My Planned Europe Trip

[Maxtini101]

Hi Guys,

Just want some people opinions on my planned trip through Europe. I've read alot of the Europe trips that other people have done which has helped alot. The Trip is a 12 day trip with 2 days spare if anything goes wrong.

Bristol (UK) to Portsmouth
Ferry to Caen (FRANCE)
Caen to Le Mans |

Day 2

Le Mans to Lyon

Day 3

Lyon to Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux to Monaco

Day 4

Monaco to Col-der-Turini
Col-der-Turini to Milan

Day 5

Milan to Maranello
Ferrari Museum
Maranello to Vršič pass

Day 6

Campsite to Vršič pass
Vršič pass to Red Bull Ring
Red Bull Ring to Nockalmstraße
Nockalmstraße to Spittal an der Drau (Camp site in alps)

Day 7

Spittal an der Drau, Austria to Grossglockner High Alpine
Grossglockner High Alpine to Gerlos Alpine Estate
Gerlos Alpine Estate to Stelvio Pass
Stelvio Pass to Bernina Pass
Bernina Pass to Flüela Pass
6:30pm Leave | Flüela Pass to Davos

Day 8

Davos to San Bernardino Pass
San Bernardino Pass to Verzasca Dam
Verzasca Dam to St Gotthard Pass
St Gotthard Pass to Susten Pass
Susten Pass to Col du Pillon
Col du Pillon to Geneva

Day 9

Geneva to Black Forest
Black Forest to Nürburgring

Day 10

Nürburgring track
Nürburgring to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps to Amsterdam

Day 11 in Amsterdam (HOLLAND)

Day 12

Amsterdam to Dunkirk
Dunkirk (FRANCE) to Calais (Euro Tunnel)
Euro Tunnel
Folkestone to Bristol

This is a 8th Version I have done, tweaking it from time to time from suggestions I read about on here. Not interested in really stopping at places for a day apart from Monaco/Milan for which were there for 1/2 a day mainly just going to see car/driving related stuff and experiencing the roads off Europe.

Any suggestions and tips would help alot. My only concern is petrol stations when your up in the alps.

[CarbonXKR]

That's a lot of driving. One thing we found out when doing our trip was that we would have loved more time in a lot of the places. Going from A to B to C is all well and good but does tire you out after the initial excitement has worn off. Your Davos to Andermatt area and passes definitely need more time than you've allowed in my opinion.
Plenty petrol stations though so I don't think you need worry about that.
All the best with your trip, we're doing another next May to Spain.

[Maxtini101]

Its 80 hours worth of driving in total over 12 days.

[PowerMalc]

Thats about 7 hours a day. I had two consecutive days in Spain which were over 7 hours each, not including meals, petrol stops and photo halts.
I was very tired at the end of the day. This was first trip and next time I will plan shorter driving times per day. Also underestimated how long driving mountain passes takes

[0836whimper]

Way too much in there. The more trips I've done the less driving I've packed in, you need to relax too and stop and see stuff.

[Davey S2]

0836whimper said:

Way too much in there. The more trips I've done the less driving I've packed in, you need to relax too and stop and see stuff.

This.

I love long driving days but too many of them in one go gets tiring.

I'd try and cut a few days down and also have a few rest days where you don't drive at all. Monaco is perfect for this as you can easily walk everywhere.

[don logan]

As others have said, there is just too much packed in there!

Before you assume that we might all be "lightweights" I`ve done enough 14hr / 900 mile a day driving days that I can`t even remember how many I`ve done, and the more back to back days you do the less fun the whole thing becomes, infact the idea becomes more fun that the actual doing it and you get home wishing you could go on holiday!

Passengers definitely don`t think it`s fun either, I once did 450kms in a day in the Alps and my GF needed a couple of days to recover!

One more thing, get some better pads and fluid.

Edited by don logan on Thursday 22 May 15:44

[dcb]

Maxtini101 said:

Day 7

Spittal an der Drau, Austria to Grossglockner High Alpine
Grossglockner High Alpine to Gerlos Alpine Estate
Gerlos Alpine Estate to Stelvio Pass
Stelvio Pass to Bernina Pass
Bernina Pass to Flela Pass
6:30pm Leave | Flela Pass to Davos

That's a lot of driving in one day. 200 miles in the Alps is a lot,
never mind all that.

You do know GrossGlockner is EUR 33 (GBP 27) ?
Good, but not worth that much.

Stelvio not a lot of fun either. I'd stop at the ReschenPass if I were you.
Have a look on alpineroads.com. From Gerlos, there's a lot of fun to
be had without hacking over the Stelvio, like all the other sheep.

