https://www.windy.com/-Rain-thunder-rain?rain,2024060612,49.196,19.160,5

Are you doing Gt St Bernard Neil? If so, tunnel or above?

I'm wondering how well turbo models cope with rarified air when taking the overland option...

Form sent and receipt received. Thanks.

Pm's sent to

(Edinburgh - sent)
Rosso - sent
Slicer - sent
Rob40 - sent
Barnacle - sent
Ali_and_Marvin sent
1st_things_1st sent
Barmybob - sent
Countrycruising
MCMike - sent
Sedicivalvole - sent
slime500 sent

It would be useful if you could indicate on here when you have "sent" the form - thanks.

I am looking to take this route - I understand that the pass is still closed on the Italian side.

Evening,

i have just sent the form for the restaurant.

Hi again
should i have precised that i am a club member?

The form doesn't ask that question specifically so "no"...

I'm thinking that the decision will be down to the wire with conditions still variable...

Thanks Edinburgh



(Edinburgh - sent)
Rosso - sent
Slicer - sent
Rob40 - sent
Barnacle - sent
Ali_and_Marvin sent
1st_things_1st sent
Barmybob - sent
Countrycruising
MCMike - sent
Sedicivalvole - sent
slime500 sent

The Gottard Pass yesterday was more passable but yes fingers crossed for St Bernard on the way back home.

Nice pic Brian Doing that route myself on the way down but thinking of doing the tunnel to keep the strain on the coupe down to a minimum. Was it a tough climb?

Oh and not to sound treacherous but if you're dropping down via The Lakes to the outskirts of Milan then you'll be passing the Alfa Romeo museum where you could do a lunch stop? That's what we're planning to do

In the Alpine circumstances I'm wondering if I should arm myself with this!

Will the altitude (and air density) have a serious impact a turbo driven car?

I'm planning to take the Great St Bernard Pass on the way to Turin on Thursday, assuming its open. I've got Matt Monro all cued up on Spotify too

The GSB website states the pass opens at 11:00am next Thursday 13th June! I reckon I'll be there by about 12:00, so do hope the weather holds and they do open it. I emailed for confirmation and they have confirmed it will be open as planned

https://www.saint-bernard.ch/en/

This is also my question; we will also be hoping to do the scenic route in the afternoon of Thursday, with or without shovel

Is anyone driving through France?

Is there a best route down for scenery, road etc?

Rosso, I just love the decal on your car!

There's a couple more like that

We will be coming down the Autobahn from Berlin on Wednesday, stopping overnight at Engel just north of the Swiss border. Then on Thursday, down the A4 and the A1 to (past) Zurich, then the A4 and A2 (odd numbering the Swiss use!) to the Italian border at Chiasso.

Then a diversion along the east side of Lago Maggiore (big lake ) to pick up the A4 again somewhere west of Milan and thence to Turin.

Memo: make sure you have all your documents: apparently the border forces throughout Europe are being more vigilant for reasons of foot-the-ball.

Noted Neil - glad I didn't do my tartan wrap then and I'll make sure the cases of Tennants are well hidden

Well it's Monday and already some have set off and at least one is already in Italia!

We're off tomorrow midday for the ferry from Newcastle and looking at reasonable weather for the journey, even 14C over St Bernard pass on Thursday - though possibly damp in Turin over Saturday and Sunday. Not baking hot but certainly warmer than here, might need warmer clothing for evenings.

Have a good trip everybody and safe driving!

I’m off tomorrow!

Just hope it’s not too cloudy over the Alps.

See you all at the bar, if not before

Just chillin in Colmar at the moment over a Bellheimer Taking it easy as don't want to overstress the 16v as I've still got the cold start issue . Glad to be in France tbh as the German driving is poor, no acceleration sense whatsoever and cars on the outside lane easily doing 90 - 100 mph . Got loads of interest for the coupe on the ferry going over though and had a chat with a nice Dutch couple on their way to Italy towing a caravan with a GTV

Everyone have a safe journey

At the moment south of Metz on the autoroute du soleil

Presently on A61 heading toward Münchengladbach, exit at junction 53 for Flonheim

Holed up in a hotel just north of the Swiss border until morning.

780km/460 miles at 38mpg when we filled up, moving mostly between 80 and 90, occasionally three figures. An amazing twenty-two separate road works in that distance, but no delays until the last sixty miles around Stuttgart when we actually spent a few minutes in a stau...

Most German drivers aren't any worse than UK drivers, once you realise a few basic facts:
- if someone on your right indicates left, he's coming in your lane. You are expected to brake or move.
- most people stay under 130kph even in the derestricted bits, and even the speed merchants will immediately brake to meet a limit (130 or 120 on the main track; 100 for larmschutz (quiet bits) or sad road surfaces, and 100, 80, 60 for road works.
- people have no idea about looking at vehicles in other lanes and moving to another lane on the possibility that the other vehicle might be about to overtake, or clear a space for a joining vehicle.
- the approved way to drive quickly on the autobahn (where permitted) is to drive as fast as you can in the outside lane until you catch up with someone slower, then jam the anchors on as hard as possible as late as possible while sitting on their arse and leaving rubber tracks on the road...

Coupe getting lots of interest from other drivers... including a van full of customs people who followed me for miles

We have been in Pontarlier close the the Swiss border and have spent a fabulous few days with Julien, Prescilla and their two kids. Anyone that attended the early Spa meets, 09,10 & 11 would have met this lovely couple. Julien sold his 16VT, and then his 20VT and now has a plus, which he bought in Sweden. This week we have visited river sources, waterfalls and hiked a peak. On Sunday Julien got his Coupé out and we drove in convoy to a local exotics car show. Both his Coupé and our RS3 attracted a fair bit of attention.

We will head for the St Bernard tomorrow so will keep our eyes open for Coupés, we hope to spot some of you heading that way tomorrow.

We should be at the St Bernard pass by 13:00 tomorrow (it opens at 11:00).

Amazing drive today from Calais, via Reims Race Circuit to Dijon. Lots of really positive interest in the Coupé inc from a maybe French Foreign Legion convoy moving at high speed in close formation.

Good times rolling along

Were the Legion on camels? That would be a sight on the motorway I'd like to see

Another going for the St. Barnard pass tomorrow. With luck we will get a Coop traffic jam I'm at Mulhouse, near Swiss / German border.

Wonderful drive down. Not a jam in sight. Just around 25 slow downs for grass or verge cutting.

Love the French drivers, not. Truck holding you up, so they come up your arse so close you can't even see their headlights. In a supermini that can go at the speed of light, whilst they daydream looking out the window!

Loved gently, ahem, accelerating away from them when the road opened, as you pull away on the inside lane leaving them sitting there with no one to overtake suddenly. What a missile.

Even better is that, for me, I don't have to worry too much about the speed limit as I find my natural cruisng speed is below the 130kph limit. Weirdly in the UK it feels more work to keep to 70 mph. Must be the traffic as well.