Places of Interest in Europe

                                       

   PLACES OF INTEREST - FRANCE, GERMANY, CZECH REPUBLIC       Mike Fishwick

                       These are some of the interesting places which I have seen in three main centres of European tourism - it depends upon your tastes, of course, whether You also find then of interest! They do, however, cover a wide range of subjects, from churches to motor museums, war graves to mountain passes, and castles to concentration camps - I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did!

For greater details on each country, I suggest that you buy a copy of the appropriate Baedeker's Guide - these are the standard by which all guide books are judged - they were even used by the Wermacht during the take-over of Austria!

The Michelin Green Guides for France and Germany are also to be recommended, and provide details of many other interesting sights, scenic roads, and tourist areas. Similar information on the old DDR area is still difficult to find, unless you have access to a copy of the old German Democratic Republic Travel Guide, copies of which may still be available from the German Tourist Board.

The best maps of Europe currently available in the UK are the Michelin series - use the 900 series (Red covers) for basic route planning, with the larger scale (Yellow for France or Orange for Germany and the Benelux area) sheets for detailed use.   Good maps of the Czech Republic can be hard to find in the UK, but are readily available in Germany (The Germans seem to regard it as a Holiday Area!) but the Michelin 987 is useful for all but the minor roads. 

Always check the publication date of all Michelin maps before purchase - look at the top LH corner of the map. Reject anything more than two years old, and replace your old maps regularly.

Remember that in most ex-Eastern bloc countries you must cancel your tram or bus ticket yourself, by punching it when on board - failure to do so is very serious!

Remember also that our European cousins like to preserve the sanctity of the long lunchtime - most castles etc. are closed between noon and 2pm. Go native, and enjoy your lunch!  Also remember that many museums, tourist sites, and even hotel restaurants are closed on Mondays

FRANCE:

Getting There: The usual routes to France are Dover - Calais, and Portsmouth - Le Havre/Cherbourg. Should you wish to cross the channel from Dover during the afternoon and stay the night in France

Eating in France: French cuisine is justifiably famous, and over the last twenty years has improved remarkably, due to the influence of the "Nouvelle Cuisine" movement.  For the British palette, however, it can still fall well short of what you will find in Germany, and in any given area can be very repetitive - in the Dordogne, for example, pieces of dead duck and fois gras tend to dominate.  For a good introduction to all that is best in French kitchens get a copy of French Leave (By Richard Binns - published by Chiltern House at about £7) which also has the best menu translator I have ever seen! 

A good source of lunches at sensible prices is simply to pick any village restaurant with a few white vans parked outside – ask for the Plat du Jour, and you will receive up to four courses,  with wine and often coffee, for about 12 Euro.  Large supermarkets are also to be reccommended.

 Places of Interest:

 North –Pas de Calais

 Blockhaus d'Eperleques - In the Foret d'Eperleques, N of St-Omer; signed from the N43 between Calais and St-Omer, about 2 mile S of Nordausques. It is marked on the Michelin maps as an "Autre Curiositie" and is open to the public.

 This massive structure was built during 1943-44, for the firing of V2 missiles; the original was at the pouring-of-concrete stage when it was bombed by the USAAF, with the result that the shuttering gave way, and millions of tons of concrete spilled out! The resulting massive spludge of concrete can still be seen. Not discouraged, the Germans then dug out a large pit, and filled it with reinforced concrete 20 feet deep. This was to be the roof of the final building, which was completed without too much of a problem by the expedient of jacking up the roof and building the walls beneath it! At the end of all this, it was still useless, as it was dependent upon the associated railway line (To deliver the missiles from the factory in the Harz mountains of central Germany) which was easily destroyed; the building was finally used for liquid oxygen production. It remains the largest building of its type in the world, and is well worth seeing. The RAF dropped 6 ton "Tallboy" bombs on it, claiming total destruction, but only succeeded in  damaging the railway yard at the back of the buiding, and chipping a corner off the massive roof!  (1 to 2 hr tour)

A later, and equally useless building was constructed in a quarry at Wizernes, SW of St.Omer. The domed roof can still be seen. (The V2 was developed under sponsorship from the Wermacht, who saw it as a modern piece of artillery; it was therefore considered that it deserved an impressive bunker from which to fire it; the fact that it was designed as a mobile, self-contained weapon escaped the attention of the upper echelons! It was actually erected by its transporter, and fired from an 8 foot square steel platform.)  Now open as ‘La Coupole,’ it is an excellent museum showing how the war affected life in the Pas-de-Calais area, and the development of rockets from WW2 to the Moon Landing of Apollo XI.  It is well worth a couple of hours, and is signed off A26 J4. (2-3 hr tour )

