December Road Trip: France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain

[jonathan]

For Christmas this year, Philippa and I found ourselves without any family commitments, so decided to spend it in Northern Spain, and then take a very roundabout route to get there, bringing in some old favourites from past road trips (we always did a regular annual trip down to Italy in the first couple of decades of this century). And, as with many of our travels these days, there are connections with the lovely group of friends that we made thanks to Pauline's Slow Travel community.

So, we leave later this week. Le Shuttle, the Channel Tunnel car-transporter train, is around 90’ drive from home here in east London (much quicker than when we were near-neighbours of Pauline & Steve in Gloucestershire). But, with December's short daylight hours, we're taking a night's stop (in Laon, with its lovely hilltop cathedral) before our second nigh in Baden Baden, which was a regular stop on our old road trips. There's nothing like a soak in the marvellous public thermal baths and saunas to ease any tensions from too much driving!

Then it's on through Germany, and Switzerland to the Gotthard Tunnel. For our summer drives, we always used to use the passes: glorious scenery, and spectacular engineering - but not possible in the winter months! And the next night's stop is another regular one, in Cernobbio, on Lake Como, just over the Italian border. From there, it's quite a short day's drive to Venice, where we spend our first brief stay: 5 nights in an apartment in Cannaregio (leaving the car in a Mestre car park). GTGs with old ST friends Susie, and Nan, while we're there. This will be my 20th visit to Venice this century!

And then over to Spain (yes, not the most direct route… But we just couldn’t miss out on a visit to Venice). An overnight stop in Fréjus, and then our second 5-night apartment stay, in Girona, where Philippa has been, but not me. After that, a shortish drive further south in Catalonia, to another 5-nighter in Tarragona, which includes Christmas Day. More ST input here: Shannon (with whom we had a fabulous meal in Noble Rot, Soho, a few days ago) has lots of good Girona & Tarragona recommendations for us.

And then it’s time to head for home: straight up through France with no silly detours this time! Overnighting in Millau and Villejust (near Paris) before catching Le Shuttle, just over three weeks after we left England. Around 2,600 miles in total.

I don’t think I can promise a Pauline-style trip report (and anyway, all the Swiss cows will be indoors for the winter…), but I'm happy to answer any queries that anyone might have,

 

[Parigi]

For Christmas this year, Philippa and I found ourselves without any family commitments, so decided to spend it in Northern Spain, and then take a very roundabout route to get there, bringing in some old favourites from past road trips (we always did a regular annual trip down to Italy in the first couple of decades of this century). And, as with many of our travels these days, there are connections with the lovely group of friends that we made thanks to Pauline's Slow Travel community.

So, we leave later this week. Le Shuttle, the Channel Tunnel car-transporter train, is around 90’ drive from home here in east London (much quicker than when we were near-neighbours of Pauline & Steve in Gloucestershire). But, with December's short daylight hours, we're taking a night's stop (in Laon, with its lovely hilltop cathedral) before our second nigh in Baden Baden, which was a regular stop on our old road trips. There's nothing like a soak in the marvellous public thermal baths and saunas to ease any tensions from too much driving!

Then it's on through Germany, and Switzerland to the Gotthard Tunnel. For our summer drives, we always used to use the passes: glorious scenery, and spectacular engineering - but not possible in the winter months! And the next night's stop is another regular one, in Cernobbio, on Lake Como, just over the Italian border. From there, it's quite a short day's drive to Venice, where we spend our first brief stay: 5 nights in an apartment in Cannaregio (leaving the car in a Mestre car park). GTGs with old ST friends Susie, and Nan, while we're there. This will be my 20th visit to Venice this century!

And then over to Spain (yes, not the most direct route… But we just couldn’t miss out on a visit to Venice). An overnight stop in Fréjus, and then our second 5-night apartment stay, in Girona, where Philippa has been, but not me. After that, a shortish drive further south in Catalonia, to another 5-nighter in Tarragona, which includes Christmas Day. More ST input here: Shannon (with whom we had a fabulous meal in Noble Rot, Soho, a few days ago) has lots of good Girona & Tarragona recommendations for us.

And then it’s time to head for home: straight up through France with no silly detours this time! Overnighting in Millau and Villejust (near Paris) before catching Le Shuttle, just over three weeks after we left England. Around 2,600 miles in total.

I don’t think I can promise a Pauline-style trip report (and anyway, all the Swiss cows will be indoors for the winter…), but I'm happy to answer any queries that anyone might have,

Wonderful itinerary.
We love Tarragona.
We will be in Barcelona from 22 December to 1 January. If ever you come to Barcelona let us know. We'll be happy to invite you over for a drink in our apartment facing the Santa Maria del Mar towers.

 

[Pauline]

A Grand Tour! Sounds great!

Le Shuttle, the Channel Tunnel car-transporter train, is around 90’ drive from home here in east London (much quicker than when we were near-neighbours of Pauline & Steve in Gloucestershire).

