Our family road trip to Switzerland was EPIC! We hiked to the most stunning lakes, took in the breathtaking scenery and felt like we were on top of the world. Not only that it was our first time camping (as a family) and the site we stayed at had the most spectacular mountain views whichever way we looked. Having breakfast while watching the mist rise from the peaks and the sun hit the valley was the best. But what about the journey there? It’s a few hundred kilometres from the UK so here’s how we managed driving to Switzerland with a child in tow.
Driving to Switzerland from the UK
One of the many benefits of driving from the UK to France and further afield is that you can fill the car. With the long drive to and from Switzerland, we had originally planned to pre-book an overnight stay in France to break up the journey. That said, as we weren’t sure where we’d be after leaving the UK, we booked the accommodation last minute. En route home, we knew which area we needed to be in meaning we could pre-book while in Switzerland. In this post we’ve summarised our journey and the breakdown of each day to provide an itinerary of what a family trip to the Alps looks like.
Day 1: Folkestone, UK to Dijon, France
Drive to Folkestone, UK
We lived less than 140 kilometres away from Folkestone when we went to Switzerland which made Eurotunnel to France super easy. It’s a cost-effective way to reach Calais, and ideal if you’re camping and self-catering as you can take more with you. We took full advantage of that albeit taking far more than we needed, especially in the way of clothes and food.
Eurotunnel to Calais, France
We’ve taken Eurotunnel many times to France including during the peak summer period and so far not had traffic issues. We do tend to avoid heading through notoriously busy areas though. The roads in France are fantastic but we did deliberately pick a morning train, just in case. The journey from Folkestone to Calais on Eurotunnel is only 35 minutes so it passes quickly but it’s a great excuse for a power nap.
Drive from Calais to Dijon
On arrival in Calais we took the A26 towards Arras, Saint Quentin and Châlons-en-Champagne. This was the best route as the A1 would have no doubt resulted in hitting traffic in Paris. It would have been great to have a wander in Troyes en route but with a car completely full and a lot of driving to do, we gave it a miss.
We forgot to purchase a French toll road tag (Emovis Tag) before we left the UK but it didn’t matter as you can just tap your credit card instead. The toll tag is a device that fits to your car so you can use the designated lanes but we didn’t get stuck in any traffic.
One of the great things about French motorways is that there are plenty of places to take a break from driving. Many of these have green space, picnic tables and sometimes even a children’s play area. Having plenty of water and snacks in the car meant we didn’t need to stop for any length of time but it’s a great way to break up the journey/have a rest. A great excuse to run around, take in the sunshine and of course visit the facilities.
We planned to do the bulk of the driving on the first day and aimed to be in Dijon, France for an overnight stay. As we weren’t sure if we would be able to make it there (it’s 350 kilometres), we held off booking any accommodation until we were closer. As it turned out, we booked super late securing accommodation on the outskirts of Dijon 30 minutes before we arrived. This did mean we spent more than we intended, after missing out on a beautiful Airbnb, but we stayed in a lovely hotel with a swimming pool, great food and comfy beds which was much needed.
Day 2: Dijon, France to Les Hauderes, Switzerland
Dijon, France to Les Hauderes, Switzerland
Our journey across France and into Switzerland was superb, very little traffic on the roads and glorious scenery. Even crossing the Swiss border was easy, just a one-off payment for using the Swiss motorway vignette for up to 12 months. Although it was c.320 kilometres from Dijon to our campsite in the Swiss Alps, we arrived while it was still light. This was the intention given we had to eat and put up our Vango tent – we did do a dry run before we left so we knew what we were doing).
Days 3 to 8: Exploring the Swiss Alps
Staying in Switzerland
We squeezed a lot into this ten-day trip with 6 nights spent in the Swiss Alps jam-packed with family adventures. We stayed at an incredible and spotless campsite (Camping Molignon if you fancy a read) in the sun-kissed Valais region which is ripe for exploration with its lush countryside, snow-capped mountains and magnificent alpine lakes. Highlights included hiking to the exquisite Lac Bleu of Arolla, a trek that took us through the forest and high up into the mountains. Embarking on another hike to Lac d’Arbey, via the pretty village of Evolene, where we were rewarded with views of the Dent Blanche peaks. Discovering the Grande Dixence Dam, the tallest dam in the world, which collects 400 billion litres of water from 35 Valaisian glaciers. Not forgetting the Ferpècle Glacier. Remarkably, even with all the outdoor activities POD still wanted to swim in the campsite pool at the end of each day.
We found Switzerland to be so family-friendly and during the summer, camping is a great way to explore the Alps if you want to keep costs down. Restaurants in the Swiss Alps can be expensive so it’s worth preparing for that if you’re travelling on a budget. During the winter months, there’s skiing, snow playgrounds and ice skating. Here’s a taste of what families can expect in the Valais region in summer and winter. Some photos of our trip are below and the return journey to the UK follows.
Day 9: Les Hauderes, Switzerland to Reims, France
Drive from Les Hauderes, Switzerland to Reims, France
As it took a day and a half to drive from the UK to the Swiss Alps we left Camping Molignon in the Swiss Alps early to make good headway. The aim was to get to Reims by the end of the day which 600 kilometres away as it would mean a more leisurely drive to Calais the following day. While we did have long periods of time in the car, we stopped every couple of hours to break up the journey. POD is used to travelling and she’s been on many road trips before but being in the car for this length of time was a real test. She took it in her stride however and in-between the breaks outdoors we played games, looked out for animals and sang. And she slept! We stayed in a wonderful Airbnb in Reims, owned by a lovely couple with two young children. POD got to play with them while we chatted to the super welcoming hosts. We slept very well that night!
Day 10: Reims to Calais
Drive from Reims to Calais (via Wissant)
The last leg of our journey was from Reims to Calais although we stopped in Wissant en route. We’ve travelled around the Opal Coast a couple of times before so we decided to venture back for moules and frites. Wissant is where POD tried mussels for the first time and loved them. We forget how busy it gets in Wissant though so if you’re heading there before lunch, do allow extra time.
Eurotunnel to Folkestone, UK
We did have a little delay on the way back but the inbound journey back was just as the outbound. A total of 35 minutes from Calais to Folkestone with around an hour and a half’s drive home the other side. Yes it was a long journey but my goodness driving to Switzerland and spending time in what is a stunning country was truly memorable. What an epic trip, we’re now craving a trip back – perhaps with time spent in France, Austria or Italy.
