As some on here know, we have just returned from our nearly four-week, 3,000 mile Euro Trip covering four countries, France, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium. [Five if we count a quick diversion into Luxembourg for some cheap(er) fuel].
After our Norway trip last year where we did lots of motorway miles, this year we decided to stay off toll roads and motorways in favour of what we would call A and B roads. Takes a lot longer due to speed limits and going through towns and villages but as we had plenty of time it allowed a more relaxed drive.
So, as last year, our route was down to Ashford for our first night before catching the Channel Tunnel the next morning. Then down to Dreux for our first overnight stop. The next day we travelled to Chateauroux and stayed here a couple of days. This is when we had the highest temperature of the trip, 44 degrees C. The next stop was up in the mountains in a little place called Mont Dore, definitely a bit cooler and it was lovely to stay for four days to explore the area. Our next main stop was at the foot of the Furka Pass in Switzerland. Our hotel was on the inside of one of the many hairpin bends and it was great to watch the sports cars and bikes pass by. We stayed three nights and went out to do the usual passes, Grimsel, Susten, Gothard, Furka, Nufenen on the two days we had there. Next, we had an overnight stop in Fischingen before arriving in Gerardmer, staying overlooking the lake for another four night stop. Next was a trip to Belgium via Germany to stop for a couple of nights in Grandvoir. The final bit was an overnight in Calais before our tunnel the next morning and the trip fighting the M20, M25, M40, M42 home.
This year it was a very hot period in France and we found ourselves having to stop for a drink and a cool down in an air-conditioned environment.
The air con in the car worked when it was re-gassed before we went, but by the time we really needed it the gas had leaked out. We did try roof up and windows down but it was too noisy and blustery. So, we just carried on with the top down and cooked.
Unfortunately, unlike last year our trip was not without any problems with the Zed. This was the tenth trip she had undertaken with no problems at all before but after leaving Mont Dore she started overheating, even after refilling with water. We decided to go back to a little garage we had passed about two miles earlier and received fantastic service there. My schoolboy French soon ran out and the lovely lady receptionist didn’t speak English, so we resorted to Google translate on our phones which worked really well. So, very small rupture in the radiator was diagnosed and we were off the road. She said they could fix it tomorrow and would we like her to book a local hotel for us, which she did and also took us and our stuff to it. Then she picked us up the next day to take us back to the garage so we could continue our holiday. So, within 20 hours they had sourced and fitted a new rad and we were back on the road.
Some stats from our trip:
Total 3,007 miles
Roof Down 2,962 miles
Roof Up 45 miles [only 9 because of rain]
Roof Up for 1.5% courtesy of Pauline’s very detailed note taking.
Fuel
# of Fill Ups 11
# of Litres 339.31
# of Gallons 74.65
Most expensive £1.81/litre [Switzerland]
Cheapest £1.56 /litre [UK]
Average MPG 35.08 MPG
Best MPG 39.24 MPG
Least MPG 28.31 MPG
Overall, a great holiday, if not a bit too hot for a road trip in an open top car.
Some photos of our trip…
After our Norway trip last year where we did lots of motorway miles, this year we decided to stay off toll roads and motorways in favour of what we would call A and B roads. Takes a lot longer due to speed limits and going through towns and villages but as we had plenty of time it allowed a more relaxed drive.
So, as last year, our route was down to Ashford for our first night before catching the Channel Tunnel the next morning. Then down to Dreux for our first overnight stop. The next day we travelled to Chateauroux and stayed here a couple of days. This is when we had the highest temperature of the trip, 44 degrees C. The next stop was up in the mountains in a little place called Mont Dore, definitely a bit cooler and it was lovely to stay for four days to explore the area. Our next main stop was at the foot of the Furka Pass in Switzerland. Our hotel was on the inside of one of the many hairpin bends and it was great to watch the sports cars and bikes pass by. We stayed three nights and went out to do the usual passes, Grimsel, Susten, Gothard, Furka, Nufenen on the two days we had there. Next, we had an overnight stop in Fischingen before arriving in Gerardmer, staying overlooking the lake for another four night stop. Next was a trip to Belgium via Germany to stop for a couple of nights in Grandvoir. The final bit was an overnight in Calais before our tunnel the next morning and the trip fighting the M20, M25, M40, M42 home.
This year it was a very hot period in France and we found ourselves having to stop for a drink and a cool down in an air-conditioned environment.
The air con in the car worked when it was re-gassed before we went, but by the time we really needed it the gas had leaked out. We did try roof up and windows down but it was too noisy and blustery. So, we just carried on with the top down and cooked.
Unfortunately, unlike last year our trip was not without any problems with the Zed. This was the tenth trip she had undertaken with no problems at all before but after leaving Mont Dore she started overheating, even after refilling with water. We decided to go back to a little garage we had passed about two miles earlier and received fantastic service there. My schoolboy French soon ran out and the lovely lady receptionist didn’t speak English, so we resorted to Google translate on our phones which worked really well. So, very small rupture in the radiator was diagnosed and we were off the road. She said they could fix it tomorrow and would we like her to book a local hotel for us, which she did and also took us and our stuff to it. Then she picked us up the next day to take us back to the garage so we could continue our holiday. So, within 20 hours they had sourced and fitted a new rad and we were back on the road.
Some stats from our trip:
Total 3,007 miles
Roof Down 2,962 miles
Roof Up 45 miles [only 9 because of rain]
Roof Up for 1.5% courtesy of Pauline’s very detailed note taking.
Fuel
# of Fill Ups 11
# of Litres 339.31
# of Gallons 74.65
Most expensive £1.81/litre [Switzerland]
Cheapest £1.56 /litre [UK]
Average MPG 35.08 MPG
Best MPG 39.24 MPG
Least MPG 28.31 MPG
Overall, a great holiday, if not a bit too hot for a road trip in an open top car.
Some photos of our trip…
