Euro Road Trip 21ST - 31ST Aug 2008

[benyeats]

DETAIL UPDATE

Right, still waiting for final details but am too excited about the trip to wait any longer before releasing this info.  Please bear in mind it is provisional but should be accurate within a few quid / miles.  The following link covers the suggested route and hotels, I think the author must have been an art graduate as it contains some flowery language but bear with.....

http://www.atomstuff.com/AAOC%20Alpine% ... 202008.pdf

Predicted costs are as follows:

- Two people sharing a car and rooms: £1000 per person
- Two people with car each but sharing rooms: £1100 per person
- One person with car but not sharing a room: £1675

This price includes:

- Return Eurotunnel Crossing for each car
- 7 Nights Accommodation in 4* Hotels
- 2 Nights Accommodation in 3* Hotels
- Continental Breakfast Daily
- Full Route Planning with highlighted maps and SatNav Waypoints
- Suggested Things to Do

It does not include:

- Meals (except for specified Breakfast)
- Tolls
- Petrol
- Parking Fees
- Sundry Items

Also the provision of a support vehicle is still somewhat up in the air, it is possible (although currently unlikely) that there may be an additional charge for this.

Clearly there is a significant saving to be had by sharing a room with another owner, I know a few people are taking spouses but those that aren't might want to start 'buddying up', I think it would be easier if people sorted this out amongst themselves keeping me in the look when decisions have been made.

Payment schedule is 50% on confirmation of booking (this will be less the deposit money that the AAOC are already holding) with the balance becoming due 8 weeks before the start of the tour. 

As above the details are not finalised so I can't give you booking details yet, however I expect to have the full information in the next week also as the costs are now published if you want your deposit back then speak up !

More news as I get it, can't wait.

Cheers

Ben




*********************************************  ORIGINAL POST STARTS HERE  *****************************************

Dear All,

Following a very productive meeting yesterday with Bruce and Richard we have come up with the following route / agenda for the Euro 2008 road trip.  Key facts are as follows:

Dates to keep free: Thursday Aug 21st Evening until Sunday 31st Aug 2008 Evening. 

Total cost: Aim to budget between £1.5k - £2k (this is based on typical total spend on the Millau trip including fuel, food, hotels i.e. all in) cost is per car, if you have a passenger / co-driver cost per head will come down.

Format: Driving between some of the finest Alpine passes that Europe has to offer (current route plan at foot of this message).  We are hoping to provide some kind of support vehicle to carry luggage / spare parts for the cars.

Accommodation: We will try to stick to smaller hotels ideally with good in house dining options.  Some of the places we stayed at on the Millau hoon were outstanding for both food and value for money.

Deposit: [glow=red,2,300]A deposit of £100 per car is required by the end of the year[/glow] to secure a place on this trip.  The money will be held in the AAOC account and be fully refundable should the trip not go ahead or up until the point we have had to pay deposits on tunnel tickets etc.

Cheques to AAOC at 37 Inverness Street, London NW1 7HB.  Bank transfers to sort code 089299 account number 65160561
iban GB15 CPBK 0892 9965 1605 61 BIC CPBK GB22
Paypal to paypal@atomclub.com

Please use this thread to express interest in the trip / ask any questions.

Cheers

Ben (trip organiser)

Current itinerary, hotel details, mileages etc to follow:

THURSDAY 21st PM:

Meet at hotel near tunnel.  This is obviously optional if you live near the tunnel and can make the early crossing the next day (or are joining us on the continent)

FRIDAY 22nd PM:

Catch early tunnel drive Calais to somewhere near Metz

Overnight in Metz


SATURDAY 23rd:

Metz â?? Munster (Munster Switzerland not the one in Germany)

Route via Luzern, if we are making good time we can nip up to Murren / Wengen / Grindelwald to say hi to the Eiger.

Overnight in Munster

SUNDAY 24th:

Still in Munster day trip taking in some or all of the following:

Grimselpass, Sustenpass, Furkapass, St. Gottard Pass, Nufenpass)

Overnight in Munster

MONDAY 25th:

Munster â?? St. Moritz/Davos area

Oberalppass down towards San Bernadino, over the Splugenpass

Overnight in St.Moritz/Davos area


TUESDAY 26th:

Stay in St.Moritz/Davos area

Stelvio pass, Julier pass, Albula pass, Bernina pass, Ofenpass

Overnight in St.Moritz/Davos area


WEDNESDAY 27th:

St. Moritz/Davos â?? Ascona

Finishing off any remaining passes in the Davos area (probably Julier/Albula as weâ??ll have headed straight for Stelvio the day before) and onwards via Lake Como

Overnight in Ascona

THURSDAY 28th:

Ascona â?? Chamonix

towards Domodossala â?? this is meant to be a lovely stretch of road (possibly heading up the Formazza or Devero valleys â?? these will be routes less travelled over the Simplon pass, Binn valley, Verbier (great steep winding approach road!) for lunch, and up to Chamonix

Overnight in Chamonix

FRIDAY 29th:

Chamonix â?? Neufchateau

first heading back into Switzerland, over the Grand San Bernard, up towards La Thuile (some great tunnels there) and into France.

Overnight in Neufchateau


SATURDAY 30th:

Neufchateau - Paris

Arc de Triomphe, Louvre â?? retrace the route from Le Rendezvous (at possibly a slightly slower pace)

As those of us who have done it can tell you driving round Paris in an Atom is an experience not to be missed !!!

Optional side trip to play the legendary nudie pinball machine.

Fancy last night celebration dinner complete with excessive food, wine and all that good stuff.

Overnight in Paris


SUNDAY 31st:

Paris â?? Blighty

Via a late afternoon crossing to allow us to take some back roads to Calais rather than the autoroute.

[NathanE]

Ben, have you worked out rough daily milage?

[John Lloyd]

Ben,

Please can you get the dates in the title and link to calendar (if not already done.)

Thanks

[Bruce Fielding]

Hell! It sounds even better today than yesterday!

My ton is on its way... (in fact, a ton a month from now until august and that's a grand already sorted...)

I think we should add a link to this thread in the international section.

[benyeats]

[quote="Mr.Toad"]
Ben, have you worked out rough daily milage?
[/quote]

Should be about 4-5 hours of driving each day covering 200miles or so

We have tried to avoid some of the marathon days that we had on the Millau trip

Ben

[quote="John Lloyd"]
Ben,

Please can you get the dates in the title and link to calendar (if not already done.)

Thanks
[/quote]

Already in calander

[John Lloyd]

I can not do these dates  :'(  I am always away for these dates in August - Brenda's birthday on 22nd.

I've said to you both before do not organise trips during school holidays.  3 reasons 1) less of us will be able to come 2) it'll be more crowded 3) more expensive

I am assuming you've used these dates as it's the bank holiday weekend, again people will be under pressure to use the last long weekend with thier families.  I know it's hard to please everyone, but I suggest you move this into September.

[Bruce Fielding]

September is tricky. It's when all the other car clubs do that run - including a couple of hundred Lotuses this year.

It's not a bank holiday in Europe and we'd hope that a fair few European owners would join us on the Saturday in Metz and come along. Metz is handy for France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, etc. etc. We will have to come up with a slightly different price for those guys as it won't have to include Folkestone and the chunnel crossings.

To take your points on board, John:

1. You're right. It's school holidays. We can't have more than 20 anyway, so perhaps that will filter some people out naturally.

2. The second and third week of September will be chokka with other cars - and a LOT more crowded than when we're thinking of going.

3. The places we're going won't necessarily be the kinds of places that will be more expensive in August than in September (their main season is in the winter)

Incidentally,  I appreciate that you can't do those dates, John... but I can't do the third or fourth week of September and I wouldn't expect the tour to take that into account any more than it should take your holidays into account.

[benyeats]

[quote="John Lloyd"]
I can not do these dates    I am always away for these dates in August - Brenda's birthday on 22nd.

I've said to you both before do not organise trips during school holidays.  3 reasons 1) less of us will be able to come 2) it'll be more crowded 3) more expensive

I am assuming you've used these dates as it's the bank holiday weekend, again people will be under pressure to use the last long weekend with thier families.  I know it's hard to please everyone, but I suggest you move this into September.
[/quote]

The long weekend gives people with a limited number of days off a year a bonus day, six for the price of five in this case, this is important to me for one and I suspect others. 

Ben

[Bruce Fielding]

[quote="benyeats"]
[quote="John Lloyd"]
I can not do these dates    I am always away for these dates in August - Brenda's birthday on 22nd.

I've said to you both before do not organise trips during school holidays.  3 reasons 1) less of us will be able to come 2) it'll be more crowded 3) more expensive

I am assuming you've used these dates as it's the bank holiday weekend, again people will be under pressure to use the last long weekend with thier families.  I know it's hard to please everyone, but I suggest you move this into September.
[/quote]

The long weekend gives people with a limited number of days off a year a bonus day, six for the price of five in this case, this is important to me for one and I suspect others. 

Ben
[/quote]

In fact it's ten for the price of five (as another four of the days are weekend ones)

[John Lloyd]

[quote="benyeats"]
[quote="John Lloyd"]
I can not do these dates    I am always away for these dates in August - Brenda's birthday on 22nd.

I've said to you both before do not organise trips during school holidays.  3 reasons 1) less of us will be able to come 2) it'll be more crowded 3) more expensive

I am assuming you've used these dates as it's the bank holiday weekend, again people will be under pressure to use the last long weekend with thier families.  I know it's hard to please everyone, but I suggest you move this into September.
[/quote]

The long weekend gives people with a limited number of days off a year a bonus day, six for the price of five in this case, this is important to me for one and I suspect others. 

Ben
[/quote]

Sorry, children and wives will win over one extra days holiday  with a working wife she'll want him with her!!.

[Bruce Fielding]

Nothing to stop you popping along after the bank holiday, though, John... a cakewalk for you, I would have thought...

[John Lloyd]

[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Nothing to stop you popping along after the bank holiday, though, John... a cakewalk for you, I would have thought...
[/quote]

You read my mind I was about to post the same thing.  Dates are in the diary (for the whole event.  I'll argue with Brenda nearer the time as to exactly what dates I can attend!

[benyeats]

[quote="John Lloyd"]
[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Nothing to stop you popping along after the bank holiday, though, John... a cakewalk for you, I would have thought...
[/quote]

You read my mind I was about to post the same thing.  Dates are in the diary (for the whole event.  I'll argue with Brenda nearer the time as to exactly what dates I can attend!
[/quote]

Excellent.  Another option is to take Brenda with you as a passenger

Ben

[John Lloyd]

[quote="benyeats"]
[quote="John Lloyd"]
[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Nothing to stop you popping along after the bank holiday, though, John... a cakewalk for you, I would have thought...
[/quote]

You read my mind I was about to post the same thing.  Dates are in the diary (for the whole event.  I'll argue with Brenda nearer the time as to exactly what dates I can attend!
[/quote]

Excellent.  Another option is to take Brenda with you as a passenger

Ben
[/quote]

What!  And spoil a perfectly good roadtrip!     
Cheques in the envelope, I'll post it tomorrow.

[A 007 TOM]

Apparently there is a track near Pau, South of France that has owners of French Atoms regularly visiting.  Not sure this is of any interest if it is I could try and get more details.