Our French and Italian Holiday this year – anywhere to avoid due to wildlife fires?

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Chris56000
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Our French and Italian Holiday this year – anywhere to avoid due to wildlife fires?

Post by Chris56000 »

We have booked a fortnight in France and Italy departing September 17 and back in the UK on October 1st.

Travel by Dover–Calais ferry then we're staying at Metz, La–Lauzet–Ubaye (04340) about 10 miles south of the A43 autoroute, Fittora Casanova, Pałała, Italy, (near Florence) Genoa, Italy, return via St–Andre–La–Gaz, (38490) France, back to Metz and home via the A31, A25, A16 and ferry back to the UK from Calais.

Is anywhere in France near the above places currently affected by wildfires, etc., and if so will the be warning so I can safely divert round the affected areas?

Apart from Florence itself, are there any technical museums in France or Italy that I shouldn't miss?

I have heard Italian motorway tolls are much cheaper than French ones – and our route uses a lot of the E80 between Pisa and Genoa – should we use the motorways or the coastal SS1 route?

Member's opinions on Italian "Autogrills" on motorways?

My friend Steve'll have to do all the driving this time as I can't share it due to me needing eye–surgery!

Chris Williams
Octaviadriver
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Re: Our French and Italian Holiday this year – anywhere to avoid due to wildlife fires?

Post by Octaviadriver »

In June, we travelled from Croatia into Italy at Trieste and went near to Genoa for one night's stay and then on to Menton in France and afterwards north through France to Calais. I can't remember if French or Italian tolls were more expensive as SWMBO looked after paying for them. I do remember coming off at this location near Genoa:
https://goo.gl/maps/HNKRuF14StTzQKLv6
There was a long queue as there was an accident a short way past the toll booths. When we got there, SWMBO was going to pay and was looking where to put the card and the barrier opened, so we went through without paying! It was a long section of autostrada that we'd been on, so it saved us some money.

We looked out for Autogrills when we wanted to stop on the autostrada in Italy as we found them to be good. The only annoying thing is that you have to walk around the shop to get to the exit, even if you've only used the toilet or bought a coffee.
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Chris Bertram
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Re: Our French and Italian Holiday this year – anywhere to avoid due to wildlife fires?

Post by Chris Bertram »

That just sounds like visiting a National Trust property!
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Alderpoint
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Re: Our French and Italian Holiday this year – anywhere to avoid due to wildlife fires?

Post by Alderpoint »

Chris56000 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 18:28 I have heard Italian motorway tolls are much cheaper than French ones – and our route uses a lot of the E80 between Pisa and Genoa – should we use the motorways or the coastal SS1 route?
Depends on how long you've got.

The SS1 is the old slow road through many towns (googlemaps says 4h40). The E80 is a motorway (googlemaps says 2hrs).
Let it snow.
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KeithW
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Re: Our French and Italian Holiday this year – anywhere to avoid due to wildlife fires?

Post by KeithW »

My trip in 2004 was as follows

Folkestone to Metz via Channel Tunnel
Metz to Lauterbrunnen where we did the classic Swizz things like the Jungfraujoch
Lauterbrunnen to Pancole near San Gimigagno via the Susten Pass

While staying in Pancole we made side trips to Sienna and Florence but San Gimigano is a jewel
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/550/

Return was
Pancole - Mont Blanc Tunnel - Bonneville for Overnight Stop
Bonneville to Paris - 3 days staying at La Defense
Paris to Channel Tunnel

Main Autoroutes should be OK, as for France Gironde in the SW seems hardest hit
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62503775

We took the E80 as the SS1 while scenic is slow, sinuous and goes through a lot of built up areas

Pic of my Rover 75 on the Susten Pass - fantastic views
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Susten Pass 2004 Small.jpg
Herned
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Re: Our French and Italian Holiday this year – anywhere to avoid due to wildlife fires?

Post by Herned »

Chris56000 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 18:28 I have heard Italian motorway tolls are much cheaper than French ones – and our route uses a lot of the E80 between Pisa and Genoa – should we use the motorways or the coastal SS1 route?
I drove from La Spezia to Milan the other day, it was about €24. The Autostrade website will tell you exactly how much your journey will cost, but it's a similar sort of distance. The SS1 is best avoided, although lots of it is stunning, it does go through all the coastal towns so will take astronomically longer than the motorway
Chris56000
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Re: Our French and Italian Holiday this year – anywhere to avoid due to wildlife fires?

Post by Chris56000 »

Time isn't an over serious problem as I've booked accomodation in Genoa at the end of the run from Pisa, but if my friend wants to go sight–seeing in Genoa then the E80 motorway will obviously save him two hours!

Chris Williams
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