Z around Europe June 2013

[Mostsharp]

I've been considering a week long road trip taking in the Millau Viaduct in France then heading along the coast into north Italy and then home via the Alps and Nuremberg.

Something like this :-



Its 2400 miles so that would be an average of 343 miles per day. It wouldn't work out like that though some days would be double that and others would be much less. Having never done anything like this before I don't know how possible it would be. I did a France motorbike trip a few years ago and used to do Bristol to Aberdeen on a regular basis so long drives are nothing new to me.
I guess it wont be cheap as the fuel alone would be about £500 + hotels ect.

[Mostsharp]

the map didn't come out so here is the link

[jaRED]

We've done a trip down as far as Switzerland the last two years and it's been great. Doing it in only a week won't give you much time for anything other than driving though. We have taken the tents with us and an option if you researched it before is that many campsites now have hikers huts - usually a shed with a bed which would work out much cheaper than a hotel.

[Darren Slone]

That's some daily driving average but you will have some fabulous scenery to look at

[Stuart Truman]

That'll be a fantastic trip, but as already said by others, will you have time to really enjoy it if you're packing that many miles into a short time? Could you extend the time and have a bit more time to stop and relax in nice places?

[Darren Slone]

That'll be a fantastic trip, but as already said by others, will you have time to really enjoy it if you're packing that many miles into a short time? Could you extend the time and have a bit more time to stop and relax in nice places?

That's the way Stuart, we did the Wacky Rally last year from Lille to Barcelona which was 1500 miles over 5 days, 6-8 hrs per day driving and although a great laugh we flipping well new about it!

[Lance]

Sounds like a great trip fella, but in all honesty and only my opinion, the driving will become a chore. Go less places and enjoy the more. A week is far too short for a trip like this, perhaps cut out the Millau part and do the Germany/Alps/Italy bit, saving the French part for another trip.

I've done road trips in Europe every year since the mid 80's and quickly realised that squeezing too much into too short a time, just means you're forever riding/driving. Less is more here.

One last thing, you are intending to go to Nuremberg aren't you? And not Nurburg for the Nurburgring? They are very different places and you wouldn't be the first to make that mistake.

[cj10jeeper]

Fantastic idea for a trip, bur as others have said it - way too many miles per day average.

I've done dozens of trips to all corners of Europe and frankly would halve that daily distance as a top limit, spend some days without driving other than local scenery and 'touring'. It will otherwise just be a relentless drive, day after day and you'll shot past all the interesting things.

Hope that's not your real postcode on the route maps...

[Darren Slone]

One last thing, you are intending to go to Nuremberg aren't you? And not Nurburg for the Nurburgring? They are very different places and you wouldn't be the first to make that mistake.

I did that 2 years running

[Nova2k7]

ive had this route planned for ages

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid= ... ,26.784668

[Taz]

Well worth doing but i would try and stretch it out more, could you not make it 10 days?

[Mostsharp]

Some good advice and encouragement. Thanks guys.

[Mostsharp]

The time scale and the route are just rough ideas. I could easily add a few days. I have wanted to drive over that Millau Viaduct ever since I saw it on top gear!

And yes I had mistaken Nuremberg for the location of the Nurburgring!

Having bought the Z and straight away drove it 7.5 hours (520miles) I understand what I'm getting into. My revised plan would be to get through north France and down to the Millau Viaduct in one hit then take it easy along the French coast stopping as and when. Then a bit of north Italy, the Alps and home via interesting looking places.
Possibly a bit like this http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Bri ... ls&t=m&z=5

I have this car for now and I want to remember it as something a bit special not just a pretty shopping trolley and means of personal transportation. I think that a road trip would do that for me.

[ranski]

If you don't factor in stops for food, petrol not to mention taking photos and sometime-out to absorb the scenery it will all become somewhat 'cannonball run'

So if you can stretch out the days that would help

[jonnyfive]

Don't tie your self down to a time , book twice as much time as needed from work and let them know that it may be less ? That way you can take things easy or not which ever the case . As other mentioned that's a lot if miles to cram in . You only need one bad day of weather and driving can become very tying , than you be playing catch up with your rest .