"It's not often that reality exceeds expectations but you succeeded and, judging by the feedback from your regular customers, you do it all the time!"
LATEST NEWSRACE RETRO: INTERNATIONAL HISTORIC MOTORSPORT SHOW STONELEIGH PARK, STONELEIGH, WARWICKSHIRE.24th-26th FEBRUARY 2012We will be exhibiting for the 5th year. See us on our stand in Hall 2 stand D50 so come and say hello !
FOLLOW OUR DAILY NEWS ON OUR FACEBOOK SITE: https://www.facebook.com/ClassicCarToursInternationalTUSCANY SPRING TOUR 2012 only 3 places left on this tourMILLE MIGLIA ITALIAN LAKES TOUR 2012 places are limitedLE MANS CLASSIC RACES TOUR 2012 only 2 rooms left at our main chateau hotelCORSICA AUTUMN TOUR 2012THE DATES FOR THE "HISTORIC RALLY DE CORSE" HAVE BEEN AGREED AS OCTOBER 2ND-6TH SO DURING OUR CORSICA TOUR THERE WILL BE AN OPTION TO WATCH PART OF THIS HISTORIC RALLY FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTEDANGOULEME CIRCUIT DES REMPARTS TOUR 2012THE ORGANISERS HAVE JUST PUBLISHED THEIR PROGRAMME ...SEE OUR TOUR PAGES FOR DETAILS
PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARDIF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PAY BY CREDIT CARD WE CAN NOW ACCEPT PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARDS VIA PAYPAL. IF INTERESTED PLEASE CONTACT US FOR DETAILS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE A SURCHARGE OF 3% ON ALL CREDIT CARD PAYMENTSIF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ONE OF OUR TOURS BUT DO NOT KNOW OUR COMPANYJUST CLICK ON " CLIENT COMMENTS" ON THE MENU BAR AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE TO SEE WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY ABOUT US OR, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR EXISTING CLIENTS ABOUT US, CONTACT US AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO INTRODUCE YOU
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"The whole trip was one of the best I have ever enjoyed and the accommodation was truly excellent and beyond my expectations.
Best of all was the super bunch of fellow participants who were quite the friendliest group I have ever been with on such an event"
In 2001 we launched Classic Car Tours International,(CCTI), with our first European car tour for classic cars and modern sports cars visiting both Spain and France. We also organised a motoring holiday to watch the classic car races at Angouleme's Circuit des Remparts in South West France. Ten years later and we are now one of the market leaders offering 14 European car tours in 2012. Six of our tours are linked to a motor race event, the other eight are purely car touring holidays visiting some of Europe's most stunning regions where you can drive your own car on some of Europe's best driving roads.
MODERN SPORTS CARS WELCOME We have no rigid policy regarding eligibility, or age, of cars on our car tours so modern sports cars, of any age, are equally welcome as older, classic cars. We are a friendly organisation whose ethos is based upon enjoying your driving, whatever your vehicle, and this is a common theme amongst all our clients.
Classic Car Tours International was formed in 2001 by Brian Thorley a Francophile with a passion for classic cars and modern sportscars.A management consultant for over 30 years, his love of France, sports cars and classic cars goes back even longer; his first sports car, for instance, was a Swallow Doretti when he was still an undergraduate at Manchester University and in 1971 he bought his first Lotus Elan. Brian's other passion is France where he lives most of the year in the Dordogne region in South West France. He formed Classic Car Tours International in 2001 whilst living in Cumbria's Lake District and regularly participated in classic car tours and rallies in the UK, as well as in France. His intimate knowledge of France and his interest in French lifestyle has resulted in Classic Car Tours International incorporating stunning scenic routes through some of the prettiest villages in France as well as visits to many places of interest both on and off the beaten track.These include stunning chateaux,villas and interesting museums catering for every taste; beautiful gardens, art galleries,abbeys, churches and other historic monuments, wine caves and other fascinating visitor attractions. Brian also has a nose for discovering charming hotels and restaurants to enhance your driving holiday. As the Tour Director, he accompanies all tours to guarantee the smooth running of the event and to ensure that new clients are made to feel at home and introduced to regular/repeat clients.
OVER 40% REPEAT BUSINESS IN 2009
In 2009 the average level of repeat business from previous clients was over 40% and, since our first escorted car tour in 2001, we have delighted hundreds of owners of classic cars and modern sports cars, many of whom have also become regulars as well as friends.
