Five days & 1000 miles across France in a Carrera GT
Discussion
Promised to post on this when I'd done it.
Don't follow the signs for 'Freight', follow the signs for buses & caravans
Plenty of room either side of the car in the high vehicle section
You can get a surprising amount of luggage behind the seats, fortunately. Note that the handbag isn't mine...
France! And the sun's shining.
We stopped over in Fer en Tardenois, in a chateau about 60km out of Rheims http://www.ila-chateau.com/fere/
Lovely place, but a speed hump the size of Bolivia on the way in. The only downside actually. We had dinner there and it was just fantastic.
Onto Kaysersberg in the Alsace region the next day. Over Col Bonhomme. The perfect environment for a CGT. Hairpins, flat out sweepers and good quality road. Just. Epic. Very few pics of this as my navigator was a bit distracted...
One of my favourite photographs. This is a family run hotel and very simple, very French, hugely friendly and quite lovely.
I did a similar trip last year in a DB9 and it surprised me just how different it was doing it in the CGT. Howling through the French countryside, top down, sun shining was just fantastic. I just didn't want to stop. In fact, when we started on the way home, I was very tempted to turn left and keep going to the coast. Moreover the car was faultless. Just faultless. Started cleanly every day, even after being left overnight in a thunderstorm.
What makes or breaks trips like this, apart from the car, is the weather. Being able to take the top off is the real party piece for this car. Just love it.
Don't follow the signs for 'Freight', follow the signs for buses & caravans
Plenty of room either side of the car in the high vehicle section
You can get a surprising amount of luggage behind the seats, fortunately. Note that the handbag isn't mine...
France! And the sun's shining.
We stopped over in Fer en Tardenois, in a chateau about 60km out of Rheims http://www.ila-chateau.com/fere/
Lovely place, but a speed hump the size of Bolivia on the way in. The only downside actually. We had dinner there and it was just fantastic.
Onto Kaysersberg in the Alsace region the next day. Over Col Bonhomme. The perfect environment for a CGT. Hairpins, flat out sweepers and good quality road. Just. Epic. Very few pics of this as my navigator was a bit distracted...
One of my favourite photographs. This is a family run hotel and very simple, very French, hugely friendly and quite lovely.
I did a similar trip last year in a DB9 and it surprised me just how different it was doing it in the CGT. Howling through the French countryside, top down, sun shining was just fantastic. I just didn't want to stop. In fact, when we started on the way home, I was very tempted to turn left and keep going to the coast. Moreover the car was faultless. Just faultless. Started cleanly every day, even after being left overnight in a thunderstorm.
What makes or breaks trips like this, apart from the car, is the weather. Being able to take the top off is the real party piece for this car. Just love it.
mickken said:
No one here is jealous.....apart from everyone!!
Dream trip for me in both car and Country.
Doing a 10 day extravaganza in a 730d this Summer, but once the company get's sold in a year or so, before I emirgrate to Sydney, i'll do the same. Roman's have already advised me what a CGT will depreciate in 5000miles and 14 days!!
Seriously, I didn't post for that reason; before we did it I had a very hazy impression of what the logistics would be like, and frankly, it could have been a nightmare. Turns out it's not that different from taking a normal car across. The 15 min blast up and over the Bonhomme is worth it on its own. Dream trip for me in both car and Country.
Doing a 10 day extravaganza in a 730d this Summer, but once the company get's sold in a year or so, before I emirgrate to Sydney, i'll do the same. Roman's have already advised me what a CGT will depreciate in 5000miles and 14 days!!
And like I give a rats about depreciation. On anything other than my faculties. It's important to do this stuff before you start dribbling and pissing your pants.
Cant see the pics in work but the write up sounds very impressive.
I posted an update of my 11 day Eurotour in my Cayman S in the roads section with a few pics.
Link here
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
I posted an update of my 11 day Eurotour in my Cayman S in the roads section with a few pics.
Link here
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
Fantastic pictures guys,the CGT is the "truth", love the Red one at Romans International - http://www.romansinternational.com/module/romansIn...
