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Road trip help welcomed! French coast round to Amalfi coast.

Marky911

Well-known member
Joined
4 Jun 2009
Messages
4,351
Afternoon gents, I'm planning a road trip for next July/Aug. Unfortunately we are tied to school holidays as my wife is a teacher.

Any advice much appreciated!!

In 2012 we did France, Switzerland and Italy in our camper van and whilst we had the time of our lives I sometimes had that nagging feeling that we were near to some other great passes or attractions, without even realising it.
We did Calais-Nancy in France, then Interlakken in Switzerland, then Lake Como, back to Reims then home.

So anyway for next year this is a rough itinetery, but we are open to change.

Day 1 -

Leave Northumberland 7am to catch euro tunnel for 1pm.
In france for 2pm but it's 3pm after adjustment.
Drive 3 hours to St Quentin for an overnight stay.

Any better places for an overnight stay that are about that far from Calais?


Day 2 St Quentin to South coast

Firstly is this too much? 600 miles? Won't be for me, but might be for the wife.
If so, any good halfway points somewhere pretty.

Aiming to stay 3 days at first stop, St Tropez, Nice, Montpellier, Cannes. Which one for decent days out driving and equally one or 2 lazy days?

We are doing one night in Monaco at the Fairmont after the 3 days above.

One day I'll be doing the red rock road. Maybe the day we leave Monaco. As done by my favourite youtube, Mr JWW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=indmPwrKy1Y


So I'm thinking leave the fairmont and do the D2202 (red rock road), then around to Portofino for one night.

It's from here I'm a bit lost.
My wife has always wanted to visit Pompeii, and thats on the way to Amalfi.

Any ideas for stops half way to Pompeii? I'll be honest I haven't looked into mileages yet, so will we even need a halfway stop?
I've heard Naples is a bit rough, so would rather stay somewhere smaller and nicer.

We then want 3 or 4 nights on Amalfi coast, but if we don't like it, we may head back and stay somewhere else, like Switzerland.

Anyway, any good ideas or links to other peoples previous trips. Any good routes near the laces I've mentioned for a day trip out but able to get back to the same hotel, etc.

One last thing, apart form the special treat hotels, such as the Fairmont and maybe our hotel on Amalfi coast, should I bother booking hotels or just go on late rooms when I'm there? That gives us more freedom to change the route, eg stay longer if we like somewhere, or move on if we don't.

Any as I say any info or recommendations very welcome. In the meantime I'll just keep googling.

Thanks lads. :thumb:

Edited to add, time wise it can be two to three weeks. I'd rather two as our dogs get looked after and we don't like to leave them for weeks and weeks. At the same time will they be just as ok after 3 weeks as they would after two?
Any dog psychologists feel free to chip in. :grin:
 
Eurotunnel is just over 30 minutes now. St quentin is only 1hr 40mins. Then St Quentin to St Tropez is around 9hr drive so long as you maintain progress and stick to the speed limit. I always stop at St Quentin bar one where I stayed at Chalon sur Champagne last year. Stop off at Reims circuit if you get chance.
 
......and take your dogs with you :)
 
Cheers Alex, I thought you'd have some ideas. I'll be watching your guide to St Tropez if you do one. :thumb:

When I say an hour on the train I'm including the queuing to get on and off etc.
St Quentin sounds fine then.

Fully intend on getting the obligatory Reims pic. We went in camper van and also had 3 days in Reims last time.

The dogs get travel sick, even in the old Volvo. I doubt they'd appreciate being flung around in the 996 for 2 weeks. :grin:

Thanks for the help. :thumbs:
 
I stayed here last year: https://www.hotel-le-florence.fr/

50 Euro for a double room with en suite. Breakfast was extra if you wanted it. Free on site parking and right in the centre close to any restaurants and bars. Will deffo be staying there again instead of the usual Balladins.
 
alex yates said:
......and take your dogs with you :)


Br exit might complicate that!

