Hi,
Next Wednesday we're on the 20.30 ferry from dover to Calais and then are driving through the night to Florence Italy.
I have a lot of experience driving in France but less so in the rest of Europe, my natural inclanation is to drive through France as I'm comfortable with Autoroutes and Route Nationals but am aware that the price of Peage tolls has gone up in the last few years.
I'm thinking of driving through Germany instead but would be very greatful for advice on the pros and cons and also any reccomended routes.
Many Thanks, jsf79.

The route through Strasbourg, Basel, Luzern, Milan would be the most direct. Detouring through Germany limits your options for crossing the Alps through Austria and northern Italy, and would be a longer route.

It is already a 13+ hour drive from Calais to Florence by the most direct route - through France, so why would you want to make it any longer by going through Germany, which makes it a 16+ hour trip?

I hope you are not planning to do this trip in one sitting.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&so...ce&ie=UTF8&z=6

Well, one hit but with plenty of stops and the driving shared betweeen 3 of us.
I used to to Valencia to Calais in one go, normally 12-13hours, on a regular basis and this isn't as far.
Any idea on the cost of tolls if we go via France?
Also, will I have to pay tax to go through Swiss and /or Austria?
Many thanks for the help already given,
jsf79.

Mappy.com gives you the cost of toll roads. You will need a vignette to drive through Switzerland. About 30 euros I think. You can easily find this information on internet. You will not have to drive through Austria.
You can avoid Switzerland by going to the south of France, and continuing to Italy from there.
But any large detours to avoid peage will add to petrol costs.
Buy a good map, you will need one anyway for this trip.

Thanks Tulips,
We've bought a lovely plastic coated fold out map to give an over view of the whole route, but it's huge when unfolded!
And of course we've got the trusty(well sort of!) old Tomtom to assist.
So do you agree with J62's suggestion of Strasbourg, Basel, Luzern, Milan?

If you put in the different routes on www.mappy.com you can see the difference in distance and time.

which is what the Googlemaps linke that I posted shows

Yes thanks alihutch, I'd looked at Google maps but thanks for your kind assistance.
I hadn't hear of mappy.com befor but like the fact that it calculates the tolls for you, thanks very much.

Have done this trip several times (but during the day, with overnight stops). Route through France, via A26, A4 to Strassbourg, cross into Germany, A5 to Basel, then through Lucerne, St Gotthard Tunnel, Como, Milan, Bologna to Florence is the most direct way. Toll charge through France: 45.40 euro. Swiss vignette 30 CHF (27 euro). Italian tolls 22.90 euro. Distance: 1416 km (885 miles)
To save on French tolls, you can travel A25 to Lille, through Belgium via Tournai, Charloi, Namur, Luxembourg (fill up with cheap fuel!), then through Germany via Trier, Hockenheim, A5 to Basel, then as above. Distance: 1559 km (974 miles)
While there's generally less traffic on toll French autoroutes than free German Autobahn, it won't matter too much driving through the night. And if you like, you can make rapid progress through limit-free sections of Autobahn (maily outside built-up areas and near junctions). But do watch out for other traffic, esp where there are only two lanes.

Can anybody tell me how much the toll through France is? We want to drive to Liguria/Italy

Any help appreciated!
Thanks

"Can anybody tell me how much the toll through France is?"

No. None of us have got the foggiest idea what route you'll be taking.

Go to the viamichelin site, work out your preferred route and it'll tell you.