European Roadtrip + Stelvio pass (very photo heavy)

[c4gts]

dont want to get stuck in traffic tbh - really want the alps to be the purpose of the trip so maybe will focus on that. quite happy to spend more time around the alps if it means avoiding heavy traffic to get there.

is calais to andermatt/brienz via the autoroute going through reims/troyes/dijon the quickest route there?
https://goo.gl/maps/DJjweg6ZfgGepFZM9

[mr pg]

I've not done that route in Aug so can't comment. I know out of school hols that route is very quiet, although you need to factor in toll costs. I'd recommend using a transponder (Emovis or Bipandgo) that allows you to use the auto barrier raise at up to 30kmh, it saves queuing/stretching to reach pay meters (assuming you have a passenger).
The passes will be busy with tourists, motor homes, bikers, cyclists in Aug.

[Medic-one]

c4gts said:

hi medic-one this is a great write up thanks for taking the time!

planning a trip this summer, although much shorter than yours..

day 1 calais to dijon
day 2 dijon to lake brienz
day 3 and 4 exploring alps/passes - mainly the andermatt loop -susten/grimsel/furka. +-nufenan.
day 5 and 6 head back to uk.

couple of questions using your experience if you didn't mind.

1. taking a f430 so was a bit worried about getting stuck on any narrow roads/passes as i know it would stress me out no end. are there any passes you would avoid?

2. the hotel you stayed in near lake brienz -hotel brienzersee. the parking there - did it look fairly secure?

3. is crime an issue? do i need to get some locking wheel nuts (ferraris rarely have them) - i don't want to wake up to find the car on bricks! am i worrying too much?

4. could i get further than dijon on day 1 from calais? dont want to tire myself out but similarly want to get to the alps as fast as i can.

5. will i get bored on the passes for 2 days?

many thanks
alan

Sorry only just seen this.

1) None of the passes or 'fun roads' were that narrow that worried me. The only route that had some narrow bits were the actual normal roads around the Italian lakes between little towns when trying to find a petrol station.
A couple of those were narrow enough to make me nervous, and I drive a 6 ton van at speed through traffic and narrow gaps (on blue lights) for a living

I wouldn't say the Furka was that narrow I'd get worried in a wider car (aka f430) and it was a great road to drive. There's plenty of video's on youtube of people driving up/down the entire road with a dashcam so you can check it out for yourself I guess.

2) Yes, I was quite happy to leave my car there.

There's a couple spaces at the front of the hotel, right in view of reception (seen in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWwym6gMoME at 00:59 minutes in and then my picture above is car park on the other side, which leads right upto their terrace so all cars are well within view and because it's up a little ramp (not too steep) it's not really visible from the road.

The actual hotel is also off a smaller road from the main road, so you can't see the car park from the villege or main road, so it's secluded and secure.
I haven't got a Ferrari but if i did I'd be happy to leave it at that carpark.

3) I reviewed every hotel I stayed at, and looked on youtube and google maps in the area and out of my trip the only place that had some rough area's was Stuttgart but my car was safely locked up in the hotel's private garage there.

I wouldn't worry to much about it, in summer there are plenty of people about and the hotels and tourist area's don't want a bad name so they all have their security measures and CCTV etc in place.

4) Depends on your passenger I guess. It's well doable but my wife would probably moan

5) Definitely not, and I would have happily had a 3rd day there.

Some of the passes I done a couple of times, and you obviously have various amount of traffic on them, but by doing them again you get a bit more confident, you get the know the bits for good/easy overtakes and it's just fun.

On one of my runs i stopped at one of the viewing points and ended up chatting to a group of 4 German Porsche owners and ended up going with them for a little spin which was great fun, so 2 days is definitely not too much.


I'm not sure how different August is to July, but none of the routes (B500, Alpine passes, even the Stelvio) weren't busy at all and never really got stuck behind anything to long or couldn't enjoy the roads, but all depends on how parts of the countries also have their holidays in August I guess..

[omniflow]

August all over Europe is massively busy - particularly around the middle weekend of the month. Most of Europe takes the whole of August off as holiday. We made the mistake of going to Italy in August in 2020, as we wanted to be in Como for our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We got stuck in a couple of hideously bad traffic jams. Lesson well and truly learned.

