Driving from Paris to Rome WITHOUT hills or mountains
 

Please help. My 70+ year old grandmother and her 70+ year old sister are finally in Europe after dreaming of it their entire lives. They rented a mini-camper because they will be there many months but the camper has no power. They have asked me (in the US with no European travel under my belt) to map them a route from Paris to Rome that avoids hills or mountains.
I have been trying to find a driving route without success. Travel by plane or train is not an option as they are sleeping in the camper and have no additional budget. Anyone have a suggested route? And/or website for future re-routes?

No success? Just drive up to Ventimiglia, across into France and then the autoroute along the coast until you hit the A7 to Paris.

Oh, I read your post in reverse. So just drive down from Paris to the Côte d'Azur, over to Ventimiglia and then down to Rome. No problem. Have you actually looked at a map?

Kerouac, as always, has given you excellent advice.

Hopefully they won't be here (in Schengen at least) for more than 90 days. Would hate to see them branded illegal.

What mini camper do they have that it has no power? Are they just comparing it (engine size wise) to a US camper?
If they turn off the airco on hills it will be better btw.

I am a bit confused. What were their plans before arriving?

I think the best thing for them to do is get some maps and sit down and learn about where they are going.

Is there a reason they want to avoid hills? I don't get why this would be n issue if they are driving...?

What is there time period?

jamikins - the OP says the camper has no power so I guess the old gals believe it won't make it up mountains. Hills I don't understand as you can hardly drive any place without hills.

I have to give them credit for renting a camper and driving out without any planning. They have fortitude!

viamichaelin.com is good for driving routes. You can switch to hybrid map to see typography (although not good). If you belong to AAA their maps are topographical. Or check out guidebooks and maps at your library. Michelin maps are found in most book stores or on their web site.

Well the more direct route via Switzerland really involves no hills or mountainous driving - take the autoroute to Geneva or Basel - yes the autoroute to Geneva does go up some long inclines but in no way hilly driving and then follow the flat Rhone Valley to Brig where you go under the high Alps via the simplon Tunnel and emerge in Italy where you make a long not steep descent back to about sea level - this route in no way involves any dicey hilly or mountainous conditions and is infinitely more scenic than the much longer route, it seems at least, via Ventimiglia.

Have them break the trip up in lovely Switzerland, like at Montreux on Lake Geneva or Vevey - both perpetual favorite with the older crowds.

<i>kerouac on May 15, 13 at 3:43pm
Oh, I read your post in reverse. So just drive down from Paris to the Côte d'Azur, over to Ventimiglia and then down to Rome. No problem.</i>

Perfect. The coast road is scenic but somewhat curvy around the cliffs.

<i>PalenQ on May 15, 13 at 7:48pm
Well the more direct route via Switzerland really involves no hills or mountainous driving - take the autoroute to Geneva or Basel - yes the autoroute to Geneva does go up some long inclines but in no way hilly driving.</i>

Are you nuts? The Jura Mountains more or less encircle Geneva on the west. The roads have some steep inclines.

<<Are you nuts? >>

Rhetorical question.

The ladies need to stop and buy a map so they know what they are doing on the roads. Any decent map will show hilly/mountainous regions. Or call the rental company and see if they can get a replacement camper that has some power.

But kerouac has it right. There is a rather obvious, easy way to circumvent hilly/mountainous regions.

I am intrigued! What kind of camper has no power? How does this work?? Does someone have a link?

Maybe they mean mountain roads with sharp turns? If they stick to motorways, the camper will be fine. The A8 along the Cote d'Azur is fine for any traffic, but I wouldn't try the Haute Corniche with a camper.

And yes, they need proper maps. Not just GPS - a GPS does not take into account that they are driving a camper, and may direct them to narrow or steep roads.

And as Hetismij points out - if they are staying several months, 90 days is the maximum, if they do not have a European passport.

I am guessing what they mean by no power is that the camper is sluggish on hills.

But I think it's wonderful that two elderly ladies are travelling through Europe - can we get a trip report?
Anything else we can help them with on this trip, let us know!

St. Cirq has it right--SURELY they have some maps.

Again on the autoroutes there are really no steep hills or inclines - they are made for large lorries to go over them - don't matter what route you take you will not encounter any sinuous Alpine roads unless you get off the freeways - the Mont Blanc Tunnel also goes under the high Alps - that is probably the most direct route and no hills to climb as the inclines are long and gradual.

From the Mont-Blanc Tunnel you emerge is the lovely Aosta valley where it is downhill to sea level and the Po Valley.

You need not go via the French Riviera to avoid hills - take the most direct route if in a hurry!