European Road Trip - Germany / Switzerland / Austria
Discussion
I was discussing next year's summer holiday with the missus last night. I quite fancy a European road trip taking in Germany (cheeky stop off in Nurburg as my lad has been begging me to take him), Austria and Switzerland. Already travelled through France quite a bit in the past.
We would be starting in Calais as the chunnel is my preferred method of crossing the channel.
I plan on putting a route together before we set off and pre-book hotels along the route.
It would be really helpful if any of you have any thoughts on:
- must see locations
- recommended hotels or other accomodation
- recommended routes / roads
Many thanks if you are able to help!
Ross.
We would be starting in Calais as the chunnel is my preferred method of crossing the channel.
I plan on putting a route together before we set off and pre-book hotels along the route.
It would be really helpful if any of you have any thoughts on:
- must see locations
- recommended hotels or other accomodation
- recommended routes / roads
Many thanks if you are able to help!
Ross.
Just got back from return road trip to Slovenia, so in no particular order I would heartily recommend the following:
-Grossglockner high alpine road/pass
-Dolomites - especially the passes around Arabba and Canazei: Passo Pordoi/Passo Sella/the Cortina-Arabba road. Loads of accomodation throughout the ski areas.
-Stelvio Pass and the road from there to Davos (inc Fluela Pass)
-There's a magic "square" of passes in Switzerland inc. Furka, Grimsel and Susten with the Klausen Pass off a bit east and the Nufenen south. Can't go wrong around there - Andermatt a good base.
That's a good start for you. Went out via Cologne/Munich autobahn for high speed testing (basic but good Hotel Montana nr. autobahn at Limburg - reachable after an early evening Chunnel if you put your foot down) and returned via Switzerland (easy run back through France after a night in Basel).
David
-Grossglockner high alpine road/pass
-Dolomites - especially the passes around Arabba and Canazei: Passo Pordoi/Passo Sella/the Cortina-Arabba road. Loads of accomodation throughout the ski areas.
-Stelvio Pass and the road from there to Davos (inc Fluela Pass)
-There's a magic "square" of passes in Switzerland inc. Furka, Grimsel and Susten with the Klausen Pass off a bit east and the Nufenen south. Can't go wrong around there - Andermatt a good base.
That's a good start for you. Went out via Cologne/Munich autobahn for high speed testing (basic but good Hotel Montana nr. autobahn at Limburg - reachable after an early evening Chunnel if you put your foot down) and returned via Switzerland (easy run back through France after a night in Basel).
David
I'd recommend going further around the Eifel than just Nurburg - the roads there are lovely, then meandering down through the Black forest. Head down into Bavaria, towards Sonthofen in the South. There are some lovely little passes around there, and plenty of accommodation (lots of brits there too - the British Army does a lot of adventurous training there, and people just tend to stay).
From there, head along the alpen-strasse to Brigenz (Austria) at the head of Lake Constance before crossing the border into Switzerland (you'll be in Austria for about 6 miles). Drop down and by all means do the Furkapass, but I'd also recommend heading down towards Lake Geneva until you get to a town called Aigle. From here you head up into the mountains to a place called Le Col Des Mosses (there's an actual "Joe Bar" up there, so that's already a good recommend on the nature of the road from the bikers!), then back down into the valley on the other side to a village called Chateau-D'Oeux (pronounced Chateau-Day). There are plenty of places to stay around here, and the scenery is stunning (I should know - most of my extended family live in the area!).
A tour I particularly enjoy is to head West from Chateau-D'Oeux, through the canyon, down to Montbovon, through Albeuve, then follow the road towards the town of Bulle. You'll be passing very close to the fortified town of Gruyere (the name of the region it sits in, and of the cheese made here), which is well worth a visit - it's even got the Geiger museum here, as well as one of their bars (he's the chap who designed most of the props for the Alien films - the museum's full of his stuff, and the bar feels like you're in the film - very, very cooool!).
Before you get to Bulle you should turn towards Charmey, going through the village of Broc. This is another good stopping point, but only because the Nestle Swiss Chocolate factory is here and they do factory tours!..... Keep going up and along the valley to Charmey - the road's a little uninteresting at this point, but the view is amazing. Go through Charmey, and continue towards the Jaunpass - this is another less well known pass, and off the normal tourist routes.
Most traffic stops in charmey, so the road should be pretty quiet. Initially there are a couple of twists, then wide open straights across mountaintop valleys, (you'll move from French speaking to German speaking cantons here) then goes into tight twisties to the top. Down the other side it's just switchbacks all the way to the bottom. At the bottom, turn right heading for Zweisimmen, then on down to Saanen (you could turn left here and go to Gstaad for a spot of celebrity spotting, then up to Les Diablerets - another lovely road). Turn right at Saanen to follow the road back to Chateau-D'Oeux.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Route+11&d...
If you're not taking the route down into Italy, but going out towards France, and if you've got time, on the way back, I'd advise steering well clear of Geneva. At Lausanne, head North towards Neuchatel, then follow signs to Vallorbe and the mountain border crossing into France. Drop down to Pontarlier (Sbarro used to have their HQ here - if you don't know this guy, then well worth a google (a true PH)), then on to Besancon - gorgeous roads and scenery and a much nicer way to get out of switzerland than going through the industrial and economic wasteland that is Geneva!
