SWITZERLAND SUMMER / STELVIO PASS TOUR

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THIS TOUR WILL BE REPEATED IN 2011 AND FULL DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THIS SITE IN OCTOBER

Dates:	June 25th-July 4th 2010 10days/9 nights
Cost:	1,755 € per person fixed in euros £1,595 per person ( based on £1= 1.10€)

Description

10-day tour starting with a Friday morning ferry from Dover to Dunkerque and travelling through France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to Switzerland where we spend 5 days exploring this beautiful country.Our final two days takes us over the Grand St Bernard pass to Italy and back in to France and ending in Switzerland on Lake Geneva.En-route we drive over 20 spectacular passes with a combined height above sea level in excess of 44,000 metres including the "daddy of them all", the Stelvio Pass at 2,757 metres with its 60 hairpins,(see photos below).Our stunning route allows us to experience some of Europe's most stunning scenery and, arguably, its best driving roads.

Stevlio Pass open for our Swiss Tour!

 

 

TO SEE OVER 3000 PHOTOS FROM OUR PREVIOUS TOURS VISIT OUR PHOTO GALLERY,(click on link to "photo gallery"at the top of this page)

Itinerary

Our tour starts in Dunkerque following a morning Ferry crossing from Dover.Our scenic route takes us through France,Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to Switzerland where we spend 5 days exploring this beautiful country.Our route takes us to Davos where we drive Top Gears's "best driving road in the world" over the Stelvio pass.In the last two days we drive over the Grand St. Bernard pass to Italy where we stay in Cogne a charming mountain resort before returning to Lake Geneva on our final afternoon.The first two days include some motorway and main road sections to make covering the distance a little easier, but once into Switzerland we have a couple of more restful days on Lake Lucerne and in Montreux on Lac Leman,(Lake Geneva).

Day 1 - Friday 25th June, Dover-Dunkerque-Echternach, Luxembourg

8.00am ferry from Dover to Dunkerque.In order to cross industrial Belgium and reach charming countryside in sleepy Luxembourg upon leaving the ferry we take the motorway south via Lille, Mons, Charleroi and Namur. Just south of Namur we leave the motorway and head south-east into countryside where we stop for lunch in Durbuy a charming village.From here we drive to Clervaux and then south to our hotel for the night just outside Echternach in Luxembourg just 20 miles north of Luxembourg City, (see hotel below).
Total mileage: 260miles (mainly motorway)

Day 2 - Saturday, 26th June,Echternach-Riquewihr, Alsace

We cover the first 50 miles on the motorway to skirt around Luxembourg city to Metz.Leaving the motorway we take a long fast scenic road across country towards Sarrebourg before climbing into the mountains where we stop for lunch at an auberge just over the summit of the Col du Donon.After lunch we continue south west on through the Vosges Mountains into the Alsace region to our hotel in Riquewihr a charming wine village in Alsace and one of France's most beautiful villages.This evening we dine in a local restaurant.
Total mileage 190 miles(First 50 on motorway)

Day 3 - Sunday, 27th June,Riquewihr - Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

We start with a visit to Eigusheim, a neighbouring village and also another of France's most beautiful villages.We then continue south to Mulhouse and the stunning French Automobile Museum incorporating the world famous Schlumpf car collection. For more information on the Schlumpf collection visit http://www.collection-schlumpf.com
The afternoon run takes us across the river Rhine into Germany where, after driving over the summit of the second mountain on our tour,we enjoy lunch on the terrace of a traditional German auberge.After lunch we drive through some beautiful scenery in the Black Forest and via Badsackingen into Switzerland at Aarau.From here we drive alongside a small Swiss lake to Lake Lucerne where on the northern shore our charming hotel for the next two nights is based.
Total mileage 190 miles(First 50 on motrway)

 

Day 4-Monday, 28th June,Tour of Lake Lucerne and local mountain passes

Our first full day in Switzerland starts with a circular route over the Uri Alps traversing several spectacular mountain passes and high Alpine scenery.Our route starts with an anti clockwise drive around the northern shore of Lake Lucerne through the bustling Lucerne our morning coffee stop.In Lucerne we can explore the medieval town and visit the Swiss Transport Museum where exhibits include almost every mode of mechanised transport from the ealiest bicycle to spacecraft..We then head south down past Lake Sarner where we drive over the Brunig Pass then onto Meringen where we drive over the stunning Grimsel Pass,(2165m) to Gletch and then over the Furka Pass,(2431m) to Andermatt where we drive north to Wassen.Here we drive west over the Sustenpass back to Meringen.This amazing route over roads that twist and turn with winding ascents and descents crosses bridges over dramatic valleys and throughout the stunning scenery comprises snow capped mountains, glaciers and mountain lakes.After Meringen we turn back over the Brunig Pass back to Sarnen at the top of Lake Sarner.From here we drive to Alpnachstad where there is an option to enjoy a ride on the world's steepest cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad to the summit of Pilatus Kulm from where there is an amazing panorama of Lake Lucerne.Afterwards we head to Beckenried on the south shore of the lake where we catch a car ferry back to Gersau and our hotel.

Day 5- Tuesday, 29th June, Lake Lucerne to Bormio via the Stelvio Pass

Leaving our hotel we drive clockwise around Lake Lucerne and then head south to Altdorf, the home of William Tell.From here we drive to Andermatt where we turn left and drive over the Oberalppass then continue north east to Chur.From Chur we drive north before heading south east to Klosters where we turn south and drive to Davos our lunch stop.After Davos we drive south east over the Fluel Pass to Susch and then turn right to Zernez.Here we turn left over the Olen Pass/Pass del Fuorn to Sluderno where we turn right to Sponding and then turn right to Gomagoi and Trafoi where we start our drive to the top of the Stelvio Pass, (see 5 photos towards the top of this page). Stopping at the summit to celebrate our achievement we then drive down the Stelvio to Bagni di Bormio where our stunning 5 star hotel awaits us at the foot of the Stelvio Pass next to Bormio.

Day 6- Wednesday, 30th June,Bormio- Lake Sarner via the Stelvio Pass

Leaving Bormio we drive up the Stelvio Pass from south to north over the top to Gomagoi our coffee stop.From here we drive back to Zernez and then head south west to St Moritz our lunch stop.We then head north to Chur where we turn south west to Andermatt where we turn north to Wassen where we drive over the Susten Pass once again to Meringen.Here we turn north and drive over the Brunig Pass to Lake Sarner where our hotel awaits us on the western shore at Wilen.

Day 7 - Thursday, 1st July, Interlaken -Montreux, Lake Geneva, Switzerland

We leave Lake Sarner and head south over the Brunig Pass to Brienz on the northern shore of Lake Brienzer and on to Interlaken our coffee stop.Before leaving Interlaken there is an option to take the funicular to the summit of Heimwehfluh at 660 metres.Leaving Interlaken we continue along the northern shore of Lake Thuner to Thun which gives the lake its name.From here we head south west to Gstaad, the start of the real mountains and our lunch stop.After lunch we tackle the first of our serious passes, the Col du Pillon and Glacier 3000, (where you can take a cable car to the top of the mountain).At Les Diaberlets we turn left onto the Col de la Croix another stunning ascent.There is then a steady descent through Villars to Aigle and then along the shores of beautiful Lac Leman, (Lake Geneva), and our hotel for the next two nights on the lakeside in Montreux,( see view from our hotel below)
Total mileage: 110 miles.

Day 8-Friday, 2nd July,Montreux-Gruyere-Montreux,Switzerland

A reasonably relaxed day, with a coffee stop in nearby Vevey on the lake shore of Lake Geneva before we head into the mountains to our lunch stop Gruyere where we can visit the pretty village famous for its cheese, ( see photos below).In the afternoon we visit a traditional cheese maker in Moleson, a nearby mountain village before returning to Montreux where we can enjoy a stroll around this charming ,stylish town..

 

 

Day 9 Saturday, 3rd July ,Montreux-Cogne, Italy

 

The run south takes us to our coffee stop the fascinating classic car museum in Martigny which shares the venue with a regular art exhibition.After coffee we drive up the Grand St Bernard Pass where we stop for lunch at the summit of the Col de St Bernard, ( see photo at the very top of this page with a Mercedes at the summit).Our descent takes us into Italy where we drive through the town of Aosta and then climb through a narrow gorge to spend the night at a charming hotel in the picturesque mountain skiing and walking resort of Cogne in the national park Grand Paraidiso, (see photo below left).
Total mileage: 105 miles.

 

Day 10- Sunday, 4th July,Cogne- Lake Geneva, Switzerland

Our route takes us from Cogne back down the gorge towards Aosta and then north west to Courmayeur our morning coffee stop.From here we take the Mont Blanc tunnel to Chamonix Mont- Blanc where we drive back into Switzerland and over the Col de Forclaz to Martigny.From here we drive to Monthey and then across a scenic mountain road to Lac Leman,(Lake Geneva) where we drive through Evian les Bains famous for Evian bottled water and Thonon les Bains to Yvoire our afternoon coffee stop and one of France's most beautiful villages regarded as the "pearl of Lac Leman" (see photos below). Here we can walk through the medieval streets of this charming lakeside medieval village.The tour officially ends in Yvoire and participants make their own way home from here.

THE MOUNTAIN PASSES WE DRIVE OVER ON THIS TOUR ( in chronological order)

Just a little extra information for those with a head for heights! In chronological order based on the route.Remember, the summits of Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell, the three highest mountains in Scotland, Wales and England respectively are just over 3,000 feet.or 914 metres above sea level but this is not the road level unlike the following where we actually drive over these passes.Their combined heights above sea level is over 43,000 metres or 142,000 feet !

DAY 2, SATURDAY

Col du Donon 1,009m

Col de Ste Marie 772m

DAY 3, SUNDAY

Waldparkplaz Kreuzweg 1,079m

DAY 4, MONDAY

Brunig Pass 1,002m

Grimsel Pass 2,165m

Furka Pass 2,431m

Susten Pass 2,259m

Brunig Pass 1,002m

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 5, TUESDAY

Oberal Pass 2.044 m

Fluela Pass 2,383m

Ofen Pass/Pass del Fuorn 2,149m

Stelvio Pass 2,757m north to south

DAY 6, WEDNESDAY

Stelvio Pass 2,757m south to north

Ofen Pass 2,149m east to west

Julier Pass 2,284m

Oberal Pass 2,064m

Susten Pass 2,259m

Brunig Pass (south to north) 1,002m

 

 

DAY 7, THURSDAY

Brunig Pass, ( north to south) 1,002m

Col du Pillon 1,546m

Col de la Croix 1,752m

DAY 8, FRIDAY

Jaun Pass 1,509m

Col des Mosses 1,645m

DAY 9, SATURDAY

Col du Grand St Bernard Pass 2,469m

DAY 10, SUNDAY

Col des Montets 1,461m

Col de la Forclaz 1,526m

 

 

 

 

 

 

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