The V3, a little-known but potentially successful and cheap weapon, can still be seen near Landrethun, above Maquise, off the D231 between Ardres and Maquise - it consisted of several batteries of 150 mm smooth-bore guns, and was virtually complete when the war ended, but for a few pieces trapped by the destruction of the railway system. We can now explore the empty upper levels.  (1 hour tour; open April-Nov 1400-1800 and Jul-Aug 1000-1900 (1 hr tour)

Siracourt - built to fire V1 cruise missiles, this is a large and low bunker, now in the centre of a small village.  Naturally, it was bombed, and never used, but after WW2 it was filled with sand.  Visitors are free to wander around and over the massive concrete structure, but only the brave or foolish will enter, as  the sand is still liable to shift.  Signs around it expressly state that vistors enter at their own risk.  Siracourt is SE of Montreiul, and W of Hesdin.

 Blockhaus Todt – this is a massive gun emplacement, situated off the road between Wizernes and Wissant.  Exit from the A16 at sortie 7 towards the coast on the D191.  At the D940 turn left, towards Wimeraux, and turn right following the sign.  The Blockhaus is well signposted.  This was one of four 380 mm radar-controlled guns, which effectively commanded the strait of Dover, and was named for its architect Mike Todt, who was responsible (amongst other things) for the Atlantic Wall.  The gun is long since gone, but it is an interesting visit, with many impressive exhibits including a massive railway gun. 

The nearby town of Ambleteuse has a good museum devoted to the town’s experiences during WW2.  Cap Gris Nez is also worth visiting, its collection of concrete blockhouses being a vivid reminder of its visits by Hitler and Goering to view their ‘next’ conquest.

 North East -

 Grotto de Naours: -On the D60, W of the N25 about 12 miles N of Amiens, is an underground village, dug by those who were persecuted during the middle ages for their religious beliefs. It is quite interesting, and was also used by Rommel during WW2. The British army were the last residents, using it as an ammunition dump after the war.

 Thiepval: Travelling eastwards from Amiens towards Cambrai on the D929, pass through Albert (The cathedral is worth a quick visit - it was rebuilt in the 1930s art deco style; legend had it that the golden statue on the spire, which was leaning horizontally from 1916, would not fall until the end of the war ... on the last day it fell!) and turn L at Pozieres onto the D73. Follow the signs for Thiepval, where a great series of arches (visible from the D929) commemorate the 600,000 British dead at the Battle of the Somme

 Notre Dame de Lorette: Off the D937 N of Arras - signed from the A26. This is the French military cemetery for Artois and Picardie, with lots of graves, an ornate basilica, and a very imaginative Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.

 Vimy Ridge: Signed from the N17 to the N of the A26 north of Arras, this is the Canadian monument to their (90%) losses at the Battle of the Somme. The monument is pretty good, and the trenches have been preserved - you can stand in the Canadian trenches, and talk to someone in the German trench across a shell hole, through which they would periodically advance to kill each other! There is even a tunnel complex which can be visited, and live munitions in the surrounding forest, which periodically blow up a few sheep!

 Centre East -

 Laon IBIS and associated IBIS Budget hotel - good value, behind the Hotel IBIS – From the A26 follow the sings for Soissons, and exit the N44 at the three-lane section just before the Carrefour hypermarket.  Those who are fit will enjoy the climb to the mound upon which the old city is built to visit the magnificent cathedral, which is far better than the empty stone barn at Reims, and wander around the pleasant shopping centre.  (Parking is available behind the catherdral)

 Reims Formula One Circuit – Not used since 1966, this was the fastest GP circuit in Europe, the final event being won by Jack Brabham at record speed, also marking the first event won by a driver who was also the constructor.  The triangular circuit is wholly made up of public roads, and is situated in the north-west suburbs of Reims.  If travelling south on the A26 from Laon, follow the autoroute to Reims, taking the direction of Verdun and Metz.  The A26 joins the autoroute through the city after a tight RH bend, immediately after which is an exit slip – take this, and at the roundabout follow the road under the autoroute, and through an industrial estate.  Go straight on at the next roundabout, and take the fourth exit at the next one.  This road will take you down a long straight to the pit and grandstand area, which are in a good state of repair.  You will see the overhead scoreboard, which is shortly to be renovated, and which rotated to show the current situation to everyone, and the central fuel tank.  The area remains much as it was, and it used for an annual memorial to those who raced here. 

