Welcome to Driving Adventures: International Driving Holidays & Tours Across Europe, North America & Beyond!

Racing Green Cars - A “Guided Adventure”
This summer 2008 adventure takes in the quiet roads of Northern France - the stunning scenery of the German and Austrian Alps, the fantastic driving roads of the German Black Forest, the enchanting Mosel Valley as well as the twisting landscape of the French and Belgium Ardennes region.

We’ve lined up 8 evenings of superb hotels chosen for their facilities, quality and of course that certain something that makes them feel special or quirky.

We’ve specifically targeted locations you would likely never come across. The tour has also deliberately been designed to offer a mix of short and full driving days with 2 being completely optional so this tour gives you the opportunity to drive comprehensively over the 9 days or instead take it easy and enjoy lots of rest opportunities along the way.

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 - summary 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
Sat 02/08/08 - Afternoon Meet Up – Folkestone to Reims, France (155 miles)

After you’ve checked in and made yourself comfortable we’ll all meet in the bar for a “welcome drink” giving everyone the opportunity to meet old and new faces and share in the anticipation of what lies ahead.

This excellent 3* hotel has been booked on a B&B basis so you can choose to either eat at the hotels restaurant or venture into the nearby Laon, once the capital of France.

Day 2
03/08/08 - Reims to Baden Baden, Black Forest, Germany (295 miles)

We’ll start proceedings by launching into rather less well known roads in the Picardy region to make our way to the outskirts of Reims where we’ll park up for a slice of nostalgia at the old GP pits. After our “pit stop” we’ll head into the open countryside for a picturesque drive through the Champagne region.

After a short motorway stint and a refuel we’ll launch into some glorious wide open French countryside to take us across Northern France. We’ll stop in a very quaint town for lunch before embarking on some more very enjoyable cross country driving to lead us into Germany.

Our hotel for the night is in the capital of the Black Forest area, Baden Baden. An affluent city void of intimidation often found in larger cities, Baden Baden is a very nice place to be.

It benefits from a comprehensive health and fitness area offering many treatments which we can book for you in advance should you choose to have the full pampering treatment after this full day of driving.

Of course, the hotel has an excellent restaurant but there are also many restaurants, cafes and bars nearby so you’ll be spoilt for choice as to how to spend your evening.

Day 3
Mon 04/08/08 – Baden Baden to Freiburg, Germany (145 miles)

Well we can afford a later start today as we’ve “only” 150 miles to cover. However, don’t expect too many straights as this day takes in the best roads which snake their way through the Black Forest, a haven for driving enthusiasts.

We’ve lined up a couple of lunch options so depending if you want a quaint town to have a look around (beware of the Cuckoo clocks, they seem to grow out of the wood work here!) or you may choose to go to one of a couple of restaurants enjoying wide open views of the German countryside

Our hotel for the evening is located on the outskirts of Freiburg and enjoys fantastic panoramic views of the city skyline. The hotel has two restaurants and an indoor pool all enjoying that same spectacular view. We’ve booked the accommodation on a B&B basis and have reserved rooms on the higher level of the hotel as they benefit from superior views.

Day 4
Tues 05/08/08 - Freiburg to Lindau, Germany (130 miles)

Within a few miles of leaving the hotel, we’ll launch yet again into some fantastic driving, this time through miles of tightly twisting forest roads – this is scenery for the passenger to enjoy!

By late morning we’ll be skirting the banks of Lakes Uberlinger and Constance and by lunch time be at our luxury lake side hotel.

Our imposing 4* star luxury hotel enjoys a premium lake side position with a glorious Alpine backdrop. Boat rides can take you straight from the hotel over to the old town of Lindau where there are plenty of sights to see and excellent restaurants or you may choose to relax in the hotels own magnificent pool area.

This is a real chill out area and the perfect opportunity to recharge your batteries after the previous days of high adrenaline driving.

Day 5
Wed 06/08/08 - Lindau to Schliersee, Germany (185 miles)

Fully rested, we’ve a full day of driving lined up as we launch into some highly rewarding Alpine driving – great views, great roads – this is what we’re here for. For lunch we’ll stop in an area close to a very popular tourist attraction – a real German fairytale castle. Even if castles aren’t your thing, you can’t help but be impressed with the shear magnitude of this awe inspiring sight.

We’ve hand picked a very luxurious hotel in a remote lakeside location. Mindful that the following day is an optional drive, we were adamant that this hotel had to have something special about it to cater for those who decide to stay behind when others go on the optional drive. We’re confident you won’t be disappointed.

With a luxury pool and spa area enjoying views over the adjacent lake this is a truly stunning place to spend a day of rest. For this evening we’ve booked the hotel on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.

This will be a full day of driving and with the hotel being located in such a tranquil and remote setting, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll choose to venture off and find somewhere else to eat.

Day 6
Thu 07/08/08 – OPTIONAL DRIVE – Austrian Alps (270 miles)

For those who refuse to rest,
we’ve lined up one of the most
spectacular drives of the tour.

We’ll take you on a
comprehensive drive around the
Austrian Alps taking in some
excellent passes before reaching
the pass, which for many is one
of the those “must do” r

It’s very long, very windy, very steep and very scenic!
At around 30 miles long, a gradient of 12% and reaching to 8,500 feet, it is no surprise why the infamous Grossglockner is such a draw for petrol heads around the world. It’s stunning!

We then spend the afternoon snaking our way through the Austrian then German Alps to bring us back to our luxurious hotel which we arrived at the previous evening.

We have reserved this evening on a B&B basis only, as some may choose to eat elsewhere on this the second night in this hotel. A big mileage day - but by intention!

Please note – we will also have a shorter route for you to try should you want to have a limited drive in the day while still having enough time to enjoy our fantastic hotel (but it won’t get you to the Grossglockner!).

Day 7
Fri 08/08/08 – Schliersee to Frankfurt (320 miles)

This process will be aided somewhat by the use of some unrestricted autobahns, surely making this, a motorway experience with a whole new appeal.

We’ve lined up yet another exquisite 4* hotel to spend the next two nights in. Set within forest landscapes away from the congestion of Frankfurt, this is yet another location you’d likely never come across.

Booked on a B&B basis, you can choose to eat in one of the hotels two restaurants or venture into the nearby town for something different. The hotel benefits from its own “wellness” facility and guests also have free use of the adjacent pool facility (linked with the hotel via an underground tunnel – one than you walk through this time!).

Day 8
Sat 09/08/08 – OPTIONAL DRIVE Mosel Valley (150 miles)

Here’s another rest opportunity for those who need it. For those who don’t, we’ll be starting the day with an involving forest drive to lead us to the banks of Rhine where we’ll take a leisurely river side drive to our lunch stop, Koblenz.

You may decide to explore its cobbled streets and eat in one of the many cafes and restaurants near the square or maybe you’ll opt to eat on one of the barge restaurants on the Rhine itself. We’ll go easy on you after lunch with a scenic drive through the Mosel Valley.

Once lunch is digested, we’ll be heading into the woods again to explore some more challenging and quiet roads.

Day 9
Sun 10/08/08 – Frankfurt to Calais (390 miles)

We can honestly say that this is the best final day drive we’ve ever put together. It’s also a bewildering one in that we’ve travelled this route a number of times as we use part of it on our Nurburgring trips and it’s amazing that what seems a massive mileage goes so quickly.

There’s no rush to it at all – it’s a very mixed drive and before you know it, you’re on the final stretch to Calais.

We spend the first leg driving through the Rhineland Palatinate region of Germany before slicing through Luxembourg then onto some really enjoyable driving through the Belgium and French Ardennes regions.

By mid afternoon we’ll be moving swiftly across the barren roads of Northern France, then onto the Motorway for the final stretch to Calais.

Then back to jolly old England – that’ll be 5 countries in a day then!