Help Me Decide What To See In France And Italy

[Fiona]

Steve and I are heading to Italy in June to stay at a villa in Chianti for a week. We've booked 16 days off and have booked hotels in the following places.

 

Please let me know if you can recommend any car-related unmissable stops we must see on our travels. We are staying about 60 miles from Modena so I'm sure we'll pop in there.

 

Overnight stop

Day 1.......Reims

Day 2.......Turin

Day 3.......Padua

Day 4-10...Greve, Chianti

Day 11......Nice

Day 12......Avignon

Day 13......Bourdeaux

Day 14......Blois

Day 15......Reims

Day 16......Home

[steve-n]

TURIN, im sure i read somewhere you can walk part way around the old roof top banked Fiat track... as featured on the Italian Job.

[Snapper]

Steve and I are heading to Italy in June to stay at a villa in Chianti for a week. We've booked 16 days off and have booked hotels in the following places.

 

Please let me know if you can recommend any car-related unmissable stops we must see on our travels. We are staying about 60 miles from Modena so I'm sure we'll pop in there.

 

Overnight stop

Day 1.......Reims

Day 2.......Turin

Day 3.......Padua

Day 4-10...Greve, Chianti

Day 11......Nice

Day 12......Avignon

Day 13......Bourdeaux

Day 14......Blois

Day 15......Reims

Day 16......Home

 

 

Hi Fiona

 

You are missing some great roads in the alps on that stretch down to Italy which would have been worth exploring.

 

It is a shame that you didn't ask this before planning, But here is a route that I would have done which you might be able to pick some ideas from. I have not done Italy so I won't pretend to talk about something I don't know about. I have ran it in reverse, Because I can

 

Have a look at the first half of my French trip in the touring section where there are loads of pictures (Not always in order). http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...showtopic=10262

 

A great route is

 

Ferry; Poole to Cherbourg in the Morning, Drive down to Mont St Michel which will give you time to look around the mont in the afternoon and early Evening. There are loads of cafes & bars on the mont.

 

We Stayed at the Hotel Le Beauvior because they had a car park that was behind the hotel and it was a couple of miles inlandand away from the main holiday hotels on the strip up to the mount. But closer one looked ok. Just didn't want to many tourist getting interested in the car.

 

http://restaurant-hotel-seminaire-sejour-b...e-beauvoir.com/

 

Le Beauvoir Hôtel ** Restaurant

9 route du Mont Saint Michel - 50170 Beauvoir - France

Tél. : + 33 (0)2 33 60 09 39 - Fax : + 33 (0)2 33 48 59 65

[email protected]

 

 

DAY 2.

 

Big Blast down the auto Route to Rocamadour (6hrs & 30mins of driving - so give it extra for stops. This is a long drive but does do a good job of getting you from the north to the south in one main blast)

 

Rocamadour is beautiful A whole village built up a rock face with a Church half way up and a monastery at the top. At Night the whole Village is lit up.

 

Now there is only one hotel (The Hotel Belvedere) that has a view across the valley and you want to be in this hotel. (Make sure you book a room with a view of Rocamadour and also a table for your evening meal the has a view from there balcony. It was great having our meal and watching the sun go down and the lights that illuminate the village slowly take over)

 

http://www.lebelvedere-rocamadour.com/

 

Hôtel - Restaurant Le Belvédère - 46500 Rocamadour

Vue exceptionnelle sur site de Rocamadour

Tél. : 05 65 33 63 25 - Fax : 05 65 33 69 25

m@il : [email protected]

 

Day 3

 

Short blast down to the Medieval walled city of Carcassonne.

 

This is a magical place and well worth the stay.. Yo won't be able to take your car into the city until after 6pm. but there is safe gaurd parking just by the main entrance for hotel guests. This will give you plenty of time to have a good look around. In the evening there are loads of great restaurants in the main square There are to hotels in the citadel.

 

The hotel De La Cite which is where the film stars stay and The Best Western Le Donjon Les Remparts which is more reasonable where I stayed.

 

Best Western Le Donjon Les Remparts

2 Rue Du Comte Roger, Cite Medievale, Carcassonne, FR-11000, FR

Phone: 33 4 68112300 Fax: 33 4 68250660

Hotel Link: http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/pr...enav=false#null

 

 

Day 4

 

Another short blast on main roads over to City of Avignon where the Popes lived in France. Spend the afternoon looking around the Popes Palace and the walled city. Then your evening meal in the maind square in front of the Popes Palace.

