Any thoughts on driving holidays?

Advert reported

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I meant go spring or summer.

I think it would be a fabulous holiday.We are in our seventies and my goodness do this type of thing regularly (prior to Covid).Glass half full not half empty attitude required.Plan ahead don’t go mid summer spring or autumn.Take the initiative get a map your iPad and enjoy the planning as much as the trip.Lucky you to have a hubby who wants to do this rather than sit in the corner

A couple of alarm bells. First he wants to go to the South of France then tour around. I think it’s possible to underestimate how vast France is. Maybe he wants to get to the south before he starts driving in a leisurely manner. Speaking with friends about our awful drive to the south of France (one overnight stay on the way) most agreed that it was too far, not enough rest - and their OHs had done exactly the same! We hadn’t planned an overnight stay going back - OH ‘just wanted to get home’ but I absolutely refused to do the return journey in one go. I agree about the aches and pains of sitting in a car for hours and I was your age when we went. Secondly you say you won’t be allowed to drive- if you’re not driving will he agree to shorter distances and longer breaks? If not, frankly it’s not safe and I wouldn’t go. So definitely have those practice runs in the UK! Final suggestion is pre-warn him that you might fly back, so if you can’t face the journey back he won’t be offended. And he might enjoy the freedom of a dash back to northern France and up to Yorkshire by himself.

I’m surprised how many of you do drive to Europe and enjoy it! Made me think perhaps I’m the unreasonable one refusing to even consider it.

A few years ago my husband and I drove across australia from coast to coast which is nearly 6000 miles there and back, which took us almost a month of travelling.I am not a really enthusiastic car trip person but it was one of his dreams. I coped by, taking my kindle to read, having alot of music to play and writing a travel diary. He helped by finding places that he knew would interest me for us to visit. Its just a matter of compromise and finding pleasure in the quaint little things you come across on the way.
Make sure you plan ahead, occupy yourself, suggest places you might stop. Start with a “you know what, this might just be fun” attitude

I'd go for it. We drove to Europe from NE Scotland many times. With a car, you get to visit places that you normally might not see. We both drove, which helped. The older we get, the smaller our window for ' going places ' becomes. I wish we had done more while DH was able.

I have toured around the U.K. for many years, mostly with a caravan hitched up on the back, and loved it! DH used to drive a lot for work purposes, so when he had time off, it was normally me who did the Driving. I was also the most experienced at towing, as l had been doing it for over 10 years when l first met him. We often lived quite a nomadic lifestyle, when we had had enough for the day, we would just find a lay-by or small farm site to settle down for the night, it really was our little home from home.

My partner had an MG and we drove from the West Country up to the Lake District stopping with friends in Birmingham and Manchester over a week. Then we booked a gite in France and drove down taking a day and stopping off en route. He thoroughly enjoyed driving and I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and chatting on the way. We also enjoyed the food and wine! We saw some beautiful places and I’d love to do it again. Sadly he passed away but a wonderful memory .....

In 1960 we drove around Holland. At each town we went to the tourist office and chose mainly family B and Bs to stay each night and got info on places of interest. We learned a lot about the culture of that country and everyone was very helpful and friendly.

We are in our mid seventies and this is still our favourite sort of holiday. We make a rule to stay three nights in each location, so we have chance to explore. We like holidays where we get to chat to the locals, not other tourists. We have had several holidays driving in USA, Greece, Croatia, Sicily and Sardinia. We used to just book our own trips., but now, because of our ages we tend to use companies like Inn Travel or Trailfinders to do the booking, we both dread the thought that once we hit our eighties, this sort of a holiday may not be open to us as car hire becomes more difficult after a certain age. Cant bear the thought of staying in one place for a fortnight !!!!

DH & I have been married for over 35 years, with rarely a cross word in all that time. But we nearly had a divorce when (30 years ago!) we took our car across to France for a holiday.... Never. never, again, will we drive anywhere, in the "wrong-side" sort of car. I start to break out in a cold sweat, just remembering it!

I enjoy planning our road trips. We travel from Yorkshire, stopping somewhere for a nice lunch en route, then overnight in Southampton, catching a ferry to France or Spain the next day. We tend to only book our first stop and then follow interesting routes staying as little or as long as we feel in each place. If it becomes too hot, cold or wet we head to an area where the weather suits us better. Have a look at the AA Best road trip books. They take you through diverse, wonderful areas with ideas of where to stop etc. Maybe compromise on a shorter trip the first time. Do you like wine? Have a look at Saumur, Loire region, for wine tasting and then head to La Rochelle or Royan.

It sounds fabulous to me! Two years ago my sister, her ex husband and I went to Australia and hired a car and drove up the coast from Perth to Broome. It was a lot of driving but if the weather is good and you can stop here and there I don't see the problem. Don't put a damper on his dream trip.

We have done two of these driving holidays. The first one we flew to Madrid, drove to Portugal then turned north and drove in a scenic route back to Madrid. Took 3 weeks stopping in some wonderful spanish towns, away from the touriist full of history. The secod time we drove completely around Corsica. Again staying in B & B. Fantastic. We wouild love to do more of these. Be your own master and follow the sun or your nose.

Urmstongran

I just think we all regret more about what we didn’t do than what we did. Life’s for living! Enjoy the adventure and remember the journey can be as interesting as the destination.
?
Oh you’ll have to let us all know next year how it went! Open up a thread so you can come back and tell us about it and we can ask you questions!

? thanks. I will. It’s been a really interesting thread with mixed reviews but great ideas. ?

Sounds like hell to me! But then we are all different, thank goodness
Good ideas mentioned like try an English trips first, Scotland and maybe even Ireland to check out ferry travel and undiscovered territory.
Sorry but France and the French were never my favourite place for a holiday. I did drive to Portugal once but it was a real chore and I longed to settle somewhere and not be exhausted from travelling all day every day
I turn down 'driving holidays' now. Don't even like getting a hire car when away. Not relaxing, stressful driving on the right even as a passenger so I am a bag of nerves before, during and after the whole trip
BUT having said that, for you, why not? Go and have some fun in his toy car, it may be the only way you both find out if he loves the idea or hates it. That way it won't be 'your fault' that you never did go and hopefully it will be a lovely surprise

We have had several 'tours' in Europe and to be honest they do get very tiring even when I insisted on staying at least 2 or 3 nights at each stopover. Living out of suitcases even in nice hotels in beautiful places is still a drag. I hate the motorways especially the speeds on Germany roads so I insist (again!) on only using them when we really have to. We still drive and the scenery is beautiful and sat navs has taken a lot of the stress of reading maps, but with plenty of planning and no trips longer than 10 - 14 days is fine to see one area or country.

Following a nasty car crash nearly three years ago, we finally bought a huge bright red volvo to replace the old faithful volvo estate which undoubtedly saved our lives and which had been totally smashed in the process. DH is getting very twitchy and restless that we have an 18 month old car on the drive going nowhere. He has decided that he fancies doing the driving route through the Outer Hebrides next year, probably in June or July. Or driving through Northern Europe to Holland and Denmark to visit friends.. I am looking forward to these trips, but only because we are in a large comfortable car. What is the longest length of time you have sat in the car? Could your hips, knees, back, cope with long hours with not much space to move? I find that even in a big car after sitting for more than a few hours, I get out feeling like someone much older and infirm than I actually am. If that isn't a problem for you, I would say buy the hat or a scarf (Audrey Hepburn style), slap on the factor 50 and go for it.

I just think we all regret more about what we didn’t do than what we did. Life’s for living! Enjoy the adventure and remember the journey can be as interesting as the destination.
?
Oh you’ll have to let us all know next year how it went! Open up a thread so you can come back and tell us about it and we can ask you questions!

Once it’s safe to travel I’d encourage you to go. We’ve done similar trips around France and Italy and had an amazing time. The French roads are so empty, driving is a pleasure. Go for it, you’re only young once!

A motoring holiday in a sports car is definitely a man thing isn’t it? !
You’ve made it clear that it’s not your dream so you are the one who needs to think carefully about what it would entail and whether your instinct tells you that you would enjoy it.

For a start, do you actually like long car journeys? That is the first and probably most important question.
They can be extremely tiring even if you are not driving.

I would also worry about the practicalities of a prolonged holiday in a small car.

When we go to Devon or Cornwall for a couple of weeks in our fairly large car it’s surprising how full the car is, so you would have to be ruthless about only taking the absolute essentials.

Anyway it could be a fabulous adventure and as you have a year or two to plan, you have got plenty of time to decide whether to go for it or not !

We had a great time driving through France - didn’t book anything in advance and if we liked a place we stayed longer. Loire, Lot and Tarn valleys on way down and after Med headed back via Le Puy, Vichy, Paris. Go for it - you’re a long time in that box as my friend says!

If you can afford it ( and maybe he should treat you?) Tilley and Rohan have great clothes and underwear for travelling light. I especially recommend the insect repellant scarf from Rohan - it looks glamorous, is light enough for a warm day, but adds some warmth in the evening