Next year’s Tour De Europe is going to be a special one, so it’s worth going through the daily schedule. The Tour starts in Paris and takes eighteen days to find its way to Cannes on the Riviera – never the most direct way. The Tour starts with a pre departure show and welcome dinner at one of Paris’ finest establishments – Moulin Rouge. On Day 1 the Tour will depart Paris and head eastward into champagne country and a lunch stop at Rheims, home to such champagne houses as Taitinger. The afternoon will take the Tour through the famous Ardenne forest (the main German invasion route into France in the Battle of the Bulge in WWII) to Luxembourg where the Tour will rest for a layday. Some people may take the time off the visit their money and see how it’s faring. From Luxembourg on Day 3 the Tour has a few places to stop. The first is the Nurburgring which, like Bathurst, is a public road when it’s not used for racing or testing. A quick €20 at the gate will get you a lap of the 20km NordSchlieffe (north loop). If you prefer something more sedate there’s a tour bus or for something faster there’s BMW’s ‘Ring taxi’ – an M5 driven by an accredited racing driver (pre-registration required). After the excitement it’s a relaxing time driving through the Rhineland among the wineries growing Moselle and Riesling to the overnight stay at a genuine German castle and a second layday. Just outside Frankfurt, the Schlosshotel Kronberg was originally built for the Crown Prince and his wife (a daughter of England’s Queen Victoria) around the 1850’s and is now a 5 star hotel with an adjoining golf course.
Leaving Kronberg on Day 5 the Tour takes to one of Germany’s well known attraction – the Romantic Road. The road ends at Neuschwanstein, location of Prince Ludwig’s castle, inspiration of Walt Disney’s replica. Along the road however, are scores of castles just as magnificent, and the medieval towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Dinkelstuhl. These towns are virtually untouched since the middle ages. A day off for the Tour in Neuschwanstein gives us the time to explore Prince Ludwig’s fantasy castle. History has it that aggrieved citizens lynched him for spending all their tax money on the castle. Only later it was found out that he had used his own money. Day 7 takes the Tour into Switzerland and some magnificent scenery on the Klausennstrasse pass as well as William Tell’s home in Linthal to the overnight stop in Montreux. The tour will spend 3 nights here, taking in the Montreux Jazz Festival. This is the main highlight of the Tour. 2016 is the 50th anniversary of the festival with a larger selection of music and headliners such as Van Morrison and Santana usually gracing the stages. During the day, Montreux has a lot to offer as well, such as the Rochers de-Naye rack railway and boat rides on Lake Geneva. After Montreux, Days 10, 11 and 12 will explore the countryside and gorges of the Massif Centrale in central France. There is some brilliantly scenic driving as well as the crossing of the Milau Viaduct, the world’s tallest bridge. The end of Day 12 finds the Tour in Barcelona and staying on La Rambla, the tourist centre of Barca. The next day is a layday with a chance to see the tourist highlights while chilling out with a flamenco night.
Day 14 and the Tour returns to France through the Pyrenees ending up in Avignon, home to the middle ages Popes. Along the way the Tour will check out the Pont Du Gard, a massive aqueduct built by the Romans to supply water to Avignon. A layday allows people to have a look around Avignon or take a short ride out to ChateauNeuf du Pape, the world famous winery. The tour says goodbye to Avignon on Day 16 and drives eastward through lavender fields and the scenic Gorges du Verdon to finish the driving at Cannes. The layday in Cannes is on the most auspicious day in the French calendar: Bastille Day! You can expect a party atmosphere and heaps of fireworks. Cannes also hosts the International Musical Fireworks Festival during July each year. Hopefully the Tour visit coincides with one of the displays.
If we’ve piqued your interest, check out the website at www.tourdeeurope.com.au. For Melbourne customers, we’re happy to visit your home or business to talk to you about Tour de Europe. For other customers, the phone still works well. Remember there are limited places.