setting off in 2 weeks on Europe trip in exige route help please

[james-5q1ms]

Hi As mentioned we are setting off in 2 weeks for a Europe trip for 20 days in 2 lotus exige's, we have the hotels booked so can't change the destinations but i have planned a route mainly using google maps, i have tried to incorporate some good driving roads in the route but worried we drive right passed one of the best driving roads in the world and miss it, i have done quite a lot of research so hopefully this doesn't happen but i would be much appreciative if someone could look through my route and give me any pointers if they think there are any better routes i could take.
sorry the map is in 2 sections as google limit the amount of way points you can use.

https://goo.gl/maps/L1vK1
https://goo.gl/maps/a5FZQ

any help and input is much appreciated thanks.


[mr pg]

Instead of going from straight Andermatt to Wassen, add in the Furka, Grimsell, and Susten passes which are the other 3 sides of that 'square', and would bring you back to Wassen. We're doing them in 4 weeks time.

[Zed 44]

+1 on the above.

Also, instead of going on French autoroutes around Paris, I would think about going back via. the Black Forest from Basel (take the L roads)up towards Karlsruhe then head for Trier, around Luxembourg and pick up the Belgian dual carriageway past Namur, Mons, Tournai, Lille France and on to Calais. I wasn't on this route last year but took the A3 east from Brussels and the traffic on it was as fast as a French autoroute. See below for details:

http://belgium.angloinfo.com/transport/driving/on-...

[plenty]

Forgive me for being blunt but this doesn't look like it's been researched at all - it's more like simply the quickest way from A-B between your fixed waypoints.

Your route contains a Google Maps-estimated 37 hours of driving in two weeks, or an average of less than two hours driving per day. Unless you specifically need to keep the driving to a minimum, which would be a shame if you're in Exiges, 4-5 hours per day isn't that difficult and would allow you much more scope to explore interesting routes. There is so much that you could consider - in rough order of your current general direction: Moselle Valley, Vosges, Black Forest, Austrian Alps, Andermatt region, Rhone-Alps, D996 Dijon to Troyes, etc.

Top tip if you want good driving roads: stay off motorways.

[james-5q1ms]

Thanks for all the comments and help no thats fine about being blunt, the issue is that its my wife's first driving holiday and could be the first of many or the last so i don't want to push it by been in the car to much. but there is scope for more driving as we are staying in lake garda 3 days then como for 3 days so me and my mate are hoping to get some more driving in while the wife's are round the pool appreciate all the help i and will add some of them routes in.
thanks

[james-5q1ms]

thanks again thats great advice from MR PG the route from Como to Switzerland will look like this now https://goo.gl/maps/qqcYv looks like a great drive this is just the help i need thanks guys

[will_]

If you have time, head over the Spluggenpass from Como into Switzerland, and then up and down the St Bernardino pass before heading up towards the Andermatt loop. You could also try and tie-in the Biasca-Disentis road on the way north too.

There are quite a few resources for route planning - alpineroads.com is a good one, and the Via Michelin website has detailed maps. In Exiges these roads will be fantastic. It does take some time to plan it properly though.

From my experience, if you have a passenger to keep happy then then a sensible cross-country off-motorway mileage is around 200 or so per day. That will give you 4-5 hours in the car, and plenty of time for stops/lunch etc which is all part of the "holiday".

Have a great trip!

[krallicious]

As has been mentioned, you are driving past some of the best mountain passes in Europe. The Andermatt Wassen loop is a must as is the Lukmanierpass that will above mentioned. There is also the Nufenenpass which branches off from Airolo. There are also lots of roads to explore around Lake Lucern which have lovely hidden restaurants and places to stop for a dip in the lake which is to be reccommended on a hot day.

There are aslo some great roads in the Black Forest or take the A5 in D asit does allow some unrestricted driving from CH for about 20km.

Consider some of the roads around Chiemsee too as they are very nice.

Edited by krallicious on Monday 8th June 11:49

[james-5q1ms]

Hi thats great i really appreciate everyones help on this one, so I'm thinking of doing the route from Como to Switzerland like this https://goo.gl/maps/SN9SR.
I would have loved to come back from Switzerland through the black forest but i have a wife that wants to go to paris.
thanks again for all the help

[LaurasOtherHalf]

james-5q1ms said:

Hi thats great i really appreciate everyones help on this one, so I'm thinking of doing the route from Como to Switzerland like this https://goo.gl/maps/SN9SR.
I would have loved to come back from Switzerland through the black forest but i have a wife that wants to go to paris.
thanks again for all the help

Then do Strasbourg on the way back, if you do Switzerland to black Forrest it'll take you right there in a few hours.

DO NOT miss the susten pass out by the way

[krallicious]

james-5q1ms said:

Hi thats great i really appreciate everyones help on this one, so I'm thinking of doing the route from Como to Switzerland like this https://goo.gl/maps/SN9SR.
I would have loved to come back from Switzerland through the black forest but i have a wife that wants to go to paris.
thanks again for all the help

Route looks good but consider taking the road from Wassen to Altdorf instead of the Autobahn. It is really quite pleasant.

[plop71]

mr pg said:

Instead of going from straight Andermatt to Wassen, add in the Furka, Grimsell, and Susten passes which are the other 3 sides of that 'square', and would bring you back to Wassen. We're doing them in 4 weeks time.

Agree with the above. My wife and I drove the Susten, Grimsel, Furka and Gotthard passes on Wednesday and they are some of the best driving roads I have ever experienced (IMO they are up there with the best of the Highlands) The scenery is out of this world and we can't wait to go back and do it again! If you need persuading I thought these photos might help:

Edited by plop71 on Friday 19th June 21:59

[mr pg]

Only a week to go now :-)