 Fort de la Pompelle, south of the Reims on the dual carriageway section of the N44. This once-crennelated Foreign Legion-like fort now looks like a heap of rubble, but contains a great collection of WW1 memorabilia, from uniforms to swords to snuff boxes and coal-scuttle helmets. It is well signed from the N44 in either direction. If you are travelling S towards Reims on the autoroute, take the sign for "Chalons par RN" as the autoroute passes through the city - turn L at the end of the sliproad, over the autoroute, and then R. A good break from the autoroute.

 Verdun: Avoid the city like the plague! The battlefield area is around the D913 to the north-east, and is clearly signed from the Reims-Metz autoroute, off the exit for Etain. See the massive Ossuaire (Memorial) with stomach-turning bioscope pictures taken during the battle, the museum, and the underground Fort Douamont.

 Accommodation in the Verdun area is very sparse, particularly to the south of the autoroute, but there are at least two good hotels at:

 Ste-Menehould - Hotel du Cheval Rouge, off town square. Very nice - if you like pig! The town is given over to veneration of pigs in all forms! Louis XVI was recognised here as he attempted to flee to Germany after the revolution, after he was almost captured at Clermont-en-Argonne.

 Clermont-en-Argonne - Hotel Bellvue is the only hotel in town, and has excellent rooms ... the restaurant can be either very good or terrible, depending on the ability of the staff! Rather expensive, and only for those with a robust sense of humour. Does not speak English, as is the case with most small French hotels.

(Louis XVI was eventually captured at the next village to the north, Varennes-en-Argonne, as he would not allow his guards to harm any opposing Frenchmen ... he was only about a mile from help!) There is a vast American military cemetery nearby.

 Fort de Fermont: A well preserved major fortress of the ineffective Maginot Line. Entry is via the old ammunition lift, followed by an underground train ride to explore the gun emplacements, kitchens, accommodation, power station etc. A two hour visit. South of the Chiers valley between Longuyon and Longwy, the fort is off the D17a, 4 miles NE of Longuyon, and is also clearly signed from the N18 on the northern side of the valley.  (Open during afternoons from 1300.)

 Mulhouse: Just over the Rhine from Germany, this city offers plenty for the museum minded tourist - the famous Schlumpf Collection of Bugattis has long since been rationalised, and is now known as the Musee Nationale de l'Automobile, or now the Cite de l'Automobile. The collection now includes all makes ever manufactured in France, even down to the ABC flat-twin motorcycle, which some claim to have been the inspiration for the first BMW! Just up the road is the Musee Nationale des Sapeurs-Pompiers (Fire Service) and the adjoining Musee Nationale des Chemins de Fer or Cite du Train (Railway Museum) not to mention the Electrotechnology museum, and those of the defunct Ceramic & Pottery and  Weaving industries. If travelling on the A36 autoroute, exit at "Mulhouse Ouest" which will put you in the centre of these collections.

 Central:

 Paris: the capital city by which all others are judged! A good day tour starts at Invalides, with the tomb of Napoleon and the Musee de l'Armee, followed by a walk to the Eiffel Tower, then across the Seine to the Place de l'Etoile and the Arc de Triomphe, followed by a walk along the northern river bank to the Tuileries and the Louvre. Cross the bridge to the Ile de la Cite with the Sainte Chapelle and Notre Dame. If open, climb the spiral stairs to the top of the north tower - the view is magnificent. End the day with a ride along the Seine on a boat. If time permits see the Conservatoire Nationale des Arts et Metiers - the French Science Museum - at 292 Rue saint-Martin.

Vaux-le-Vicomte - Situated outside the town of Melun, SE of Paris,  this was the forerunner of Versailles, and was built in 3 years for Nicholas Fouquet, Controller of Finance during Louis XIV's Regency. When Louis become King, Fouquet entertained him at a two-week feast, and it became obvious that he had paid for the chateau by ripping off the Crown! He was arrested on the King's personal arrest warrant, by a musketeer named d'Artagnan (Really!) and never seen again - it is rumoured that he was the Prisoner in the Mask. Louis used all the key people, such as the Chef, Architect, Interior Painter, and Gardener to build Versailles. The chateau was used in the James Bond film "Moonraker".

