Planning collection weekend - where to go

[Itguy]

Right, although it will be in March I'm starting to think about what we should do with the new car on the day/weekend we collect it.

We have ordered from Derby, so that's the starting point. (We live near melton Mowbray so that's our return destination)

my first thought was to go to Bruges for the weekend. Arrive at the garage with an overnight bag and throw it in and go. Tunnel, few nights, lovely.

But then the thought of a brand new car munching motorway miles for the first few hundred doesn't seem a good way to run in really, unless anyone can think of a good route from derby to the tunnel not on a motorway or dual carriageway.

A couple of other thoughts, wales EVO triangle and stay in Betsy or Manchester, snake pass etc but cameras everywhere, return through Buxton etc.

Maybe do the Manchester run on the collection day then Bruges the next day?

just want to spend a decent amount of time in the car, good roads etc etc

 

[TFSI]

The Highlands of Scotland would be a good little jaunt, mine will be heading there for Christmas, it's done a week in The Peaks and a week in The Lakes already and it's got a Northumberland to do in the New Year

 

[Daveotto]

Eurotunnel and then the continent are always a good option, have taken mine over by that route on a couple of occasions already, but I head south from Calais on the A16 and head through Normandy to Rouen and beyond.

the A16 is a typical empty French motorway and good for cruising just below 140km/hr, you get on the spot fines for anything above.

I would go beyond Le Touquet and head for Le Tréport/Eu for more typical French feel and some great fresh fish/shell fish from one of the harbour side restaurants at very cheap prices, takes about 1hour 35mins from Calais and is mix of motorway and cross country roads. Hotels in this area although not plentiful are pretty cheap as well.

You could then take in Dieppe and Rouen on day 2 with some good sightseeing and restaurants in the centre of Rouen and head home after breakfast in Day three and still be home in Derby early evening.

Only note of caution is that one of the bridges is out of action in the centre of Rouen so the rush hour can be a pain but not too bad at the weekend. Either of the Mercure hotels are good especially Mercure centre close to the cathedral but like a lot of French City centre hotels car parking is stupidly tight so watch out you don't dink the new pride and joy.

 

[the_lecht_rocks]

I live right next to the cairngorm national park. Roads up here are rubbish........ Aye, right !

 

[Louay]

Collecting from Enfield. Might stay in Essex (hardly Le Touquet) and go to the notorious Workhouse Lane in Rettendon then on to Blue Water then down to Oxshott, Surrey where i grew up.

 

[CraigI]

I'll drive mine 10 miles home with the protective coverings still on and not use it again until I've had it detailed and suitably protected, although I already have a provisional and flexible booking for getting it done so shouldn't be longer than a couple of days.

 

[PilotAudi]

Eurotunnel and then the continent are always a good option, have taken mine over by that route on a couple of occasions already, but I head south from Calais on the A16 and head through Normandy to Rouen and beyond.

the A16 is a typical empty French motorway and good for cruising just below 140km/hr, you get on the spot fines for anything above.

I would go beyond Le Touquet and head for Le Tréport/Eu for more typical French feel and some great fresh fish/shell fish from one of the harbour side restaurants at very cheap prices, takes about 1hour 35mins from Calais and is mix of motorway and cross country roads. Hotels in this area although not plentiful are pretty cheap as well.

You could then take in Dieppe and Rouen on day 2 with some good sightseeing and restaurants in the centre of Rouen and head home after breakfast in Day three and still be home in Derby early evening.

Only note of caution is that one of the bridges is out of action in the centre of Rouen so the rush hour can be a pain but not too bad at the weekend. Either of the Mercure hotels are good especially Mercure centre close to the cathedral but like a lot of French City centre hotels car parking is stupidly tight so watch out you don't dink the new pride and joy.

We go to France a lot. Le Touquet (Paris Plages) is great this time of year. Holiday Inn Resort has a good Pool too.

I will be taking our new S3 over in the Spring for a blast BUT remember speed limits are nearly as bad as the UK. 85MPH 130 kmph in good weather so the occaisional 100mph bust is doable on the autoroutes if you keep your eyes peeled!

 

[Daveotto]

Collecting from Enfield. Might stay in Essex (hardly Le Touquet) and go to the notorious Workhouse Lane in Rettendon then on to Blue Water then down to Oxshott, Surrey where i grew up.

Very close to me, do you mean Chingford Audi as there is no Audi dealer in Enfield itself.

 

[Daveotto]

We go to France a lot. Le Touquet (Paris Plages) is great this time of year. Holiday Inn Resort has a good Pool too.

I will be taking our new S3 over in the Spring for a blast BUT remember speed limits are nearly as bad as the UK. 85MPH 130 kmph in good weather so the occaisional 100mph bust is doable on the autoroutes if you keep your eyes peeled!

le Touquet is very nice , even IFAD little touristy, had day trip over there In my old 8P before I picked up the new car. I prefer the more authentic feel of Le Tréport or Buerk, just a bit further up the coast is very nice as well.

 

[Louay]

le Touquet is very nice , even IFAD little touristy, had day trip over there In my old 8P before I picked up the new car. I prefer the more authentic feel of Le Tréport or Buerk, just a bit further up the coast is very nice as well.

Le Touquet...playground for rich Parisians and loud British golfers! Had a lovely T-Bone steak there once and the seafood is pretty decent too! outdoor market was good to wander around with little cafes littered with old french men sipping pernod first thing in the morning! Casinos are nice as well.

 

[Fragup]

I'll drive mine 10 miles home with the protective coverings still on and not use it again until I've had it detailed and suitably protected, although I already have a provisional and flexible booking for getting it done so shouldn't be longer than a couple of days.

wow, that is incredibly disciplined,
I know it's a great idea but, Theres no way I could pick up and not drive it properly for a couple of days,
Its going to be hard enough to run it in sensibly, as all the recommendation and tips given on here !

 

[Daveotto]

Had a lovely T-Bone steak there once and the seafood is pretty decent too!

we had a pretty decent meal on our last visit even if a little pricey, if you get the chance it's worth the extra 50 mins drive to Le Tréport for the sea food as the harbour is a working fishing harbour with a local fish market on the quayside, personal favourites are "le homand blue" and the "St Louis" or just around the corner opposite the casino is the "grain de sal" for some really cheap good quality fish/sea food

 

[h5djr]

One option, if don't mind a few hundred miles, is the Mosel valley in Germany. From the Channel tunnel it's about 310 miles each way. The first part is French and Belgium autoroute which is generally not too busy and then from Liege down to the Mosel is the A60 Autobahn. This is a great road down through the Ardennes and it has no speed limit once you get into Germany. The autobahn (A1/48) than runs along the top of the Mosel valley is also speed limit free for a lot of the time. If you stop the night and come back on Sunday the autobahns in Germany and the autoroutes in Belgium and France and free from lorries. With a good smooth run across France and Belgium before you get to Germany the engine should be nicely run in and ready for some stick.

 

[PilotAudi]

Le Touquet...playground for rich Parisians and loud British golfers! Had a lovely T-Bone steak there once and the seafood is pretty decent too! outdoor market was good to wander around with little cafes littered with old french men sipping pernod first thing in the morning! Casinos are nice as well.

Never had a T bone steak in my xx years going to France... maybe tailored for 'les vachement anglais'..

Best parts of France are where Brits are rare and the locals go!

 

[snowfree52]

I wouldn't be so sure, there are many brits in the south of France

and I guess les vachements Anglais was a google trad for fu**ing English ?

 

[paullowther]

Lyon was absolutely beautiful. Stopped off there for the night whilst making my way up to Monte Carlo & wished I could have stayed for a bit longer.