Three Stunning Excursions when Visiting the Alps

Once you’ve found your way to your chosen destination in the Alps and decide to go on a bit of an adventure, chances are you’ll wonder why you didn’t rent a car sooner. Each and every person and family lucky enough to travel over the Alps by car comes away with some of the most incredible memories and a renewed belief that the journey can often by far more inspiring than the destination.

Driving around the region even for a short time is guaranteed to highlight some of the most staggering natural beauty to be found anywhere in Europe and in many instances won’t cost you more than a few hours – maybe even less. So, if finding yourself behind the wheel and looking to have your breath taken away in ways you never thought possible, consider the following example excursions for a true taste of European beauty at its finest:

The Chamonix-Mont Blanc Tunnel – 60 Minutes – 40 Miles

One of the longest underpasses in the world measuring in at a whopping seven miles, the tunnel never fails to impress even the most hardened of souls. The entrance to the tunnel can be found just on the outskirts of Chamonix and just as long as you make sure you’ve got enough petrol to go the distance, this is a marvelously simple though unmissable journey.

If you have time to do so, you should really factor in a couple of hours in Aosta – a lesser-known Italian town with some stunning Roman ruins  rivaled only by the mind-blowing ice-cream made locally. The nearby town of Pré-Saint Didier also boasts some quite superb hot springs.

Tignes les Bréciéres to Col de l’Iseran – 90 Minutes – 60 Miles

This jaunt from Chalet de la Cloche, through Val D’Isere and to the Col de l’Iseran takes drivers to a lofty height of 2,770 meters, making this an ideal choice for the summer months and not to be attempted in the winter. Well, unless of course you’re equipped with the necessary huskies and sled!

This is without question one of the most inspiring journeys possible in such a short period of time and allows travelers to take in some of the most stunning views of the Vanoise National Park. Excursions to nearby Susa also come highly recommended, while the popular city of Turing can be found a further 45-minutes away and is worth a day or two in its own right.