Why There’s No Need for Alpine Anxiety on an EV Road Trip to the Mountains
What goes up must come down. And that’s extremely good news when you’re driving an electric car in the mountains.
Detour #241: Racing through history from Boulogne to Pau, France
This classic route across France is a celebration of gallic guts and glory.
Detour #237: Tied up in knots on the Lacets de Montvernier, France
Claustrophobia and vertigo sufferers turn away now. The climb to Col du Chaussy in the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes is a narrow, steep and nerve-wracking ascent.
8,500 miles across Europe in a new MG Cyberster
It’s not even on sale yet, but two brothers have already driven the all-electric MG across 11 countries.
Detour #211: Chasing ghosts on the Circuit de Charade, France
Antony Ingram traces the long-lost route of one of France’s most notorious Grand Prix tracks.
Detour #202: La Route du Road Tester, Route Napoleon, France
It was once the chosen route of an emperor attempting to recapture his country, but now the Route Napoleon is a firm favourite with car testers.
Detour Pit Stop #99: Hotel Le Garage, Biarritz, France
Spending the night in a disused garage might not sound that appealing, but Hotel Le Garage in Biarritz has other ideas.
Detour Pit Stop #96: Barn Find Museum, Montjalin, France
This quirky French motor museum celebrates the romance of rust with cars unearthed in local barns in varying states of decay.
Reverend Adam Gompertz
Car designer turned man of the cloth Reverend Adam Gompertz finds spirituality behind the wheel, especially when roaring down a French mountain in a classic MG.
Detour #157: Climb hard on the Col d'Izoard, France
Whichever direction you tackle this extraordinary alpine pass you’ll be following in the wheeltracks of legends.
Detour #150: Champagne!
Did you know there are approximately 49 million bubbles in a standard sized bottle of Champagne? Should you wish to sample some straight from the source, then Odiel Mennink knows just where to go.
No more Pit Stops permitted at Reims
Stopping for a photo opp at the glorious old Grand Prix pits at Reims has been banned by the local authorities.
Don’t race the locals
Age and experience does beat youth and exuberance discovered Nik Berg on a motorcycle ride to Barcelona.
Detour Pit Stop #51: Cité de L'Automobile, Mulhouse, France
The world’s biggest collection of Bugattis is not at the brand’s home in Molsheim, but 60 miles south in Mulhouse.
A Lego Detour with photographer Dominic Fraser
Car photographer Dominic Fraser turned a lockdown diversion into an Instagram sensation thanks to his brick and click skills.
Detour #91: Rendezvous in Paris, France
Claude Lelouch’s dawn dash across Paris has become movie and automotive legend. Gavin Conway attempted the devil-may-care drive himself.
Detour #85: An Alpine Adventure, France
The history of French sports car brand Alpine traces a fascinating geographical path taking in race tracks and epic mountain passes to create one hell of a road trip says Dan Trent.
Detour #80: New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a little slice of France that’s closer to Australia than the motherland. Explore this tropical paradise by car and you’ll encounter lush forests, turtle beaches and, er, boulangeries.
Rent a classic car for your next European road trip
Italian automotive atelier The Outlierman could make a Detour to the Cote d’Azur or Lake Como even more unforgettable thanks to its new Rent and Drive platform which give customers access to a host of classic cars.
Five Fabulous French Road Trips
La belle France is rich in racing history and marvellous mountainous topography. Here are five fantastic road trips that every petrolhead should take for a taste of both.