Suggestions for European Driving Holiday?

[RickApple]

Having seen all the Eurohoon pics, me and a few friends are a bit keen on doing a trip around europe in our cars, differences being with slightly less glam machinery and camping rather than wining and dining - can anyone suggest a decent round trip of around 2-3 weeks with not just solid driving? We'd like to do northern france, and perhaps go as far as the alps!

Thanks a lot!

[Tripps]

RickApple said:

Having seen all the Eurohoon pics, me and a few friends are a bit keen on doing a trip around europe in our cars, differences being with slightly less glam machinery and camping rather than wining and dining - can anyone suggest a decent round trip of around 2-3 weeks with not just solid driving? We'd like to do northern france, and perhaps go as far as the alps!

Have a word with DustyC as he;s just returned from a blat around France and Italy and has many wise words of places to visit.

[Black Tie & JSG]

RickApple said:

Having seen all the Eurohoon pics, me and a few friends are a bit keen on doing a trip around europe in our cars, differences being with slightly less glam machinery and camping rather than wining and dining - can anyone suggest a decent round trip of around 2-3 weeks with not just solid driving? We'd like to do northern france, and perhaps go as far as the alps! Thanks a lot!

E-mail Nick (v12v8) who organised Eurohoon. As well as booking the whole lot, he can no doubt sort you out with just the route, with places to stay, etc. He really does know some of the finest roads you'll ever see. And if you are going, the Alps are the highlight - don't miss them at any cost.

[RickApple]

Thanks very much guys, will do!

[Gruffy]

The Route Napoleon in Southern France is not to be missed!
Likewise, the Stelvio Pass, and the run between that and the Furkapass.

Gruffy

[v12v8]

I know this goes against the common theme, but the RN is, IMO, overrated. Sure, there are parts of it which are fabulous, but if you hit it at the wrong time, you will spend most of it snarled up in traffic. Explore some of the smaller roads either side of the RN and you will avoid the worst of the traffic.

Stelvio is great as are a host of other roads near there.

Have a good trip

[DustyC]

If you like a good varied drive I can suggest a brilliant route and give you clues for budget/accomodation etc.

We drove through Central France, Switzerland around Northern Italy and the South and West Coasts of France back home.

Took 3 weeks and approximate route stopping places were Limoges(F), Thiviers(F), Geneva(S), Evian(F), Chaminox and Mont Blanc(F), Lake Como(I), Bellagio(I), Bormio and Stelvio Pass(I), Lake Garda(I), Modena(I), Parma(I), La Spezia(I), Few stops up along to Italian coast for great towns to drive through including a few days at San Remo(I), Monte Carlo(M), Lake De-Ste-Croix(F), Bordeaux(not recommended), La Rochelle and other areas along the west coast of France.

If you do want more info we found some amazing hotels. In fact they were all brilliant. Didnt book anything before going and stayed in character places all the time.
Trip was perfect apart from alternator breaking on way home but good breakdown cover made it relatively stress free. (I still had three hairs remaining after pulling out the others).

Feel free to email me for more details, will happily help out.

Corrected spelling mistake in Thiviers!

>> Edited by Big Al. on Thursday 4th November 14:07

[DustyC]

Budget on £4K for everything. (Ferry, accom, fuel food but not Italian clothes shopping with girlfriend!)

BTW: There are some brilliant roads near Monte Carlo that were traffic free. Drop your girlfriend and bags at a hotel and go out and play Monte Carlo Rally!

Thats what I did. Brilliant scary fun!

Edited to add:
Are you taking the mini? It would be good to drive that around the italian costal towns, would case quite a stir.
Also brilliant fun on those Monte Carlo roads I mentioned, plus an area where mini have dominated in the past!

>> Edited by DustyC on Thursday 4th November 12:33

[RickApple]

Brilliant - thanks for the advice! The initial idea was a bit lower budget though, we were thinking of youth hostels and campsites rather than luxury hotels...spent last year going around on interrail so i think a car orientated trip needs to be done!

[DustyC]

Although the hotels were excellent and individual I was surprised at the low cost of them. Average around 65ish euros a night.

Im sure you wont struggle for Hostels. Camping will be even easier.

Perhaps break it up with the occasional hotel stay.
Thats how we did Australia. After 4 weeks camping in the desert sleeping in a shipping container felt like luxury!

[RickApple]

Cool, have spoken to the 'codrivers' today and reaquainted myself with an atlas of europe; we thought about going calais to dover [worked out at £280 for 4 people in 2 cars], and then pretty much ringed the places we want to go. We definately want to visit the south rhine, particularly Heidelberg, and perhaps the Moselle valley. Lake constance [source of Rhine mefinks] also looks great. Then we'd like to do some of the alps, before crossing into northern italy and visiting milan then turin. Its what we do next that is confusing. I think we ought to perhaps go along the coastroads Genoa to menton, monte carlo and nice, then up to avignon. Its the way back which we're unsure on, whether we go through the massif centrale or stick east and visit lake geneva. I think we'll be limited to around a fortnight; i'm unsure as to whether we're being a little ambitious!

One of the reasons we can go is that we can apply for a school travel grant as we did last year when we got £1000 between 5 to go interrailing. For us to do this though we need to be able to blag it and visit a few cultural centres of historic importance and stuff - if you get my drift!

Thanks a lot for your advice!

[docevi1]

Top thread

I'm doing the same next year as well

DustyC, when I get a bit more time I might email yourself if you don't mind?

[RickApple]

My only current concern is safety really; is it really that sensible driving on autobahns etc in a mini? it'll cruise at 85 on the motorway, but presumably there are a fair number of quick but quieter roads in europe? Sorry if its a stupid question! Thanks for your help dusty, i will email you over the weekend if thats ok!

[White_van_man]

this has got me thinking i can feel a small extention to my yearly le mans trip coming on!!!!

[White_van_man]

this has got me thinking i can feel a small extention to my yearly le mans trip coming on!!!!

[DustyC]

docevi1 said:

DustyC, when I get a bit more time I might email yourself if you don't mind?

RickApple said:

Thanks for your help dusty, i will email you over the weekend if thats ok!

No worries but i'll be at BTaP at the weekend.
I will be putting to gether some words and pics about the trip before this century is out.