Calais to Geneva - How long?
Off on holiday to switzerland for a week or so with the other half in a few weeks.
Unsure weather the drive to geneva from calais is doable in a day, bearing in mind that i probably wont get into france till 2pmish after the ferry. Tomtom is predicting 7 hrs but that is at the 70mph speed limit i presume so can knock a bit of time off:norty: . Anyone done it?. Was debating about stopping halfway but would rather get to switzerland asap. Whilst i am here, anyone know how to pass the time in geneva?. Only there for a few days then off to Zermatt and Interlaken so know whats about there but never been to geneva before. |
Originally Posted by Dave1980
Off on holiday to switzerland for a week or so with the other half in a few weeks.
Unsure weather the drive to geneva from calais is doable in a day, bearing in mind that i probably wont get into france till 2pmish after the ferry. Tomtom is predicting 7 hrs but that is at the 70mph speed limit i presume so can knock a bit of time off:norty: . Anyone done it?. Was debating about stopping halfway but would rather get to switzerland asap. Whilst i am here, anyone know how to pass the time in geneva?. Only there for a few days then off to Zermatt and Interlaken so know whats about there but never been to geneva before. we used to go skiing every year in villars. used to drive all the way from newcastle to felixstowe..about 6 hours ferry the about 8-9 hours from zeebrugge to villars (close to geneva) but that was years ago and we were in a daihatsu fourtrack :D I think 7 hours or less is doable, but you will need quite a few stops. |
thanks, plan to stop for half an hour every few hours, sharing the driving anyway so may not be too bad.
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Did Reading to Geneva in 12 hours - in a Rover 820.
Was by myself and I guess just got to the ferry not long before it was due to leave. Dave |
7 hours is about right by the time you've stopped for petrol, a piss and a sandwich a couple of times. Depends on time of day too - not always possible to maintain too high a speed.
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if the ferry arrives at 2 p.m, then unless the accomodation at geneva is open late, then with all the stops, you wont be in geneva till very very late..
2 p.m arrive 1 hour to find your way off the ferry, out of calais and onto the roads. 3 p.m hit the roads..french ones so speed limits might make up some time in germany at least 3 stops all around 30 mins each driving estimated at 7+ hours arrive at hotel geneva anytime after midnight and knackered :D |
might get the earlier ferry then, can get one that leaves at 10am from dover so may do that.
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:thumb:
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I've driven to Geneva a few times, but never direct from Calais.
I did London to Lyon in a day on one trip, similar distance, took me about five and a half hours from Calais. Then Lyon to Turin, and back up to Geneva the long way round. It'll definetly be do-able, but I always find driving at high speed for that long very draining!!! :norty: You can do a day trip to Mont Blanc, about an hours drive out of Geneva, and there is plenty of shopping and plenty of lake based activites depending on weather! I would definetly recommend heading through the Mont Blanc tunnel into northern Italy, and then coming back across the St Bernard Pass. Fantastic roads and scenery, but take plenty of film as I ran out and there's nowhere to buy more up there!!! :thumb: Make sure you leave any radar detectors at home! http://www.rac.co.uk/web/routeplanner/ |
Originally Posted by SwissTony
if the ferry arrives at 2 p.m, then unless the accomodation at geneva is open late, then with all the stops, you wont be in geneva till very very late..
2 p.m arrive 1 hour to find your way off the ferry, out of calais and onto the roads. 3:D The French speedlimits seem only to be strictly enforced if it is raining...... I've never been stopped over there, touch wood...... Speeding not recommended or endorsed, though! If you don't have to rush, I wouldn't, as there are hundreds of great places to stay in France or Germany, depending on your route, and makes the trip a lot more memorable IMO..... |
Lake Geneva is beautiful (and huge) and there are loads of various boat trips to take, worth doing just for the scenery if nothing else.
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by the sounds of it, i dont think he will notice one of europes biggest's lakes at that speed :D
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Lots of things to do in Geneva. As mentioned, a trip through the (11kms) Mont Blanc tunnel and down into Italy (Courmayer or Aosta) and a return via the Col du Petit Saint Bernard is worth doing but check to see if the Col is open (the toll booth at the entrance to the tunnel will tell you) as it's getting to that part of the year where snow is starting to lie on the ground at 2000 metres. Boat trips round the lake may already have stopped. Plenty to do/see around the old town in Geneva or for the *extremely* wealthy a trip to the Griffin Club in the evening to hang out with the stars. The weather at the moment is crap so bring warm clothes. Go to Annecy in France (50kms from Geneva) or stay around Geneva and visit the artistic corner of Carouge. Eat a fondue at the Cafe du Soleil, or try the local perch from Lac Leman (that's Lake Geneva to you). Go to Montreux or spend some time in the casinos. Depends what you want to do/what floats your boat and what your budget is -- Geneva can seriously damage your wallet and wipe out your credit cards in the blink of an eye.
