Short European road trip in April

[Nero44]

I am thinking of taking the car away for a few (3-4) days in early April. Aware that a lot of the alps passes are closed at this time of year, and was wondering if anyone had suggestions for places to go/routes. Am in Kent so getting across to Calais or Zeebrugge is easy.

Was thinking of heading through Belgium through the Black Forest.

Also looking at sticking the car on autorail to either Toulouse or Nice and then driving back via route napoleon/ardeche.

Thanks all!

[oblio]

For that short a trip why not try The Vosges mountains in E France. Cracking area and should be snow free.

Base your self at Gerardmer (one of our favourite places) and have a meal at The Bear (or Grizzly Bear or somesuch) who do this flaming 2 foot skewer of meat thingy

[menoy]

Nero44 - suggest option no.2 and try meet the Tour Auto classic rally on the way (7-12 April). Some wonderful cars there and when I followed the rally in 2007, the route really did go through some of the most beautiful parts of southern France. I'll be there although probably not make it all the way to Marseille and break off in Valence You'll find my gallery from the event in the second link.

http://peterauto.peter.fr/en/evenement/presentatio...

http://www.supercars.net/Gallery?cmd=changeGallery...

Edited by menoy on Sunday 23 March 15:16

[will_]

oblio said:

For that short a trip why not try The Vosges mountains in E France. Cracking area and should be snow free.

Base your self at Gerardmer (one of our favourite places) and have a meal at The Bear (or Grizzly Bear or somesuch) who do this flaming 2 foot skewer of meat thingy

Any other tips for this particular area? I've done numerous trips to Switzerland, the Alps, South of France, Black Forest etc so I'd like to try out the Vosges and would be grateful for any particular routes that you could suggest.

[Nero44]

Many for the responses above. Would love to do the Tour Auto classic rally, but my free days are the week before.

Been having a look at the Vosges area and that looks a cracking tip. Have come across the Route des Cretes des Vosges which looks a decent bet.

And thanks for the tip re Gerardmer, always keen for a 2 foot thingy of flaming meat!!

Am thinking Calais - Reims - Gerardmer - Vosges (TBC) - Black Forest (TBC) and then home.

[plenty]

Another vote for the Vosges although check that the passes are open - they were still closed when I was there at Easter 2012.

If you are in the area, the Cité de l'Automobile in Mulhouse is a must - a wonderful car museum including the world's largest collection of Bugattis.

Verdun - the site of a very sobering WWI memorial - is a worthwhile stop between Reims and the Vosges.

The city of Nancy is worth a look - the city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and lots of excellent restaurants are to be found.

Stuttgart (home of the Porsche and Mercedes museums) is not far away from the Vosges and in-between lies the Black Forest

The N10 that follows the north-eastern border between Luxembourg and Germany is a fantastic driving road that winds through the picturesque Moselle valley - easy to build into a route there or back (and be sure to fill up in Luxembourg). This in turn is fairly close to the Ardennes region of Belgium which is awash in history and is very pretty. See here for a suggested route through this section.

[oblio]

plenty said:

Another vote for the Vosges although check that the passes are open - they were still closed when I was there at Easter 2012.

If you are in the area, the Cité de l'Automobile in Mulhouse is a must - a wonderful car museum including the world's largest collection of Bugattis.

Verdun - the site of a very sobering WWI memorial - is a worthwhile stop between Reims and the Vosges.

The city of Nancy is worth a look - the city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and lots of excellent restaurants are to be found.

Stuttgart (home of the Porsche and Mercedes museums) is not far away from the Vosges and in-between lies the Black Forest

The N10 that follows the north-eastern border between Luxembourg and Germany is a fantastic driving road that winds through the picturesque Moselle valley - easy to build into a route there or back (and be sure to fill up in Luxembourg). This in turn is fairly close to the Ardennes region of Belgium which is awash in history and is very pretty. See here for a suggested route through this section.

