Epic drives

Epic Drives

There’s nothing quite like a spontaneous weekend dash to the countryside – but with winter upon us, how about planning a dash for the Continent, come spring? There are spectacular driver’s roads aplenty, if you know where to look – and they’re not all the Stelvio Pass. Words by Alex Doak.

ATLANTIC ROAD + GEIRANGER-TROLLSTIGEN, NORWAY

It’s a long old haul to get there – about 30 hours not including rest stops – and the tarmac in question is a mere 12-minute blast, but boy oh boy is Norway’s Atlantic Road worth it. So much so, we’d even recommend flying to Ålesund or Kristiansand via Oslo and making do with a rental car – any lack of serious grunt is more than made up for by the spectacular scenery.

What’s more, another five hours south (what’s five hours when you’ve come this far?) is the Geiranger- Trollstigen mountain pass – a switchback-ridden road that could be described as the Norwegian Transfăgărășan Highway. The two stretches thrillingly combine mountains, fjords, ocean and serpentine roads. Throw in some incongruously contemporary architecture along the way (see sidebar) and you have one of Europe’s most otherworldly driving experiences.

The Atlantic Road itself – or “Atlanterhavsveien” – winds its way through islands and scarries over the open ocean, forming a dramatic link between land, sea and sky by connecting the island community of Averøy with mainland Eide. Few places bring you closer to the ocean and let you feel part of it, curving sinuously from islet to islet over its seven bridges, across moorland to bare crags. When the weather’s feeling inclement, waves crash and spray consumes a particularly precarious-looking bridge, curving away from the tiny island of Grisen. The sweep up and over is pure, stomach-churning excitement.

At the end of the breakwater at Aksvågen you can feast your eyes on the view when the weather is good, and when storms roll in you can feel your body buffeted by the power of nature. Or come summer, simply rent one of the new cabins at Atlanterhavsveien Sjøstuer and wait for the Northern Lights to appear.

The “Geiranger-Trollstigen” tourist route, meanwhile, is a drive that offers innumerable highlights, and the eleven hairpin bends of Trollstigen as well as the view from Ørnesvingen down to the Geirangerfjord will set your pulse racing. Lush valleys, sheltered strawberry-growing areas, precipitous mountains and vantage points are all guaranteed to make you dizzy – if not from the heights, then from the sheer variety and scale of Norway’s landscape.

WHICH CAR?

ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN

It’s a looong way to the Atlantic Coast of Norway (some 30- odd hours, not including rest stops, via the Lowlands then the Hirtshals ferry from Denmark to Larvik) but if you’re feeling suitably epic, then this road trip calls for unadulterated comfort and capacity. An SUV that combines all-terrain expertise with the ultimate in luxuriously appointments – in other words, the graceful beast that is Rolls-Royce’s first-ever all-wheeler, powered by a 6.7-litre V12 and with ‘magic carpet ride’ experience still intact. If you’re in any doubt, we refer you to the British marque’s recent partnership with National Geographic, conquering 12,000 miles of the world’s toughest terrain. rolls-roycemotorcars-edinburgh.co.uk

COL DE TURNI, FRANCE

In stark contrast to the raw, coastal elements of Norway’s Atlantic Road, we have Col de Turini – pretty much your quintessential, sweeping South of France glamour cruise. Or, with a little less ooh-la-la and a touch more sacre bleu, one of Europe’s lesserknown destinations for putting pedal to metal.

Begin your journey in St Tropez (where else?) waking up in the lush, landscaped gardens of the Muse Hotel. Hop into the driver’s seat and you’ll curve along the the Cote d’Azur coastal road, through Sainte-Maxime, before taking a turn off the D559 and up the D8 road where you begin the scenic climb to Fréjus. Do stop at Restaurant L’Orlando in the port to indulge in a traditional Marseille bouillabaisse; a stew of fresh shellfish and saffron, mopped up with crusty baguette.

If you have time for a detour, swing by the futuristic architectural marvel “Palais Bulles”, created by iconic French designer Pierre Cardin. Otherwise, the coast road continues along towards buzzy, star-studded Cannes. To experience the city like a native, cruise past the designer shops on the seafront then head a minute or two into the town for time-honoured home-style dishes at La Brouette de Grande Mère.

Nestled between Cannes and Nice sits the town of Antibes on the eastern neck of La Garoupe. (If you’re feeling road weary, head for some R&R at the iconic Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.) From the city limits, a sharp left turn towards the St-Laurent-du-Var then introduces the highlight of the route. Located in the Alps with an elevation of more than 1,000m, the Col de Turini mountain pass is one of the most distinguished roads in the world. Its winding stripe of tarmac demands all your attention and all the power of our recommended ride – the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera. The road may seem like it leads nowhere but the thought of a destination is insignificant with some of the most breathtaking views in the country.

WHICH CAR?

ASTON MARTIN DBS SUPERLEGGERA

This classic continental blast demands a classic grand-touring coupé, and this V12 monster will do the job better than most – pure comfort and practicality combined with torrents of power a mere toe-curl away (like, 0–62mph in 3.6s kind of power). It’s the flagship of Aston Martin’s newly refreshed range – a pumped-up version of the core DB11, whose wild success has underpinned the Warwickshire marque’s return to profitability at the hands of CEO-on-the-move Andy Palmer. A true, 715bhp, twin-turbo, 5.2-litre British muscle car, whose sinuous lines will still grace the waterfronts of the French Riviera with appropriate poise. astonmartinedinburgh.co.uk