Across the Alps: A Self-Drive Journey Through Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France – Driving Guide

A Road Trip Through Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France (scenery, food, accommodation, driving tips)

This self-drive journey started in Paris, passed through Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and ended back in Paris. All along the way, the roads winding across the German-Austrian border left the deepest impression. Forest trails in the Alps, lush green pastures, and tranquil little villages – every inch of the land was breathtakingly beautiful. Even a hurried traveler like me couldn't help but slow down, intoxicated by the mountains and waters...

1. Scenery Along the Way

4. Driving Tips

--- The most beautiful scenery is on the road, in the countryside, and along narrow mountain lanes – that's Europe for you.

1. Scenery Along the Way

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, we picked up the car at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and set off. While the full moon shone back home, the sun was still bright in the afternoon here. Driving fast, a vast carpet of vibrant green, undulating and unfamiliar, rushed toward us – so stunning that our fatigue from the flights instantly vanished.

By the time we reached Luxembourg, the moon was high. On that weekend morning, the small town was so peaceful; we welcomed the first rays of sun on foreign soil here.

Entering Germany, there were no speed limits. The car picked up noticeably, lanes were clearer, and I couldn't resist pressing the accelerator. The engine roared as we hit 160-170 km/h, chasing a long-lost sense of speed. But don't do this for long – it's better to keep it under 130 km/h. This is the birthplace of the automobile. Originally we planned to visit the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, eager to see the very first car in history and to feel the essence of German manufacturing. Unfortunately, it was closed that day, so we missed it. We did make it to the Porsche headquarters, where the car sculpture soars into the sky and the sharp angles of the main building hint at dominance or perhaps ambition.

Augsburg, a small city in southern Germany. The buildings, sculptures, and ancient streets tell its history. In the quiet evening, our accommodation, surrounded by lush greenery in the morning glow, offered a completely different scene.

We arrived in Munich, a historic European cultural city with nearly a thousand years of heritage, amid a sea of cars dominated by BBA brands. The Munich Oktoberfest, a tradition over a hundred years old, was in full swing. Marienplatz and the pedestrian streets in the city center were bustling. Here you'll find the famous Bayern Munich, as well as top companies like BMW and Siemens.

BMW's headquarters building felt solid and powerful, while its exhibition hall seemed vibrant and soaring. This time I learned that the company actually started with aircraft manufacturing – no wonder their design and craftsmanship are so outstanding.

From our accommodation in the countryside near Salzburg, Austria, to Königssee, we followed the GPS onto a steep uphill lane. After passing through dense woods and crossing the hilltop, a picture-perfect scene unfolded before us. On the gentle slopes, lush green grass was dotted with leisurely grazing cows. At the end of the grassland was thick woodland, and in the distance, misty Alpine peaks. Beside the road, beautiful farmhouses occasionally appeared, but not a soul was seen nor a voice heard. Slow down, pause, stop, savor, and get lost in the bliss.

Königssee, fed by Alpine snow and ice, is Germany's most beautiful and deepest lake. From the hilltop, you see a jade-green expanse; up close, it's crystal clear and chilly. I admire the German environmental consciousness – over a hundred years ago, only rowboats and electric boats were allowed here. I can't help but think of our own Dianchi Lake, a once-grand 300-square-kilometer water body, now turned murky in just a few decades. By late November, Königssee freezes over, halting all boat tours. My daughter visited six years ago just at that time. This time, we finally got to take a boat tour and visit the island – a wish fulfilled.

After Königssee, we crossed from Germany into Austria again to stay in Innsbruck. That was the third time crossing the German-Austrian border. Without knowing German and with no tolls, we barely noticed where the border was. Passing through Innsbruck is necessary when heading to Switzerland. From here, it's only about 100 kilometers to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles near Füssen, Germany. You can visit the sights and return the same day. Getting to Neuschwanstein also meant crossing an Alpine range, again on winding roads, again with picture-perfect scenery. The difference was that this road was slightly wider but had more traffic, with some slow-moving logging trucks in the forested areas. Overtaking was fine during the day, but a bit tricky in the evening on the way back.

The castles are a famous German attraction. Neuschwanstein was a dream palace built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the late 19th century. The interiors and paintings are exquisite, but no photos are allowed – you just have to feast your eyes. The exterior is built of gray-white granite, which has withstood centuries of wind and rain, still blending like a fairy tale with the green mountains. Less than a kilometer away stands the even older Hohenschwangau Castle. Both offer views of a beautiful lake. During the holiday, many Chinese tourists came here, mostly on group tours, but also independent travelers and self-drivers. Due to the small capacity and visitor limits, without pre-booked tickets online, we had to wait until 4 p.m. to enter Neuschwanstein.

