Monaco GP in the Z4M - back (:

[Andy]

Hi folks,
Hot on the heels of seeing Fernando win in Barcelona last weekend I've managed to get some ok-ish priced Monaco grandstand tickets so me and a matey are taking the Zed.

Had a few lil war wounds after 68k and 6+ glorious years (a little too evident to those at the meet above, cheers for the pic ranksi) so she's booked in at the moment getting a fair bit of paintwork done, new bumper etc, 4 new tyres just ordered & the AP brakes re-bled as they still aren't quite 100%.. and we're hopefully off on Wednesday night

Assuming 2000m of fuel or thereabouts I'm thinking we'll do the A-roads at night for a good proportion of France with cruise on to keep the range up - 2 up with cases but I reckon 30mpg is achievable for reasonable stretches.

Which brings me to.. routes around the Alps & where we *must* go if we're in that part of the world. There's lots of South of France posts dotted about & I'm trying to pinpoint a few cool sounding tunnels to rattle through but I guess I'm after the experiences of the good folks on here - whether it be a mountain pass we can't miss or a great hotel along the way we should consider... at the moment we're in the throw up tent so it's a weekend of research 8)

Can't wait to have her back mint again, it's been a while :wub:


FWIW, I have this at the moment & it's good fun:

 

[-Tom-]

That trip is going to be amazing, take plenty of pics of her out there!

Four of us are heading to spa in august, debating whether to take the zed then a SLK, Boxster s or TiTty (sorry TT) OR hire a boring car and all go as one. :grin:

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[Andy]

I'm organising a Stag do for Spa (probably in a little bus), so we'll probs see you. Hopefully we're alll a bit classy for the Tshirts but you never know.

Passenger matey is sorting out the in-car photography, I'm just getting the car ready

Roads?

 

[PerryGunn]

You'll probably find that trying to drive into Monaco for the GP weekend is nigh-on impossible - you might be advised to stay along the cost around Nice and get the train into Monaco

 

[Mafoo]

Where were your seats in Barcelona??? Just got back today.

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[BigT]

Well Monaco is nicely placed to drive some amazing roads without going too far out of your way. Trouble with the Alps is that some of the passes may still be closed. You'll need to keep an eye or here:

http://www.alpineroads.com/passstatus.php

If everything were open I would drive down through Germany and the Black Forest, skirt round Switzerland to the East into Italy, up the Stelvio and then East to West across Switzerland, covering half a dozen alpine passes that you can read about here:

http://www.ultimatedrives.net/top-10-roads/index.php

Then drop down to Monaco for the GP.

On the way back check out the Col du Turini which doesn't have tunnels but does have large expanses of rock faces that do the same thing. Then eventually head home through France along the Route Napoleon out of Nice towards Grenoble - probably my favourite road in Europe as it has everything from fast sweeping sections in the valleys to switchbacks up in the mountains.

 

[MalcMac]

We rent a house just outside Nice every summer and the traffic from Nice into Monaco is a nightmare during the summer months of July/August. It doesn't matter whether you use one of the Corniche routes or use the motorway; it's nose-to-tail getting into the town.
I can only imagine it being worse when the F1 circus is in town.

We always use the train when visiting Monaco or Menton - but we get on the train at Cagnes a bit further west, because it can be really busy at the station in Nice. As for parking - I wish you the best of luck.

I would love to see the Monaco GP.

 

[vanilla]

That's awesome, Monaco will be brilliant and I'm very jealous. Really wish I was going to a race this year...tempted by spa...

Looking forward to seeing your photos!

 

[mxwal96]

I booked a hotel in Saint Raphael and then realised the GP was on so have booked train tickets for me and my wife to visit Monaco on the Sunday, return price was only £52 and were booked on line, currently trying to buy some cheap as possible General Admission tickets, plan on driving down the Route de Napoleon as I did it last year in a camper and it is a fantastic road, can't wait.

 

[Andy]

Where were your seats in Barcelona??? Just got back today.

We were general admission & sat most of the time on the uphil right hander complex.. everyone said we should have got a grandstand but from people we spoke to after the race, I think I'd do it the same next time Did you have a good time? Must have if you're only just back We took a week too but beforehand & came back the day after the race. Barca is one of my fave cities, love it..

You'll probably find that trying to drive into Monaco for the GP weekend is nigh-on impossible - you might be advised to stay along the cost around Nice and get the train into Monaco

Yes thats the plan - might take the Zed into Monaco on the Friday at 5am to drive the circuit, but otherwise it's trains in.

Well Monaco is nicely placed to drive some amazing roads without going too far out of your way. Trouble with the Alps is that some of the passes may still be closed. You'll need to keep an eye or here:

Awesome & exactly what I was after - cheers.. unfortunately the pass status bit of that link doesn't work but it's a good starting point

We rent a house just outside Nice every summer and the traffic from Nice into Monaco is a nightmare during the summer months of July/August. It doesn't matter whether you use one of the Corniche routes or use the motorway; it's nose-to-tail getting into the town.I can only imagine it being worse when the F1 circus is in town.
We always use the train when visiting Monaco or Menton - but we get on the train at Cagnes a bit further west, because it can be really busy at the station in Nice. As for parking - I wish you the best of luck.
I would love to see the Monaco GP.