I just loved the ones of Monaco DaveyS,it is an incredible place for car spotting. One day i would love to do the european tour thing but my wife wouldnt get this, she doesnt understand the passion we all share for cars. No doubt i will do it alone one day.
I just loved the ones of Monaco DaveyS,it is an incredible place for car spotting. One day i would love to do the european tour thing but my wife wouldnt get this, she doesnt understand the passion we all share for cars. No doubt i will do it alone one day.
Kevin - awesome work. Drink any nice wines in Reims/Alsace? Wanta996Gotta said:
Fantastic pictures guys,the CGT is the "truth", love the Red one at Romans International - http://www.romansinternational.com/module/romansIn...
I just loved the ones of Monaco DaveyS,it is an incredible place for car spotting. One day i would love to do the european tour thing but my wife wouldnt get this, she doesnt understand the passion we all share for cars. No doubt i will do it alone one day.
Do they still fetch almost 300K I just loved the ones of Monaco DaveyS,it is an incredible place for car spotting. One day i would love to do the european tour thing but my wife wouldnt get this, she doesnt understand the passion we all share for cars. No doubt i will do it alone one day.
Wanta996Gotta said:
I just loved the ones of Monaco DaveyS,it is an incredible place for car spotting. One day i would love to do the european tour thing but my wife wouldnt get this, she doesnt understand the passion we all share for cars. No doubt i will do it alone one day.
It certainly is. I was only there for 2 nights but after the first day you find yourself not even bothering to give cars like Ferrari F430's a second glance because they are so common.The Muira was something else though. Everyone stopped to look at it. It was an SV as well.
Wanta996Gotta said:
One day i would love to do the european tour thing but my wife wouldnt get this, she doesnt understand the passion we all share for cars. No doubt i will do it alone one day.
This is a bit of a sad note- are you really sure she wouldn't enjoy it? My partner is no car nut either but she thoroughly enjoyed the trip and great wine & great food is pretty much a universal thing. It doesn't need to be a car thing, just an enjoyable trip in a nice car. She may surprise you! Can't see what's not to like myself.Very nice Davey! Must do the Dijon road for sure- I didn't know about that one, and thanks for the reminder Brian...
There are certainly some great drives to do in France...
How about 700kms from Thonon-les-Bains (near Geneva) to Menton (near Monaco) via every alpine pass in between...
http://www.route-grandes-alpes.com/pages/route/ind...
However, it would take strong stomach from any passenger to put up with this unless you allow a leisurely week to do it. My preferred option would be to do it in one: 12hrs at the wheel from dawn 'til dusk then a quick dip in the sea!
How about 700kms from Thonon-les-Bains (near Geneva) to Menton (near Monaco) via every alpine pass in between...
http://www.route-grandes-alpes.com/pages/route/ind...
However, it would take strong stomach from any passenger to put up with this unless you allow a leisurely week to do it. My preferred option would be to do it in one: 12hrs at the wheel from dawn 'til dusk then a quick dip in the sea!
We stayed at the Chateau de Fere and it was excellent
http://www.chateaudfere.com/
Another one worth adding to your list is this one
http://www.chateau-saulon.com/uk/galerie.htm
stayed there twice and it will probably become an annual stop-over
Why is it the French roads, countryside, food, wine, hospitality are so good when ours are totally crap.
http://www.chateaudfere.com/
Another one worth adding to your list is this one
http://www.chateau-saulon.com/uk/galerie.htm
stayed there twice and it will probably become an annual stop-over
Why is it the French roads, countryside, food, wine, hospitality are so good when ours are totally crap.
SidewaysSid said:
Why is it the French roads, countryside, food, wine, hospitality are so good when ours are totally crap.
Dont get me started!After 11 days of stress free driving, cruising along wide country roads at 90+, hammering up and down twisty mountain roads with spectacular scenery and cruising at 100+ on quiet autoroutes my re introduction to UK driving consisted of sitting on the M25 for an hour and a half.
On the plus side I still have a wine rack full of nice claret and a fridge full of Fois Gras
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