OUR MISSION is "to provide customers with a fun-packed driving holiday, driving your own car on great open driving roads, amidst stunning scenery, in the company of like-minded, friendly people, staying throughout in stylish hotels with great food."
Participants bring and drive their own classic car or modern sports car, at their own pace, either alone or in small groups.
"My wife and I have been doing motoring tours together for many years and also events with tour organisers since 1998 so we don't use the term "outstanding experience" easily.However, when we compared your event to other organisations that we've used we found CCTI superior to the competition. So Brian, be very proud of your organisation and please accept our heartfelt thanks"
Comprehensive road books with daily itineraries, detailed route notes and maps. Each day there is a recommended itinerary with proposed timings and mileages and recommended morning and afternoon coffee breaks, as well as lunch stops, to break up the driving.The routes are designed to incorporate the best open driving roads in Europe where you can rediscover the joy of driving your car amidst stunning scenery. We provide a comprehensive "road book" with detailed daily route notes incorporating a list of the villages and towns we pass through and also provide highlighted maps to make it as easy as possible for you to navigate your way each day.
"Many thanks for all the hard work you put into the Mille Miglia Tour.We have been touring for 20 years, both competitive and touring, never has an organiser worked as hard as you to ensure everyone was looked out for and your attention to detail made for a very happy bunch of participants, we will certainly book with you again"
On our European car tours our hotels are noted for their stylish hotel accommodation and the hotels we use are usually luxury 4 and 3 star privately- owned, character hotels.
Each of the hotels is hand-picked and vetted by us for their location, ambiance,charm and comfort. As most are family owned, they provide a genuine, friendly service.In some cases we have used the hotels for several years, so a warm welcome always awaits us ! Here are some examples of the hotels we use:
Our hotels are also chosen for the quality of their food. Here are some examples of the restaurants where we eat and the food we are served:
Many of our hotels are on a river, or lake, or have stunning views, here are some examples:
We go out of our way to create scenic routes using great driving roads, here are some examples:
Included in the daily itineraries are recommended morning and afternoon coffee stops and lunch stops.These often incorporate stunning villages, fascinating museums, historic villas, chateaux, churches and monasteries, wine caves, gardens etc. Here are some examples:
Also featured on our tours are visits to beautiful gardens, ranging from grand and formal to informal, romantic and intimate. Here are some examples :
Participants always have the freedom and flexibility to "do their own thing" each day as long as they arrive at the hotel in the evening where we dine together.A Tour Director and assistant always accompany each tour so they are always there to sort out any little problem and to make everyone feel at home.
Prepare to enjoy yourselves in friendly, like-minded company and have some fun ! Our tours are noted for their friendliness and everyone, from beginners to regular clients, are always made most welcome.As you can see from our client comments, there is a lot of laughter on our car tours, so come along prepared to enjoy yourselves and to have some fun!
In 2012 we will be offering 14 European motoring holidays.These include: seven classic car tours in France, including an Autumn tour to the beautiful island of Corsica, two car tours to Italy including two to Tuscany and two to the Italian Lakes.We will also be repeating our Spanish Pyrenees Tour as well as our Swiss Summer tour which incorporates the Stelvio Pass and our Alps Summer tour which also incorporates the Stelvio Pass.
Our 2012 motoring holidays in France include, in April/May a driving holiday to Provence visiting, en-route, over a dozen of the most beautiful villages in France combined with a car tour through some of France's most spectacular gorges including the Gorges du Tarn, where we visit the beautiful Millau suspension bridge and the Gorges des Verdon, France's "Grand Canyon" and the largest gorge in Europe
In June we will also be repeating our tour to the beautiful Dordogne region in South-West France where we visit a dozen of France's most beautiful villages,( les plus beaux villages).
Also in June we will be visiting the Le Mans 24 hours race.
In July we return to France on our Le Mans Classic Tour to watch the nostalgic Le Mans Classic races with accommodation in a sumptuous 4* chateau hotel in the Loire valley.
In August we organize our 4th car tour to the Loire Valley, a designated UNESCO world heritage site, where we visit historical chateaux, churches and monasteries, beautiful gardens, fascinating museums and wine caves, staying throughout in a sumptuous 4* chateau hotel..
