London to Tuscany

[alz505]

I am taking a trip to Tuscany this year – my family are flying down but I opted to drive. I am taking my 360 Spider so want to make sure I take in as many good roads as possible (I have allowed three days to get there). I am really interested to hear from people who done some driving in this part of the world and who can recommend some roads I should really aim for, also if anyone has any good hotel suggestions that would also be very helpful.

Thanks for the help

[jke11y]

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...

My route from July above. We did it in 3 days / 2 nights via the chunnel, but if you have an extra day or night then you might be able to take in some more twisties. To be honest, from my point of view, we had a nice mix of mountains / hairpins, epic views and actually making some progress.

DAY 1 was London to Grenoble, Day 2 Grenoble to Antibes through mountains, then Day 3 was Antibes to Colleoli along the coast motorway. That would be awesome in a 360 spyder, there are literally hundreds of tunnels!

On the way home we did Milan to NW6 in one go, that took 16 hours, a lot quicker than the way down... but way less fun!

Edited by jke11y on Sunday 9th January 21:12

[Highway Star]

We did pretty much the same route as jke11y (we were going to near Arezzo), but with a couple of differences.

Didn't fancy the Autoroute through France all the way down to Grenoble, so came off at Chalons-sur-Champagne and took N and D roads to Vitry and Bar sur Aube and rejoined the M-way before Chaumont. Didn't take any longer than the M-way as you are 'cutting the corner' and generally a lot of long, straight roads with little traffic, great for a good blast.

Further south, we came off the M-way and crossed the French-Italian border by coming over Mont Cenis (not through the Frejus tunnel), down into Sousa and then rejoining the Autostrada to Turin. We did this as going right down to the south of France and along the coast can get very busy when we went (high summer). When we got to Alessandria, we took the A26 down to the coast and joined the coast road there (jke11y is right about the tunnels!). The A26, though a motorway, is very twisty in places and would be great in a 360.

Have a great trip - the 360 will gets LOTS of attention and all positive if the amount of thumbs up etc. we got in our Fiat Coupe Turbo was anything to go by.

[jke11y]

We did the same trip in 2008 with some mates - we had an S1 Exige, S1 Elise, Z4, 360 Spyder and an S2000. Every toll / fuel stop was a q+a session, great fun!

The drive from St-Etienne-De-tinnee into monaco was one I`ll never forget chasing my bro in the Exige and the Ferrari, noise bouncing off the mountains

[chriscoates]

Agree with most of the previous posts, but I would recommend a route from Grenoble that I did last year. It has some of the Route Napoleon road, but also some other passes and the Col du Turini. There is also a hotel at the top of the Turini that you could stay in, I know that many Alpine Tours stay there. Then head to the coast and pick up the top coast road from Nice to Monaco - twisties and the views are amazing. Then down into Monaco, a quick blast through the GP tunnel up to Casino Square, then back up to the motorway, which as others have said, has to be the most entertaining motorway in the world - it's tunnel, viaduct, tunnel, viaduct for miles and miles. In the 360, it will be fantastic and you're sure to attract a lot of attention, even down near Monaco where you're sure to have plenty of supercar company.



ETA: Link to route: http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=MUKMMP&PUBL=Goo...

Edited by chriscoates on Monday 10th January 16:45

[ianash]

chriscoates said:

Agree with most of the previous posts, but I would recommend a route from Grenoble that I did last year. It has some of the Route Napoleon road, but also some other passes and the Col du Turini. There is also a hotel at the top of the Turini that you could stay in, I know that many Alpine Tours stay there. Then head to the coast and pick up the top coast road from Nice to Monaco - twisties and the views are amazing. Then down into Monaco, a quick blast through the GP tunnel up to Casino Square, then back up to the motorway, which as others have said, has to be the most entertaining motorway in the world - it's tunnel, viaduct, tunnel, viaduct for miles and miles. In the 360, it will be fantastic and you're sure to attract a lot of attention, even down near Monaco where you're sure to have plenty of supercar company.



ETA: Link to route: http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=MUKMMP&PUBL=Goo...

Edited by chriscoates on Monday 10th January 16:45

Thanks for putting in the map link. I'm driving down to Pisa to pick up my GF from a Ryanair flight end of June. I've driven RN twice so your alternative will make a nice change.

[Zed 44]

I'll be going from Le Mans (post race) to a place near Pescara and had been advised to go via. Luxemborg, Germany and Austria via. the Brenner pass in Italy on the grounds that there are no tolls to pay. And the roads from the Brenner pass down into Italy are quite interesting. Having seen the route recommended by jkelly, it looks like the way to go with a return to England via. Austria, Germany, etc.

Taking a month for the holiday in a Nissan 350Z. Can't wait.

[ianash]

Zed 44 said:

I'll be going from Le Mans (post race) to a place near Pescara and had been advised to go via. Luxemborg, Germany and Austria via. the Brenner pass in Italy on the grounds that there are no tolls to pay. And the roads from the Brenner pass down into Italy are quite interesting. Having seen the route recommended by jkelly, it looks like the way to go with a return to England via. Austria, Germany, etc.

Taking a month for the holiday in a Nissan 350Z. Can't wait.

Austrian autobahns are toll but are paid by a pre-pay vignette - http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/overseas/europea...

[G Man]

ianash said:

Zed 44 said:

I'll be going from Le Mans (post race) to a place near Pescara and had been advised to go via. Luxemborg, Germany and Austria via. the Brenner pass in Italy on the grounds that there are no tolls to pay. And the roads from the Brenner pass down into Italy are quite interesting. Having seen the route recommended by jkelly, it looks like the way to go with a return to England via. Austria, Germany, etc.

Taking a month for the holiday in a Nissan 350Z. Can't wait.

Austrian autobahns are toll but are paid by a pre-pay vignette - http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/overseas/europea...

Most entrances have a place where you can buy a day ticket ..its annual for a Swiss one though

[G Man]

Zed 44 said:

I'll be going from Le Mans (post race) to a place near Pescara and had been advised to go via. Luxemborg, Germany and Austria via. the Brenner pass in Italy on the grounds that there are no tolls to pay. And the roads from the Brenner pass down into Italy are quite interesting. Having seen the route recommended by jkelly, it looks like the way to go with a return to England via. Austria, Germany, etc.

Taking a month for the holiday in a Nissan 350Z. Can't wait.

No way would I do the Brenner pass full of slow lorries when I could do the Silverette and Timmel Joch roll into Bormio and do the Stelvio ... thats a route

[Zed 44]

chriscoates said:

Agree with most of the previous posts, but I would recommend a route from Grenoble that I did last year. It has some of the Route Napoleon road, but also some other passes and the Col du Turini. There is also a hotel at the top of the Turini that you could stay in, I know that many Alpine Tours stay there. Then head to the coast and pick up the top coast road from Nice to Monaco - twisties and the views are amazing. Then down into Monaco, a quick blast through the GP tunnel up to Casino Square, then back up to the motorway, which as others have said, has to be the most entertaining motorway in the world - it's tunnel, viaduct, tunnel, viaduct for miles and miles. In the 360, it will be fantastic and you're sure to attract a lot of attention, even down near Monaco where you're sure to have plenty of supercar company.



ETA: Link to route: http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=MUKMMP&PUBL=Goo...

Edited by chriscoates on Monday 10th January 16:45

I had a look at this and although it looks a fantastic drive in the Zed, I'm afraid my wife who suffers from occasional travel sickness couldn't possibly take all those switchbacks on the D70 to the Col du Turini. Any other ideas for an interesting but less challenging route from Grenoble to Monaco? Thanks

Edited by Zed 44 on Thursday 21st April 11:18