Have you ever thought about taking your Porsche abroad but never pulled the trigger? The UK’s roads have seen better days and driving restrictions are getting ever tighter, but there is a lot to enjoy on the Continent instead. To ensure you get the most out of your adventure, I’m hoping this article will serve as a helpful source of inspiration. Don’t forget that the best European road trip is the one you actually do, so get planning and enjoy every kilometre!
With my father turning 60 over the summer and a shared, long-lasting passion for fast cars and driving great roads, we couldn’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate than a road trip together around Europe. Over the years, we’ve enjoyed several unforgettable European road trips, including following the Mille Miglia and visiting many of the German/Italian car manufacturers. For driving excitement and scenic vistas, this journey promised to be our most ambitious yet.
Before embarking on any European adventure, it’s worth considering your motivations for the trip. Does barrelling across multiple countries, hopping from one hotel to another and taking in as much variety as possible appeal? If that intensity feels too much like being on a conveyor belt, find a good base and immerse yourself in one or two regions. Consider if you’re going to plan it day-by-day or just make it up as you go along. It all comes down to personal preference and there’s no wrong answer. For those short on time to plan, it’s worth asking around within your local PCGB Region – there will always be someone willing to share their previous itinerary. Maybe they’re even planning a group Euro trip that you can join.
After many late-night planning sessions, ‘EuroTour 2024’ was sorted. Three weeks, seven countries, three-and-a-half thousand miles and one simple mission: drive some of the best-known and less well-known roads in Europe. We figured starting down in the Pyrenees and heading to Austria via all the countries in between would probably deliver the goods. The aim was to mix some of the classics, such as the Route Napoléon, the Stelvio Pass and the Grossglockner Pass, with some less famous but equally satisfying ribbons of tarmac. Backroads were religiously selected in preference to motorways, except for the de-restricted autobahn blast back to the UK from western Austria. I cannot emphasise how empty the backroads are in comparison to the UK, so I encourage you to avoid motorways where possible.
The car for our adventure was my 2010 987.2 Cayman. It’s my daily driver and has clocked up more than 12,000 miles every year during my ownership. Fittingly, the odometer rolled past the 100,000-mile mark just as we drove onto the ferry ramp in Plymouth. As many readers will know, Porsches wear high mileage well provided the common age/mileage maintenance is completed. The team at Porsche Centre Exeter led by Dealer Principal Kevin (particularly Nathan and Matt, to call out just a couple of names) ensure mine’s up to standard. After a calm 22-hour overnight crossing, we docked at Santander and set off towards the Pyrenees. That’s where the ferry delivers; it takes roughly 1,000 miles of driving off the journey while you sit back and enjoy some Chablis in the live piano lounge.
The Pyrenees is truly a must-visit area for anyone who loves driving. There are many incredibly scenic passes, including the Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin, Col d’Aubisque, Col du Tourmalet and the Col de Peyresourde, and they are generally quieter than those in the Alps. For faster, more flowing turns, you can’t go far wrong with the majority of Spanish ‘NA’, ‘N’ or ‘A’ and French ‘D’ roads in this mountainous region. The Cayman’s mid-engined balance made light work of high-speed bends, offering superb mid-corner adjustability and responsiveness. While in the Pyrenees, the Canfranc Estación, an iconic building built in 1928, is a must-stay hotel. After several days based in the Pyrenees, we picked up the legendary N260, heading east towards the stunning coastal town of Cadaqués on the Costa Brava.
Leaving Spain, we headed through southern France towards the Alps. While in the area, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to ascend Mont Ventoux and take in the exceptional vistas over Provence at its summit. Heading further east and linking up with the Route Napoléon, we arrived in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region. There’s enough variety to easily spend a full week here, whether summiting the Col de la Bonette (the highest road in the Alps) or blasting through all 17 tunnels on the D2202 (a.k.a. ‘Red Rock Road’) with the Cayman’s flat six soundtrack echoing off the gorge’s rock face. Near the D2202, we even ended up on a staged road rally, giving chase to an early ’70s Alfa Romeo GTV Coupé. The most unforgettable moments are often those spontaneous happenings that come from simply being in the right place at the right time.
Driving further north towards Chamonix, it was great to drop in on my friend Neil Furber, who owns a 981 Spyder. Neil is formerly of Porsche Experience Centre Silverstone and now runs ‘The Road to Mastery’, offering high-performance driver training on both road and track. It was great to spend the day with Neil getting hands-on in the Porsche and I’d thoroughly recommend his instruction.
We headed north into Switzerland and joined the National Route 28 from Davos to Stelvio, made famous by Top Gear’s 2007 lightweight supercar trio special. Every aspect came together that summer’s evening and we enjoyed mile after mile of deserted perfection. It’s no surprise that this ended up being our favourite drive of the whole three weeks. When visiting the Stelvio Pass, make sure you stay at Hotel Bellavista; General Manager Stephan is hugely knowledgeable about the Stelvio Pass, is great company and even owns several classic Porsches himself.
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With a few days spent enjoying the Trafoi Valley, we pressed on through the beautiful Italian Dolomites towards western Austria with our sights set firmly on the Grossglockner Pass. This awe-inspiring toll road needs no introduction and was the final driving destination of our adventure before the blast back to Blighty. Therefore, it needed to be good and, fortunately for us, it was. Every twist and turn you could ever imagine existing on your dream road is draped over the Hohe Tauern National Park. And so, with our mission accomplished, we dialled the Eurotunnel into the satnav and headed back to the UK via Spa-Francorchamps – naturally.
How did the Cayman perform? Well, I think you know my answer. Whatever we tasked the Porsche with over those 3,500 miles, it never once complained. It’s a testament to quality engineering and thorough maintenance. I’ve even created a website that helps people find well-maintained used cars and it’s launching in early 2025, so go to themintcar.com to find out more and see how it can help you.
If you’re thinking about a future European road trip, I hope this has given you the motivation to go for it and to do it with those you enjoy the company of most; don’t regret not having chased the dream together. The sense of freedom that these road trips gives you can only be experienced first-hand. Much of life is about shared experiences and, for this father-and-son petrolhead duo, EuroTour 2024 will be hard to beat!
This feature was written by James Crocker and first appeared in the January 2025 issue of our monthly Club magazine, Porsche Post. to receive your copy, as well as enjoying a host of exclusive member benefits and savings.