 Versailles: This remains the palace by which all others are judged - allow a full day if you wish to see the inside and the gardens. Take a picnic lunch and plenty of water.  Remember to explore the full depth of the gardens to the Trianons and le Hameau, and make a point of deviating across the gardens to see the Orangerie, and also the hidden statues to the east of the place - each one is a work of art. The fountains are operated on the first and third Sundays of each month from May to September. Should you wish to see the inside, do NOT wait patiently for an English Language tour - they are not too frequent - but buy a Guide Book, and join a French group.

 Pierrefonds - North of Paris, to the SE of Compiegne, this massive castle was built for Napoleon III; he could not, however, resist the temptation (Like most French rulers!) to take on the Germans over the Franche-Compte area; he was captured at Sedan, and forced to abdicate before he ever lived in the castle. Well worth a visit, but closes at lunch time. Turn off the N31 between Compiegne and Soissons to the D335. Parking in the village square.  In recent years it has been used as the setting for the TV series 'Merlin.'

 Loire Valley: The Loire, with its tributaries Cher and Vienne, provides a background for some of the finest chateaux - and the worst! Avoid those in towns, such as Ambois and Blois, and see: 

 Chambord - the largest chateau on the Loire, designed by Leonardo da Vinci, with 365 chimneys and a double-helix spiral staircase. No furniture, but a very good restaurant providing estate-grown food. S of the Loire, between Orleans and Blois off the D33.

 Chenonceaux is a charming white palace built across the river Cher - a kind of fortified bridge - 25 miles to the SE of Tours on the D40. Access from the N bank of the river.

 Azay-le Rideau is probably the best of the Loire chateaux, being small but perfect, built at the edge of a man made pool. Off the D751 fifteen miles SW of Tours on the River Indre.

 Chinon is a ruined mediaeval castle, steeped in history - Henry the Fifth, Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc - they all played their part in the legend of Chinon. Perhaps the saddest was the story of the Knights Templar - the elders of this incredibly rich order, after refusing a command by the bankrupt King to hand over their wealth, were imprisoned here, and died without revealing the hiding place of the gold - legend has it that they left a clue to the hiding place, but no one has yet found it! Chinon is on the river Vienne, 27 miles SE of Tours. Approach the town on the D749 and park on the river bank below the castle.

 Oradour-sur-Glane: 20m NE of Limoges - this village was destroyed, and all its inhabitants killed, by the 2^nd SS Panzer Division just after D-Day, when they were urgently needed in Normandy. No one knows why, but the best bet is that as the Resistance had ambushed a small convoy the previous day, and unwittingly captured someone's post-war pension fund, they wanted it returned! The village is preserved as a monument, exactly as it was left by the Germans, down to the Mayor's Peugeot in the middle of the road.

 Liseaux: The Basilica de Ste.Therese is well worth a visit - this massive Taj Mahal-type creation in situated on the west side of town, and is built on a truly grand scale. The interior (Seating for 4500 people) is decorated in art deco style, with enough gold and mosaic to last a lifetime!  Enter from the D267 road from Vers, into the large parking area.

 South Central -

 Grotto Demoiselles: An unusual cavern, entered via a funicular railway from the base of a cliff above the river Herault, with several smaller caves. The centre piece is a unique rock formation which is claimed to resemble the Madonna and Child. Off the D986, 3 miles S of Ganges - 30 miles N of Montpelier, and 40 miles W of Nimes. Well worth a visit.

 Gouffre de Padirac: Two successive lift journeys take you to down a vast hole in the ground (200 feet wide and about 400 feet deep) at the bottom of which is a long cave system punctuated by a boat ride. Spectacular to say the least! On D90, off D673 20 miles SW of Brive-la-Gaillarde, 10 miles E of Rocamadour. (4 miles S of Dordogne valley, 30 miles W of Aurillac and 55 miles SE of Limoges. Not to be missed.

 Pont du Gard: A recently-functioning aqueduct built in the first century AD by the Romans. The scale is vast - 275 metres long, by 49 high. North of Nimes - exit the A9 12 miles E of Nimes to the N100 for Remoulins, then take the D981 towards Uzes. The Pont is well signed about 1 mile from Remoulins. A good break from the autoroute, but parking is now expesive.  

There is a small motor museum in Uzes - the Museon di Rodo, 3, Avenue Foch.

