[J0nesy]

Hi all,

Just thought I would fill you in on a Mini Adventure I did around Europe recently covering 2860 miles in 13 days!!!

All I can say is WOW it was incredible!!!

I left "sunny" Preston and headed for the Eurotunnel (which was a superb service). Then made it into Calais for 3ish in the morning & ended up driving to a place called Reims! Tried to find somewhere to stay but no joy (feeling a bit tired now) but carried on driving to Metz!! Managed to find a nice place & got some z's in.

The next morning the fun began I drove through Strasbourg, Basle Zurich & onto the legendry Stelvio Pass (Passo Dello Stelvio) It was raining quite hard when I began the trip up it, but it soon picked up as I went around the 47 hairpins!!! (Best drive of my life) The car was fantastic (mostly 2nd and sometimes 1st gear it was that steep) I have loads of photos!!!

After that I headed to Marinello & to the Ferrari test centre & main headquarters!! Hmmm a couple of nice cars in there I think its fair to say!! ENZO!!!!!!

I then went onto Florence, Genoa, Pisa, Portofino, Monaco (followed a lamborghini around the
F1 circuit) the then Nice (the french coast is fantastic)!!

Then I headed for the Millau Bridge/Viaduct WOW another brilliant experience, that Bridge is incredible!!! & how they built it I will never know!! I ended up driving over it both ways!!!

I then headed back to Paris & went up the Eiffel Tower (A bit on the high side) I then headed for Disneyland to finish the tour!! The main highlight a ride call "rock & rollercoaster avec Aerosmith" 0-57mph in under 3secs Brilliant!

After that time was getting on & I had to get back to good old England, but overall I think I did an awful lot in the time I had, but thoroughly enjoyed the experience & one of the reasons was deinatley the car!! I am now contemplating another road trip for next year.....

I'm nearly 24 now and it has been the best experience of my life & If anybody is thinking about doing anything like this, don't hesitate. It may seem a bit hard work @ times (mainly finding places to stay & park) but it is well worth it believe me!!

PS I saw so many Mini's I was suprised!! I had to take a photo of the Black Cooper S in Monaco tho!! U know u have a good car when it doesn't look out of place in Monaco!

[J0nesy]

A few more pics, I had my photo taken with a stunt car driver @ disneyland that was really good they certainly knew how to drive!! all be it in tweaked and modifed cars!! (Corsa's of all cars) should have used Minis!!!!!

Oh yeah forgot to mention (I managed the whole trip without a single scratch on my car) I don't know if it was down to luck but I think that was quite something considering some of the nutters that ride on mopeds in the city centres!!!!

Oh yeah & here is my Ferrari Enzo!!! (I wish)

Thanks

Dave,

[goodingm]

Sounds like a great trip. Did you do it on your own.Nice photos.

[Wooly]

wow, looks like you had an amazing time mate.
i want to do a trip like this one day, while stopping off at the ring of course

how did you plan it all, with sat nav or something. i wouldnt know where to start.

my mum and dad are looking to move to america when they retire, but im trying to get them to move to france. will have to show them that pic of monaco do you have anymore in south france.

[J0nesy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Wooly (original)

wow, looks like you had an amazing time mate.
i want to do a trip like this one day, while stopping off at the ring of course

how did you plan it all, with sat nav or something. i wouldnt know where to start.

my mum and dad are looking to move to america when they retire, but im trying to get them to move to france. will have to show them that pic of monaco do you have anymore in south france.

Hi Wooly,

I spent the best part of a month planning the trip, sorting out green card, insurance, breakdown cover etc!!

I bought myself a new TOM TOM before I went & it proved to be a cracking piece of kit!! I wouldn't have been able to do what I did without it!!

I went on the trip with my elder brother (a few rows here & there but we did ok)

I have a couple of photos I took on route to Nice but most of the photos are of Monaco!! (What a place, £18 for 2 cokes a burger & a hotdog)

I would personally love to move to the south of France, Monaco ideally but having said that Nice is also very nice (pardon the pun) I have yet to venture as far as the states but The South of France would do me fine (The weather was fantastic).

PS.

If you have any doubts about doing something similar to me, my advice is Just do it!!!! You won't regret it!!