 

The only reasonably prices hotel with secure parking is this hotel

 

Hôtel d'Angleterre

29 Boulevard Raspail

84000 Avignon

FRANCE

tel: 0033 4 90 86 34 31

 

Hotel Link: http://wb255.lerelaisinternet.com/html_uk/uk_fram1.html

 

Day 5

 

Now this changes from my route because I then headed back up through the centre of france, so from here on in I am just making suggestion until you start heading back.

 

I would be heading off towards Monaco and Italy (Avignon to Monaco 3hrs as a straight blast on main roads which will give you some time to have a play on the Grand Prix circuit bearing in mind that you can't drive it as a whole route due to changes in traffic directions ect)

 

Not sure where you could stay so you would have to find that one for yourself, but these two websites might help;

http://www.viamichelin.com

http://www.logis-de-france.fr -- http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/recherch/index-ca.htm

 

On route you could stop for some lunch at:

 

Saint Tropez -- Avignon to Saint Tropez (2hrs 40Mins) Some nice restaurants on the quay. Just make sure it is not the yachting regatta because you won't get in.

 

or

 

Cannes -- Avignon to Cannes (2hrs 20Mins)

 

Avignon to Saint Tropez to Cannes (4hrs 30mins on coastal road which can be nice)

 

Avignon to Saint Tropez to Cannes to Monaco(5hrs on coastal road but by passing Nice)

 

Nice is nice especially in the festival session when they have the street parades but you wouldn't want to pass through it then. But at the end of the day it is a big city.

 

Day 6

 

Monaco to Greve, Chianti on Coastal route ( 4hrs 30mins)

 

Day 6-10

 

Greve, Chianti

 

 

Day 11

 

Greve in Chianti to Padua (2hrs 40 mins)

 

Day 12

 

Padua to Turin (4hrs)

 

Day 13

 

This is where i can start to offer some advice again

 

Turin to Gletsch. Set off early would be a good idea for this bit(Route 66 says that it should take 3hrs 24 mins.... Hmmm really I would say 4-5hrs )

 

A5 North to St Christophe, E27 North to the Great Saint Bernard Pass. There is a big tunnel for testing your exhaust, but forget that and do the mountain road instead Continue on the E27 to the A9 to Gletch. You could then drop your stuff off at the hotel and then go for a play on the best roads in europe.

 

Head east on the Furka Pass to Andermatt,

Then North on the A2 to Wassen,

Then West to Bottigen doing the Susten Pass & Gadmenta.

Then South back to Gletsch taking in the Grimsal Pass

 

This should be the best couple of roads that Europe can offer (73 miles) that can be fitted into a couple of hours.

 

blois (Loire)

Day 14

 

Gletch to Joinville (5hrs 30min drive with 2x leg stretches)

 

Leg 1, Gletch to Mulhouse. (2hrs) Where you can have a look around the Bugatti Museum at Mulhouse. Which is a very impressive motoring Museum and well worth going to

 

COLLECTION SCHLUMPF Musée National de l'Automobile

192, avenue de Colmar -

BP 1096 - 68051 Mulhouse cedex

Tel: +33 (0) 389 332 323

 

Leg 2, Mulhouse up through the Parc Naturel Regional Des Ballons Des Vosges to Domremy-la-pucelle which is a very nice drive (2hrs 30min drive)

 

The Village of Domremy-la-pucelle is where Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) was born and Her house is still there, along with the church next doe with the stained glass windows. A mile to the south (You might want to stop there first depending on how you enter the village) is The Basilica of Saint Joan of Arc (Basilica of Bois Chenu) which is built on the spot where she had her visions. This is also worth having a look at. It is very impressive.