It takes us FOUR HOURS to get to the tunnel from Dorset!

we're taking a night's stop (in Laon, with its lovely hilltop cathedral) before our second nigh in Baden Baden, which was a regular stop on our old road trips.

We drive by that town on our yearly drive to Switzerland and I’ve always wanted to stop there. I’ve read that the town is very nice.

An overnight stop in Fréjus,

We visited Frejus when we stayed in Antibes a few years ago. The aqueduct is spectacular.

I don’t think I can promise a Pauline-style trip report

Please? I would love to read the details of this trip.

I’ve been studying google maps for a trip in June. We almost stayed in Baden Baden on our way home in September but ran out of travel-energy. Maybe next year. I’ve never been there.

 

[jonathan]

Wonderful itinerary.
We love Tarragona.
We will be in Barcelona from 22 December to 1 January. If ever you come to Barcelona let us know. We'll be happy to invite you over for a drink in our apartment facing the Santa Maria del Mar towers.

Ah yes - we stayed in El Born back in 2017 (as I remember, it was following your recommendatio that it was the best neighbourhood - we agree!), just to the east of SMdM. We’re in Tarragona 22-27 December, and a quick train trip up to Barcelona would make a nice change from all that driving. Let's be in touch nearer the date to talk possible details. (@Pauline I'm sure I should know this/look it up, but is there a private message facility on Slow Europe?!)

 

[jonathan]

A Grand Tour! Sounds great!


It takes us FOUR HOURS to get to the tunnel from Dorset!


We drive by that town on our yearly drive to Switzerland and I’ve always wanted to stop there. I’ve read that the town is very nice.


We visited Frejus when we stayed in Antibes a few years ago. The aqueduct is spectacular.


Please? I would love to read the details of this trip.

I’ve been studying google maps for a trip in June. We almost stayed in Baden Baden on our way home in September but ran out of travel-energy. Maybe next year. I’ve never been there.

Laon is lovely, with a magnificent cathedral: we overnighted there a few years ago, on the way back from Ostuni. The whole setting (though not the architecture) is rather like Orvieto: the cathedral and the old town up on a long hill, and the new town down below.

Baden Baden was a regular first or second night stop on those Ostuni trips (and even on the Bevagna trips, before we discovered Puglia!). The public thermal baths are great (and not stupidly expensive), with a range of whirlpools, and over- and under-water jets (great for pummelling shoulders made tense by too much driving). And a big selection of saunas and steam rooms at various temperatures (though for these, you have to be comfortable with the middle-European rule of no clothes in saunas!)

 

[Pauline]

(@Pauline I'm sure I should know this/look it up, but is there a private message facility on Slow Europe?!)

Yes there is. Click on the envelope icon top right side of page. Or click on member name and start conversation.

 

[Parigi]

"Tarragona 22-27 December"
We are in Barcelona from 22 Dec onward.
The first couple of days we will be busy market-shopping.
Xmas day or Boxing Day we should have a more leisurely time.
Perhaps a pinxos run? or afternoon Bubo pastry parentheses.
The one problem I have is that I am taking a long time to get over my post-shingles pain. I am getting bettr, but there are buts.
[email addresses removed. I’ll message J with them. ]
Have a great trip.

 

[LifeDancer]

Hi Parigi, my husband and I are planning a trip to France the end of September for three weeks. Wonderful post of yours popped up and we really appreciate all the great advice. . Can you recommend the name of an Ferme_auberg for us to try? if you had three weeks in France what would be your must sees? We’ve been to France Once before in our younger days. We would really like to go to Normandy and Brittiny. Alsace looks beautiful. Province for sure, a small hilled city. We enjoy wine. We would like to stay at least 3 days at one spot. Thank you!

 

[Parigi]

Hi. I try to reply but am not sure how. Hope this works.

If you have 3 weeks, I would suggest no more than 3 destinations, 7 nights each.

"We would really like to go to Normandy and Brittiny."woul

I recommend Dinan, an exquisite town in northern Brittany, as a base. There are quite a few beautiiful villages near it, and Mont St Michel is just an hour's drive away.
The village of Saint Suliac has the same quality.

"Alsace looks beautiful."

I was in Alsace a long time ago and am not in a position to make current recommendations, sorry.

"Province for sure, a small hilled city. We enjoy wine. "

We stayed many times in Bonnieux and Goult. We like the 2 villages because thye have their own boulangerie, an array of restaurants from starred places to cheap-but-good bistros, and a general store. All this means the villages have a life of their own, and you don't have to get in your car to drive somewhere every time you need something. You melt into the village life. Bonnieux has some lovely vineyards right outside the village.
Saint Saturnin les Apt is a village with similar qualities.
Bonnieux is a hilltop village, which seems to be what you want. Bear in mind it is so hilly it is vertical. We got used to it, but it is for the mildly able-bodied.

As for a ferme-auberge, the kind that also operates a restaurant on the side are difficult to find.

