Masterphil

I am going to be driving from Paris to Beaune to Annecy to Chamonix to Zermatt to Portofino to Tuscany to Barcelona. Driving directions from Annecy to Zermatt send me north of Lake Geneva. I've taken that route previously and want to try something different. Can anybody comment on the road from Chamonix to Zermatt (N506 I believe)? Kind of curious why all driving directions send me north from Annecy instead of through Chamonix, etc. I am going in Sept. Any recommendations for any "must sees" anywhere along my travel route are always appreciated! I've been to Monaco, Nice and Cannes, but not familiar with any other cities on the way from Tuscany to Barcelona. Thanks in advance!

TuckH

The 'driving directions' take you onto the super highways. At viamichelin, select 'shortest route' instead. By all means, take the N506!

On the way from Tuscany to Barcelona, you've got all of beautiful Provence - lots and lots to see and do...

Masterphil

Thanks, Tuck!

I thought that was the case. Looking forward to stopping in Provence (thought about staying in or near Avignon) on the way over to Barcelona.

TuckH

> Any recommendations for any "must sees" anywhere along my travel route are always appreciated! <

Les Baux-de-Provence - not far from Avignon and close to Saint-Rémy. Also close to Avignon: the Pont du Gard.

PalenQ

the Chamonix-Martigny, Switzerland road is a mountain road - not realy curving, etc. but still slower going than the autoroute routes.

Martigny you have main roads to Visp then a more narrow and twisting and climbing road to Zermatt where you have to leave your car outside of town and hop a shuttle train or bus into the car-less town.

I think the sideroads route Chamonix-Zermatt would be tremendously scenic and take perhaps 5-6 hours as a guess?

Masterphil

Thanks again, Tuck...will definitely check that out!

Thank you PalenQ. Google directions say 89 miles from Chamonix to Tasch (Zermatt parking). They suggest a 2 hour ride!? You say 5-6hrs.

If it is a 3 hr ride..I'm up for it. Any more than that I might need to go the "superhighway" route.

Does anybody know for sure if this is a 2 hr drive or 5 hr drive?

Thx

PalenQ

I should not have guessed about travel time - forget about the 5 hours - i was comparing it to trains that duplicate the route but realize cars may move faster.

I can see getting stuck behind some slow-moving lorry on some of those Alpine roads however.

surprising to me it's only 89 miles but thinking about it makes sense.

A lot less as the crow flies i believe

TuckH

According to viamichelin...

Departure 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Destination Täsch
Route type: Shortest Time and distance
Time: 02h20 including 00h27 on motorways
Distance: 143km including 47km on motorways

PalenQ

On Chamonix-Zermatt route a nice about half way stop could be Sion, in the Rhone Valley with some neat old ruins on hills and an intact castle as well. Nice views of valley from them. Sion also a nice spiffy regional town.

Masterphil

You folks are great!

I've been doing lots of research here and completely blew off Provence as a one night stopover. I'm rethinking my itinerary.

I'll put my initial thoughts out there for your comments.

Initial thoughts..

(Free flight in and out of Paris.) Arrive CDG 7am drive to Beaune. Drink wine, eat dinner, sleep! Day 2 drive thru Annecy (lunch) stay in Chamonix. Day 3 drive to Zermatt stay 4 nights at Riffelalp resort. Next drive to Santa Margherita Ligure/Portofino (stay 2 nights?). Drive to Siena/San Grim/Montepulciano stay 4 nights and explore Tuscany. Drive to Avignon stay 2 nights. Drive to Creixell stay 5 nights at free villa. Fly from Barcelona to CDG. Fly home.

Les Baux de Provence, St. Remy, Arles all look like pretty nice places that I completely overlooked!?

Glad I found this message board. Your help is greatly appreciated! Thanks for your input!

Alec

I have driven Chamonix - Martigny a couple of times, but only in the summer. There's a steady climb to the Col des Montets and the Swiss border, which isn't really steep (you see trucks doing it). From the Swiss border it's more or less downhill all the way to Martigny, through pretty vineyards. Allow around an hour to drive 42 km. Just outside Martigny you join the Autobahn towards Valais (you will need a vignette at 40 CHF to drive on one). 42 km to Sierre where the Autobahn ends and further 29 km to Visp and 29 km to Täsch for Zermatt. About further 75 min.

TuckH

> I'll put my initial thoughts out there for your comments. <

It's quite a whirlwind - lots of driving. You may be underestimating times and distances. And time needed to check in and check out etc.

You'll have a problem returning the rental car in a different country. You'd better re-think that...

Masterphil

Thank you Alec!

Tuck..I've done this driving thing before. Last trip was 2 yrs ago (Paris-Reims-Colmar-Grindelwald-Munich-Salzburg-Venice-Lake Como-Milan). We lease a car as opposed to rent. Return in another country is included in price.

Based on these conversations, I am rethinking Tuscany part of trip. Maybe spending more time at Italian Riviera and Provence.

TuckH

> Based on these conversations, I am rethinking Tuscany part of trip. Maybe spending more time at Italian Riviera and Provence. <

Good idea! (More in Provence; less on the Italian Riviera IMO.)

Masterphil

Off to the Provence threads!