Best route?

Go Belgium, Germany, Austria. France is EXTREMELY heavy on tolls (so much so that I have to charge a supplement to French clients) and the time difference is minimal. Germany's Autobahnen are toll-free, very good indeed and their rest stops are okay. You could also go past Koblenz. Timing this right, make into town and have coffee or beer at the wonderful biergarten where the Rhine and Mosel meet, before heading south. Two advices however - go to the loo before having a coffee in a German motorway stop, as they charge you 0.5 Euros. They then issue you with a 0.5 Euro discount for a coffee. Crazy Churmans, ja? Also, take enough food to get you through Germany. While French and Italian Autogrills are a delight with affordable, fresh and lovely nosh etc, the German version is terrible in this respect. Little Chef quality and prices, all tasting of that curry sauce you get on kebabs in the UK. Take much water too, as it's hot out there at the moment. Once you're in Italy, stop at the first Autogrill you can find, brave the casino of the cassa and muscle at the bar for your panino and coffee. Benvenuto, buon viaggio and buon appetito. E arrivato!

Thanks Coseperlacasa.   That sounds like a good route. However, we have an overnight stop booked in Luzern, so we are a bit tied in to going down via Luxembourg, back into france etc? My main worry is the roadworks on the Dunkirk to Lille road and if they are still as bad as last year? Also I've heard Basel is often best avoided , possibly by slipping into Germany?

Dunkirk - Lille - into Belgium [not sure on roadworks - some say go up to Brussels to avoid them] - on to Luxembourg [fill up with cheap petrol] down past Metz, Nancy and on to Mulhouse.  All motorway of dual carriageway, except for about 40 minutes into Mulhouse and NO TOLL FEES at all   From Mulhouse, into Germany and take the motorway to Basle, but turn off onto the motorway/dual carriageway to Lorrach - this avoids Basle completely, then into Switzerland and on to Lucerne.   Where are you stay at in Lucerne? [always find accommodation expensive in Switzerland]

Thanks Alan   That sounds pretty good, like the idea of avoiding Basle, as I've heard it's a slow border for some reason?. Have already bought my swiss vignette, thanks to reading advice on here! We are stopping fairly cheaply in an etap in Luzern, booked it a while ago approx 100 chf. I suspect the real expense will kick in when we try and find somewhere to eat out!

"I suspect the real expense will kick in when we try and find somewhere to eat out!" Too true!!! Another warning - a couple of years ago we ate in a restaurant that only accepted SFs - not Euros or Cards.  Had to trot off to find an ATM when the bill came.  Now we always check to see that cards are accepted before ordering