An early morning channel crossing and a drive through France saw us arrive in the beautiful town of Vonnas for the first evening of our 7 day European driving trip we called ‘Altitude’.  A delicious evening meal washed down with some equally tasty local wine and we were all set for day 2, and the mountains.

The sun was shining, the cars were fired up and soon we were heading to the mountains.  The twisty strips of black tarmac climbed and climbed, and they did not disappoint.  Our group of German cars… BMW, Audi & Porsche (with Jaguars XKR-S added in for some entertainment), were at home on these roads.

The next 2 nights were spent in the stunning Aosta valley – 2 different luxury hotels – split up with a visit to the Nivolet Pass, again all in glorious sunshine.  This drive was one to savour for sure.

Next we headed to Switzerland for a couple of days, dipping in and out of Italy to soak up the beauty of Lake Como before tackling the stunning Swiss mountain roads – they never disappoint.  A group dinner at our hotel high in the Swiss hills overlooking Lake Maggiore with the sun setting, was a special moment.

After the fun in Switzerland it was through the Black Forest of Germany and a short blast on the Autobahn before our final night in Baden Baden.

Fuel was burnt, food eaten, drinks consumed, frowns and smiles were expressed, new friends were made and good times were had.