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

Hi Pzero, yep I think I'll try and dodge Pisa but if my wife wants to I'll go for a quick pic.
Thanks for the info on Garda. :thumb:
Apart from sorting the air BnB I haven't looked at it at all. It will be a more relaxed stay after moving around so much.
We did Como last time so we have to try Garda this time.
I'll be sure to visit those places. We'll probably do a days drive right the way around the lake. 70 miles I think I read.
We'll stop at each place and yep I'll dodge the Lycra clad huge-ego cyclists. :wink:

Luddite that sounds like an adventure. If you don't battle with the language and pay way over the odds for something then it's not a proper holiday. :grin:
 
Hi chaps, some expert input needed please on whether I'm biting off more than I can chew! :grin:

Anyone welcome to chip in but especially Chris (Infra) as I know you've done all these roads.

I'll just list two specific days of my trip and see what you think. They aren't consecutive.

So one day I plan this. Im no good at maps sorry so i'll just have to list the places I want to fit in.

Wake up in Nice and return to same hotel that night, so this is a day driving.
Women may come or stay at hotel.

Leave nice and head up to Daluis then the D2202 red rock road.
follow it up over Col de Cayolle to Barcolonette.
Through to Jausiers then stop at cafe, Haulte2000.
Heading back from here so it's over the Col de Bonette then down through the mountains and hang a left to do the Col du Turini.
Then home.

Is this doable in a day? Furthest point Barcolonette is 90 miles but then its longer home. I'm guessing 7am start and hope to be back for teatime for our last night in Nice/Monaco.



Second busy day is when we leave Garda to go to Interlakken in Switzerland.

Leave garda and head north east to Bozen then west along to Prata del Stelvio.
Climb Stelvio up the proper side and then drop down the other side towards Bormio, turning off up the Umbrail pass.
then head along the mountains something like Davos, Chur, Andermatt to finish off with Furka and Grimsel passes before dropping down into Interlaken for a few days.

I'll update my full itinerary soon but they are the two best driving days. The rest is just getting to places really. Albeit the nicest way possible.


As always thanks in advance for any help. :thumb:
 
Can't comment on your first day, but your second is a long way in the mountains. Have done all of those roads and you'd have no time to stop for any length of time if trying to fit all in in one day. Days like that I try to keep to 200-230 miles to allow for coffee/lunch/photo stops. If it's just you, aren't worried about that sort of thing, and don't have a speed limiter in the passenger seat then you may be happy with a long day. :) Don't forget much of it is in Switzerland, so you'll need to keep your eyes peeled for cameras.
 
Hi Mr PG,
Thanks for your thoughts. Yeah it's a lot to cram in.
We have to do Stelvio. Not really for the driving but just to visit.
I also want to climb up the east side then drop down the west side to the Umbrail.
We can leave Garda at 8am.

I'm going to have a better look but I am pathetic at gauging distance on maps.
I suppose if we have to go to Stelvio then it's the end of the day that will have to be altered so no Furka/Grimsel.

I'm happy having a long day but the rest of my party might not be. :wink:
 
Marky911, mr pg seems to think along similar lines to myself, given long driving days can take their toll on the fun for any passenger...?

Also the routes on a map do not well illustrate the distance up and down that can add quite a bit of time to any planned route....? The last thing you need is to create pressure for yourself to be anywhere at a specific time.... chasing the clock like a rally driver.... hmm...?

I guess modern routing tec kit will provide adequate distance /time measurements.... BUT..?

Hope you have a GREAT trip and take lots of pics... :thumb:
 
Evenin' Luddite,

Yes definitely. You've got climbs, descents and more importantly in August all the cyclists, motorhomes and coaches.

I've just had a very quick google maps session there and it looks like it's about 360 miles and 9.5 hours of driving. That's without lunch or any stops.
Hmm.

I'll see what the others think who are coming. 3 cars, 3 couples, but one couple leave early so it's 2 cars for that leg. And the car that's not mine has very hard seats.
Oh well, it's not me sitting in them. :grin:
 
Marky911, such trips can be an adventure indeed, I have done three in the old Morgan, the first was a trip was down to LeMans for the 2002 24 hrs, then touring around a bit of Northern France, the second was down through the centre of Spain to the area around Malaga, the third down as far as driving the Amalfi coast....

On the first trip to LM while lost somewhere in France my dear and ever patient wife demanded I drop her and her luggage off at the nearest bus stop for Scotland.. All due MY rising frustrations and a mindset relative to arriving on time to meet up with friends somewhere we had never been before .... FIRST LESSON LEARNED.. to H*ll with TIME, we will arrive when we arrive, enjoying the journey was then decided as being THE priority. A simple change in priority which took a great deal of potential stress out of the trip and all subsequent such adventures for us both... (-: Sure there are times when you must be on time for a ferry and the like but allow PLENTY of time for that stuff.

I have travelled in convoy quite a few times for perhaps 100 or so miles, it can be fun to be part of something but a potential pain when anyone in the convoy requires to stop to take a picture, where there is only parking space for one car or go to the loo, refuel or whatever else might not exactly suit anyone`s mood at that particular time..? Sure with mobile phone contact, GPS (assuming signal strength) and other such trickery things can be simplified to some extent... But meeting up at pre arranged specific points for lunch etc. might be more relaxing than trying to stick together through all sorts of traffic situations..?

For example I was tail end Charlie in a convoy of perhaps ten or more Porsches heading down the Loire Valley to visit a winery, no one other than the lead car knew exactly where we were heading, so keeping up with the car in front was key.... ME..? I strictly obey speed limits when passing through villages and towns and it seemed that at times on the exit of the larger towns and after a few sets of traffic lights... and back out on to country roads I was perhaps up to three figures for quite a while before I caught sight of the tail end of the convoy, so trying to stick together even with just one car in front can equate to some...err...risky driving, which may not add to the FUN..?

After the first convoy in France from then on we went solo from then on, another lesson learned..

Hope that by typing too much detail I ain`t risking putting a damper on things for you guys Marky I just wanted to provide a bit of a heads up that is hoped might be of some help.. :?:
 
Evenin' Luddite,

Yes I can relate to all that. Even with the best intentions, big convoys can add a lot of hassle, hence 3 cars and 3 couples on this trip. Dropping to 2 cars after Portofino.

Funny you mention time. One of my mates on the trip, Paul, is always first up and chomping at the bit to press on. My other mate Graham is the polar opposite and says 'Take your watch off and put it away. We are on holiday, we'll get there when we get there". I'm a bit of both. :grin:

The long drive day which is Garda to Interlaken is gonna be long regardless.
I'm now thinking instead of doing Furka and Grimsel after Andermatt, we'll just do the Susten pass. Can't miss Stelvio when we are so close as we won't be out there again for a good year or two I'm guessing.
Also don't want to drop the mountain route to use main roads as we have 2 days of that after interlaken. Plus I want that Garda to Interlaken day to be epic.

Anyway, cheers for your input. Sounds like you've enjoyed some great adventures. :thumb:
 
mr pg said:
Can't comment on your first day, but your second is a long way in the mountains. Have done all of those roads and you'd have no time to stop for any length of time if trying to fit all in in one day. Days like that I try to keep to 200-230 miles to allow for coffee/lunch/photo stops. If it's just you, aren't worried about that sort of thing, and don't have a speed limiter in the passenger seat then you may be happy with a long day. :) Don't forget much of it is in Switzerland, so you'll need to keep your eyes peeled for cameras.

I tend to agree somewhat with this as it is a very long day with a passenger, we usually do more miles than this on most days of our tours but I suspect with a passenger it may be tiresome for them, also your friends may not have the same stamina and it may put them off doing another trip? I'm not sure how your passenger or friends will cope but just a thought.

