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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Day Seven: "The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of .....!!!

I'll spare you my singing (which anybody who has heard me sing will tell you is a blessing) but today we walked in the footsteps of the Von Trapp family from that well loved musical 'Sound of Music' - we walked across the Alps from Austria into Switzerland!

OK - maybe that makes it sound a bit more than it really was.  Truth is we rode the ski lifts from just outside our hotel in Samnoun (Switzerland) to Ischgl (Austria) and back again.  But, as this involved five different ski lifts, we had to walk between them so we did walk some of the way!

The views were simply stunning - hard to grasp the scale of the place.

The chairlifts were a new experience for Angela - at first she wasn't sure about getting on or off 'on the move', but after the first one she loved it and there was no stopping her so what started as a trip up to the top became a trek across the mountains!

At the summit there was still some snow lying around even though it was surprisingly mild.  Angela couldn't resist jumping into it with both feet!

And of course, with so many rocks around, she couldn't resist going for a climb though I managed to persuade her not to go too far this time.

As we returned a storm was approaching, just as forecast (they got it right pretty well to the minute!).  By this time we were on our way down to the car park so there wasn't much else to do - except GO SHOPPING!

Angela's Postscript

...hah, rock climbing indeed, I wanted to borrow a mountain bike from one of the lovely Lycra clad boys and cycle down the mountains!...I had the most delicious black Forrest gateaux at the top of the mountain...going up and down mountains plays havoc with the gas inside your body, I fear I may just pop if I stay here much longer!!....early night tonight, apparently I have to drive for 9 or 10 hours tomorrow and he wants to get up at dawn, seriously??!...Andy doesn't seem too keen on my plans to return to the Alps next year in the Porsche with 2 bikes strapped to the back and Bustaaar, cycling around mountains with a crazyass dog (try to imagine him on the ski lift) isn't his idea of a fun holiday! 🐺

Where's Angela?

Did you spot her?  Top marks if you did!

Day Six: Alpine Passes

Contrary to the forecasts the day dawned bright and sunny, and pleasantly warm!  It was so nice we breakfasted on the terrace - a lovely way to start the day.

 

Today we retraced some of our 'Alpine Tour' route from last year, driving the Stelvio and Bernina passes again, but we added some new ones we didn't have time to do last year; Passo Di Foscagno, Forcola di Livigno and Finstermunzpass.  Highlight (or should that be lowpoint!) of the day was being pulled over by the Italian Police for a routine check!  They'd obviously never seen one of the old-style UK Driving Licences, one officer said they didn't see many British visitors at all!  Anyway, after a few anxious minutes and checks on the radio we were sent on our way.  Phew!

 

At the top of the Stelvio Pass

 
As we headed back to our hotel the heavens opened while poor Angela was driving yet again!  Needless to say a bit of rain didn't put her off her game, in fact a LOT of rain didn't put her off her game, so we arrived safely to once more sit on the balcony and watch the thunder and lightning and torrential rain (I know you can't watch thunder but hey, a bit of artistic licence here).

For dinner Angela ordered a Cheese Fondue - lovely but oh so filling!

 

We had the roof open all day (no, not when raining) and while I wore a cap (I'm no fool!) Angela didn't.  I seem to recall her saying she didn't get sunburnt!!

 

Angela's Postscript

Who poured petrol on my forehead and set it alight ... Got sea sick on the Stelvio Pass ... mmmm, cheese fondue

Day Five: Zell Am See to Samnaun

The day dawned bright and sunny (and warm!) as we set off on, what is for us, just a short hop from Austria to Switzerland.  With time on our hands we took a scenic route though the mountains rather than head straight for the autobahns.

We stopped off at Krimml Waterfalls, the highest in Europe and fifth highest in the world!  

We walked to the foot of the waterfalls and it was an impressive sight.  However not content with that, Angela says "take a photo of me at the top of those rocks" with which she was off, barefoot, clambering over rocks in a most unladylike fashion!  She finally made it but can you see her!  

Where's Angela? (answer tomorrow)

I have to say my heart was in my mouth on more than one occasion but she made it back safely.

We continued our journey along the Gerlos Alpenstrasse with some beautiful scenery along the way.

A couple of hours down the autobahn and we were in Switzerland to a very different type of scenery ... and weather!  When we arrived this was the view from our balcony

This evening we were treated to a lightning display with torrential rain. The forecast is for more of the same tomorrow but at least it's a lot cooler!


Angela's Postcript

...unladylike, what is he on about, I was a svelte deer deftly prancing across the boulders, in my mind I was a woman who was a professional rock climber in her youth who still had the knowledge and skill to easily climb a few stones!!! (well I watched Becky rock climbing at Cheddar Gorge once!)...rewind for a moment back to yesterday...the room was a little small and 'tired' however the bed was comfy, the breakfast delicious and the view fantastic...the shower was something from Alice in Wonderland though, there was no room for bending down so hairy legs today!!...Austria smells of new mown meadows, warm pine wood and cow poo...the cuisine is basic and they over cook meat...its a bit too rural for me...back to today, I saw some awesome lightning whilst driving (Andy was having a nap, he thinks I won't notice if he has his sunglasses on), the apartment is fab, clean, fresh, modern, a slightly larger shower and a balcony...had a delicious supper in town (beef tartare & truffle risotto) and guess what, its shopping heaven! Duty free...I'm off to buy some Lacroix daaaaaarling :-)

Day Four: Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse

Today we spent the day sightseeing along the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse,or High Alpine Road.

I first visited this area back in 1987 when, as a young development engineer with Land Rover, I spent three weeks driving up and down the hill brake testing. 

It's still used by all the major car companies today, indeed we spotted a couple of UK Registered Land Rovers and a Jaguar full of test instrumentation.

For us it was all fun and no work, first driving up the pass before parking at the summit to enjoy the view of the Grossglockner itself, Austria's highest peak, and the surrounding area including the Pasterze Glacier, the longest glacier in Austria and the Eastern Alps.

After enduring temperatures that reached the low 30's I was very relieved it was just 17 degrees at the viewing spot!

Tomorrow we head for Switzrland and more Alpine Passes!

Angela's asleep so her postscipt will have to wait!

Day Three: Strasbourg to Zell Am See

Today turned out to be a rather uneventful run from France, through Germany and into Austria, which was just what we wanted!

I had planned to take a slightly circuitous route to avoid the main congestion hot spots around Munich but in the end we decided to plough on as TomTom assured us the delays weren't too bad, and he was proved right yet again.

As the Autobahns were pretty busy we didn't get many chances to give the Porsche a good run.  I found an empty stretch and touched 145mph, still well short of the 170mph rated top speed.  Generally we were able to run at an effortless 100mph keeping pace with the rest of the traffic.

We were treated to some lovely scenery as we approached our destination, the forecast clouds and rain absent once again!

The hotel is at the end of our very own twisting Alpine Pass.  To say the room is 'bijou' (AKA small!) would be an understatement but the place is certainly full of character!

Angela's Postscript

Hoorah! It is hot in the mountains too ... very peaceful and quiet and beautiful ... I only had the courage to go 125mph on the Autobahn, I closed my eyes when Andy was going really fast!