Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

If you do decide to stay over night in Troyes , avoid Hotel de Troyes . It’s one of the worst places I have stayed .

If you want the true french vibe try this place https://www.le-val-moret.com/

It’s 2 mins off the motorway south of Troyes.

You can get a room in the outside area by the pool and park outside your door .Restaurant is very french with locally grown food . Last time we stayed there I ordered the rustic sausages , which were basically pig intestines

The new 4 series looks so silly. They’ve made the grills ridiculous. Quite liked the 80s ones that were a bit toothy.

Not really. We usually stayed at the Ibis, which was fine, but we needed rooms for about 50 people and parking for 30 cars plus a 7.5 ton truck, which rules out any boutique hotels or anything central.

If you want the true french vibe try this place https://www.le-val-moret.com/

We stayed there years ago. The food (and wine) were great!

I doubt @Dammit drives at 56mph for maximum fuel economy. I'd say about 220 miles between stops so could easily need a third stop.

I was intending on setting the cruise control to 130kph, and I've got a tag that means I can roll through the tolls on the autoroute at (I believe) 30kph, so hopefully mainly steady state cruising with periodic slow downs and no "10 second pass" departure from the toll booth.

Under normal mixed conditions driving I get around 200 miles to a tank, would hope to get more than that - but how much more is the question. I'm planning on taking the roof rack off for the journey, and the bikes will be inside the car.

White pudding then?

Anyone heavy traveling with you?

https://www.traveller.com.au/where-to-eat-andouillette-frances-stinky-urinesmelling-sausage-12u2fc

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/articles/The-offal-truth-about-French-cuisine/

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't cruise control bad for fuel economy runs?

Leaving from SW London in 340i with roofbox and family , I fill up twice and arrive with just under half a tank I reckon.

Cruise control at decent but not crazy speed and peage tag .

Will an 18(?) year old smart car, make it all the way from Paris to Turin without blowing up, being terrifying or never being able to stand straight again or will I bake?

It has had a rebuilt engine less than a 500 miles ago, is has a 'modded' engine so makes 65bhp instead of 45bhp....It does have the barbus wider wheels and suspension.

^^There's just the two of us, so in a C Class estate I'm hoping I can get one trail bike, one road bike and one breakaway road bike in the back with the seats down, along with clothes for a couple of weeks (I'm taking three helmets for my own use, which feels ridiculous, but there you go).

Hôtel Le Val Moret booked for the trip down, thanks chaps.

Saturday:

Sunday:

Proper andouillette are lovely. Bad andouillette are inedible.

Right - on the way back we're coming from Bourg Saint Maurice (where we're spending the second week), stay in the same place on the way back?

Looks a familiar route.... we were due to go back this summer but have put it off . Be interesting to see how the winter season goes which is what we normally go for.

Regardless the locals will be glad to see tourists. I know the guys at Satellite Coffee and Cuisine 22 will welcome any purchases . Also Nico at The Woods if you need any bike stuff.

Why not ? Should be c.6 hour drive from BSM I reckon with a fuel and food stop .

isn't cruise control bad for fuel economy runs?

In a set-and-forget sense, yes, but you can use the +/- adjust to rein it in uphill or take advantage of descents. My main complaint about cruise is the lack of adjustment of how hard it accelerates when you hit restore.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't cruise control bad for fuel economy runs?

It's quite good in terms of making you plan on how to maintain that speed - lots of anticipation required in not having to touch the brakes or the accelerator once in 400km.

If you're using the throttle yourself it's very easy to put the foot down to get round things - and on/off throttle openings are the enemy of economy, constant (small) throttle openings are the way forward.

Be interesting to see how the winter season goes which is what we normally go for.

I might spend January out there, given that Brexit looks like it's going to remove the ability of our super-markets to re-stock.

Hypermiling doesn't use cruise control.

Beaune or most of the Cote D'Or for that matter is lovely. Would recommend perhaps for the way back.

I think I may have just confirmed "tempête apocalyptique août".