Stunning mountain car journeys in the European Alps July 9th, 2012
Anyone renting a car in France and travelling over the Alps will agree with that wise old saying, ‘it’s the journey not the destination that counts’. True enough, you’re lucky to see some of the most beautiful natural spectacles in Europe when you’re travelling en-route to your ski resort. The following are a few of our favourites…
France: Chamonix-Mont Blanc Tunnel
Distance: 40 miles
Estimated Time: One Hour
Highlights: The Chamonix – Mont Blanc Tunnel is seven miles in length and is known for being one of the longest road underpasses in the world, linking France to Italy. Needless to say, don’t forget to top up on petrol before you hit the road! The entrance to the route is just outside Chamonix.
Travel Advice: If time permits, stop off at Aosta – it’s home to some of the world’s most impressive Roman ruins and is also the perfect place to try an ice-cream. There are hot springs located at nearby Pré-Saint Didier which is also well worth checking out.
France: Tignes les Bréciéres-Col de l’Iseran
Distance: 55 miles
Estimated Driving Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Highlights: Drive from Chalet de la Cloche, continue on to Val d’Isere to the Col de l’Iseran which is located 2,769 metres high. A word of advice though, this is definitely one to try in summer, unless you’re planning to bring a snow plough and some huskies.
You’ll notice as you travel on the southside that you are surrounded by some of the most gorgeous scenery in the Vanoise National Park. From Lenslebourg you can visit Susa in Italy via the 2,083-metre Col du Mont Cenis.
Travel Advice: The city of Turin is just a 40-minute drive away where you can check out the National Automobile Museum which tells the story of the automobile starting from the 15th century onwards.
Germany: Linderhof Palace & Neuschwanstein Castle
Distance: 60 miles
Estimated Driving time: 1 hour 30 mins
Highlights: Start in Munich. On the way to Howenschwangau, where Neuschwanstein Castle is situated, you should be able to enjoy a scenic drive through the Alps where you can marvel at the Linderhof Palace and Park in Ettal on your way.
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you – Neuschwanstein really does look like it has been torn straight from the pages of a fairytale. Meanwhile, nearby Linderhof Palace is a real triumph of style over substance – see if you can find it hiding in the tranquil Graswang valley. Next, travel a further 44 kilometres/28 miles after a short drive through Austria and you will reach Howenschwangau.
Travel Advice: Later visit the Old Town and charming little city of Fussen.
About the Author: Fiona Hilliard is a travel writer/blogger from Dublin, Ireland. When not sharing her recommendations on Europe’s most scenic Alpine routes, she is usually serving up great travel advice on http://blog.arguscarhire.com , the official blog of ArgusCarHire.com.
This entry was posted on Monday, July 9th, 2012 at 8:42 am and is filed under Ski France. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.Both comments and pings are currently closed.