I usually take the Z to the continent a couple of times a year, however I haven't done what I call a 'long' road trip since AndrewG and I went down to Monaco a few years ago; our route was via 'Route Napoleon' and back through Italy over the Great St Bernard Pass, through Switzerland and back home.

 

Both Joel and Andrew are out of action this year due to other commitments, however I'm desperate to take my Z on a long jaunt. Next year will be a much bigger one with Andrew and hopefully Joel, however I've almost finished booking up the trip for this September.

 

Sadly, the section through Route Napoleon was a washout in 2017, so didn't see any of the views I'd have hoped, but I really want to do it again, in hopefully better weather! About the only time I'll take exception to driving my Z anywhere near a wet road is if I'm caught out in it in Europe - I don't exactly have much of a choice!

 

So, leg one (which is actually 3 legs)!

 

 

Taking Brittany Ferries' morning sailing from Portsmouth to Caen, on arrival in Caen, I'll head down to Le Mans to see a friend of mine before heading on south to Massey near Bourges. Overnight stop there before heading down to Valance (avoiding Lyon) enroute to the start of Route Napoleon which is just south of Dignes le Bains.

 

Route Napoleon is spectacular (when you can see it)!

 

 

Half way along Route Napoleon is the beautiful Medieval town of Sisteron, a great place to stop for lunch!

 

 

After coming off Route Napoleon (around 2hrs of driving), you drop down into Grasse and then just north of Antibes track east along the coast starting in Antibes and working your way through Beaulieu-Sur-Mer and Villefranche-Sur-Mer, amongst others, the areas for many of the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels scenes. Keep going east and you'll come to Nice and then into Monaco. When Andrew and I were in Monaco last there was an event being held there and sadly Casino Square was effectively closed off. Might treat myself to a meal there in one of the over-priced sea front restaurants (hopefully might see some interesting people as it'll be the 'summer break' after the Italian GP and many F1 drivers have homes there) before continuing east toward Sanremo and to another night's stop in Santo Stefano. Following day will be very relaxing taking the spectacular Autostrade all the way to Genoa through mountains and coastline. Not too sure how the traffic is being routed through and around Genoa as, if you remember, part of the Autostrade close to where we were in our Zs a few years ago, about a month after collapsed. I'm sure I'll pick my way through there and get to Portofino, a very exclusive and very pretty town just east of Genoa.

 

 

Heading back to Genoa mid afternoon to catch the overnight GNV Ferry from Genoa to Barcelona which is around 4pm. It's a little more than overnight, it's a 17hr passage, but it doubles as a hotel and gets me into Barcelona at around lunchtime the following day. Sailing across the Mediterranean isn't something I've done since sailing around the world on containership before I even bought my Z! Some interesting routes out of Genoa too as the port also has ferry links to many of the islands (Corsica and Sardinia) but also has crossings to north Africa (Tunis)

 

 

 

The route out of Barcelona towards the Cantabria region takes you through Zaragoza which is in a semi-arid almost desert-region of eastern Spain in fact there are only 2 desert regions in Europe (both tiny) and both are in Spain I believe the other is somewhere north of Almeria.

 

Anyway, as you continue north west you come to the Cantabria region which is 'Green Spain' country. Some of the roads just south of Santander are beautiful. Fresh water mountain lakes, it's a very clean and crisp landscape.

 

 

 

Final leg is then the 24hr crossing with Brittany Ferries from Santander back to Plymouth. Pont Aven serves this route, a pretty large ferry with restaurants, casino, bars, cinemas, shopping etc etc. The route is really nice if the weather is good as quite often, dolphins will follow the ship and you'll get good views of them over both bow and stern of the ship.

Great car/landscape pictures. :thumbup1:

Great pics Si - keep them coming...:thumbup:

Made it to Genoa. An immense port, the ferries to the left of me are going to Tangier in Morocco, this one I'm about to board is going to Barcelona, the one on the right I think Sardinia.

 

The Z was certainly put through its paces today. Running very well though.

 

Absolutely amazing Simon.

 

I would love to do a trip like this one day.

 

Keep the pictures and trip progress coming.

How was Route Nap Si?

Absolutely fantastic! I did the route a few years ago with AndrewG but sadly it rained and the cloud was so low you could literally see nothing!

How was Route Nap Si?

 

Sailed into Barcelona this morning and headed north western into the semi-arid almost desert-like area toward Zaragoza.

Edited September 22, 20196 yr by Funkysi

Lunchtime's arrival into Barcelona from Genoa (overnight crossing)

 

 

Now about 20 miles from Zaragoza.

 

Loving this thread Si. :thumbup1:

Absolutely fantastic! I did the route a few years ago with AndrewG but sadly it rained and the cloud was so low you could literally see nothing!

 

It was a bit wet! But will do it again in the dry, not one to leave off my bucket list without doing it properly.

 

probably a bit late for you now Simon, but if you has gone North from Barcelona, you could use the N260 to Jaca and then the N240 to Pamplona. They are fantastic sections of road.

Looks class mate

Loving this thread Si. :thumbup1:

 

Seconded....:thumbup:

It looks amazing, let's plan a club outing next summer!

 

Sent from some app that I don't know how to use!

Been back since Tuesday, just sorting through some film I did. Got a screen grab, it's not that great, but gives you an idea of the views through Route Napoleon in southern France.

 

Looking good, keep 'em coming!

That’s my favourite picture so far! :cool3: