Monaco Road Trip Holiday In The 220 Trophy

[Ricardos]

I had a window of opportunity to take a week off work as it was quiet so I decided to book a hotel down in Cap-D'ail located 2 miles out of Monaco right on the coast. I'd been there for one night 3 years ago as part of a European driving holiday and decided to stay there for 4 nights this time round. I'd use it as a base to not only chill but venture out to Monaco by bus and Nice by train on the coast.

Killing 2 birds I also arranged to stop by at a good friends house on the way down in north east France breaking up the drive between Calais and Monaco. The trip there and back was split in 2, so on the drive back I did the epic Route de Napoleon just after Nice and stopped off in Lyon then about 470 miles to Calais the next day.

Itinerary:

Sunday: 466 miles
Southend-Dover-Calais-Mont les Lamarche

Monday: 506 miles
Mont Les Lamarche-Cap D'ail

Tuesday:
Rest day and birthday, a day on the beach then dinner in the restaurant watching the England match

Wednesday:
Walk to and in and round Monaco then the bus back

Thursday:
Train to Nice, day out sightseeing

Friday: 285 miles
Cap d' Ail-Lyon via Route de Napoleon

Saturday: 589 miles
Lyon-Calais-Dover-Southend


It was about 1870 miles with the Clio averaging 37mpg, faultless. It ate the miles on cruise control and came into its own through the Alps on the Napoleon route with roads double backing on themselves up and down the hills. I love driving, don't get me wrong I could have flown to Nice instead but there's nothing quite like going off toll road and savouring the culture.

Parked outside my friends house

 

[Ricardos]

My friends sprint-hill climb Clio on bodies, ex Prima Racing demo car tucked away under cover in the barn.

 

[Ricardos]

Trip down, the hotel and the view

 

[Ricardos]

Nice... As in the town/city ? and a couple of cars in Monaco, the Ferrari and Merc.

 

[Ricardos]

 

[Ricardos]

 

[Ricardos]

So yeah a random selection of photos of scenery and the Clio en route. I wasn't sure which section to post but thought as it's a road trip, in the Clio I'll put it in the Clio Media thread unless it should go elsewhere.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Tidy ?

Clio looks like it needs a shave with that beard of flies ?

 

[Ricardos]

Tidy ?

Clio looks like it needs a shave with that beard of flies ?

I think I have the entire fly population of France on board ? I wonder if @Sunglasses_Ron would be up for the task

 

[rs 1an]

Looks lovely their Richard and it looks like your having fun in the Trophy ?

 

[Ricardos]

Looks lovely their Richard and it looks like your having fun in the Trophy ?

Thanks Ian, it's an amazing part of France and something I'll probably do again. Loving the Trophy ?

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

I think I have the entire fly population of France on board ? I wonder if @Sunglasses_Ron would be up for the task

Yeah of course mate. I’ll be about Saturday if your around

 

[Ricardos]

Yeah of course mate. I’ll be about Saturday if your around

If I'm not working mate I can pop over.

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

If I'm not working mate I can pop over.

No drama mate. I’m out Friday night but I should have surfaced by about 10am Saturday and I’ll be about all day

 

[Ricardos]

No drama mate. I’m out Friday night but I should have surfaced by about 10am Saturday and I’ll be about all day

Cool beans, I'll keep you posted.

 

[R29TJR]

Looks amazing.

Some great pics also.

 

[Ricardos]

Looks amazing.

Some great pics also.

Thank you, it was an amazing week away

 

[Coops Mk1]

Great pics, and is that mk1 squirrel'd away over there?!!

 

[Ricardos]

Great pics, and is that mk1 squirrel'd away over there?!!

It is indeed! It's Prima Racing's old demo car, they used this to develop their parts. Painted carbon bonnet, caged, on bodies, 220bhp. Used on sprints and hillclimbs, Matt took it with him as well as an Odyssey Blue 172 which is now registered in France.

 

[Ricardos]

 

[Iain C]

Awesome trip. I did a similar one in a 120d m sport a few years ago. The col du Turin is special.

 

[MrBlonde]

Great photos mate and theres something cool about a Hot hatch or sports car covered in flys bugs!,shows its been driven!

Im with you about driving,love a drive and road trip.Hence reason why i go away camping alot around the country.

I think me and the Girlfriend are planing on driving to Czech Republic.Being she is Czech will make things alot easier.

 

[White16valver]

Nice

How did you find the stupid new lowered speed limit and the apparent over-enforcement that is takng place?

 

[Ricardos]

Aah the 80kmh limit, that came into force the first day of the trip. I didn't know until Matt told me, i did wonder why I was seeing conflicting 80 and 90kmh signs. No worries at all, I stuck around the 90 when I was on those roads heading to my mates as it was all non toll on the first day. I split the driving to and from into 2 days and most of it was toll which was 130kmh limit. Route Napoleon was probably 80kmh but with how they are I just opened up in bursts, in the 4 days of driving 1870 miles I didn't come across one Gendarme.

 

[Ricardos]

Great photos mate and theres something cool about a Hot hatch or sports car covered in flys bugs!,shows its been driven!

Im with you about driving,love a drive and road trip.Hence reason why i go away camping alot around the country.

I think me and the Girlfriend are planing on driving to Czech Republic.Being she is Czech will make things alot easier.

It's a better experience driving abroad, in Europe. Over here we're overpopulated with cars so it's rare to enjoy any kind of long distance drive.

Its certainly an experience I can highly recommend, being able to take in such scenery en route, photographing it along the way.

My uncle lives in Sweden so that's another potential road trip maybe next year. Another route I'd like to take is the Amalfi coast, Sorrento down in Italy. Maybe stop in Pompei as its a place I promised someone we'd visit but never had the chance...

 

[Fantom]

Looks like a great trip! Would love to do something similar
Took my CTR to the Nurburgring this year, that's the furthest I've been in a car