[Medic-one]

omniflow said:

August all over Europe is massively busy - particularly around the middle weekend of the month. Most of Europe takes the whole of August off as holiday. We made the mistake of going to Italy in August in 2020, as we wanted to be in Como for our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We got stuck in a couple of hideously bad traffic jams. Lesson well and truly learned.

In that case definitely go the month before if you can.

We went the 2nd week of July, and ended up doing the Stelvio pass twice (on my birthday, which was the 12th) just because it was still so empty!

[c4gts]

Thanks for all the info every time I read this thread I find something new to plan for my own trip! The latest is your GoPro - how does it fix is it just suction to the windscreen? Or is it an external device? Can't work it out but quality of pics look amazing.

Did you do any videos that you have uploaded anywhere?

[elpichichi]

Hello. Just popping in to say how much this thread inspired me to do a euro road trip. Currently in Baden-Baden staying at the Merkur. Not to say i have copied your itinerary to the tee but i have just come from here via Luxembourg in a 987 Boxster and we will be heading on to interlaken and then the Italian lakes. Unfortunately I couldn’t book the hotel you used at Brienz so found another option but must say this trip has been fantastic so far. Baden-Baden is a lovely place!

Quick question.. You mention about stopping for somewhere for lunch in Waldshut. Don’t suppose you can remember the name of the place?

By the way, I don’t think I’m the only Boxster owner replicating your trip!

[Medic-one]

elpichichi said:

Hello. Just popping in to say how much this thread inspired me to do a euro road trip. Currently in Baden-Baden staying at the Merkur. Not to say i have copied your itinerary to the tee but i have just come from here via Luxembourg in a 987 Boxster and we will be heading on to interlaken and then the Italian lakes. Unfortunately I couldn’t book the hotel you used at Brienz so found another option but must say this trip has been fantastic so far. Baden-Baden is a lovely place!

Quick question.. You mention about stopping for somewhere for lunch in Waldshut. Don’t suppose you can remember the name of the place?

By the way, I don’t think I’m the only Boxster owner replicating your trip!

Great to see it's inspired some people!

We stopped in a little place called 'Waldshut-Tiengen', which was a lovely little village with a big underground carpark. I can't remember the name of the place we had lunch but we spend a couple hours in there and there's various places to eat in the centre.

[CantDecide]

We were also very inspired by your trip and are currently mid way through ours, had a couple of amazing days in Luxembourg where the roads were simply amazing, especially in the north. Across to Stuttgart for the Porsche museum and got to park my 981 Cayman S out the front for photos, then to Baden Baden and from there down to Waldshut where we had lunch in the old town part which was lovely, there is a little car park just beep fire the underground one so either are good. I didn’t really enjoy the B500 sadly, was wet and quite a lot of traffic plus didn’t realise so much was 50, 60km. Still at an amazing campsite on the side of a mountain overlooking Lucern and looking forward to the passes tomorrow.

Thanks so much for the route inspiration OP.

[DaveZ4]

Hi Medic 1
Wow this is perfect and so detailed. Im going to drive my Z4 on you route
Hope you don’t mind me asking but could I have a copy of your route on google maps?
Im planning on driving to Lake Garda or lake Coma next May 2024
Thanking you in advance Dave

[SapperD]

Echoing the gratitude to the OP for this trip report. I've not long returned from an epic 3k mile trip in my 981 Cayman GTS.

The car was bloody mega. We did 12 days, mostly 1 nighters with a few 2 nighters every couple of days. We went out via Classic Remise in Dusseldorf, down to the Nurburgring for the 6 hr NLS before heading down to Stuttgart to visit the Porsche museum (I did the photo in front too). Then down to Andermatt in Switzerland taking in Grimsel, Neufen and Gottard. We did Furka, Grimsel (again) and Susten in the morning then over Oberlap Offen, Fluela, Umbrail to Stelvio then down into Bormio.

We stayed 2 nights in the thermal spa hotel for my missus' birthday - OP, you're bang on. It was bloody lovely! Not cheap but the best hotel of the trip and defintely worth it.

Overnight in Garda then Como before heading down to Monaco for 2 nights near Nice. Red rock road and Rte Napolean up to Lake Annecy before a stopover in Reims and home.

Mega, mega trip!

Thank you so much, your trip had a huge influence on ours.

[yorkieboy]

Wow this looked epic! I'd love to do a simular route in my XK8.