Speaking to vet in Jean Cap Ferrat last year and he seemed to think there will be an issue as the doggie passport is European.

I hope not, but I can see it will be another hoop we have to jump through. :dont know:

Is br exit a swear word, why is the text being altered
 
Have you thought about using the Hull to Rotterdam ferry, would save you a lot of UK driving and it's over night 8pm crossing arrives 8am in Rotterdam. It's a lot more relaxing way for us northerners to get into Europe done several trips this way?

Jon
 
Re: Road trip help welcomed! French coast round to Amalfi co

Marky911 said:
Afternoon gents, I'm planning a road trip for next July/Aug. Unfortunately we are tied to school holidays as my wife is a teacher.

Any advice much appreciated!!

In 2012 we did France, Switzerland and Italy in our camper van and whilst we had the time of our lives I sometimes had that nagging feeling that we were near to some other great passes or attractions, without even realising it.
We did Calais-Nancy in France, then Interlakken in Switzerland, then Lake Como, back to Reims then home.

So anyway for next year this is a rough itinetery, but we are open to change.

Day 1 -

Leave Northumberland 7am to catch euro tunnel for 1pm.
In france for 2pm but it's 3pm after adjustment.
Drive 3 hours to St Quentin for an overnight stay.

Any better places for an overnight stay that are about that far from Calais?


Day 2 St Quentin to South coast

Firstly is this too much? 600 miles? Won't be for me, but might be for the wife.
If so, any good halfway points somewhere pretty.

Aiming to stay 3 days at first stop, St Tropez, Nice, Montpellier, Cannes. Which one for decent days out driving and equally one or 2 lazy days?

We are doing one night in Monaco at the Fairmont after the 3 days above.

One day I'll be doing the red rock road. Maybe the day we leave Monaco. As done by my favourite youtube, Mr JWW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=indmPwrKy1Y


So I'm thinking leave the fairmont and do the D2202 (red rock road), then around to Portofino for one night.

It's from here I'm a bit lost.
My wife has always wanted to visit Pompeii, and thats on the way to Amalfi.

Any ideas for stops half way to Pompeii? I'll be honest I haven't looked into mileages yet, so will we even need a halfway stop?
I've heard Naples is a bit rough, so would rather stay somewhere smaller and nicer.

We then want 3 or 4 nights on Amalfi coast, but if we don't like it, we may head back and stay somewhere else, like Switzerland.

Anyway, any good ideas or links to other peoples previous trips. Any good routes near the laces I've mentioned for a day trip out but able to get back to the same hotel, etc.

One last thing, apart form the special treat hotels, such as the Fairmont and maybe our hotel on Amalfi coast, should I bother booking hotels or just go on late rooms when I'm there? That gives us more freedom to change the route, eg stay longer if we like somewhere, or move on if we don't.

Any as I say any info or recommendations very welcome. In the meantime I'll just keep googling.

Thanks lads. :thumb:

Edited to add, time wise it can be two to three weeks. I'd rather two as our dogs get looked after and we don't like to leave them for weeks and weeks. At the same time will they be just as ok after 3 weeks as they would after two?
Any dog psychologists feel free to chip in. :grin:


You don't say what vehicle you will be taking.

Calais to Saint Quentin takes 3 hours in a Morris Minor :floor:

Seriously, your second day, especially on a Saturday, could take about 10 hrs.
Also the Northumberland to Folkstone timing is a bit ambitious considering all the road works on our wonderful motorways.
It took me 6 hours from Horth Wales this year.

Have a look at the Via Michelin map app. Pretty good and it will cost the journey for you, fuel and tolls.

Also recommended is the Tag for the tolls (you can get this off the Eurotunnel website.

Dogs....you can try Dog Buddy.....the dogs stay in houses not in Kennels.

If you take them with you....you can use Dog Buddy in France too, if you needed a break from them to do something where they are not allowed.

i.e we used them when we were in Bordeaux a couple of years back when we spent the day in the Cite du Vin.

I hope you find something to help you in this post.


I am sure you will have a wonderful time. :thumb:
 
Cheers for that link Alex. I'll have a good look into hotels once I now where I'll be on certain dates.

Hi Cunno, I had looked at that route but I think any driving I'll save on this end will be added to other end. Would be ok if I was heading to Belgium or Switzerland but Rotterdam has me way up from where I'm heading, straight down south

I've also looked at Plymouth to Le Harve as I've always wanted to take my wife to Honfleur as it's where me and the lads used to stop on the way to Lemans. Again though it doesn't shorten much.

I've even looked at the ferry to Santander and head in through Spain but it's a 24 hour journey.

Thanks for the ideas though. Everything is welcome. :thumb:

Hi Rhodris-dad, some good info there thanks. I actually still have my old Sanef transponder from last time. Ironically I kept the account going until last year when I thought "What's the point". I'll deffo sort that though it made things very easy. £150 on toll roads last time and that was 6 years ago.

I've downloaded that Michelin app. Looks good. I'll have a proper look later when I get running at work.

I'll be doing it in the 996. Well 99% chance as that's all I use it for, high days and holidays. Google brought up 3 hours to St Quentin so that's where I got that figure from. :puh:

We have a dog walker in the village and she's had the dogs stop with her before when we went abroad for 2 weeks. £30 per night for the pair of them and they live in her house with her. I'm happy with that, I just hate that feeling that the dogs are left there thinking we aren't coming back. I'm too soft. :grin:

Anyway thanks for the info. Excellent. :thumb:
 
So after a few hours spent this afternoon on the computer it's looking like the two main parts to the trip are southern France and the Amalfi coast.
Looking at spending 4/5 days at the latter. 3 days San Tropez, one night Monaco, one night Portofino, then find a decent way home from Amalfi with some stops.
Maybe Switzerland then Black Forest.

Cheers.
 
Positano is quite far for a driving holiday - someone else here was looking to do it last year as a fly drive? - and was looking to hire a classic -a much better idea IMO , explore the north Portofino, Turni, the lakes (you've done?), Venice, Bologna - the car factories, duck down to Florence ?

Positano is wonderful but mad busy and not car freindly in the summer, but if you do go look at Le Agavi or if price no object Le Serinuse, both wonderful hotels.

If you were to drive , I'd do Portofino, Florence, Rome, Positano, its approx. 500 miles I'd spend at least a day in each location (with a day driving between each, a lazy lunch and chill the first evening in each location - before exploring it the next day) , so probably a week to get there ?
 
If you sail to Zeebrugge, the distance from there to St Quentin is only around 11 miles more than from Calais.
 
Thanks Vlad, wise words.

I have told the wife that Pompeii and Amalfi are too far really but she's always wanted to go so..

I had thought about a fly drive but I'd rather be in my own car. Like I say, my car only gets used for roadtrips and sunny day blasts so I'd be mad not to take it.

I think it was Infrasilver or Harv (I always get them mixed up) who hired a classic Alfa Spyder. It did look like fun.

I can get a high speed train from Rome to the south. I'm just not sure about where to leave the car if I do that. We'll see.
I have 8 months to plan but I want to get booking certain hotels soon.

I'll look up the ones you mention. Thanks very much. :thumb:
 
infrasilver.

Don't forget the autoroute in Italy is closed where the bridge collapsed the other month. Don't know how that will affect things. If you go to Portofino, don't stay there. Better off staying at the next resort that's more accessible and better parking, etc. Stop at Santa Margherita then get the bus in. My folks stayed here two years ago and loved it:
https://uk.hotels.com/ho182289
 
I'll look into that Alex, cheers.

Whatever way we cut its two days mundane mile munching. Last time we stayed with family in Colchester so did Colchester to tunnel, then tunnel to Nancy. Next day was Nancy to Interlakken and the proper start of the holiday.

Might have to look at doing it from Colchester again.
 

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