I have been doing a few trips to the south of France / Italy over the last couple of years in 911's. Last year I had a PDK coupe and went to the Monaco GP, and 6 weeks ago I took my Cabriolet (also a PDK) to Rome. It was a great trip but on the way, we made the decision to change from a 911 to a GT car as we are not getting any younger and the additional comfort for 95% of the trip would outweigh the loss of performance that the 911 would give in the Alps, and so I brought my DB9 Volante when we got back.

Route Napoleon in my old Coupe (2017).


On Friday my wife and I will be heading off in the Aston followed by our daughter and her boyfriend in my 2.7 Boxster to the Italian GP in Monza (Milan). We are planning to leave early on Friday and get to Annecy for our first night then head out over the Col de Bonnet and along Route Napoleon to Cannes where we are staying for a week (day trips to Monaco and St.Tropez, then we are staying at Lake Como and commuting to Milan until the GP is over then we head north via the Fuka Pass, the Susten Pass and Route des Cretes and on to Paris for the last couple of days.

Original Ferrari Facrory entrance in my Cabriolet (July 2018).


The Aston had a 111 point check and a fresh service when I collected it a couple of weeks ago, so it should be in good shape. Apart from checking the oil each morning, is there anything else I should be checking or worry about?

This years weapon of choice ;-)

 

Checking oil weekly should suffice. Doesn't burn as much oil as 911. Please take some pictures of your trip; sounds epic!

 

Sounds like a great trip. Hats and some sunscreen are probably already on your list.

 

Beautiful AM! Enjoy safely!

 

 

Beautiful car, enjoy the trip

 

My daughter (driving my wife's Porsche 987 Boxster) managed just under 300 miles before the engine blew-up (Porsche Rheims wanted 28,000 euro for a replacement - being done in the UK for less than £5K at PorscheTorque).

The Aston, on the other hand, was superb.

Zero oil pressure (it was all over the road) and the engine noise best described and a bucket of spanners in a tumble dryer, marked the end for my wife’s Boxster.

Its dead.





The RAC came to the rescue and gave my daughter and her boyfriend a lovely little Renault Capture for the trip - not the same as a Boxster but still......

We drove through France, into Switzerland and made out first stop in Annecy.

Switzerland.





The next day we drove south, over the Col Du Bonet - the highest road in Europe at 10,000 feet. if you like twisty hairpins with massive drops and no guard rails, then this is the road for you. We then went cross country and drove Route Napoleon for the last part of the day.

Col Du Bonet.





We then stayed in Nice visiting St Tropez and Monaco a couple of times. Driving around the F1 circuit and having dinner in the Cafe de Paris was a real highlight, although I preferred the food at the Stars 'n Bars which no trip to Monaco would be complete without a visit.

Outside the Stars ’n Bars in Monaco.





After a few days it was time to move on to our next stop, and off we went into Milan (to watch qualifying) then on to our hotel next to Lake Como.

Street Parking in Como.





On race day we were the only things blue in a sea of red. The crowd when mad every time Vettel passed, and hurled abuse at Hamilton. They gave us some stick us when Danny Ric's engine broke but (to our delight) went silent when Hamilton took the lead.

Blue is the colour….





The next day we drove the Tremola (the oldest road in Switzerland), then the Furka Pass and finally the Susten

The cobbled mountain road called the Tremola.





The top of the Furka Pass.





Our Hotel View.





After that it was a lot of motorway munching (boring), a nights stay in Paris (been there done that) before the final euro tunnel trip home.



All in all, it the Aston averaged 25.2mpg which I thought was amazing - apart from the day I spent hooning around the Alps. I Didn’t check it but it was probably single figures 😜

The DB9 is made for trips like this and I would highly recommend it. It's not that expensive on fuel and if you're too worried about adding miles to the car and its residue value, then you shouldn’t have brought one in the first place. Cars are meant to be driven.

We normally do a couple of these every year and I can’t wait for the next one.

 

Great post, thank you!! Enjoyed the photos, brings back really great memories!! So sorry about the Porsche....

 

Ugh. . Sorry to hear about your 987 Boxster. I had one before I bought my Vantage... had the dreaded IMS failure but Porsche put brand new engine in asy 20k miles under warranty... new one did not miss a beat in over 45k more miles...

sounds like great trip.

 

Wow as a DB9 Volante
owner I really envy your trip. What a way to use the car...Congrats and great post..

 

Wow, your trips sound incredible! It's always exciting to explore new places with a fantastic car. Switching to a GT car like the DB9 Volante for added comfort sounds wise, especially considering the long trips. The Alps can be breathtaking, and having a comfortable ride can enhance the overall experience. If you ever need assistance with planning your routes or checking schedules, you can find some helpful resources like the DB Fahrplan website. Happy travels, and enjoy the journey ahead!

 

What a fantastic drive….thanks for taking us along….enjoy..it’s a beauty..

 

Thanks for your photos and descriptions of your 2018 trip! Inspiring for those of us who dream about a trip like that. Unfortunately, being "across the pond", the planning and paperwork to get my car over there for a similar trip is rather daunting. Thanks again for your post.

 

Incredible trip you had and wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing!