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NICK
WHALE SPORTS CARS - www.nickwhale.com
Monaco, Cannes, Millau Bridge, French Gorges, French Alps.
A 'Guided Adventure' through the many varied terrains of France including crossing the breathtaking Millau Viaduct, carving our way through two incredible gorges and winding through the Alps with two nights in one of Europe’s most glamorous destinations, Cannes.
The Trip
We’re running this trip as the first annual European tour on behalf of Nick Whale Sports
Cars, although it will be the sixth year we've run tours to the French Riviera.
Please note ALL CUSTOMERS new and old are welcome on this tour!
During our stay in the Cote d’Azur we’ll be returning to Cannes to enjoy two nights in one of our favourite hotel spots.
This tour is a unique combination of hotels used in the past with some new routes so returning customers have something new to look forward to as well as some amazing routes to revisit.
It utilises mainly 4* with one character 3* hotel. The rating of the latter does it a disservice as its quality, location, amenities and pricing are consistent with the 4* hotels on this tour. In fact it is one of our favoured hotels of all those we use on our European tours.
Exclusive Guided Tour System
GPS - SAT NAV
We don’t subscribe to the rather archaic system of “here’s some directions, see you at the hotel tonight”. To ensure you enjoy the ultimate in stress free touring all cars on this tour will be fitted with our premium GPS Satellite Navigation units.
Our detailed and pre driven routes are loaded onto the units, you just have to select which day you are on and let the system guide you while enjoying the open road at YOUR pace. Even the petrol stops are pre loaded!
RADIOS
All customers on this tour will enjoy the use of powerful licensed two way radios – these units are 8 times more powerful than the usual high street walkie-talkies and provide a method for the group to communicate with each other during the day.
TRAVEL PACK
Each car has a travel pack which includes – itinerary - summery route for each day – suggested lunch stop – petrol stops – hotel and local information including emergency numbers.
SUPPORT CAR
2 staff from Driving Adventures will be on this tour to provide support throughout the duration of the trip.
The trip in more detail:
DAY 1
Monday 7th May 2012
Calais to near Paris, France (175 miles)
We’ll catch a late morning Eurotunnel crossing from Folkestone to Calais then set off along the French coastline before heading towards our Chateau near Paris.
Our 4* Chateau, is a magnificent building set within stunning grounds. This really is a superb choice to rest up and meet old and new faces and share in the anticipation of the adventure ahead.
We’ve taken the liberty of booking our first night on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
The middle section will utilise the efficient and usually rather quiet French Autoroute to ensure we keep the travel time in check with a detour along the banks of the River Loire for lunch.
Our magnificent 4* chateau set in the Auverge region of France, is remotely located hence we’ve booked it on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis and has all the facilities one would expect to allow you to rest up and recharge the batteries for an exciting day of driving which ahead.
Those facilities include a gastronomic restaurant, bar, panoramic terrace as well indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Day 3
Wednesday 9th May 2012 Near Clermont Ferrand to Gorge near Millau, France (220 miles)
The day starts with a wonderful 60 mile drive snaking through the undulating terrain of the Auverge region. By design we then use an unusually enjoyable section of Autoroute to take us south.
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The prequel to lunch you’re sure to not forget as it’s one of worlds most awe inspiring design and engineering feats - the Millau Bridge. Stretching over the Gorge Du Tarn in the Massif Central, reaching up to 300 metres (984 ft), it’s taller than the Eiffel Tower! |
Not even the picture on this tour page can prepare you for the real life experience of seeing this engineering marvel for yourself.
For lunch, we’ve located a restaurant with lovely surrounding views and plenty of parking. Afterwards, we’ll venture onto a viewpoint under the bridge which is actually more incredible than being on it - a photo stop for sure!
| Then it’s a short journey into the mouth of the nearby gorge to arrive at our hotel. This superb 3* hotel enjoys a premium position in the mouth of the gorge. |
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It has modern Zen styled amenities which complement the intriguing period building and historic surroundings while also benefiting from an outdoor swimming pool and private parking. Due to its very remote location, we’ve again booked tonight’s stay on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
Day 4
Thursday 10th May 2012 Gorge to Cannes (300 miles)
Today starts with an epic drive demanding maximum concentration from the driver while the passenger can enjoy the awe inspiring views of our morning gorge run.
Some of the roads may look familiar if you are a Top Gear viewer, as they used some of them to put 3 supercars
(Pagini Zonda, Ferrari F430, Ford GT) through their paces. If they’re good enough for Top Gear……
Later, we embark on an entirely different kind of route enjoying wide open roads of a national park area which one client previously described as the “drive of my life”.
After a morning enjoying some of the most incredible terrain the Massif Central has to offer we’ll head to a lunch spot new for this year then use the Autoroute to clear some mileage before we take an ocean view drive to lead us to our hotel on the beachfront of Cannes.
Used many times in the past this is certainly one of our favoured hotels with stunning harbour views from its roof top restaurant. Needless to say, with so many restaurant options within walking distance of the
hotel, we’ve booked the next two nights on a B&B basis. We have booked all “Deluxe Seaview” rooms.
Day 5
Friday 11th May 2012 Rest day
| We expect most people will choose to leave the car parked, enjoy our hotel's facilities and location and head into Cannes on foot.
For those who want to get in the car, then there are plenty of options including Nice, Monaco and the Col De
Turini, the infamous Monte Carlo rally route located a short drive north of the principality.
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Day 6
Saturday 12th May 2012 Cannes to near Briancon, France (240 miles)
We can confidently say that today will provide you with some of the most memorable driving you’ve ever experienced.
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Not only are great roads on today’s agenda but you’ll also experience awe inspiring sites in the form of the Gorges Du
Verdon.
