Planning to do a trip in our first MX-5 to the continent this year. Will probably travel via ferry from North Shields to Amsterdam, as I live in Northumberland and would like to avoid motorway miles in UK.
Will take 2 weeks and schedule in for May/June or September to avoid the height of the tourist season.
Looking for twisty roads, mountains, beautiful scenery and good places to stay/eat.
Obviously will be spoilt for choice, but any particular suggestions, must-drive roads, etc., based on previous experience?
My favourite journey is to drive to Castellane via the route Napoleon. It’s a wonderful road and unlike some of the famous mountain passes it’s wide enough and has enough visibility to really enjoy driving your car. The route Napoleon is often used by car reviewers for video road tests so you should be able to look it up on YouTube.
Did a bit of this route last year (albeit in a Peugeot Partner hire car!) on a family holiday. Stopped at Castellane for lunch. Great roads, which I would like to explore more.
If you’ve done that before and want something new, and don’t mind using your heated seats, what about Norway. You’d have handy ferry crossing from where you live.
Anyway, I’ve got to get on with my work. You’ve got me started dreaming of driving holidays now!
Yes, it’s a great area for views, roads, food etc., but starting from Amsterdam means a lot of motorway driving in the Netherlands. Belgium and northern France first. Fortunately living in the south I would get a ferry to Ouistreham (Caen) and head out on uncluttered “D” roads, great fun and no problems. Go south to the Dordogne then across to the Gorges du Tarn, or wherever to fancy takes you.
If you haven’t already tried it why not turn westward and go to Ireland? It’s got great scenery, fun roads, good food, Guinness, friendly folk, they speak English and drive on the proper side of the road!
I have to admit, I am a geek when it comes to explore magnificent sceneries and routes in Europe!
To give you an idea I have piled up 45,000 km of pleasure (fast) travelling in a few years (a small percentage of which are SPA, Mugello, Imola).
Where to start … I have done once the Black Forest, once the Vosges mountains, once the Stelvio + surrounding passes (albeit the Stelvio itself is a bit too narrow in my opinion), once the Großglockner, three times the Gorges du Verdon / Route Napoleon, once Sardinia, endless times the Futa pass, the Iseran + surrounding passes, and the Dolomites.
I love great driving roads, great sceneries, typical delicious food and a pinch of history (but not obvious or too much of it).
In their own way all the above are fabulous, but if I have to pick I suggest: 1) Dolomites, 2) Iseran, 3) Gorges du Verdon / Route Napoleon, 4) Großglockner, 5) Sardinia.
Almost every year I arrange with friends (and friends of friends) Grand Tour in these areas and I assure you, I never get tired to run them.
I am planning a similar trip in July. The majority of our time will be spent in Switzerland.
I did a Euro trip a few years ago on motorbikes. We copied the episode of TopGear when they went searching for the best driving roads. They concluded that Stelvio Pass was the best BUT I have to agree with Mercurius that the road was tight and the surface was iffy in places. There was a lot of cyclists believe it or not that would have been difficult to overtake safely in a car. The highlight of that trip for me was San Bernadino Pass. It was quiet, road surface was sublime, it was like a race track. There was also a lake nearby that had a strange illuminous blue coloured water. Beautiful!
Others that i plan on visiting in the summer in my MkI MX5 are:
Furka Pass
Albula Pass
Hahntennjoch
Slurgen Pass
AND there’s a toboggan run in Mieders that is on YouTube and looks AMAZING!
Another vote for the German Alpine Road (“Alpenstrasse”) from Bregenz eastwards to Fussen - Neuschwanstein - Garmisch - Mittenwald - toll road Wallgau to AachenpaB. But not in winter with rear wheel drive!