The “Unofficial” CMGO Grand Tour of Europe 2017
Or
Nine Countries in ten days – Phew!
Inspired by Tom Eaves grand tour in his 1946 MGTC of over fifty years ago, ( see article on this blog ); I thought it would be a good idea to do something similar in our modern MGTF. Maggie & Tony Young also expressed their keenness to participate – see, I’m not the only one who is mad! Anyhow, after several convivial evenings spent drinking……er, planning, (well beer bottles are great for keeping maps flat), it was decided that we’d all like to see Carcassonne whilst en route. So, that became our first stop over. After that we’d make it up as we went. Well, we had a map of sorts and a pin! The decision was made to go on Thursday 15th June. The idea being the weather would be more favourable at that time of year and a lot less hotter than August – how wrong can you be???
So, early on the morning of the 15th June two MGTF’s left Limalonges on the start of the “Grand Tour”.
Or
Nine Countries in ten days – Phew!
Inspired by Tom Eaves grand tour in his 1946 MGTC of over fifty years ago, ( see article on this blog ); I thought it would be a good idea to do something similar in our modern MGTF. Maggie & Tony Young also expressed their keenness to participate – see, I’m not the only one who is mad! Anyhow, after several convivial evenings spent drinking……er, planning, (well beer bottles are great for keeping maps flat), it was decided that we’d all like to see Carcassonne whilst en route. So, that became our first stop over. After that we’d make it up as we went. Well, we had a map of sorts and a pin! The decision was made to go on Thursday 15th June. The idea being the weather would be more favourable at that time of year and a lot less hotter than August – how wrong can you be???
So, early on the morning of the 15th June two MGTF’s left Limalonges on the start of the “Grand Tour”.
First stop was as planned the medieval fortress “La Cite” at Carcassonne.
We took time out here to visit La Cite and enjoy an excellent lunch. Then we went for a boat trip on the Canal Du Midi. Great views over the city and the fortress. The temperature was beginning to get rather warm at 38C. We continued to drive on across the South of France towards Italy. We decided to avoid going anywhere near St. Tropez or Monaco because of the increased traffic and not wishing to get embroiled in traffic hold-ups. So, resorting to the trusty map and pin, we headed across to Grenoble. A place called Sassenage to be more precise.
Contrary to the views of the mountains with snow on them, it was 40C at this point. Luckily, our hotel had good aircon. After an excellent dinner, we consulted the map and on the following day headed into Italy. Italy is to be remembered for several reasons. The roads were not the best, ( mind you we had more of a shock when we got to Belgium ), and very very expensive! Indeed, whilst traversing across one particular motorway towards Milan, we encountered a toll for a tunnel – a very long one. Now, we had already coughed up about 60 Euros to drive on the road and there was no way of getting off, to be faced with a tunnel toll of 45 Euros was a bit unexpected and the wallet went into palpitations! Nothing for it but to grin and bear it and pay up. The temperature in the tunnel was over 40C and you could tell it was an Italian tunnel because the roof leaked and the walls were being repaired! Inspired with confidence – ( ok so I lie ), we pressed on and eventually emerged into 40C sunshine. After squeezing even more cash out of the ever thinning wallet, we arrived at Como our stop for the night. The accommodation was again excellent with aircon in the rooms. We took a bus ride into the town and after visiting some of the sights went in search for food. It turned out that Tony likes ice cream and being in Italy, well you’ve just got to try pizza and Italian ice cream. It was unanimously agreed that certainly in Como the pizza wasn’t up to even Pizza Hut standards and I think it’s best to gloss over the quality of the ice cream.