Also

Strasbourg - nice city

Munster - lovely small town, smelly cheese

Roads wise, I havent been for a driving holiday around there for 4 years (we have been back Gerardmer but were just passing through). When I did my research then I compiled the info below which I received from PH and also a chap who knew the area well who I met through the TVRCC. I quote it in full below but please do your own research to check the routes etc

"The only way I go
- down is the motorway down to Chalon via Reims
- and then the main road(n44)
- then it goes to N4 via st dizier to nancy,
- then down A33 m/way to N333 to Luneville
- to N59 to St Die,
I find it traffic free, the shortest and cheapest for motorway tolls.


The first one to recommend would be on the backbone of the area is the Route des Cretes,
- this is best to start at the col du Bonhomme and travel south on the D148 to the Col du Calvaire
- then it turns into the D61 for some reason to the Col de la Schluct,
- this changes to the D430 to Le Markstein,
- then it changes to the D431 over the Grand ballon (great views to the Alps)
- On the Grand Ballon look out for the cafe 'view des alpes'. On a good day you can see very clearly the french swiss and austrian alps,well worth the visit
- and carry on and finish at Cernay.
Coming back from Cernay
- on the N66 turn right at Fellering on the D13b through Kruth over the Col de Bramont to La Bresse(D34)
- then back to Gerardmer via the Col de Grosse Pierre(d486) to Gerardmer


The road from Gerardmer over the Col de la schluct to Munster.
On the way back from Munster go back towards the Schlucht and take the Col du Wettstein(D48)via Orbey or Col du Calvaire."

[will_]

oblio said:

Also

Strasbourg - nice city

Munster - lovely small town, smelly cheese

Roads wise, I havent been for a driving holiday around there for 4 years (we have been back Gerardmer but were just passing through). When I did my research then I compiled the info below which I received from PH and also a chap who knew the area well who I met through the TVRCC. I quote it in full below but please do your own research to check the routes etc

"The only way I go
- down is the motorway down to Chalon via Reims
- and then the main road(n44)
- then it goes to N4 via st dizier to nancy,
- then down A33 m/way to N333 to Luneville
- to N59 to St Die,
I find it traffic free, the shortest and cheapest for motorway tolls.


The first one to recommend would be on the backbone of the area is the Route des Cretes,
- this is best to start at the col du Bonhomme and travel south on the D148 to the Col du Calvaire
- then it turns into the D61 for some reason to the Col de la Schluct,
- this changes to the D430 to Le Markstein,
- then it changes to the D431 over the Grand ballon (great views to the Alps)
- On the Grand Ballon look out for the cafe 'view des alpes'. On a good day you can see very clearly the french swiss and austrian alps,well worth the visit
- and carry on and finish at Cernay.
Coming back from Cernay
- on the N66 turn right at Fellering on the D13b through Kruth over the Col de Bramont to La Bresse(D34)
- then back to Gerardmer via the Col de Grosse Pierre(d486) to Gerardmer


The road from Gerardmer over the Col de la schluct to Munster.
On the way back from Munster go back towards the Schlucht and take the Col du Wettstein(D48)via Orbey or Col du Calvaire."

Thanks for posting that - route appears to be this:
http://goo.gl/maps/KAG9g (about 3 hours or so).

There appear to be a number of great roads in the area - could be somewhere to be based for a day or so?

[oblio]

Nero44 said:

...always keen for a 2 foot thingy of flaming meat!!

You know you have to

http://brasserie-du-grizzly.fr/Le_Grizzly/Le_RESTA...

If you are looking for somewhere to stay on the way back, this place is less than an hour from Calais; has 2 options for hotel rooms (the main building or the lesser expensive Best Western...which used to be part of the main hotel; and 3 places to choose from for food). Don't bed in for a session in the bar though as the prices are not cheap...the experience is worth a drink (or two) though

http://www.lachartreuse.com/

or

http://www.hotel-lametairie.com/

We have stayed in both...both are good. You can dine/drink in the main building hotel when you stay at the BW, no issues at all. Eating-wise our favourite out of the 3 restaurants is La Distillerie.

...and you are really close to Bethune for nipping to the supermarket for whatever you can fit in the car to bring home (Merguez sausages a particular favourite in the Oblio household )