Day Eight: Samnaun to St Tropez

Today was to be a simple 450 mile blast from Samnaun to the villa we have booked near St Tropez. That's what it should have been, but I couldn't miss the opportunity to slip in another couple of alpine passes, the Fluelapass and especially the San Bernardino Pass.

There is a newer, faster road through the San Bernardino Pass that now carries most of the traffic but we followed the old route for the most part, reputed to be one of the best alpine passes. And so it proved to be with a stretch of switchback roads zig-zagging their way up the side of the mountain - nerve jangling, stomach churning stuff! This photo, taken on the downward side, simply doesn't do it justice ....

Shhh - don't tell but I pinched this off the web ....

So having got those ticked off the list we set sail (!) for St Tropez - a journey that took us, in total, eleven hours (yes, eleven!). There were queues at every flippn' toll booth, and there were a lot of toll booths! The irony was I drove the first part, fast, flowing alpine passes followed by a high speed run along the Autostrada, Angela then took over and hit queue after queue after queue (she was not a happy bunny), I then resumed driving for the final stretch on traffic free French motorways! She was even less happy at this!!

Finally we reached our destination and it does not disappoint with a fantastic view and plenty of room for us and our respective offspring who fly out to join us tomorrow (kids - this is what you've got to look forward to!)

We're now settled here until next Saturday when we resume our tour. I won't be posting a 'wot we did today' blog every day (lounging around the pool, drinking beer, drinking wine, more lounging, you get the idea) but I do have a couple of excursions in mind which may warrant reporting (yes - MORE driving!) so by all means do pop in and have a look from time to time but normal service will resume next week.

Angela's Postscript (oh dear, wait for it!)

I never want to eat cheese EVER again! The last 400km were hell, I was driving .... I NEVER want to drive again!!

p.p.s. Please can I put Alpine Passes in Room 101!

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