Now we had been told that to enter Switzerland or Lichtenstein you had to pay a toll. Since we were still reeling from the cost of driving across Italy and my Scottish/Yorkshire ancestry was baulking at the idea of paying a fee to go and look at Switzerland – a country that seems to hate the motor car – we decided to go around via Austria. However, on the following morning there was a big problem with the alternative route which would have incurred several hours delay. So, ancestry notwithstanding, we headed for the boarder crossing into Switzerland and paid up. For those, like us, who have never experienced the Swiss toll; for 41 Euros you get a little vignette to stick inside your windscreen. This entitles you to drive into Switzerland and Lichtenstein. However, there are no tolls on the roads/motorways in either country and the vignette last for the whole year. So it turned out to be quite good value and a darned sight cheaper than Italy! Even the St. Gotthard Tunnel is included in the price of the vignette, all 17 km of it. Unlike the Italian one.
The roads turned out to be excellent and we drove through Switzerland into Austria and on into Lichtenstein. The scenery is fantastic and as Tom said in his blog, just has to be experienced from an open-topped MG. We arrived in Germany on the hottest day ever recorded, 42C!! The guest house was fine – but no aircon. As our host told us, we don’t ever expect to get these temperatures, certainly not in June. Our first German stopover was at Kisslegg.
Now we had been told that to enter Switzerland or Lichtenstein you had to pay a toll. Since we were still reeling from the cost of driving across Italy and my Scottish/Yorkshire ancestry was baulking at the idea of paying a fee to go and look at Switzerland – a country that seems to hate the motor car – we decided to go around via Austria. However, on the following morning there was a big problem with the alternative route which would have incurred several hours delay. So, ancestry notwithstanding, we headed for the boarder crossing into Switzerland and paid up. For those, like us, who have never experienced the Swiss toll; for 41 Euros you get a little vignette to stick inside your windscreen. This entitles you to drive into Switzerland and Lichtenstein. However, there are no tolls on the roads/motorways in either country and the vignette last for the whole year. So it turned out to be quite good value and a darned sight cheaper than Italy! Even the St. Gotthard Tunnel is included in the price of the vignette, all 17 km of it. Unlike the Italian one.
The roads turned out to be excellent and we drove through Switzerland into Austria and on into Lichtenstein. The scenery is fantastic and as Tom said in his blog, just has to be experienced from an open-topped MG. We arrived in Germany on the hottest day ever recorded, 42C!! The guest house was fine – but no aircon. As our host told us, we don’t ever expect to get these temperatures, certainly not in June. Our first German stopover was at Kisslegg.
Another council of war after the evening meal saw the pin stuck in the map at a place called Gersnbach. We stayed at a hotel just outside the town which was memorable for insufficient parking and small very hot rooms. There was no aircon and it was still 42C! However, the town boasted an ice cream parlour……which was outstanding! Tony’s search for a great ice cream was achieved in fine style. That evening we dined in a very hospitable restaurant that had been built in 1530. Indeed, much of Gernsbach is very old.
On the following day we continued our drive through the Black Forest region.
On the following day we continued our drive through the Black Forest region.
The temperatures continued to be unseasonally hot at 40C as we drove on towards Luxembourg. At this point we received a message from our next hotel to say it was their day off. However, they gave us the code for the front door and left our room keys in our respective bedrooms. When we arrived at Vianden we found that we had the hotel to ourselves. How’s that for service?
The following day we moved on towards Belgium. Belgian roads are well, awful! Worse than Russia. Even the HGV’s were taking avoiding action at some of the potholes. How the wheels stayed on I don’t know. If I get a wheel bearing failure at CT time I wouldn’t be surprised. Our target was the well known Ypres of WW1 renown. Now called Leper in Flemish. However, because it is so popular with visitors the cost of accommodation was prohibitive. Also, as we were to discover the town was hosting the annual Ypres Rally. So we stayed at a little hotel in Halluin 25 minutes away. This proved to be an outstanding hotel. Secure parking, good rooms, excellent food and our hosts Herve & Nathalie couldn’t do enough for us. It also turned out that Herve is a MG enthusiast!!
We took this picture of him sat in one of the TF’s and presented him with one of the CMGO cloth badges as a token of our appreciation.