Cheers

Dave

[krazy88]

Sounded (and looked) like a fantastic road trip. Was that a San Diego, California t-shirt you had on? I have family in San Diego. Thanks for a looksy at the great pics.

[J0nesy]

Quote: Originally Posted by krazy88 (original)

Sounded (and looked) like a fantastic road trip. Was that a San Diego, California t-shirt you had on? I have family in San Diego. Thanks for a looksy at the great pics.

Hi,

Yes it was a fantastic trip, & it was a San Diego t-shirt, but unfortunatley it doesnt bare any resemblence, I just like the T-shirt. lol

Thanks

Dave,

[northandy]

that looks like a fantastic road trip

And Stelvio, Monaco...

[J0nesy]

Quote: Originally Posted by northandy (original)

that looks like a fantastic road trip

And Stelvio, Monaco...

Cheers Andy. Those 2 definatley made the trip worth while!!!

Here a few more pics.

Dave,

[GCoopS]

Really makes me wanna do something like this, looks like you had a right blast.

[adscma]

Thats awesome mate! Ive often just thoght about just getting in the car and driving, driving and driving!

Better plan it first! Sounds like you had a blast!

Will you be doing it again soon?

[bengascoyne]

Looks like an amazing journey, I really want to do a tour of france in the mcs this year sometime, though as you said, its just getting all of the planning sorted first, and I'll wager it ain't cheap.......

awesome pics though mate!!

[mab01uk]

Great trip & pics, I love road trip holidays driving through Europe especially France where the roads are empty compared with GB (same population as us but over a much bigger land area). Never understood why people who love cars & driving fly on their European holidays.... you miss so much!

Quote:

I really want to do a tour of france in the mcs this year sometime, though as you said, its just getting all of the planning sorted first, and I'll wager it ain't cheap.......

Go for it ! Only extra expense compared to a UK road trip is of course the channel crossing but even Eurotunnel is now reasonable if you book ahead or travel off peak. Hotels in France are not expensive if you overnight stay at budget chain hotels near motorway junctions & you often park right outside your room (USA motel style). Normally only need to book on peak summer weekends when the French travel on holiday.
You soon adapt to driving on the other side in your own car, quicker I think than when hiring a left hand drive, I find its an advantage on motorways as you can see further ahead in traffic.
Even route planning the trips is no longer that difficult with full european sat nav so cheap & internet route planners like Mappy.com even working out mileage / petrol / toll costs instantly. Also sat nav means there is now little fear of getting lost or missing your motorway exit (even dare I say on the Paris ring road which I still try to avoid using!)
The MINI (like the classic Mini) is superb fun on the twisty roads you can find around the south of France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and of course the Alps & Pyrennes.

[J0nesy]

Quote: Originally Posted by mab01uk (original)

Great trip & pics, I love road trip holidays driving through Europe especially France where the roads are empty compared with GB (same population as us but over a much bigger land area). Never understood why people who love cars & driving fly on their European holidays.... you miss so much!

Go for it ! Only extra expense compared to a UK road trip is of course the channel crossing but even Eurotunnel is now reasonable if you book ahead or travel off peak. Hotels in France are not expensive if you overnight stay at budget chain hotels near motorway junctions & you often park right outside your room (USA motel style). Normally only need to book on peak summer weekends when the French travel on holiday.
You soon adapt to driving on the other side in your own car, quicker I think than when hiring a left hand drive, I find its an advantage on motorways as you can see further ahead in traffic.
Even route planning the trips is no longer that difficult with full european sat nav so cheap & internet route planners like Mappy.com even working out mileage / petrol / toll costs instantly. Also sat nav means there is now little fear of getting lost or missing your motorway exit (even dare I say on the Paris ring road which I still try to avoid using!)
The MINI (like the classic Mini) is superb fun on the twisty roads you can find around the south of France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and of course the Alps & Pyrennes.

The only thing I would add to this is they tend to get you with Toll roads (most of the roads in France tend to charge you) but as you said the roads are so big & empty!!! it does seem worth paying!!!

Thanks for all the comments people & as you have all said "I certainly did have a blast" & I am thinking of doing something similar this year although this time it could be turned into a Mini Run It would be fantastic to be part of a huge line of Mini's trecking across Europe!! I would love to go to Stelvio & the south of France again given the choice, but we will have to c what happens!!

Dave,