Driving to the Alps: Plan The Perfect Trip

The Perfect Road Trip

Driving to the Alps can seem like an intimidating thought, however, with a bit of pre-planning, you may find it is the preferred alternative and is usually a cheaper option for families. We’ve broken down everything you need to know about driving to the Alps, section by section, to help you plan the perfect road trip.

Euro Tunnel or Channel Crossing?

First, you need to decide on the above. The Euro Tunnel is definitely quicker, making the journey in just 35 minutes, and usually has around 4 departures per hour. Costs start from £97 per vehicle each way when travelling for more than 5 days. In comparison, the quicker ferries take around 90 minutes.  Dover to Calais is the most popular route, as it has the most crossings per day, taking only 90mins and runs 365 days/year. However, depending on your starting point in the UK, there are a number a ferry crossings available.

Many choose an overnight ferry crossing, particularly if sweeping the kids up from school and driving straight to the port, as it allows some time to relax and prepare for the journey the following day.

Rules of the Road in France

As long as you have a full driver's license, you can drive in France and do not need a green card, providing you are covered by third-party insurance. There’s a few things to remember when driving in France, and not just that they drive on the right! By law you are required to have with you, your: certificate of motor insurance, car logbook, two warning triangles (in case you break down), a reflective vest for each passenger, spare lamp bulbs, a UK sticker on rear of car unless identified on the number plate and a breathalyser kit. Snow chains are also a good idea to have in the car if you think there could be heavy snow/ice on the roads when driving up the mountain.