For those who have never been to Ypres, it is highly recommended. The town was totally devastated during the First World War and the medieval Cloth Hall reduced to ruin. The town and it’s Cloth Hall has been rebuilt and today you wouldn’t know it was a modern reconstruction. There is much to see relating to WW1, Flanders Field Museum, St. Georges Church and the Menin Gate of course which commemorates the 54,896 Allied soldiers who have no known grave. Every evening since July 1928 at 8pm, the entrance through the Gate into the town is closed to traffic and the buglers of the local Fire Brigade play the Last Post as a tribute. This tradition has continued ever since. During WW2 when Belgium was occupied, the ceremony was carried out at Brookwood Military Cemetry in Surrey. However, at the liberation of Ypres by Polish Forces in September 1944, even whilst fighting was taking place around the town, the Last Post was sounded again at the Menin Gate.
For those who have never been to Ypres, it is highly recommended. The town was totally devastated during the First World War and the medieval Cloth Hall reduced to ruin. The town and it’s Cloth Hall has been rebuilt and today you wouldn’t know it was a modern reconstruction. There is much to see relating to WW1, Flanders Field Museum, St. Georges Church and the Menin Gate of course which commemorates the 54,896 Allied soldiers who have no known grave. Every evening since July 1928 at 8pm, the entrance through the Gate into the town is closed to traffic and the buglers of the local Fire Brigade play the Last Post as a tribute. This tradition has continued ever since. During WW2 when Belgium was occupied, the ceremony was carried out at Brookwood Military Cemetry in Surrey. However, at the liberation of Ypres by Polish Forces in September 1944, even whilst fighting was taking place around the town, the Last Post was sounded again at the Menin Gate.
The following day was spent sightseeing in Brugge or, in our case, taking the opportunity to visit relatives in Ostende which was the furthest point reached on our tour. On Saturday 24th June we said goodbye to our hosts Herve & Nathalie and headed towards Rouen.
The façade of the cathedral is most impressive and there is a lot of history and much to see here. Certainly, we couldn’t begin to do it justice in just one day. The church of St. Joan d’Arc has to be experienced and there are many other buildings and sites of interest. We left on the following day to head back towards Limalonges and home.
There are those who look down on the “modern” MGF/TF. Comments like it’s not a real MG are sometimes heard. Well, if you look at the history of MG, most of the so-called real MG’s were cars that were made without the approval or authority of the Senior Management. The exceptions being the MGA and MGB which were approved right from the start. However, the MGF was made from the parts box without approval in true MG manner! OK rant over. To be fair, our little cars which are renowned for overheating, headgasket failure and numerous other foilbles covered around 2,260 miles in some of the hottest temperatures. For the stats:-
11 days trip. Around 44 hours total driving. Total fuel consumed 46.5 gallons, giving an average of 48 mpg at an average speed of 52 mph.
Would we do it again – yes! Except for Italy!! Our appetite was wetted for another visit to several places we didn’t get time to do justice. Also, other places that we passed and would like to go to next time.
Anyone fancy a trip around Europe in their MG?
John Murray
There are those who look down on the “modern” MGF/TF. Comments like it’s not a real MG are sometimes heard. Well, if you look at the history of MG, most of the so-called real MG’s were cars that were made without the approval or authority of the Senior Management. The exceptions being the MGA and MGB which were approved right from the start. However, the MGF was made from the parts box without approval in true MG manner! OK rant over. To be fair, our little cars which are renowned for overheating, headgasket failure and numerous other foilbles covered around 2,260 miles in some of the hottest temperatures. For the stats:-
11 days trip. Around 44 hours total driving. Total fuel consumed 46.5 gallons, giving an average of 48 mpg at an average speed of 52 mph.
Would we do it again – yes! Except for Italy!! Our appetite was wetted for another visit to several places we didn’t get time to do justice. Also, other places that we passed and would like to go to next time.
Anyone fancy a trip around Europe in their MG?
John Murray
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