Driving over the Alps

[dickturpin]

Anyone with any experience of taking a car over the Alps as we go from autumn towards winter?
I may need to drive down to Italy in the next two to three weeks and wonder what sort of conditions to expect. The car will have normal summer tyres on.
When does it start to get dodgy on these high routes?

[Bretty]

There are plenty of routes you can take.

The roads are only dodgy if you are taking a pass up and over a mountain. The roads are usually cleared for the coaches going to the ski resorts, but if it is that bad the police will be on the road and you won't be able to pass without snow chains.

[locksmith]

You'll be doomed I tell yer, doomed.

[dickturpin]

Its always good to know that you're gonna be doomed! 😋

[pilninggas]

All the major passes are kept open throughout the winter. For instance if going to Eastern Italy i'd cross Fern and then Brenner.

There are laws on winter tyres in some of the countries, so potentially you may need to change to winter tyres. Snow chains are obligitary where designated and when there is fallen snow. You should carry them from November to April, if venturing on the equivalent B-roads at altitude (i once went up an impassable pass on a bike, I had to turn around, no grip and perishing cold).

[dickturpin]

Probably looking at Gotthard tunnel....is that generally Ok till end of November?

[Bretty]

You can get to Italy avoiding all the mountain roads if you wanted to... 

Although, If you don't want to avoid them, then I would recommend going through Switzerland. Firstly Switzerland is the best looking country, with the best, widest sweeping roads with not much traffic or straight roads, and also because you can blitz the first leg of the journey on the toll free autobahns! :-)

[dickturpin]

You can get to Italy avoiding all the mountain roads if you wanted to... 

Do you mean by heading west through France to skirt round them?

[Bretty]

Yep, it's a good run down via Lyon, Geneva, Monte blanc tunnel... Although I find French main roads a bit boring.

The other option, although a little out the way, you could do Marseille, Nice, Monaco along the coastal road if you wanted to see that sort of thing.