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Often compared to the mighty Grand Canyon, it certainly isn’t on the same scale but actually has better roads to drive on and that’s the most important aspect to us. Once again if you’re a Top Gear viewer you’ll see some familiar scenery if you remember when Jeremy Clarkson lost a race in an Audi RS4 against 2 rock climbers!
We use a little known restaurant for our lunch stop which enjoys wonderful panoramic views across the gorge. After we’ve marvelled at this incredible area we’ll head north using the twisting roads of this region.
| By late afternoon we’ll delight in taking you away from the expected route and into no mans land to drive one of our favourite roads – all 50 miles of it! |
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It’s one of those special finds that proves that often the most enjoyable roads to drive are actually not the main headlining routes that most people know of.
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Tonight’s 4* hotel sits proudly on top of a beautiful mountain pass. A true ski lodge style hotel, this offers a new dimension of accommodation than experienced so far and enjoys some of the most spectacular views of the entire tour.
Again we’ve booked on a Dinner, Bed and Breakfast basis as this hotel is extremely remote.
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It has an external pool should you require a final dip before heading home.
It’s highly unlikely that you’ll choose to dine elsewhere in the evening (which is our intention!) so as usual we expect to have a memorable group finale.
Owing to the wide menu at this Chateau we’ve booked this evening on a Bed and Breakfast basis.
Day 8
Monday 14th May
2012 Dijon to Calais, France (360 miles)
Our last day but don’t think that means its just mile eating motorways to endure.
We’ll start with a wonderful 70 mile cross country route to guide us through rural France before using the Autoroute to take us to our lunch stop on the outskirts of Reims. For those who haven’t visited it, the old Grand Prix pits are just around the corner. After lunch we’ll head north to catch our afternoon Eurotunnel crossing back to Folkestone.
Upon arriving back in the England we’ll bid farewell as we all slip back into the grim reality of driving on our less than inspiring motorway network to lead us all home.
Until next time…… MAY 7th - 14th 2012
MONACO, CANNES, FRENCH ALPS,
MILLAU BRIDGE & 2 GORGES
7 Nights / 8 Days
| DAY |
DATE |
TYPE |
MILES |
TUNNEL |
DEPART |
ARRIVAL |
LOCATION |
HOTEL |
1
MON |
07
MAY |
DRIVE |
175 |
10:50 |
N/A |
17:30 |
Near
Paris, FR |
4*
CH |
2
TUE |
08
MAY |
DRIVE |
270 |
|
09:00 |
17:00 |
Nr
Clermont
Ferrand, FR |
4* CH |
3
WED |
09
MAY |
DRIVE |
220 |
|
09:00 |
15:30 |
Gorge near Millau, FR |
3*+
H |
4
THU |
10
MAY |
DRIVE |
300 |
|
09:00 |
17:00 |
Cannes,
FR |
4* H |
5
FRI |
11
MAY |
REST |
N/A |
|
N/A |
N/A |
Cannes,
FR |
4* H |
6
SAT |
12
MAY |
DRIVE |
240 |
|
09:00 |
17:30 |
Nr
Briancon, FR |
4* H |
7 SUN |
13
MAY |
DRIVE |
235 |
|
10:00 |
17:00 |
Near Dijon, FR |
4* CH |
8
MON
|
14 MAY |
DRIVE |
360 |
17:20 |
09:00 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
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Total |
1800 |
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| KEY |
B&B = Bed &
Breakfast | D,B&B
= Dinner, Bed &
Breakfast |
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C = Castle | CH = Chateau
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H = Hotel | M = Manor House |
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Country Codes
AT = Austria | BE =
Belgium | FR =
France | DE =
Germany | IT = Italy
| LU = Luxembourg
MC
= Monaco | CH =
Switzerland | GB =
United Kingdom | US
= United States of
America |
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All times of arrival
are estimated on
normal road and
traffic conditions
and include assumed lunch stops of
1 1/2 hours (3 hours on Day 4 to include ski lifts)
and
additional 30 minute breaks at
the petrol stops. |
| INCLUSIVE |
EXCLUSIVE |
*7 nights of accommodation
(6 x 4* / 1 x 3*)
*D,B&B 4
nights, B&B 3 nights
*Return Folkestone to Calais
Eurotunnel crossing
*Driving Adventures lead vehicle
*Pre Programmed Sat Nav system
(powered by in car cigarette lighter)
T&C’s apply
*Information packs
*Powerful two way radios
*Loan atlases
*Hotel parking charges (if applicable)
*Online Photo Gallery
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*Petrol
*Tolls
*Lunch, dinner (on days 4,5 and 7)
and drinks etc
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| ADVENTURE
PRICES
(per person) |
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION |
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*£1,395 per person - based on 2
people in 1 car sharing a twin/double
room.
*£1,245 per person - based on 2
people in 1 car sharing a twin/double
room if you’ve booked on a previous
week long tour with Driving
Adventures.
*£2,290 per person – based on 1
person in 1 car in a single room.
*£2,060 per person if you’ve booked
on a previous week long tour with
Driving Adventures.
Please contact us for any variation
on the above.
How To Pay
Option 1
100% at time of
booking.
Option 2
50% at time of
booking.
50% by March 1st, 2012.
Option 3
Three even payments in Dec / Jan /
Feb.
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*Total Mileage:-
Approx. 1,800 - round trip starting
from Calais
*Pre Tour Inspection:-
(Not included in the package price)
We strongly recommend that your
car be subjected to a pre tour
inspection by your local service
centre so that you (and everyone
else) can travel in the comfort that
your car is in good shape for the
journey.
*Cars:-
Maximum – 15
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