Dear Fodors Community,
I am in need of your knowledge. As a claustrophobe I am limited to driving holidays. Guess what, my partner's parents moved to Italy, near Ancona.
Anyone actually driven the French/Italian moutain border Barcelonette to Cuneo or along the coast all the way?

Normally I would take pills to sleep the journey however we will have newborn responsibilities this time.

many thanks
Mission Possible

The are a zillion road tunnels in that area. Really.

People are harsh today!

Sorry to say that kerouac is correct, and I can think of few places aywhere with more tunnels.

I am claustrophobic too. Never take lifts if I can avoid them, always have to have a window, and some light at night, and so on. Just the idea of a crowded tube train is enough to set me off.
No problem with cars, can get bad in trains, and on planes - the lack of the possibility to stop the thing if I need to, more than anything I think.

I thought I would be bad taking the Channel tunnel with my car, but I was in fact fine. It was a surprise to me, but I had no problem. Likewise driving through tunnels, whether in a car or a coach, whilst not my favourite thing to do, I can cope with them. I know there is an end to it, and what is at the other end of the tunnel makes it worth the nagging fear. Train tunnels I absolutely hate.

I suggest you look online at possible routes, and plan to take the route offering the shortest possible tunnel(s), and grit your teeth to get through it. If you can drive, rather than being the passenger it may help as you have so much else to concentrate on you have less time for the panic to start. Having a newborn in the car, will also help probably, as you won't want to upset the baby.

From Barcelonnette to Cuneo, go over the col de Larche. You will avoid the tunnels of the motorway, although there is no guarantee that all tunnels are avoided.

check out www.viamichelin.com and specify "no toll roads" which tend to have tunnels in the mountains as a way of smoothing out the roadway.

thank you for the intelligent responses!