 Conques: Small isolated village in the southern Auvergne, with old Romanesque church dedicated to the memory of Ste.Foy, a 12 year old girl who was martyred by the Romans, and who is claimed to strike off the fetters of those unjustly imprisoned. The church is very interesting, but the adjacent Treasury is something else - a wonderful collection of golden religious statues, the centrepiece being a large figure of Ste.Foy, encrusted with jewels, which is carried through the village on feast days. (Placing your best jewel between her feet, and praying hard, guaranteed absolution for your sins - it therefore helped to be rich!) Conques is above the river Dourdou, south of the river Lot - about 36 miles S of Aurillac on the D901, about 5 miles S of the river Lot. Excellent Hotels but expanive  - Hotel Ste.Foy in the village, and the four-star Moulin de Camboulong on the river below, offering haute cuisine at similar high prices, or the campsite on the river bank immediately below the village

 South West:

The Dordogne Valley is probably the most famous part of this area, and will not disappoint you. 

Sarlat: The main town, Sarlat, is a tourist mecca during the summer months, and offers free parking outside the town centre.  If entering from the direction of the A20 via Souillac, follow the road downhill to a roundabout under a large stone  railway viaduct. At this roundabout take the first exit – a one-way street – and keep left to the traffic lights.  Turn left here, cross the next road (traffic lights) pass the first car park on the right (usually full) and follow the road round to the right.  Here- behind the first car park – is the parking ground for the local boule club, which is a little-known overspill parking area – and it’s free!  Walk back to the road you crossed, and turn L.  A five minute walk will bring you to the post office – cross the road to the town centre, and walk up the Rue de la Republique, turning right quite soon down a ramp.  This will take you into the old town, a medieval gem of a place, but eating is at tourist rates!  Fre parking is also available on the R of the road past the town centre, in the direction of Brive and Montignac.

North-West of Sarlat, around  Les Eyezies, the river Vezere is lined with neolithic caves, the most famous being the Grotte de Lascaux, the oldest example of cave painting known to exist.  Good if you like bad cave paintings - but they are very old!

South of Sarlat  the Dordogne river meanders through the Valley of the Five Chateaux, past the castles of Montfort, Castelnaud, Milandes, Payrac and Beynac.  This area is best seen by canoe from Marsac to Beynac.  Leave the car at Beynac and start there - the canoe service will take you by bus to Marsac, so your car is awaiting you on return.

The area also contains some interesting Bastides, or fortified villages, reminders of the English presence in the area during the Hundred Years War.  Domme is a well-known example, but Montpazier – 20 miles to the SW – is better.

 South East:

Apart from the somewhat faded charms of the Cote d'Azur (St.Tropez is about the only town worth a visit) this area contains the French alps, with some fantastic roads - some only 8 miles or so north of Monaco.

 Day Tour From Nice: Take the D19 at the NE corner of Nice, near the "Nice Est" exit on the A8. Follow this road through the village of Levens, along the river Vesuble St.Jean le Riviere, where it becomes the D2565 to Lantosque, and turn R onto the D70. This road takes 10 miles to cover the 4 miles to the Col de Turini (1609 metres) From the Col wind down the D2566 along the Gorges du Piaon to Sospel (The eastern limit of the Moorish conquest of Europe) You may then either return to Nice via the equally torturous D2204 to l'Escarene, or take the D2204 and D93 into Italy at Olivetta. Should you be really brave, continue on the D2204 to join the N204 at La Giandola, along the Gorges de Saorge and Gorges de Bergue to Tende, crossing into Italy through the Tunnel de Tende ... This tunnel was blown up by the retreating Germans during WW2, and is still shored up with timber! The lighting and surface in the French half is pretty bad, but the Italian half is something else, with potholes, water, exhaust fumes, cobbles, and not much light. This tunnel is for the brave and/or foolish! I would prefer to take the track over the Col de Tende.

 Should you simply wish to cross the alps into Italy, or fancy an invigorating run over some of the many spectacular passes in the area, try the route used on the return from the 1989 FIM Rallye:

 Exit at the A7/A9 interchange near Orange, go through the town to the N7, cross the river Aigues and turn R to the D977 for Vaison, then the D938/D538 to Nyons (The Hotel Colombet is very good) D94/D994 to Cerres and Gap, D94 to  Briancon, along the Lac de Serre-Poncon (Largest man-made lake in Europe) and over the Col de Montegenevre (1854 Metres) into Italy. This is a pleasant run, but nothing compared to the next step - unless you plan to turn off onto the S335 to Bardonecchia, and follow the track to the Pnte.Sommeillier (3350 Metres) the highest road in Europe, and home of the Stella Alpina Rally.  Follow the road, now the S24, to Susa, and take the S25 over the mountains back into France and the N6. Climb to the Lac de Mont Cenis (2100 metres) and descend the Col de Mont Cenis to Lanslebourg.