 

http://www.stjoanvv.org/!_SJOFA_htm/St...%20of%20Arc.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_d%27Arc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domremy-la-pucelle

 

Leg 3, a short 30 mile drive west to your hotel which does very nice food. (1hrs drive, slow roads)

 

Hotel Le Soleil d'Or

9 rue des Capucins

F - 52300 JOINVILLE

Telephone: +33 (0) 3 25 94 15 66

 

Day 15

 

Joinville - (Sorry but if you have been to Reims before forget it unless you want to have a look around a Champaign House) But if you wanted a good hotel not far from Reims I would recommend one in the Medieval Village of Longpont:

 

Hotel DE L'ABBAYE

Benoit Verdun

8, rue des Tourelles

02600 LONGPONT. Tel: +33 (0)3.23.96.02.44

 

http://www.hotel-abbaye-longpont.fr/gb/index.htm

 

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/recherch/...mp;x=12&y=1

 

 

 

But I would head straight to the Loire Valley. Two of the best Chateau's to look around is Chambord or Chenonceau

 

Chambord is bigger an very impressive, but I preferred Chenonceau

 

Pic your option:

Joinville to Chambord (4 hrs)

Joinville to Chenonceau (4hrs 30mins)

Joinville to Chambord to Chenonceau (5 hours)

 

http://www.chenonceau.com/media/gb/index_gb.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Chenonceau

 

http://www.chambord.org/educ/libre-GB.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Chambord

 

Hotel: Hotel DE FRANCE - LA CHARTRE SUR LE LOIR

 

A very good hotel, with good food and a swimming pool and lots of Le Mans pictures on the walls.

 

If you take the route Joinville to Chenonceau To LA CHARTRE SUR LE LOIR (6hrs)

 

Hotel DE FRANCE

20, place de la République. - BP 20.

72340 LA CHARTRE SUR LE LOIR

 

Tel: +33 (0)2.43.44.40.16

(Located on the main Square in the town)

 

Hotel Link: http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/recherch/...mp;x=10&y=8

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/recherch/...mp;x=10&y=8

 

Day 16

 

Depending on if the ferry heads back to day or not. you could either head straight from LA CHARTRE SUR LE LOIR

to Cherbourg which would take about 4hrs.

 

If you are getting the ferry the following morning you could do the Normandy coast taking in some of the sights. (Approx 5-6hrs traveling + a Couple of hours for stops, the coast road is not the quickest - Drop out the Peagasus Bridge from the list below could cut a corner that may save you an hour)

 

Peagasus Bridge, Juno beach, Arromanches & Gold Beach where they built the Mulberry harbour, and had a look at the Musee Du Debarquement which was interesting.

 

Then on to Omaha Beach and had a look at the American Cemetery which was impressive. On around the coast to Utah beach, before heading off to the hotel.

 

I would recommend the L’ Hostellerie du Chateau which is in the castle at Bricquebec.

 

The L'HOSTELLERIE DU CHATEAU in BRICQUEBEC. The hotel was within the castle walls and the car was away from peoples view. This was another great find with a friendly owner and the food was fantastic at a reasonably priced hotel for such a location. What a great place to finalise a great trip.

 

Hotel Links:

 

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/recherch/...mp;x=9&y=10

 

http://www.lhostellerie-bricquebec.com/Eng...esentation2.htm

 

 

L'HOSTELLERIE DU CHATEAU

4, cours du Château.

50260 BRICQUEBEC

Locate on map

Tel: +33 (0)2.33.52.24.49

Fax: +33 (0)2.33.52.62.71

E-mail: [email protected]

 

Day 17 (home bound trip)

 

L'HOSTELLERIE DU CHATEAU in BRICQUEBEC to Cherbourg (40-50mins)

 

 

Any way that is what I would have done, you could also do it in reverse.

 

given that you have now done some of the planning and booking hopefully there might be a few ideas that you can pick some bits from or rejig some of it for some of my suggestions.

 

Hope that offers some options you like.

 

Snapper.

[Fiona]

Hi Jamie,

 

Thanks for all your suggestions! Much appreciated! We're doing the Alps again in August so I am purposely staying away.

 

My itinerary is slightly constrained to certain stops as I'm doing the whole trip (minus the villa) on Crowne Plaza/Holiday Inn points so my 8 hotel stops are free. I had to pick towns where there was a Holiday Inn with availability because I'm being a cheapskate.

 

I doubt we will do this in the Exige as we'll be going to Classic Le Mans and the Alps (and possibly Spa) in that so we'll either waft in the 5 series or rough it in the Punto. The Reims to Turin trip will just be a head down blast.

[Snapper]

I would take the 5 series over to Punto any day for that sort of mileage

[chris_h]

We went to modena a couple of years ago while in the area. The ferrari museum there is worth a trip around but nothing much else to see. (also got a picture outside the main gates - as most people seem to do).

 

We also saw a few prototypes driving around the roads with black covers all over them. Think it turned out to be the 612.

 

 

Chris