From Innsbruck, it's just over 100 kilometers to the Swiss border. There's a border checkpoint where you need to go through customs. Switzerland is mountainous and dotted with lakes, with the southern part boasting the main Alpine peaks. Our route took us via Lucerne in the central region to Geneva; the roads were relatively flat along the way.

Lucerne – city and lake

Évian-les-Bains in France lies on the southern shore of Lake Geneva. On the map, a narrow strip of Swiss territory, like an eagle's beak, sits right on the northern shore. Staying in Évian lets you enjoy the lakeside and drive along the lake all the way to Geneva at the westernmost tip.

Backed by the Alps and famed for its world-renowned mineral water, Évian faces Lake Geneva. From our accommodation, you could see the lake just by opening the window. Prices here were also cheaper than across the lake in Switzerland, making it seem like a favorite retreat for Europeans too.

Lakeside morning in the French countryside

It's hard to put the beauty of Lake Geneva into words. On that fine day, blue sky and white clouds were mirrored in the clear water. Sailboats dotted the distance; up close, white swans and flocks of waterfowl swam and played by the shore, utterly unbothered. A jet of water shot into the air, caught by the breeze and painting a rainbow under the sun. We came from the southern shore, where there were hardly any tourists, and enjoyed a leisurely lakeside stroll.

Geneva's Old Town, a cozy local square, an ancient church, and trams

A UN office in the new town district

By the time we reached the Swiss-French border from Geneva, it was already dusk. The preceding dozens of kilometers were through mountainous terrain. We occasionally spotted a high-speed train gliding through the forest. Not far into France, roadworks diverted us onto a country lane. It was narrow, twisting up and down the hills – a bit daunting – but the signage was clear and the road surface was decent. After many twists and turns, we finally got back onto the main road. By then the rain was getting heavy. Once on the highway, the windshield wipers worked at full speed as we drove through the downpour to Dijon, France.

Early morning in Dijon, after the rain the sky cleared. Chestnut leaves along the streets were just turning yellow, and fallen leaves and chestnuts covered the ground. From here to Paris, it was all highway, smooth all the way.

Scenery is on the road, and so is the food. Tasting local cuisine is an essential part of travel, and a self-drive trip offers plenty of choices. My daughter is quite a foodie. No matter where we go, in China or abroad, she always diligently searches for distinctive local flavors. We just follow along and enjoy the feast.

A quick meal at a Frankfurt café, and vegetables at an Augsburg Western restaurant in the evening

At the Munich Oktoberfest, we went to the liveliest pork knuckle restaurant, complete with a live band. At the happiest moments, the whole place would burst into song – powerful and well-coordinated, very German. The hearty roasted and steamed pork knuckles were the closest to Chinese flavors we had on this European trip.

At a hilltop restaurant hundreds of meters above Königssee, accessed by cable car, after taking in the mountain and lake views in the brisk, chilly wind, enjoying a plate like this was pure bliss.

In Switzerland, not far from Lucerne, there was a hillside restaurant by the roadside. Sitting at the table and gazing into the distance, a Swiss rural painting unfolded before your eyes. This must be the restaurant with the best views.

A Geneva cheese fondue – a meal with a strong character. It looked just like our small hotpots, but the difference was the melted cheese. Using a slender fork, you dip pieces of French bread into the pot, coating them with the gooey cheese, and eat while it's hot. It's quite tasty, but of course, once or twice is enough.

Ending the road trip at a Parisian restaurant

All the accommodations for this trip were carefully selected online by my daughter, and a few family-run guesthouses were especially wonderful.

In the countryside near Salzburg, Austria, we stayed on the ground floor of a villa. In the front garden, a bench made from snowboards hinted at winter scenes. Behind the house was a grassy hillside. Inside, there was a spacious living room, two large bedrooms, and a fully equipped kitchen with tableware. The host didn't live there; we simply took the key from a small coded box by the door to let ourselves in, and returned it the same way when leaving – simple and convenient.

In Innsbruck, a roadside house had a small trailer parked outside, filled with snow gear. We entered through a small courtyard. Downstairs was a spacious living room, kitchen, and bathroom; upstairs were two big bedrooms. Again, the host didn't live there. When we arrived, a neighbor gave us the key. The next day the host dropped by briefly to say hello. We stayed two nights, and on the third morning, we closed the door and left.