Suggest Kuhtai for a non-tourist drive and the "bit scary on the Italian
side" Timmelsjoch.

You could also try the 3rd highest road in all Europe, SW of Soelden.
Stunning.

[Maxtini101]

Thanks for the feedback.

Does anyone have any recommendation for camp sites. I got 2 at the moment. One around Davos + one around Spittal an der Drau

[0836whimper]

Maxtini101 said:

Thanks for the feedback.

Does anyone have any recommendation for camp sites. I got 2 at the moment. One around Davos + one around Spittal an der Drau

One of the really great things about Euro road trip - at least outside of August - is that you don't need to pre-book or plan good campsites.
They are everywhere and we normally just free-style at the last minute...depending on whoch nice village you happen to end up in. Just need a euro camping book.
I prefer this to inner city hotels and the traffic and nav/parking hassle they involve.

[Maxtini101]

0836whimper said:

One of the really great things about Euro road trip - at least outside of August - is that you don't need to pre-book or plan good campsites.
They are everywhere and we normally just free-style at the last minute...depending on whoch nice village you happen to end up in. Just need a euro camping book.
I prefer this to inner city hotels and the traffic and nav/parking hassle they involve.

That would help alot. Were planning to go End of June/Start of July

[0836whimper]

"Day 3

Lyon to Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux to Monaco"

The Mont Ventoux - Rhone Alpes area is fantastic, has some of the best driving roads in Europe. Personally I wouldn't rush through that region.
e.g. http://tinyurl.com/obqnkn3 This area is virtually traffic free as no-one travels North to South or East to West via this area. Loads of roads with corners through rocky gorges to die for. You can almost get to much of a good thing with those roads....

Some inspiration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZBtQEOe_e8

[TomSr3]

I love these trips but I do agree with some of the responses in that you really need to give yourself some time to enjoy where you are instead of just passing it.

The last couple of days I find a bit weird going from the Ring to Spa to Amsterdam and then Calais. You probably have your reasons for that detour but if not I would definitely suggest a day at the ring, a day at Spa (and the Ardennes) and go to Calais from there.

[lipadier]

1. As said in the other general roadtrip thread: Have no worrys about petrol stations in the Alps. They are everywhere, and on all of them you can choose to pay with cards, Swiss Franks or Euros. And the juice itself is quite cheap.

2. As mentioned by others: Your daily driving time is way too much. I pick day 8 as an example, because I live in Switzerland and know all the planned roads: That route from Davos to Geneva with a detour to the Vercasca Dam near Locarno is 578km and 8.5 hours driving time, even when you take every opportunity to change to the Autobahns when possible. Yes, you may will blast a bit faster than the signed speed limit, but you also need some breakes for stretching your legs, for taking pictures, and for petrol tank and human belly fillups.

[DuraAce]

To much planning in my opinion. Just book your return channel crossing and see how things go. If you see somewhere you like then stop and check it out. Have a rough itinerary but don't book all your hotels in advance as that forces your hand with regards to timings.

I've never prebooked hotels and have never struggled to find somewhere to stay.

Your alps days have too much distance in them. Yes, they are possible to do but you'll have very little time to enjoy things along the way. It's very hard to maintain a decent average speed over the passes.

[Maxtini101]

Thanks for the tips and ideas guys. I got 2 days spare, So I feeling that I'll stick an extra day in the Alps and not pre-book camp sites.

I'm thinking of getting rid of Mont Ventoux aswell due to it seems to be closed most the year anyway and maybe adding in Col de la Bonnette instead.

[AdiT]

Maxtini101 said:

I'm thinking of getting rid of Mont Ventoux aswell due to it seems to be closed most the year anyway and maybe adding in Col de la Bonnette instead.

The Bonnette is good but I wouldn't miss the Ventoux.
This is from 1/2 way up the Malaucene side. The bit before here is just as good or better but the camera wasn't on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5irT03pRcY
...and the other side to Bedoine. Best bit is 11:15ish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDMaR4OOyiU

Most of the Alpine passes are closed for snow for large parts of the year inc the Bonnette so I wouldn't let that put you off in summer.

[Zed 44]

Don't want to rain on your parade, but check the pass webcams. This was the Alps from 38,000 feet on the 17th May.

[AdiT]

Maxtini101 said:

Were planning to go End of June/Start of July

Unlikely there'll be snow (or rain hopefully) on the OP's parade by July.

[Zed 44]

AdiT said:

Maxtini101 said:

Were planning to go End of June/Start of July

Unlikely there'll be snow (or rain hopefully) on the OP's parade by July.

You're probably right but third week in June last year and two passes were shut and this was the Nufenen.