Driving a big removal truck from Germany to Spain

Hi All

As I mentioned elsewhere I'm moving from Munich to Barcelona at the end of April. Because I'm never one to do things the easy way and so I get a physical feeling of "The Big Move" I've decided to rent a big truck and just drive down myself with a mate riding shotgun. The idea is to make it a bit of an adventure - kind of "Easy Rider" but with a Mercedes 815 Altego instead of a pair of Harley Davidsons ...or something...

However now I've actually thought about it a bit it occurs to me that this is a bit more involved than just a regular European road trip. Two things I'm wondering about:

• Tolls, vignettes etc for Austria, Switzerland, France and Spain- any idea how these work? Is this just a matter of buying a (more expensive) vignette? or is there some kind of tracker the truck will need to have.
• I will have a big truck with all my worldly possessions in it. I want to drive down over say 3 days stopping off along the way. Is it a bad idea to park it in the street e.g. In France? Problem is the truck (7.5 tonne) is too big for a normal car park.

Anyone have any advice or experience of driving that way in a truck?

Also in general any recommended routes/routes to avoid/places to see? I was thinking of stopping in Geneva, Lyon, and Avignon along the way. Any other suggestions?

Vignette (road tax)

In France you have to pay road toll, as you probably know; the price is indicated at the péage itself. If you do an online GoogleMaps itinerary it will show you where the tolls are, though probably not how much lorries have to pay.

Er- thanks. I understand exactly how the tolls work for a car. My question is to do with how they work for a truck. For example I have since found out that you need a special card for the Swiss roads which can be issued on demand on crossing the border. That kind of thing.

Unless you avoid Austria and Switzerland by staying on the German side until crossing the French border (Rhine) between Müllheim and Mulhouse ...

More interesting would be your possible liability to having to pay import duty/fill out customs forms if you go into Switzerland. Last year Mrs. Angel and I went on a wine shopping tour of France and came back to Munich through Switzerland with a car full of wine, as we queued to cross the border we suddenly wondered if we'd have to pay, and I still don't know what the rules are. Besides the traffic in Switzerland was horrible on each border crossing and I'll never go that route again.

If I were in your position I'd take the A8 to Karlsruhe (works well enough if you leave Munich after 7pm when the traffic is much reduced), then the A5 South, then leave the A5 at junction 51 following signs to Paris then Strasbourg onto the A35 in France. This is toll free until way South of Strasbourg and much less busy than the A5. Then you're in uncharted territory...

Another thing to think about is insurance and security for your entire life in the back of a truck, or maybe I'm just too middle aged... It sounds like a fun trip though.