In Paris, where space is at a premium, the accommodation was compact but cleverly designed. It had a full kitchen, bathroom, and living area. Most doors and windows were foldable to save space, and the living room sofa pulled out into a bed. The most unique feature was the bedroom bed, which could be raised to create a good-sized study during the day and lowered at night into a large bed.

4. Driving Tips

1. Preparation

Combine your travel itinerary with a well-chosen driving route. Plan daily driving distances carefully – shorter on days with sightseeing, a bit longer on days without. Allow some buffer according to the distances shown on maps. Choose a car rental website; we used Zuzuche to book a car with a European rental company. The reserved model was a manual Passat, but we actually got a manual diesel Audi A3. Most rental cars in Europe are manual; automatics are fewer, pricier, and have fewer options. I last drove manual over ten years ago and had gotten rusty. After picking up the car, I even struggled to engage reverse gear at first, and stalled a few times along the way. If you're not confident with a manual, I'd strongly recommend choosing an automatic. Bring a mobile Wi-Fi device – crucial for navigation and messaging on apps like WeChat. Prepare a car GPS navigator; you can buy one or rent from the rental website. We used a TomTom navigator, which was reliable. Apart from roadworks or temporary detours due to accidents (where you'll need Google Maps’ real-time navigation on your phone), it always guided us accurately to our destinations. Find the exact latitude and longitude of your destinations and enter those directly into the navigator – very handy. Also pack at least one car charger with two USB ports, a power bank, and a paper map in Chinese.

In France, highways have toll stations, all self-service. When entering, press a button to get a printed ticket. At the exit booth, there are two slots: insert the ticket into the first one that lights up green, and once the second slot turns green, insert your credit card. The barrier lifts after the transaction is processed. We tried two types of cards successfully: one was a magstripe card with UnionPay and Visa logos, the other a Visa chip card. Roads in Germany are completely free, which is great. For Austrian highways, you can buy a 10-day vignette for €8.20, available at gas station shops. Swiss highways require an annual vignette costing 40 Swiss francs, regardless of whether you drive one day or the whole year. Take it or leave it – our mountains are there, our lakes are there. We're the uniquely independent Swiss. Although ticket checks are rare along the way, you should still be honest and follow the rules.

All gas stations along the route are self-service. The pumps clearly show fuel type and grade; just make sure it matches your car's fuel. Our car key tag indicated diesel, so we double-checked before filling up. There are two ways to pay: you can go into the shop after refuelling and tell them the pump number, or, more commonly, pay by card right at the pump. Both types of credit cards we had worked. Fuel costs: Germany and Austria were cheapest, Switzerland most expensive, France in the middle – mirroring local price levels.

In cities, signs clearly indicate whether you can park, during which hours, and the fees. Parking lots in urban areas are all self-service: pay for the required time, get a ticket, and place it on the dashboard behind the windshield for inspection. Some busier tourist parking lots still use attendants. I did see a car without a displayed ticket get photographed and its license plate noted, but I'm not sure how they handle it. Better just pay.

5. Traffic Rules and Driving

Overall, driving in Europe is more relaxed than in China, because the vast majority of people strictly follow the rules. Except in the UK, all European countries have left-hand drive, with all controls identical to those in China. On German highways, there's no speed limit unless signposted, but it's said that if you exceed 130 km/h and have an accident, you bear full liability. In other countries, the maximum speed on highways is 130 km/h. Other roads also have speed limits, especially on winding mountain roads where signs are frequent. On highways, you must not stay in the passing lane; after overtaking, return to the main lane immediately. No one drives in the emergency lane. On our way from Munich to Salzburg, we hit a long traffic jam due to roadworks ahead. For dozens of minutes, we inched along, and no one used the passing or emergency lanes. At the bottleneck, two three-lane highways merged into one, with no traffic controller, yet vehicles took turns entering in an orderly, perfectly staggered manner. When entering a roundabout, you must stop to give way to cars already inside. At intersections with a single traffic light, you must stop for a red light before turning right or going straight. Cars turning right must also stop to yield to vehicles going straight. Always yield to pedestrians. Unless absolutely necessary, don't honk or use high beams. The rest is pretty much the same as back home.

Before the trip, I collected and organized traffic sign diagrams online; they were somewhat different from ours. All in all, driving in Europe is more relaxed than in China, because most people adhere to the rules very well.