Driving To Wedding In Parma(Italy)

Hello. I have a wedding in Parma Italy in August and instead of flying over to Italy i was thinking of driving from Galway to Parma just to take in the views on the way. Wedding is on a Thursday so way thinking of going on the Sat.
Has anyone done it?
How long would it take?
Would it be worth the price on petrol, boat and other.?
Is it easy to drive through France and Italy?

Assuming ferry to Roscoff, Brittany to Parma via Paris is about 1,500 kms of European driving most of it across very expensive French toll-roads, say 15 hours driving time, even with a co-driver, that's close to 3 days worth of driving.

You can avoid French toll roads but it'll add considerably to your journey and driving time and can add another level of frustration.

Sat-nav is an absolute must. I've done lots of European driving over the years and enjoy it and love the idea of the over-nights in little out-of-the-way spots.

A co-driver is essential.

and don't forget ... you have to drive back again!

They will be 3 of us to share the driving. Forgot about the tolls!! Are they exspensive? I would of thought driving through France would have been straight forwand.
Would It be a worthwhile trip to see the different attractions?

Jay1981 said:

They will be 3 of us to share the driving...

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Good and hopefully all insured and experienced

Jay1981 said:

Forgot about the tolls!! Are they exspensive? ...

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They can be. I paid out €50/60 in one day last year between Calais and Cannes.

Jay1981 said:

I would of thought driving through France would have been straight forwand...

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It is but remember to to recheck your route and exits after pulling into the huge filling-stations with fabulous rest-room facilities and restaurants.

It gets complicated if you try to avoid toll roads and forget to tell your sat-nav.

Jay1981 said:

... Would It be a worthwhile trip to see the different attractions?

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Yeah use sat-nav / Google Earth to set POI's for places you want to visit and plan your trip accordingly. Make sure you have up-to-date sat-nav maps and as well as hard-copy maps in case the technology fails you.

We are also going to a wedding in Italy but are doing it with Ryanair for E32.00 and are planning some local travel on their very good and inexpensive trains.

Maybe I'm just lazy and the heat would put me off all that driving. However, each to his own

Black Sheep said:

... the heat would put me off all that driving. However, each to his own

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Air-con, God's gift to the continental driver.

there is a website www.mappy.fr i think it is and you can enter the details of your journey in france and it gives you back the distance, time it would take, tolls cost for the journey and if you enter your car details the cost of the petrol/diesel too (wouldnt say its accurate but it might give some indication of costs) i would love to do a journey like that some day. alot of driving but if you can stop off at points of interest along the way and even find some good driving roads then it would be worth it.

enjoy.

Some years ago, I drove from Portlaoise to Como via Cherbourg. I didn't have the benefit of satnav (still don't), and would have to say that negotiating the way round outer Paris on the motorway was quite nerve-wracking.

Made it as far as Auxerre on day-1 in France and was back on the road at 8am the next morning in the direction of Besancon and the Swiss border. Didn't realise that you need a paid-permit for Swiss motorways but chanced it the same (no hassles.. (luck?)).

Going into the Alps was fantastic tho as the driver, I didn't get to see much of it. Because a passenger was claustrophobic, the Mont Blanc tunnel was avoided and the much prettier 'Passe du gran St. Bernard' was taken. Pulled up at the destination at 4pm.

If you're going to do it, build it into your holiday and make sure you stop for your overnights not later than 8pm. On the way back, I went from Como to Versailles in one day with the aim of getting as much miles done as possible, but got stuck with v.expensive, extraordinarily poor value overnight accommodation and had to take it.

I've driven as far as Salou. It was ok but I wouldn't do it again. Have you considered going by train (Dublin, London, Paris, Parma) ?

We used to do this all the time when I was younger. Furthest we made it was from Cherbourg to Pesaro on the Adriatic coast. I always really enjoyed the car trip (even as a teenager) and would love to go and do it again one day. Sure it takes a lot longer, but it's a very relaxing way of travelling. This was in the pre-sat nav days so I had the job of reading the map. Paris was a bit hairy but the rest was fairly straight forward. Don't forget to stock up on wine

Another thing to bear in mind, is going to Parma, the quickest way will more than likely take you through the Alps, probably the Tunnel de Frejus. This will add onto the tolls.

Drove to Barcelona when children small twenty years ago to visit friends who were living there at the time. Would never do it again. Since then drove to Cote D'azur, my advice is if you can get a flight dont put yourselves through all the hassle, it could turn out to be a nightmare and you will be exhausted when you get there.