Mas de la Madeleine is one of our favorites. It is in the beautiful region of Ardèche, above the amazing village of Largentière. The food is one-star material. The price ishigher than the average ferme-auberge level but not outrageous.
It also operates a very nice B&B with pool.reat
Not far from Largentière is another great ferme-auberge La Bola in Laboule.
The only drawback is geographical. The landscape of Ardèche is similar to Provence. It is sort of like a lesser-known Provence, which is another reason why we love it. And it has as many beautiful villages as Provence, plus good wines.
But you may not want to choose both Provence and Ardèche as your limited number of destinations.

I would suggest the Dordogne as your 3rd destination. With Brittany/Normandy + Dordogne + Provence or Ardèche, you make a nice loop around France.

There are quite a few ferme-auberges in Dordogne.
Auberge du Peyrol is my favorite. Love the setting, love the rural decoration in and out. Love the patronne, an old lady who personally says hello to everyone, and whose recipes are writtin in an old spiral notebook.

Auberge des Tilleuls is also good.

Where to stay: I recommend the village Saint Léon sur Vézère or Limeuil. Thse two villages are jewels, but slightly out of beaten track, yet near all the famously beautiful villages like Beynac, La Roque Cageac, Sarlat…

Another favorite region of ours is the Basque Coast.
There is an ace ferme-auberge with beautiful rooms : Olibidéa, in athe lovely village of Sare. We stay there very often, and from there, we like to drive to Spain, to San Sebastian, for lunch. Once we ran into Anthony Bordain several times in our favorite pinxos bars.
Yes from Sare you can go easily to Spain. Hell you can walk to Spain.
and dalso to beautiful coastal towns like Ciboure, St Jean de Luz and Biarritz, and Bayonne.

This is really TMI for your planning. Once you have a concept or a shortlist of the regions you want as destination, let us know and we can offer more precise information.
Whatever you do, you will have ablast.
(Sorriest my eyesight is near nonexistent. I probably make a lot of mistakes in writing.)

 

[Parigi]

Hi. I try to reply but am not sure how. Hope this works.

If you have 3 weeks, I would suggest no more than 3 destinations, 7 nights each.

"We would really like to go to Normandy and Brittiny."woul

I recommend Dinan, an exquisite town in northern Brittany, as a base. There are quite a few beautiiful villages near it, and Mont St Michel is just an hour's drive away.
The village of Saint Suliac has the same quality.

"Alsace looks beautiful."

I was in Alsace a long time ago and am not in a position to make current recommendations, sorry.

"Province for sure, a small hilled city. We enjoy wine. "

We stayed many times in Bonnieux and Goult. We like the 2 villages because thye have their own boulangerie, an array of restaurants from starred places to cheap-but-good bistros, and a general store. All this means the villages have a life of their own, and you don't have to get in your car to drive somewhere every time you need something. You melt into the village life. Bonnieux has some lovely vineyards right outside the village.
Saint Saturnin les Apt is a village with similar qualities.
Bonnieux is a hilltop village, which seems to be what you want. Bear in mind it is so hilly it is vertical. We got used to it, but it is for the mildly able-bodied.

As for a ferme-auberge, the kind that also operates a restaurant on the side are difficult to find.

Mas de la Madeleine is one of our favorites. It is in the beautiful region of Ardèche, above the amazing village of Largentière. The food is one-star material. The price ishigher than the average ferme-auberge level but not outrageous.
It also operates a very nice B&B with pool.reat
Not far from Largentière is another great ferme-auberge La Bola in Laboule.
The only drawback is geographical. The landscape of Ardèche is similar to Provence. It is sort of like a lesser-known Provence, which is another reason why we love it. And it has as many beautiful villages as Provence, plus good wines.
But you may not want to choose both Provence and Ardèche as your limited number of destinations.

I would suggest the Dordogne as your 3rd destination. With Brittany/Normandy + Dordogne + Provence or Ardèche, you make a nice loop around France.

There are quite a few ferme-auberges in Dordogne.
Auberge du Peyrol is my favorite. Love the setting, love the rural decoration in and out. Love the patronne, an old lady who personally says hello to everyone, and whose recipes are writtin in an old spiral notebook.

Auberge des Tilleuls is also good.

Where to stay: I recommend the village Saint Léon sur Vézère or Limeuil. Thse two villages are jewels, but slightly out of beaten track, yet near all the famously beautiful villages like Beynac, La Roque Cageac, Sarlat…

Another favorite region of ours is the Basque Coast.
There is an ace ferme-auberge with beautiful rooms : Olibidéa, in athe lovely village of Sare. We stay there very often, and from there, we like to drive to Spain, to San Sebastian, for lunch. Once we ran into Anthony Bordain several times in our favorite pinxos bars.
Yes from Sare you can go easily to Spain. Hell you can walk to Spain.
and dalso to beautiful coastal towns like Ciboure, St Jean de Luz and Biarritz, and Bayonne.

This is really TMI for your planning. Once you have a concept or a shortlist of the regions you want as destination, let us know and we can offer more precise information.
Whatever you do, you will have ablast.
(Sorriest my eyesight is near nonexistent. I probably make a lot of mistakes in writing.)