:
If you do go over the Cenis, there is a lake at the top believe it or not. Oh if Victors is still there you can park up and get a good meal. Say hello to Sonya for me;).View attachment 115621
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That looks like a KADIDLIAC,,,SEDDON/ATKINSON!!!!

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Snowbird said:
It was, Cummins 350 big cam. Fuller 13 speed. On route to the Laverda plant in Breganze to collect a combine harvester. Long time ago now.
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Was that Fuller twin split? lovely smooth box. Owned a couple of them back in the 90s...BUSBY:):):)
 
chaser said:
You don't say if you have been through the tunnel, but if you havnt , it cost us 30 odd euros, but well worth it , to go in , in snow and out to sun, brilliant.
But if you have done it it's probably worn off now
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When did you last go?
€57.60 from the French side, €58.50 from the Italian side.
 
busby said:
Was that Fuller twin split? lovely smooth box. Owned a couple of them back in the 90s...BUSBY:):):)
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Thats the one. Good drivetrain in the day. That job was also a good un. Down empty, drop the trailer in the factory, go on the play for a couple of days whilst they loaded and chained it all down. Then paid for storage back in the UK until they wanted it delivered to customer. Happy days.
 
Keeping my eye on this thread (could do with all the help I can) as I have it in mind to go to Ancona next year for the ferry to Greece and the Mont Blanc Tunnel is in a straight line from our usual arrival point of Roscoff.
Any suggestions (other than the tunnel) gratefully received.

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emmitdb said:
Keeping my eye on this thread (could do with all the help I can) as I have it in mind to go to Ancona next year for the ferry to Greece and the Mont Blanc Tunnel is in a straight line from our usual arrival point of Roscoff.
Any suggestions (other than the tunnel) gratefully received.
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Last year we went to Ancona through Austria via Fern & Brenna passes no tolls.
 
In my experience going through the Blanc is akin to going through the channel tunnel. Its a big black hole with no scenery. I also prefer the run down the Milou valley and up the other side to going over the bridge. The view as you go over the top of the alps is far better than going through a big black hole, which what the tunnel really is. Each to there own I suppose but after the fire in the tunnel I never went through it again.
 
chaser said:
Four years ago, :( and we are under three and half ton
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No weight limits just a Camping Car Class.

Snowbird said:
In my experience going through the Blanc is akin to going through the channel tunnel. Its a big black hole with no scenery. I also prefer the run down the Milou valley and up the other side to going over the bridge. The view as you go over the top of the alps is far better than going through a big black hole, which what the tunnel really is. Each to there own I suppose but after the fire in the tunnel I never went through it again.
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Totally agree who wants to go through a boring tunnel, did the Mont Blanc about 30 years ago in a car, don't like two way tunnels that long, bad enough when I was young trying to stay awake to avoid oncoming vehicles. Don't like the Chunnel either much rather be on a ferry.

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Snowbird said:
In my experience going through the Blanc is akin to going through the channel tunnel. Its a big black hole with no scenery. I also prefer the run down the Milou valley and up the other side to going over the bridge. The view as you go over the top of the alps is far better than going through a big black hole, which what the tunnel really is. Each to there own I suppose but after the fire in the tunnel I never went through it again.
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Lenny HB said:
No weight limits just a Camping Car Class.



Totally agree who wants to go through a boring tunnel, did the Mont Blanc about 30 years ago in a car, don't like two way tunnels that long, bad enough when I was young trying to stay awake to avoid oncoming vehicles. Don't like the Chunnel either much rather be on a ferry.
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Yeah ok , but you have both done it(y) agree about the milou bridge as well but would still go over it if I hadn't already done.
 
I suppose which route will depend on where you want to cross from and end up in!

We went across up the Col del Grand St Bernard from the South in Italy at Aosta but didn't cross into Switzerland as we hadn't finished with our tour of Italy! Instead we went further West and crossed on the Col du Petit St Bernard into France - it is a beautiful route and easy, better scenery than we saw on the Grand one (at least on the Italy side).
 
All these tunnels and bridges and things cost, so ok when you have done it, they look dear and dark and high and anything else you can think of , but we are only here once and when you are there you might just as well use them the once, just to say , iv been there , iv done that, as most of you appear to have done, so I don't see why we should say to people who ask, don't do it.(y):)

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chaser said:
All these tunnels and bridges and things cost, so ok when you have done it, they look dear and dark and high and anything else you can think of , but we are only here once and when you are there you might just as well use them the once, just to say , iv been there , iv done that, as most of you appear to have done, so I don't see why we should say to people who ask, don't do it.(y):)
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... but we are entitled to give our opinions and taking the Millau bridge as an example, it's stunning to look at but absolutely boring as hell to go across as you cannot see a thing and don't appreciate the height, so unless you are in a hurry then going down via Millau itself would be the most scenic option. Similarly with the Mont Blanc tunnel ... I've not been through it and have no intention of doing so ... it must be boring as hell!

Give me a good old mountain pass any day (unless there is no other route other than a tunnel) ... we went across the Grossglockner Pass into Austria which cost us €35 one way but what a pass ... beautiful!
 
Minxy Girl said:
... but we are entitled to give our opinions and taking the Millau bridge as an example, it's stunning to look at but absolutely boring as hell to go across as you cannot see a thing and don't appreciate the height, so unless you are in a hurry then going down via Millau itself would be the most scenic option. Similarly with the Mont Blanc tunnel ... I've not been through it and have no intention of doing so ... it must be boring as hell!

Give me a good old mountain pass any day (unless there is no other route other than a tunnel) ... we went across the Grossglockner Pass into Austria which cost us €35 one way but what a pass ... beautiful!
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Absolutely agree with you especially millau bridge, a very big disappointment but the fact remains we have done it and I don't know about you but if I hadn't , despite all the facts I would do it again , also agree bout the tunnel but the experience of going in , in freezing snowy weather, all black for however long it takes and then suddenly coming out to bright sun in another country, I thought was amazing but there again don't think I will do it again, but there you go , been there, done it(y):)
 
Minxy Girl said:
Give me a good old mountain pass any day (unless there is no other route other than a tunnel) ... we went across the Grossglockner Pass into Austria which cost us €35 one way but what a pass ... beautiful!
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We are off to Italy next year. Is the Grossglockner pass a very steep road or quite easy to drive?
 
chaser said:
Absolutely agree with you especially millau bridge, a very big disappointment but the fact remains we have done it and I don't know about you but if I hadn't , despite all the facts I would do it again , also agree bout the tunnel but the experience of going in , in freezing snowy weather, all black for however long it takes and then suddenly coming out to bright sun in another country, I thought was amazing but there again don't think I will do it again, but there you go , been there, done it(y):)
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The Mont Blanc tunnel will always be special to us , we did it four or five years ago now, and when we started from home in our old converted LDV van we didn't really know if it would get us out of uttoxeter never mind up the Alps, but it never missed a beat and we carried on from there to Pisa and all around the Rivera into Spain and back, and would still have it now if the body would have stayed on:(:)
 
Spidey said:
We are off to Italy next year. Is the Grossglockner pass a very steep road or quite easy to drive?
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It's not difficult at all however there is one bit you might NOT want to do and that's the road off to the 'bikers rest' bit when it's busy as that road is VERY windy and has a 3.5 ton limit ... but then again it also says no caravans but try telling that to the Dutch ... oh and the coaches that are allowed up!

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