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Done the Calais - Chamonix trip a few times and would say 8 hours including stops is a good estimate to Geneva.
From what I've heard they are getting a lot more serious about the speed limits, above 100mph and you will be in big trouble apparently. |
some good info there, sounds like a trip to the mont blanc area first then and head to geneva the day after.
wont be going to many casinos though, i expect the missus will spend all my money on shopping anyway. Didnt think geneva would be that cold but i am packing plenty of warm clothes for interlakken and zermatt. thanks for the info (especially sti frenchie). |
Originally Posted by Frosty The Snowman
From what I've heard they are getting a lot more serious about the speed limits, above 100mph and you will be in big trouble apparently.
Drove 2000km on French roads in the last few weeks in a French plated rental and never saw a single police car. |
When you are coming down to Geneva through France you might want to jump off the motorway and take in some of the scenery in the Jura. If your trip is a couple of weeks away from now the colours in the Jura should be just about right. Take the RN5 down to La Col de la Faucille and if you are in a scoob you'll be loving the twisty bits and the view of the alps is stunning. You'll get to Geneva before you reach Mont Blanc/Chamonix (don't forget the glacier there). A bunch of scoobynutters from the photo forum came over here earlier this year and there's a stack of information -- and pics that we took -- in this thread: https://www.scoobynet.com/scoobynet-...m-t460651.html
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Takes me about 7 hours from Calais to Stuttgart and that is not hanging around either and stopping only twice in Brussels and Luxembourg.
Geneva is about 2 or 3 hours further on. |
Originally Posted by SwissTony
might make up some time in germany Germany - :confused: What part of the relatively straight line from Calais to Geneva goes through Germany? David |
Sorry, should have replied to the question first. ;)
It's 510 miles according to Van Mich, so that got to be 8 hours. Also have you considered the tunnel? It's so much quicker than the ferry. Last time we drove to Geneva we arrived at the Tunnel and were in France in just over an hour. None of that waiting around in lanes at the ferry. Enjoy your trip, David |
Originally Posted by Shark
Sorry, should have replied to the question first. ;)
if he wanted to do a detour and get on some faster roads, germany would do it :D ;) |
germany is for next year, on the way back and fourth to the ring again.
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Originally Posted by Dave1980
Off on holiday to switzerland for a week or so with the other half in a few weeks.
Unsure weather the drive to geneva from calais is doable in a day, bearing in mind that i probably wont get into france till 2pmish after the ferry. Tomtom is predicting 7 hrs but that is at the 70mph speed limit i presume so can knock a bit of time off:norty: . Anyone done it?. Was debating about stopping halfway but would rather get to switzerland asap. Whilst i am here, anyone know how to pass the time in geneva?. Only there for a few days then off to Zermatt and Interlaken so know whats about there but never been to geneva before. It usually takes me 7 hours to Chambery from Calais which is a bit further south than Geneve. Good Luck Rob |
Originally Posted by Group N
anyway if you have a half decent car they can't catch you anyway!!!:lol1:
http://www.forum-auto.com/uploads/20...endarmerie.jpg |
well i am going in a diesel renault so wont be doing too much over 120 flat out (not that i would do that of course)
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7 hours no problem, done it in just over 6 hrs in a soot chuckin Range Rover.
Watch out for the fixed camera's in Rhiems. Chamonix is good with plenty going on. |
Originally Posted by STi-Frenchie
Not quite true -- these days they have a fleet of WRX's :)
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I did Calais to Les Gets in less than 8 hours in the RS6. :norty:
I reckon I must have passed Geneva around 6-ish hours in. It's a very straightforward drive, I've done it about 5 times now, passing through Reims and Dijon. Certainly wouldn't cut through Germany. Try and tag behind another fast-moving car. We convoyed with a new Bentley at about 140, unfortunately he got speed-trappped but they obviously didn't have time to get my reading too. No warning either, they were hiding behind a bridge. |
Originally Posted by Edcase
Try and tag behind another fast-moving car. We convoyed with a new Bentley at about 140
a more sedate 90ish is on the cards, sounds like its doable in a day though. |
Originally Posted by STi-Frenchie
Not quite true -- these days they have a fleet of WRX's :)
http://www.forum-auto.com/uploads/20...endarmerie.jpg |
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