First Z road trip .

[Greg 01]

Hi guys .
So the time is nearly here for our first road trip in the Z :driving:
Manchester to calais , then 3 days making our our way down to le rochelle / montpellier a few roads I want to drive in that general area .
Then a week in St Tropez chilling out soaking up the sun .
Then off over to Austria for the gross glockner then over to engelberg / mount titlis then up through Germany heading for rotterdam .
2 1/2 weeks I should know the Z by then .
This will be our 5th euro trip but first with such a small boot :?
Greg .

 

[mr wilks]

Sounds fun :driving: don't forget the pics & if you haven't been to St Tropez before in summer be ready may as well hang your keys up for the week or drive before or after 8 am / 8pm
Nearby Port Grimaud is a must see & can be done with water taxi

 

[Greg 01]

Cheers Andy .
Yes been a few times now and yes got my head burned last time I got my flat cap
The st tropez regatta is on the week we are there so hopefully get on a yacht or two while there , as we live on a boat we love the water always drawn to it .
I've been searching some of the road trip threads on here for the roads and places we have not done before etc , now have a list !
As our yorkie goes everywhere we go we are limited to dog friendly places. .

 

[mr wilks]

Cheers Andy .
Yes been a few times now and yes got my head burned last time I got my flat cap
.

The sun is bad with roof down but it was more the traffic that sticks in my mind just couldn't get near the place in the daytime for cars , was about 10ys since last visited in summer , have been once in late November & enjoyed it far more with virtually free roads

 

[Greg 01]

Yes we know what you mean we stayed in centre last time overlooking the marina so didn't need the car but we do try to go late summer as it's a little cooler and a little more relaxed .
Port Grimaud as you say is not to be missed ,
And the little bistro,s along st maxine.
Will be plenty of pics etc.

 

[mr wilks]

Yes we know what you mean we stayed in centre last time overlooking the marina so didn't need the car but we do try to go late summer as it's a little cooler and a little more relaxed .
Port Grimaud as you say is not to be missed ,
And the little bistro,s along st maxine.
Will be plenty of pics etc.

Heading from Calais to St Tropez via La Rochelle is a massive detour with long stretches of fairly dull autoroute :?
What route are you taking from La Rochelle to destination ?

 

[Greg 01]

We are heading from Calais to montpellier area want to go do the road along ardeche area and we have found a few other interesting roads that general area . So we thought going down the right hand side and noticed la rochelle have not been down the right side of France so two nights in la rochelle then off to the ardeche area find a place for a night then off to st tropez .
Not the most direct route but I drive 12 hours a day for work so doing a long stint is no problem .
That said have only booked the week in St tropez and two nights in rotterdam at the end of the hols as of yet as we do tend to just go where the mood takes us
Have always had comfy car,s in the past so weather I can drive the Z for the same distances :?

 

[mr wilks]

We are heading from Calais to montpellier area want to go do the road along ardeche area and we have found a few other interesting roads that general area . So we thought going down the right hand side and noticed la rochelle have not been down the right side of France so two nights in la rochelle then off to the ardeche area find a place for a night then off to st tropez .
Not the most direct route but I drive 12 hours a day for work so doing a long stint is no problem .
That said have only booked the week in St tropez and two nights in rotterdam at the end of the hols as of yet as we do tend to just go where the mood takes us
Have always had comfy car,s in the past so weather I can drive the Z for the same distances :?

You won't be disappointed with La Rochelle (if you get the time visit Il de Re close by ) but to get to the Ardeche from there is a trek
Would be easier on your homeward leg
From La Rochelle I would head inland & visit Oradour Sur Glane then head south & stay over in St Flour (6hr drive ? )
Following day is under 6 hours to St Tropez through the Auvergne region with hundreds of extinct volcanoes , through the Cevennes & Millau Bridge to the med , that is a nice drive ive done may times , epic landscape at times with vast climbs & drops

 

[Paulwirral]

We are heading from Calais to montpellier area want to go do the road along ardeche area and we have found a few other interesting roads that general area . So we thought going down the right hand side and noticed la rochelle have not been down the right side of France so two nights in la rochelle then off to the ardeche area find a place for a night then off to st tropez .
Not the most direct route but I drive 12 hours a day for work so doing a long stint is no problem .
That said have only booked the week in St tropez and two nights in rotterdam at the end of the hols as of yet as we do tend to just go where the mood takes us
Have always had comfy car,s in the past so weather I can drive the Z for the same distances :?

I've done a few 10 hour plus drives over France in a z4, it's nothing to be concerned about , comfortable car , drop the roof and enjoy the view

 

[Greg 01]

Cheers for that will start to have a look at that . our homeward leg will be towards Austria then mount titlis then heading up through Germany and to rotterdam. I tend to give my ideas to the wife and she is extremely good at the research of places etc .
We have 3 days to get to st tropez 7 days there then 7 days on the way back but last two nights in rotterdam . These two are booked and set in stone but the rest is still in progress

 

[Greg 01]

Cheers Paul .
When I got the car and drove it home 200 miles mostly a roads I was a little wasted but it did have run flats and the abs had packed up so i
Was a little wired .
Run flats gone now lots better .

 

[Greg 01]

Although we have done st tropez area a few times now we don't really know much of France Hense the looking through other members road trips to give us more ideas of places we may like etc .
We do tend to travel willy nilly and tend to find some very nice little places off the normal tourist route,s .

 

[paulgs1000]

This sounds wonderful - love the ad hoc notion of travel

(But need to bookmark some of these suggested routes for the future)

Looking forward to seeing your postings

 

[Greg 01]

Hi guys .
Booked hotel in le rochelle for one night and then got two nights to spend heading for st tropez. As Andy suggested we have now decided to look inland towards milau or there abouts will see where we end up and use booking .com last minute.
So meny places to see and not enough time !
Need to win the lottery .

 

[Greg 01]

Well guys .
A week tomorrow we set off for the road trip.
First night in coquelles then heading for the South of France with a stopover on the way then two days in the ardeche . Then 8 days in St Tropez. After that we shall see ..
It's getting really close now

 

[buzyg]

7 more sleeps.

Sounds like a great trip you have planned. Never done more than 10 nights. No problem packing for two though. :wink:

Enjoy :driving: and be sure to post lost of pics on your return, if not during.

 

[Greg 01]

Hi guys .
Well we brought the hols forward a day and travelled down to folkestone yesterday 300 miles none stop no hold ups nothing .
The car drove great and the fuel cost even better 300 on £ 40 . :driving:
Chilled out at the holiday Inn and now deciding the route to take through France . Will post some pics soon .

 

[Greg 01]

Fully packed .
But elmo is not getting up yet he to is on holiday .

 

[Greg 01]

Great trip down to the ardeche .

 

[Greg 01]

No real signal here but off to st tropez .
Car is fantastic to drive on these roads :driving: