Advice for the Alps...

[Ben.]

So, I have been reading reviews, trawling through forums and going through Google Maps for hours.
All of this to organise my Honeymoon.
We will be getting married in June up in Scotland, then driving back South to Portsmouth. Here we catch the ferry over to France.

I won't go through the whole route but I would like to call upon anybody's experience for places to stay in the Alps.
I already have much booked/arranged as we plan to do a fair few miles.

1) I need somewhere to stay South of the Stelvio Pass. I will be driving down the Umbrail Pass, then on to Stelvio.
The plan is to stay overnight and then drive the complete road Northbound.

2) I will be driving the Silvretta Hochalpenstraße in Austria. I'm looking at staying overnight around the town of Galtur. Has anybody been there?

3) Lake Constance, I'm looking at spending a night (or possibly 2) on the East shore. Options are: Bregenz (Austria), Rorschach (Swiss) - or anywhere that could be reccomended.

Finally we have three days penciled in for Champagne. I am yet to read up on this area but am open to suggestions!
I do however plan to pay a visit to Reims race track.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
The Z has new boots, anchors and a boot full of bulbs, triangles and hi viz vests already

 

[Dads203]

Don't forget to buy your Autobahn vignetti ( autobahn tax) when you drive into Austria, they are avalible from the boarder crossing points and most petrol stations in the towns and on the Autobahns. I think I paid 22 euros for 3 months worth so its not a rip off, if you get stopped its a 1000 euro fine. Its only for Autobahn use, so is not required for A and B roads !!
I worked in Klaggenfurt for a year and I got stopped a few times on the autobahn to have it checked by the police and the Austrian version of the DVLA, they set up check points on the autobahns and check every car on the road, sounds bad but the traffic in Austria once your away from the cities is very light. A pleasure to drive on

 

[AlanJ]

The Z has new boots, anchors and a boot full of bulbs, triangles and hi viz vests already

I think you'll find many countries you will pass through have restrictions on importing bulbs - but if you take a few spare lamps for the car that would be OK

 

[Dreamer]

Brave man.

If there is one place me and the missus can start an argument its in the car......And your taking it on honeymoon

 

[Ben.]

Don't forget to buy your Autobahn vignetti ( autobahn tax) when you drive into Austria, they are avalible from the boarder crossing points and most petrol stations in the towns and on the Autobahns. I think I paid 22 euros for 3 months worth so its not a rip off, if you get stopped its a 1000 euro fine. Its only for Autobahn use, so is not required for A and B roads !!
I worked in Klaggenfurt for a year and I got stopped a few times on the autobahn to have it checked by the police and the Austrian version of the DVLA, they set up check points on the autobahns and check every car on the road, sounds bad but the traffic in Austria once your away from the cities is very light. A pleasure to drive on

Cheers, I will look in to this.
It is a risk spending the first 2 weeks of married life in the Z. I have 3 days in Champagne penciled in to ease the tension

 

[glastoveteran]

You'll have a great trip - I did the Stevlvio a couple of years ago.

Not necessarily technically south of the Stelvio Pass but you could stay in Livigno which is nice and has a fair bit going on.

Enjoy

 

[a11y]

I'm jealous, sounds like it'll be cracking trip. Can't offer advice about where to stay as we camped all over Europe, and I guess that ain't happening on a honeymoon with a Z4 (although we did stay on a campsite in the Black Forest next to a couple camping with a 6-series convertible, but anyway...).

The Z has new boots, anchors and a boot full of bulbs, triangles and hi viz vests already

Just ensure your hi-vis vests are kept in the cabin area, not the boot - French law dictates you must be able to reach them and put them on before leaving the cabin.

Switzerland's the same as Austria regarding a pass for the autobahns but easily picked up at usual places. That's if you stray into there.

We found Reims (town) to be a bit boring, wish I'd thought of visiting the old circuit at the time! Remember seeing an article on it in evo magazine and it looked very cool. Mind you, we were sober and I couldn't sample anything as I was driving, so perhaps that was the problem.

Whereabouts in Scotland you getting married? Surely an opportunity for driving some interesting roads when you're up here? If you ask nicely I'm sure we might share some of our best road suggestions with outsiders

 

[Darren M]

Brave man.

If there is one place me and the missus can start an argument its in the car......And your taking it on honeymoon

When you refer to 'it' are you referring to the bride or his car

Joking aside, congratualtions on the wedding. The trips sounds real nice.

 

[Eurohooner]

I would stay in Bormio for the first section. Nice Italian town, better than Livigno IMO. Plenty of ski hotels to stay with car parking and you can walk into the old town with good restaurants and bars. Make sure you try a glass of Braulio if you go. An aquired taste but the local tipple.
Bormio is actually at the front end of the Stelvio Pass (not the bit everyone knows but the other side up to the top) and the top is also the junction with the Umbrail Pass. This side up has some great tunnels and long sweeping sections and is faster and mkre open than the more well Known side.
The Unbrail is a better road although there were a few bits missing tarmac when we went 2 years ago. Stelvio is a must drive but often busy and so tight its quite slow.
The Fluella Pass is the greatest piece of road in that area and runs from Davos to the Umbrail. Top gear bigged it up and its worthy of the title. Fast and flowing. Just right for a Z4.

 

[Eurohooner]

Re. champagne I would base around Epernay as easier to navigate than Reims. 3 days is quite a stay there but worth going down the Moet cellars (all 20+km of them) and driving the Route de la Champagne and visiting some of the smaller houses. Good eateries and if you have the car its easier to stay in a chateau style hotel outside town rather than in as parking overnight can be a problem or cost or chance your arm in a public car park.

 

[Ben.]

Whereabouts in Scotland you getting married? Surely an opportunity for driving some interesting roads when you're up here? If you ask nicely I'm sure we might share some of our best road suggestions with outsiders

We are getting married in Moffat, right on the boarders. Too far really to be hitting the Highlands. Most of my family are going North after the wedding however.
I have been up in to the Highlands and West coast many times now. Applecross is my all time love

 

[Ben.]

I would stay in Bormio for the first section. Nice Italian town, better than Livigno IMO. Plenty of ski hotels to stay with car parking and you can walk into the old town with good restaurants and bars. Make sure you try a glass of Braulio if you go. An aquired taste but the local tipple.
Bormio is actually at the front end of the Stelvio Pass (not the bit everyone knows but the other side up to the top) and the top is also the junction with the Umbrail Pass. This side up has some great tunnels and long sweeping sections and is faster and mkre open than the more well Known side.
The Unbrail is a better road although there were a few bits missing tarmac when we went 2 years ago. Stelvio is a must drive but often busy and so tight its quite slow.
The Fluella Pass is the greatest piece of road in that area and runs from Davos to the Umbrail. Top gear bigged it up and its worthy of the title. Fast and flowing. Just right for a Z4.

Thanks:
Bormio looks good, I will have a look on the nerd for hotels. I assume I may be able to "wing it" and find a hotel once we get there?
I will be driving the Stelvio, Umbrail and the Fluella .
I watched the Top Gear Best Drives again the other day and made sure that I got them all on the list.

 

[Ben.]

Re. champagne I would base around Epernay as easier to navigate than Reims. 3 days is quite a stay there but worth going down the Moet cellars (all 20+km of them) and driving the Route de la Champagne and visiting some of the smaller houses. Good eateries and if you have the car its easier to stay in a chateau style hotel outside town rather than in as parking overnight can be a problem or cost or chance your arm in a public car park.

Thanks for this advice also - I will have a look at the area and research some tours, especially the Moet Cellars.
I may need to ditch the car for a day

 

[a11y]

We are getting married in Moffat, right on the boarders. Too far really to be hitting the Highlands. Most of my family are going North after the wedding however.
I have been up in to the Highlands and West coast many times now. Applecross is my all time love

I love the pass over to Applecross too but not driven it in the Z4 yet - my last time was in a Civic Type R, great fun at 8k revs up the hairpins.

Two great roads head north directly out of Moffat:
- A708 heading north-east out of town, twisty little road, nice waterfall up there somewhere for the romantics lol
- A701 heading north, just superb!

And, how many bottles of champagne can you fit in the boot of a Z4?

 

[Ben.]

I have done Applecross in the Z and in my Cooper S, fantastic in both. I went for a spin North of Moffat - apparently the road was voted best in Britain by EVO one year.
As for the Champers - I'm sure we will find some space!