Good stuff.. never intended to Park in Monaco but your Cagnes idea might be a good one, trains were a bit of a nightmare in Barca only due to the number of people..

I booked a hotel in Saint Raphael and then realised the GP was on so have booked train tickets for me and my wife to visit Monaco on the Sunday, return price was only £52 and were booked on line, currently trying to buy some cheap as possible General Admission tickets, plan on driving down the Route de Napoleon as I did it last year in a camper and it is a fantastic road, can't wait.

Good stuff.. you can get Rocher (Rock) tickets for less than 100€ but you need to be there soo early to get a spot.. we got our grandstand tickets off ebay - set yourself up a Saved Search and I bet you get something good value by Weds/Thurs.

Awesome stuff, thanks for all the replies.. soo excited to get my freshly painted car back tomorrow with new tyres & brakes 8)

 

[Andy]

I booked a hotel in Saint Raphael and then realised the GP was on so have booked train tickets for me and my wife to visit Monaco on the Sunday, return price was only £52 and were booked on line, currently trying to buy some cheap as possible General Admission tickets, plan on driving down the Route de Napoleon as I did it last year in a camper and it is a fantastic road, can't wait.

Oh & Welcome to the forum !

 

[original guvnor]

I went to the Historic Grand Prix in Monaco last year (it is run every two years a fortnight before the F1 race). The Historic Grand Prix obviously doesn't attract quite as large a crowd as the F1 race, but all the grandstands were sold out and it was very busy, so I don't think the F1 race will be that much more hectic.

Don't be put off getting a train from Nice station. Yes it is busy on race day, but it's only about 15 minutes journey time to Monaco, so if you end up standing the whole way it's hardly a problem. We used it and so did all the marshalls for the race as well. Nice is also a lovely city to visit, we had a great apartment 2 minutes from the main retail district and Promenade des Anglais and there is a lot of good restaurants and night life too.

 

[Andy]

The train back from Circuit de Catalunya was fun - our carriage had a load of Spanish singing "Ferrnnannnndooooo" and whilst the Kimi Finns had a go at replying, it was left to a group of drunken English lads (who else) to return the singing..

It started with "Jensennnnn" .. which everybody realised was a bit weak atm.. then went to "Damon Hill".. then "Jimmy Hill" then "Jimmy Greaves" then "Jimmy Saville"

Probably had to be there, lol.

But thanks - think we'll try that on the Saturday & see how it goes

 

[Andy]

Don't suppose anyone has a good / cheap hotel recomendation in Nice? Best we've found so far it £160pn as a twin & the location is probably too good.. happy to rough it a little more if anyone knows anywhere. Guessing all full now but we'll try anyway

 

[mxwal96]

Got a couple of general admission tickets for £88 from e bay just hope we can see something still I'm looking forward to the drive down as much as the GP.

 

[paddy wright]

Be sure to post pics once she's clean again Andy-

 

[mxwal96]

Writing this on the trip back from Saint Raphael which included a visit to the Monaco Grand Prix, all I can say is take my advise and buy Grandstand tickets as our general admission / Rocher tickets were not worth the paper they were printed on unless you are prepared to be there at 6.00am and secure a place that you might if your lucky see a whole car from a distance, alternatively you could take your climbing gear and risk life and limb by scrabbling up the wall, we did enjoy the atmosphere and watching all the people pretending to be a celebrity but if we went again it would only be with Grandstand seats, forgetting the GP, waking up to snow in Gap and the drive down the Route de Napoleon was something else as was the drive from Saint Raphael to Nice along the coast road. Have done 460 miles today with another 350 tomorrow to get back to Cherbourg, the Z has done 1,200 miles since we left home with an average mpg of 36.5, what a fantastic car, can't wait to drive it tomorrow, time for a couple of beers.

 

[Andy]

Hey matey.. great to hear you're loving the trip & you're right the Zed is a greaaat car... sorry to hear Rocher was no good Enjoy the rest of your trip though, we raced home yesterday

Our total was 2,400 ish & managed 24.7mpg.. Not got around to going through the proper pics yet, but here's a couple of teasers:

& I had what I think was the best drive of my life.. 100kms through Italian tunnels racing to the coast at an average speed of 200+kph ... with these guys:

Once I've been through the pics (and about 50gb of GoPro windscreen mounted HD) I'll put some more up ...

I <3 my Z4M. 8)

 

[original guvnor]

It's fantastic down there isn't it? Look forward to seeing the rest of the pics/video

 

[inkey$]

Hey matey.. great to hear you're loving the trip & you're right the Zed is a greaaat car... sorry to hear Rocher was no good Enjoy the rest of your trip though, we raced home yesterday

Our total was 2,400 ish & managed 24.7mpg.. Not got around to going through the proper pics yet, but here's a couple of teasers:

& I had what I think was the best drive of my life.. 100kms through Italian tunnels racing to the coast at an average speed of 200+kph ... with these guys:

Once I've been through the pics (and about 50gb of GoPro windscreen mounted HD) I'll put some more up ...

I <3 my Z4M. 8)

Andy, this is going to be a good thread to watch