In September we hold our 11th tour to Angouleme to watch the exciiting and unique Angouleme Circuit des Remparts classic races combined with a tour of the Dordogne region..
Finally, at the end of September, based on the succees of our 2011 tour, we return to the beautiful Mediterranean island of Corsica, on our Autumn Tour with an option to watch, for the first time, the "Rally de Corse Historic" the exciting historic rally involving 200+ cars driving over most of Corsica with several special mountain stages.
ALPS SUMMER/STELVIO PASS TOUR 2012
For the 7th year running we will be running our Alps summer tour a 10 day tour which visits 7 countries: France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Monaco and climbs over 24 mountain passes, many over 2,000 metres high, including the Col de la Bonette, Europe's highest paved road at 2.802 metre or 9,193 ft. and also incorporates a drive over the Stelvio Pass at 2,757 metres or 9,045 ft
On our Spanish Pyrenees Tour in June we drive right across the Spanish Pyrenees from Spain's Atlantic coast, in the North West, to Spain's Mediterranean coast staying mainly in Parador hot
Our Switzerland Summer/Stelvio Pass Tour in July is now a firm favourite and in 2012 we have extended it by a day so that you can enjoy two nights in Bagni di Bormio relaxing in our stylish 5* hotel with impressive spa facilities at the foot of the Stelvio Pass.Based on customer feedback, once in Switzerland, we stay in 3 separate hotels for a minimum of two nights.
In 2012 there are two opportunities to visit the Italian Lakes. Firstly our Mille Miglia tour in May when we spend a night on Lake Orta and Lake Como and 4 nights on Lake Garda as well as visiting Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano.
Secondly, in September, on our Italian F1 Grand Prix tour, we spend two nights on Lake Orta and 4 nights on Lake Como as well as visiting Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano.
In 2012 we are organising three tours that incorporate a drive over the legendary Stelvio Pass: our Alps Summer Tour, our Swiss Summer Tour and our Italian F1GP/Italian Lakes Tour.The Stelvio Pass was declared by Top Gear as part of "Europe's greatest driving road" and is not to be missed !
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Six of our car tours in 2012 are linked to a motor race or classic rally event and they are:
2012 MILLE MIGLIA/ITALIAN LAKES, TOUR May 10th-20th
2012 LE MANS 24 HOURS RACE TOUR, June 14th-18th 2012 LE MANS CLASSIC RACES TOUR, July 4th-9th
2012 ITALIAN F1GRAND PRIX/STELVIO PASS/ITALIAN LAKES TOUR, August 30th-September 10th
2012 ANGOULEME CIRCUIT DES REMPARTS/DORDOGNE TOUR, September 12th-20th 2012 TOUR DE CORSE HISTORIC RALLY CORSICA AUTUMN TOUR September 26th-October 9th
We look forward, to the 2012 Le Mans Classic staying throughout in a stunning 4* chateau hotel in the beautiful Loire Valley.
2012 will be our 5th driving holiday to Italy to watch the atmospheric 2012 Mille Miglia classic car rally/ historic re-run and our tour is combined with a motoring holiday in the Italian lakes. If you have never seen the Mille Miglia take a look at our photo gallery via the link at the top of this page on the menu bar where you will find over 4,000 photos of our previous Mille Miglia tours. "Arriverderci" the 2012 Mille Miglia, we just can't wait !
2012 ITALIAN GRAND PRIX/STELVIO PASS TOUR
In 2012 we will be organizing our third tour to watch the Italian F1 Grand Prix at Monza.On this tour we visit four of the major Italian Lakes including: two nights on the beautiful, but little known, Lake Orta, 4 nights on Lake Como and a night in Bagni di Bormio at the foot of the Stelvio Pass.We actually drive over the Stelvio Pass twice, over two days, in both directions north to south and south to north !
2012 ANGOULEME CIRCUIT DES REMPARTS TOUR
In 2012 we will be organising our 10th car tour to Angouleme to watch the atmospheric "Angouleme Circuit des Remparts" classic car races and it just gets better and better, ( see photos taken at our Angouleme Circuit des Remparts car tour below ).
TO SEE PHOTOS OF OUR TOURS VISIT OUR " PHOTO GALLERY" VIA THE MENU BAR AT THE TOP OR BOTTOM OF ANY PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE (or click on words for direct link)
