Taken my Z to France many times, but mainly to Normandy and Brittany and once to the west coast.

 

I write this from deep south near the foothills of the Pyrenees in glorious settings after a non-stop drive across France in my Z. I am pleased to say that the car absolutely ran without fault. So proud of the car. I know it's in pretty good shape, but to actually put it through its paces and prove it makes you appreciate the car. Testiment also to a wonderful engine that Jimmer built me all these years ago and the maintenance he and I carry out on it.

 

I even patted the thing and said 'well done' just now! Do you know what? After all that driving in an old sports car.....I didn't get out and ache all over, I didn't have to stop every 20 minutes and the car felt every bit as comfortable as my 8 month old VW!!

 

Effortless and totally a pleasure. Took the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St. Malo. Took the t-tops off just north of Rennes and by the time I hit Bordeaux, the temperature had climbed into the low 30s.

 

The car got epic amounts of attention as it always seems to in France. Pretty much every car that overtook me on the Autoroute carrying a passenger....that passenger would almost ALWAYS turn round and stare upon passing. Kids pointing, women glancing....amazing such an old car can still do so much. I am talking about the Z32 in general here!

.....oh yeah, I have never seen so much brake dust and flies on my car!! Dirtiest it's ever been!! Another bonus, weather is hot and sunny here until I return....so no driving in crap conditions!

dont forget the pics si bet the views down the Pyrenees are spectacular though and glad the zed ran well

Pics !!

Lovely to hear, I want to take mine somewhere.

I'm planning in heading down that way next year, glad you had a great drive si

Come on Si, a great story like that needs pics to back it up, otherwise you're a bullshitter :clown:

Pics you crazy fool....and please dont start by "excuse the 3 specs of dust on my targa top":w00t:

Glad to hear it Si - and yes, I want pics as well - but I have to agree with you about how great the 300zx still is after all these years.....

 

.....I am happier driving the ZX for many miles as it is still more comfortable than most cars; and I have no issues with the reliability either. I have a 4 year old German sports car (owned for 3 years now) and when I drive them back to back, I am still astounded by how small the gap between a 19 year old Nissan and a modern high-ish end MB really is!!

 

It is a real testAment (note the correct spelling my friend) to how Nissan got the Z32 right all those years ago.....:wink:

 

Richard:biggrin:

Like :)

.....oh yeah, I have never seen so much brake dust and flies on my car!! Dirtiest it's ever been!! Another bonus, weather is hot and sunny here until I return....so no driving in crap conditions!

Did you use cling film for the bugs Si?

Its what the 300zx was made for, long distance cruising and I along with some others will be cruising up to Wicksteed Park very soon.Have a good one Si and look forward to the pics.

Lovely to hear, I want to take mine somewhere.

'We buy any car .Com'?????.......:lol::lol::lol:

It's crazy the attention the z32 gets in Europe.

 

Parked outside my house, regularly people would stop theirs cars and reverse back to take another look!

 

Have fun in France!

Simon...i rushed home today expecting some pics of the trip so far:no:....such an epic trip deserves epic pics:yes:

Righty ho! A few photos. I will warn you that some of them are garbage as they were taken on my phone and in haste!

 

Just sat in the lane for the ferry at Portsmouth. I took the 20.15 crossing to St.Malo which is an 11 hour overnight crossing, so I got a cabin for the night.

 

Eat me!!

 

Brittany Ferries are quite good with low/sports cars and they put me on the lower decks rather than the mezzanine decks with a 4.2 E-Type Jag and a Maseratti.

 

 

Beautiful sunrise for the final approach into St.Malo.

 

 

 

 

Didn't take any photos until waayyyy passed Bordeaux and came across this road sign; I knew it existed. I didn't visit the small town of Condom, but I got this instead! By the time I`d gotten down here it was already hit the low 30s, the t-tops actually came off around Nantes!

 

 

Here`s the car this morning after my arrival in Puylaroque late yesterday afternoon, parked next to my brother-in-law`s A6 (family gathering).

 

Kicking back enjoying the weather at our villa.

 

 

Little shot of the stunning hilltop town of Puylaroque which is nearby.

 

 

Couldn't resist taking the Z out again earlier. These roads are what the Z32 was built for, not the pot-holed congested crap we have to endure in the UK.

 

 

I leave here very early on Friday morning enroute to LeMans to stay with friends. If I have time, I will be driving back via the incredible and awesome Millau Bridge. Some of you will remember this from the Top Gear episode called "Supercars do France". In fact a light blue Ferrari 360 Spider followed me from Niort to Bordeaux on the Autoroute, identical to the one James May had in the aforementioned TG episode.

 

My ferry back is from a different port, Quistreham (Caen) on Saturday AM. So a quick trip. I had my main vacation back in the spring with nearly 4 weeks in the USA.

Car and weather looks great Si and yes remember that bridge on Top Gear it was awesome.

Both the scenery and Zed look ace Si.

 

Do you have to ask for the low clearance option for the ferry prior to booking, on arrival, or do they just pick you out? I did wonder if this was possible as the on/off ramp has a pretty savage angle change

That's the one for me, typifies how a Zed should live it's life....brilliant Si.

 

Not so much the on/off ramps at the bow and stern, more the ramps for the mezzanine decks. I always go on those in my other car, but Brittany Ferries single you out. They've always done it when I've been in the Z.

That's the one for me, typifies how a Zed should live it's life....brilliant Si.

 

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Thanks Steve and the others for their comments.

 

Yup, I agree, it's a pure joy to drive over here which is why I love taking my Z to France, with the exception of some of the larger cities, the whole country seems devoid of traffic, the roads are super smooth and the scenery is great. Out of all the countries I've been to arround the globe, France actually sits at the top of the list for many many reasons. Also, in the years I've been visiting this country, I've rarely seen little rubbish discarded into anything other than a litter bin. All you see driving along the main trunk roads of the UK and it town and cities centres is rubbish strewn everywhere.

Edited April 8, 201411 yr by Funkysi

The last two times I went on the Belfast Liverpool ferry (Sealink) they directed up to the mezzanine decks:no: lucky my car is not lowered.

Sealink? Sealink haven't been around for about 15 years. Do you mean Stena? They did buy Sealink, but that was years ago. Brittamy have always been really good with my Z when I've taken it. They're probably used to it due to the cars theu have to handle when the LeMans 24hr race is on. A lot of people take all sorts over then.

Great Pics Si...thankyou:thumbup1: continue to have a safe and enjoyable trip.

Thanks Bri! :)

Lovely pics, reminds me of our trip to Saint-Martin-de-Castillon in Provence in 2010. Have a great time!

 

-Andrew