nearly time for an other few weeks touring through central europe!

fast start through France and over the Alps, taking in Turin, col de Turini, French Riviera, Lake Garda, Venice, back over the Alps to Davos for the passes and back via Strasbourg and the 'ring for a few laps.

got all the hotels sorted already

will have 2 nights in Turin to check out some of the Fiat heritage - were staying at Lingotto again

The locations look great, you will need a few weeks to justify the trip. We made two trips in the 500 using Maxi's previous trip, liked Montblanc / Chamonix so much we went back last year. I wasn't sure of Turin, 2 days too much !!

Do you have a Euro GPS, don't rely on cached maps on ipad.

I hope you didn't book hotels in Strasbourg, rather a dull place imho.....

306maxi said:

I hope you didn't book hotels in Strasbourg, rather a dull place imho.....

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How dare you!! Wash out your mouth with soap! How can any place which hosts everyday business affairs of the European Parliament be dull? Shame on you! :devil:

arorat said:

The locations look great, you will need a few weeks to justify the trip. We made two trips in the 500 using Maxi's previous trip, liked Montblanc / Chamonix so much we went back last year. I wasn't sure of Turin, 2 days too much !!

Do you have a Euro GPS, don't rely on cached maps on ipad.

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We had a night at Turin on last trip but didn't get to explore hence the extra day

Copilot live app on phone, took us all over Carolina US so will be fine

306maxi said:

I hope you didn't book hotels in Strasbourg, rather a dull place imho.....

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It's in the right place as an overnight stop, plus there is a very cool Bugatti museum there

RobW said:

It's in the right place as an overnight stop, plus there is a very cool Bugatti museum there

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http://citedelautomobile.com/en/home this place is better and has loads of Bugatti's

306maxi said:

http://citedelautomobile.com/en/home this place is better and has loads of Bugatti's

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Yep that's the one were going to

Tbh the Bugatti's are the least impressive part of that museum!

RobW said:

We had a night at Turin on last trip but didn't get to explore hence the extra day

Copilot live app on phone, took us all over Carolina US so will be fine

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Turin was very hot and lots of areas were closed, we (well I) had a meditative moment looking at the shroud in silence, that was the highlight with the anticipation of Stelvios Pass the next day in the brand new TA.

A friend sent a FB update from Stelvios Pass this morning - he is on a kawasaki Voyager - twice the size of a TA engine. Now I am desperately missing the euro drive, why did you start this topic !!

We were in Turin about a month ago and covered about 2600 km's in a rented 500L across Northern Italy. Lingotto was amazing, especially the rooftop test track. Curiously there is zero mention of Fiat anywhere. No old photos or mention of the Agnelli family apart from the gallery next to the test track.
Nearby is Eataly a spectacular food store and casual eatery. After Lingotto stroll over to Turin's very impressive National Automobile Museum- lots of Fiat stuff in there-- including a mock-up of a Fiat 500 production line complete with cars.

PsFiat said:

We were in Turin about a month ago and covered about 2600 km's in a rented 500L across Northern Italy. Lingotto was amazing, especially the rooftop test track. Curiously there is zero mention of Fiat anywhere. No old photos or mention of the Agnelli family apart from the gallery next to the test track.
Nearby is Eataly a spectacular food store and casual eatery. After Lingotto stroll over to Turin's very impressive National Automobile Museum- lots of Fiat stuff in there-- including a mock-up of a Fiat 500 production line complete with cars.

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Fantasico will definitely go there!

My advice driving to Italy from Calais is to go via Luxemburg, Metz, Basel to avoid the peage as the Calais, Rheims, Nancy, Mont Blanc route costs almost as much as the fuel.

Back from Venice, go the Brenner, Nuremburg, Luxemburg back as Autobahn and Belgian motorways have no tolls.

Of course Italian motorways will have unavoidable tolls, and you'll need a Swiss and/or Austrian vignette.

We'll be off to Tuscany in September, but not in the 500 - no cruise control and no room for four adults and luggage in comfort. You need something a bit bigger, like a Volvo Estate!

Clogs said:

My advice driving to Italy from Calais is to go via Luxemburg, Metz, Basel to avoid the peage as the Calais, Rheims, Nancy, Mont Blanc route costs almost as much as the fuel.

Back from Venice, go the Brenner, Nuremburg, Luxemburg back as Autobahn and Belgian motorways have no tolls.

Of course Italian motorways will have unavoidable tolls, and you'll need a Swiss and/or Austrian vignette.

We'll be off to Tuscany in September, but not in the 500 - no cruise control and no room for four adults and luggage in comfort. You need something a bit bigger, like a Volvo Estate!

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original route was similar as you suggested to Turin, we now do the fast route to Dijon, and get an extra night in Turin

regarding car check my sig

http://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/france/95-col-de-turini-france.html

:devil:

have a good trip
i prefer to go in september

fingers crossed trying to organise for a private tour of Centro Storico Fiat

Just back from a trip down to Viareggio and Rimini.
We went down to Macon for the first night then on down and through the Frejus tunnel. I think I own part of it now 42 Europounds one way through the tunnel.

Turned right before Turin and went down to Savona for 2nd night, before going on to Viareggio. Once down to Savona I used roads other than autostardas and went through some wonderful villages and passes. Plus it saved me a heap in tolls.

Took the train to Pisa one day and Florence the next.

Then on to Rimini. Mainly eastern European play ground now.

Also took in Porto Venere - very nice Used the Hotel Sporting there.

On the way back up we stayed in San Remo one night. Tried the Grand Hotel; 380 Eurobabbles per night.
A little hotel behind it (Hotel Villa Maria) gave us a sea view and balcony for 70 Eurobabbles all in and free off road parking.

I found diesel as if not more expensive then the UK when in Italy. Anywhere between 1.46 and 1.64Euro.

France is cheaper at around 1.29Euro a litre off the autoroutes

Have a good trip

306maxi said:

http://citedelautomobile.com/en/home this place is better and has loads of Bugatti's

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I remember when the Schlumpf Collection was first reported to the public and the scale of it was breathtaking, I even got a book about it for Christmas a few months later. When the workers broke in to the private property they were amazed at what they found and, showing that either they were Anglophobes or were actually quite clever as they showed their feelings about the collection while they were facing unemployment by burning a car.......an Austin 7.

Just read about it on wikipedia. Funny how they went to such an effort to get all this Bugatti's and I found them so underwhelming!