Interlaken is a great area to explore and it does require some time to see some of the beauty in this area, I took a slower tour with the missus a few years ago and she fell in love with the Interlaken area, possible browny points gathered here?
Harder Kulm is one stand out tourist spot with the Harder Bahn taking you to the top and obviously looking at the Eiger from Grindelwald. SO much to see, so little time. I have done the Grimsel pass and also the Susten Pass to get to Interlaken, I preferred the Susten for its views but the Glacier on Furka was also mind blowing, but it means getting out of the car for a little while and if time is tight you will miss some stunning stuff.

Your run up the gorges from Nice is again a similar prospect but much more doable as its almost half the drive of the Interlaken day and if the passenger stays on the beach this will be an easier prospect.

EDIT, to say I would like to see your review of the Umbrail Pass, it is little known compared to its surrounding passes but I did this by accident a long time ago before it was fully surfaced and it was great until the tarmac ended, it has now been fully surfaced but I haven't had to chance to experience it as yet.
 
Think I could easily be a passenger on one of your tours sat in that big crazy yellow banana Perfomante........I'm still grinning like a Cheshire cat from last Saturday and that was only 10 minutes of insanity.
 
Called off at St Quentin on Tuesday for some scram en route to Blighty, place was in full swing.

Just got off the phone to my parents who stopped last night in the hotel I recommended. They were well impressed for the price and said the (€7.50) breakfast was amazing - buffet style with everything from cereal to full english.
 
Hi Chris and Alex, I had missed your posts somehow.

Yep Alex (I may have said earlier) we have booked St Quentin for our first and last nights of the trip. We were going to do Metz but it still left a long day back to Northumberland on last day or not long enough back to northern France.
So first day is Northumberland to St Q. Last 2 days are Interlaken to St Q, then wake up next day and get home. Cheers Alex. I hope you had a good one. I thought you must be away, as you'd been very quiet. :grin:


Hi Chris, Yep the Garda to Interlaken day is gonna be a long one.
I'll see what my mate thinks as there'll only be 2 couples at that stage. He's decided to take the 458 rather than the Huracan, in the name of comfort. :grin:

It's basically gonna be leave Torri at Garda at 8am and get to Stelvio by 11.30 ish or 12. Have lunch until 1ish then head to Interlaken. 5 hours ish. We can go more directly on main roads but I'd like to finish with a pass.
I had Grimsel and Furka in mind but have changed that to Susten now but if we are tired we may scrap it.
That would be a shame though as we won't be out there for a year or two after this so it's daft not to do a bit more when we are so near.

There isn't actually a huge amount of driving on the trip. Sometimes the cars will be parked up for 2 or 3 days.

I'll do a proper update once I've been and let you know if I enjoyed the Umbrail. I'm sure I will. :thumb:

I've been using the GT3 as my daily this week and it's a bit jiggly (no ***** Sherlock :D ). I'll either love it or hate by the time I get home. :wink:
I saw a black 996 C4S cab the other night on my way to work and thought to myself 'That would actually be a better proposition". Never mind though, I'm never happy. :grin:
 
Actually <Colombo voice> Just one more thing, are there any decent routes out of Switzerland into France on our Interlaken to St Quentin day?

Or is it just a case of hop on the motorway?

Thanks. :thumb:
 
Marky911 said:
Actually <Colombo voice> Just one more thing, are there any decent routes out of Switzerland into France on our Interlaken to St Quentin day?

Or is it just a case of hop on the motorway?

Thanks. :thumb:

Yes, you don't need the Autoroute until Reims, there is a great road in the Le Grand Ballon range if you come out of Switzerland around Basel/Mulhouse, from Cernay North on the D431 towards Nancy.
You can basically draw a line from Interlaken, Basel, Nancy, Chalon, Reims to St Quentin.

If you want to take the Autoroute earlier you can get on at at either Metz, Verdun or Chalon as time gets on.



Obviously there are roads around Dijon if leaving Switzerland further South but you are heading West before heading North West.
People rave about the D996 and I did used to myself but I have since found better roads going the same direction, the D959 and D928, they are faster and smoother than the D996.

 

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