As a little extra, while my wife and I were meandering down from Brugges to Besancon a few years ago we came across the little town of Chimay in Belgium - I'd only ever known it for the beer, but it's also got a road racing circuit, so worth having a look.
From there, head along the alpen-strasse to Brigenz (Austria) at the head of Lake Constance before crossing the border into Switzerland (you'll be in Austria for about 6 miles). Drop down and by all means do the Furkapass, but I'd also recommend heading down towards Lake Geneva until you get to a town called Aigle. From here you head up into the mountains to a place called Le Col Des Mosses (there's an actual "Joe Bar" up there, so that's already a good recommend on the nature of the road from the bikers!), then back down into the valley on the other side to a village called Chateau-D'Oeux (pronounced Chateau-Day). There are plenty of places to stay around here, and the scenery is stunning (I should know - most of my extended family live in the area!).
A tour I particularly enjoy is to head West from Chateau-D'Oeux, through the canyon, down to Montbovon, through Albeuve, then follow the road towards the town of Bulle. You'll be passing very close to the fortified town of Gruyere (the name of the region it sits in, and of the cheese made here), which is well worth a visit - it's even got the Geiger museum here, as well as one of their bars (he's the chap who designed most of the props for the Alien films - the museum's full of his stuff, and the bar feels like you're in the film - very, very cooool!).
Before you get to Bulle you should turn towards Charmey, going through the village of Broc. This is another good stopping point, but only because the Nestle Swiss Chocolate factory is here and they do factory tours!..... Keep going up and along the valley to Charmey - the road's a little uninteresting at this point, but the view is amazing. Go through Charmey, and continue towards the Jaunpass - this is another less well known pass, and off the normal tourist routes.
Most traffic stops in charmey, so the road should be pretty quiet. Initially there are a couple of twists, then wide open straights across mountaintop valleys, (you'll move from French speaking to German speaking cantons here) then goes into tight twisties to the top. Down the other side it's just switchbacks all the way to the bottom. At the bottom, turn right heading for Zweisimmen, then on down to Saanen (you could turn left here and go to Gstaad for a spot of celebrity spotting, then up to Les Diablerets - another lovely road). Turn right at Saanen to follow the road back to Chateau-D'Oeux.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Route+11&d...
If you're not taking the route down into Italy, but going out towards France, and if you've got time, on the way back, I'd advise steering well clear of Geneva. At Lausanne, head North towards Neuchatel, then follow signs to Vallorbe and the mountain border crossing into France. Drop down to Pontarlier (Sbarro used to have their HQ here - if you don't know this guy, then well worth a google (a true PH)), then on to Besancon - gorgeous roads and scenery and a much nicer way to get out of switzerland than going through the industrial and economic wasteland that is Geneva!
As a little extra, while my wife and I were meandering down from Brugges to Besancon a few years ago we came across the little town of Chimay in Belgium - I'd only ever known it for the beer, but it's also got a road racing circuit, so worth having a look.
Sounds like a good trip, I've booked marked it for reference.
If you're planning on driving around Germany the Neuschwanstein Castle (Disney based their castle on this) may be worth a visit.
If you're planning on driving around Germany the Neuschwanstein Castle (Disney based their castle on this) may be worth a visit.
alpineroads.com is aimed at bikers, but has a lot of useful
info for drivers of tin boxes.
Best page for you might be http://alpineroads.com/tyrol.php
I've done them all, some of them multiple times.
The highest aren't necessarily the best.
Best route from UK to Austrian Alps I find is
Calais, Brussels, Aachen, Koln, Frankfurt, Nurnberg, Munich
although if you want a bit of variation
Calais, Lille, Namur, Luxembourg, Kaiserslautern, Stuttgart, Ulm, Fussen.
If you want to *substantially* increase the cost of your holiday,
by all means travel west of Lichtenstein, into Switzerland.
Personally, I rarely bother.
info for drivers of tin boxes.
Best page for you might be http://alpineroads.com/tyrol.php
I've done them all, some of them multiple times.
The highest aren't necessarily the best.
Best route from UK to Austrian Alps I find is
Calais, Brussels, Aachen, Koln, Frankfurt, Nurnberg, Munich
although if you want a bit of variation
Calais, Lille, Namur, Luxembourg, Kaiserslautern, Stuttgart, Ulm, Fussen.
If you want to *substantially* increase the cost of your holiday,
by all means travel west of Lichtenstein, into Switzerland.
Personally, I rarely bother.
Cool! Part of the fun is the planning. We just returned from a similar trip. I created a trip report with daily routes and hotel recommendations:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
A recommended route that would be a slight diversion, but still heading towards Austria is:
The scenery was spectacular and would be well worth the extra journey time.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
A recommended route that would be a slight diversion, but still heading towards Austria is:
The scenery was spectacular and would be well worth the extra journey time.
RossP said:
Thanks all for your suggestions so far! Very helpful!
I do have a bit of a dilemma now though....
I will be travelling with my wife and our two kids (12 and 15).
Do I take my E92 M3 Coupe or the wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Kids, 12 & 15? Send them off on an adventure holiday or to the Grandparents and take the M3, and wife. If you do take the Cherokee all you will be thinking about is the awesome time you could be having in the M3. I do have a bit of a dilemma now though....
I will be travelling with my wife and our two kids (12 and 15).
Do I take my E92 M3 Coupe or the wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee?
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