peterpeter Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 I ve got a holiday booked to Switzerland . I live in England and cant decide whether to take the 996 or family car (Westy is out of the question) (PAssat) on the ferry and drive through France. Going Sea France ferries. Im worried about the ferry trip and any possible damage to the car . HAs anyone done this journey and are the roads in France / Switzerland any good for my 911 How long do you reackon it takes to drive through france to switzerland??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skid Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 I did it on a 996 in about 5 hrs the longest part was filling up with fuel every 45 mins 911 -996 or passat but the Westie is out of the question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S8ight Posted April 19, 2003 Share Posted April 19, 2003 we bought a car and drove it back from Zurich the other week. first time abroad. was a great drive back through Germany then through France to Calais. autobahn and motorways all the way back, only saw police for the first time just outside Calais. sat at about 100-120mph for most of the way. realy easy drive nice and stress free. one thing i will say is that the motorways arent lit and in france the way they sign them is a bit confusing, good job the wife is **** hot at map reading. we didnt see much of Switzerland, just the drive out of Zurich in the car. but watch out for speed cameras, one stretch of dual carriageway is a 30mph limit with three speed camaras all within a mile of each other. oh and one last thing the shops are all shut on a sunday. forgot to say, we where in a lhd car so that did make things a lot easier. until we goto onto the A41 london-aylesbury when i had to get the wife to tell me when it was safe to make a dash to overtake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpeter Posted April 19, 2003 Author Share Posted April 19, 2003 Skid,, How fast were you going??? Does everyone do 100 mph on the motorway??? Is it better to go through france or via germany>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy1700 Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 Can't work out your dilema, you can go on the 996 (assuming its the ducati type and not the Porsche) but you can't take the westy - let the family drive the passat with the trailer behind, put the Westy on the trailer on the way there and take the bike - blast around like a lunatic on BOTH while your there and then put the bike on the trailer and drive the westy back Happy to have solved your problem................ Ps have taken my Westy into France numerous times over the last 12 years and covered many miles without problem - once you get away from the main autoroutes the N roads are often deserted, good quality and well marked for corners. Usually harden up the shocks a bit, they have smoother surfaces and fewer potholes since most of the european cash has been spent on french asphalt. visibility no problem in a westy even RH drive, only problem is that they tend to shut a lot of the fuel stations so keep your tank brimmed and you'll be fine. Ferries are no problem, just watch the studs in loading bays and remember to leave rubber on the cargo bay floor!!!!!!! Above enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 drove in germany a couple of times when i was 17, is a piece of p*** and the autobhans are class! except when you think your goin fast at 120 and a big BMW or ferrari comes flying past you! ferrys were nice and safe, i have travelled from hull and from newcastle over to holland then drove up into germany. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pmaltby Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 Drove through France and Spain the other year at about 120 ish all the way but sometimes felt like i was standing still! Best thing was it only took two days to get from manchester to malaga in the car and through the tunnel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S8ight Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 the only bad thing about your trip will be when you get back into this country and realise how congested our motorways are and most people in this country drive like brainless t###s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilwillis Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 I found some of the motorways in Belgium had very poor surfaces - very badly on the nearside lanes - rutted by the heavy lorries. That was a couple of years back, so things might have improved since. But continental driving - providing you have a good navigator - is a cinch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpeter Posted April 20, 2003 Author Share Posted April 20, 2003 No its a 996 Carrera 2 Wish I had a ducati aswell though. I suppose its a no brainer. But I think ill take the Eurotunnel. Apparently it runs 24 hrs too. If I get there for a 5.00am crossing I reckon I should get to Switzerland before dark. HAve been told I should make my stops on the Autoroutes though to lower my average speed. Any thoughts> What would be the fine if i was caught though? say doing 120 ish.?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 on the autobhans some of the roads are very poor. on some parts they have speed limits but .... only when wet! mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S8ight Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 you could always say you thought the speed limit signs where in MPH 5;00 am train-be there by dark ?? you peddaling or something ? it took us about 8 hours from zurich to calais, we got a bit lost twice, stopped a few times for fuel and a break, eat at services in germany and the food there was lovely cost us about £15 in tolls to cross france, which was well worth it the roads where empty at night and we left Reims about 9;00 on a monday morning heading for calais and the main motorway was dead. where are you going in switzerland by the way ? use the tunnel, it takes 35 minutes. its £150 as opposed to £100 on the ferry. oh and by the way did you see on the news about the ferry crashing on its way into dover the other day ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpeter Posted April 20, 2003 Author Share Posted April 20, 2003 Going to Lauterbrunnen. near interlaken For some reason, the thought of travelling 600 miles or so makes me think its going to take ages. Im so used to travelling around the UK. Took me 10 hours once to get to Preston from Kent. I find it difficult to believe how good the roads are supposed to be in France. How come you went back via Germany?? Is it quicker than going through France??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S8ight Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 was just the most direct route for us, zurich-basel-strasbourg-metz-reims-calais. think two different rout planners gave us this way too and the bloke we got the car from over there said it was about the best way to go back as well. the roads are congestion free even though they are only two lanes. 600 miles over there feels like 300miles over here. if you went for it and only stopped for a quick bit to eat you'll do it in about 6-7 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nozzer Posted April 20, 2003 Share Posted April 20, 2003 Went to France last thursday in the westie, 3 hour drive to dover, 1 hour ferry to calais and 45min drive to the track, no probs, the motorway is fine, i went with a load of porsches and they were blating big style on the motorway, saw no police. The ferry is fine thought i might have probs getting on with the exhuast but ok, well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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