10 European Countries in 5 days....

[Andrew]

I'm planning a whistle stop tour of Europe next year - sometime around April/May/Early June.

Going to see if it's possible to do 10 countries in 5 days and still have time to take in some of the sites.

Anyone else fancy it... it could be "VT5 goes to Europe" mini gumball style....

Andrew.

[TangoDeltaSierra3]

I'm planning a whistle stop tour of Europe next year - sometime around April/May/Early June.

Going to see if it's possible to do 10 countries in 5 days and still have time to take in some of the sites.

Anyone else fancy it... it could be "VT5 goes to Europe" mini gumball style....

Andrew.

Already looking at the Ring in April, 4 countrys already in reach on that trip.

[Andrew]

Already looking at the Ring in April, 4 countrys already in reach on that trip.

Aye I saw that TDS I might push my trip back to July then and see what happens.

[S60D5]

I've sort of done something similar! England/France/Monaco/Italy/Switzerland/Austria/Germany/Luxemburg/Belgium

It was one hell of a hectic trip,but bloody good fun! I had to complete it in a hire car though, as the T5 suffered a major engine failure! Oops.

[Andrew]

I've sort of done something similar! England/France/Monaco/Italy/Switzerland/Austria/Germany/Luxemburg/Belgium

It was one hell of a hectic trip,but bloody good fun! I had to complete it in a hire car though, as the T5 suffered a major engine failure! Oops.

How long did it take you ? any useful tips ? etc etc.
Which route did you take ?

[S60D5]

How long did it take you ? any useful tips ? etc etc.
Which route did you take ?

I did it in around ten days, but we stopped in France, Switzerland and Germany for a few nights a piece rather than a flat out road rally.

Routewise, Calais - Paris - Clermont Ferrand - Montpellier - Monaco - Milan (Milan traffic is HECTIC, use Sat Nav!!) - St Moritz - Zurich and up into Germany, then back vertically via Luxemburg/Belgiam/France. Austria was a quick "in and out" as was Monaco.

I have an awful lot of European driving experience, my parents have a place in France so I go there very often - I've done more miles on the right side of the road compared to the left!!

Quite happy to discuss tips etc, and I'd probably be up for doing it again! We went in February so the snow in Austria and Switzerland made for some fantastic winterscapes, some of which I managed to capture nicely on a borrowed Canon EOS 10D

[Andrew]

We went in February so the snow in Austria and Switzerland made for some fantastic winterscapes,

Excellent I fancied going after the thaw primarily cos I want to cross the alps and I understand some of the routes / tunnels etc are closed during heavy snow.

I suspect there will be two drivers just so we can cover the ground we need to.

I'd like to do Monico - grand prix circuit or something silly - lots of photos in famous sites etc.

Think it will be once in a life time jobby.

[S60D5]

Andrew,

Yes some of the passes are shut, but you can get through. I know the routes! I managed it on summer tyres and a set of snow chains, although it DID get rather hairy at some points! Especially when you're stuck up the side of a pass, the car strapped to a tree to stop it sliding back, trying to put on snow chains with the wheel wells full of compact ice with the temp at minus twenty and the local amature rally club racing past and goodness knows what speeds!

That and sliding sideways down the passes. ABS is ESSENTIAL, without it the car would not have made it out of Switzerland!

If a group of people were up for it I could design a very very nice route suited to the T5's - local knowledge and all that

Also, I did it with me being the only driver... at 20 years old. Was quite proud of my achievement when most people my age haven't been out of their home county! Heh.

[The Flying Banana]

Hey Andrew, is this not a bit extreme just to win the the photo of T5 at a famous landmark !!!! LOL

[ceefaz]

Andrew,

Especially when you're stuck up the side of a pass, the car strapped to a tree to stop it sliding back, trying to put on snow chains with the wheel wells full of compact ice with the temp at minus twenty and the local amature rally club racing past and goodness knows what speeds!

Sounds like fun

[S60D5]

Hey Andrew, is this not a bit extreme just to win the the photo of T5 at a famous landmark !!!! LOL

A group shot of the cars on the front @ Monaco would look impressive!

[Andrew]

Thanks.... I think I'll stick to summer

My initial thoughts are:

UK -> Netherlands (ferry) -> Germany -> Austria -> Switzerland -> Italy -> Monaco -> Luxembourg -> Belgium -> France -> UK

[Andrew]

Hey Andrew, is this not a bit extreme just to win the the photo of T5 at a famous landmark !!!! LOL

LOL sadly I think the xmas deadline would have passed by then...

[weasel]

top tip for driving in france - see if you can find a tgv station (on the a1), wait for one to stop and then see how far you can keep with it before it leaves you for dead! :eek

[S60D5]

Thanks.... I think I'll stick to summer

My initial thoughts are:

UK -> Netherlands (ferry) -> Germany -> Austria -> Switzerland -> Italy -> Monaco -> Luxembourg -> Belgium -> France -> UK

Pah. Lack of adventure! A winter expedition would give the AWD boys a chance to show what they're made of! Lol, I take it yours isn't the AWD!

That route is a reverse of what I did, almost.. so the same route would apply. You'd get some fantastic scenery that way in Switzerland and Italy!

Nothing quite like doing it in winter tho, returning to the hotel to sit in a comfortable armchair beside an open roaring log fire, drinking a glass of wine, smoking a Villiger whilst the temperature outside dips below minus twenty!

[S60D5]

top tip for driving in france - see if you can find a tgv station (on the a1), wait for one to stop and then see how far you can keep with it before it leaves you for dead! :eek

They travel around 145mph between Paris and Calais !!!!

Ahem.

The French police are also very cordial when they stop you for speeding

[BlackBeast]

Do not speed in Switzerland! If they catch you its a very hefty fine and i think a cheap night at the local slammer!?!

[S60D5]

BlackBeast is correct!

However, whilst I was there I could not speed. I could not go above 20mph without sliding all over the shop.. and of course if you go on the motorway network you need to get a Vignette from a petrol station at around 40 Euro, like this one..



Above tax disk! Ignore my parking notice - bloody University traffic wardens!

[weasel]

'Do not speed in Switzerland! If they catch you its a very hefty fine and i think a cheap night at the local slammer!?!'
you always try the old tenner in the driving licence ploy....

[Andrew]

Thanks for all of the advice guys.... keep it coming... I've probably done no more than 2 weeks driving on the continent before and never driven in many of the countries on my top 10 so all advice about routes, police, places to stay, things to see etc are welcome.....

If others want to join me I'm happy for them too but I'll be going either way.