 Take the D902 through Lanslevilliard (The Hotel les Prais is excellent) and so to Bonneval-sur-Arcs, where the unfenced road climbs into the mountains, and sheer drops and fantastic views abound. After the Col d'Iseran (2770 Metres) the D902 descends to Bourg St.Maurice and the D90, which winds around itself to reach the Italian border at the Col de Petit St.Bernard (2188 Metres) A short ride on the S26 to Aosta, then the S27 (Avoid the autostrada leading to the tunnel - most of the non-tunnel autostrada is enclosed in a concrete box for snow protection, so it offers no views) will take you over the Col du Grande St.Bernard (2469 Metres) and into Switzerland.

 A more leasurely route is the Grand Canyon du Verdon - a smaller version of the American equivalent - which is to the east of the large Lac de la Ste.Croix, 40 miles NW of St.Tropez. A good plan is to follow the southern edge in the Corniche Sublime on the D71 to the lake, and return on the northern edge via the D952. It is possible to cross the gorge at the eastern end to the D955 which returns to Drauguignan and the coast. The Grand Canyon is best seen at Easter, before the intense heat of the summer dries the foliage which clings to its almost sheer walls, and dries the river to a trickle. Many vantage points are provided.

 

GERMANY:

 Getting there: One of the most popular routes into Germany is via the Belgian autoroute between Lille and Koln; after an hour or two on this rather featureless road the exit for Euypen will take you into the Eiffel mountains.  Just over the German border is the village of Mutzenich, and the Hotel zum Stehling, built around an indoor riding arena.  It costs (2001) £30 B&B for 2 and is ideally placed as a first night stopover. 

The next town down the hill is Monshau.  If time, go past the first entry to the town, and take next L into back of Monshau (signed St. Ursula).  Follow the river to the ‘Romische Glashütte’ on R – a tourist trap shopping complex with snack bars, a car park, a good glass shop, and glass-blowing demos at back. Worth a quick visit if time permits.

 After passing the Nurburgring, the road leads you towards the Mosel valley at Mayen, near Koblenz. The Euypen-Monshau-Blankenheim-Nurburg-Mayen route is one of my favourites, and is difficult to improve on, and is preferable to the autobahn journey around Koln. It is possible to leave Le Havre at 0730 and arrive at Montabaur, near Frankfurt, by 1800. This area offers  a good hotel and an adjoining campsite:

 

Hotel Studentenmuhle/Campingplatz Eisenbachtel 

5431 Girod bei Montabaur, Westerwald                  

If visiting the central area, aim to stay in the Mosel valley, or the area between Koln and Frankfurt, such as the Nassau Naturpark, near Limburg.

Avoid the temptation to head due east from the Metz/Saarbrucken area of France! Navigation through this area is bad enough in a car, and accommodation is usually expensive.

The alternative is to leave France north of Strasbourg, crossing the Rhine to the Achern area, on the W edge of the Schwarzwald. This journey is quite pleasant, and accommodation is plentiful. (Remember that motorcycles are banned from the B500 Schwarzwald Hochstrasse at weekends and public holidays) You can then enjoy the run across the Black Forest and the centre of Baden-Wurttemberg (Freudenstein - Horb am Neckar - Haigerloch - Hechingen - Gammertingen - Riedlingen -Biberach - Memmingen etc) which is always a pleasure.

 Eating: The Germans love their food, which is largely based on pork and cream - obesity is a way of life! Even though the variety of food may not appear to match that of the French, a given dish will be completely different in each area. Specialities include Brattepfanne dishes (Served in an iron frying pan) various types of Schnitzel (Thin pork steaks) Hühner (chicken) and Fellen (Trout) not to mention many types of cream cake, strudel, and ice cream. The coffee is excellent, as is the beer.

 Leaving Germany: The best advice is to keep well clear of the city of Luxembourg - it has the appearance of having been nucked a long time ago, and has a traffic problem of some size ... just like Andorra!  If leaving the the SW – towards Thionville – use the B50 or B327, which join to the B407.  This road will lead you past Sarrburg and into France at Apach.

 BMW Niederlessung, Stuttgart:

 No visit to the Stuttgart area is complete without a visit to the BMW depot for SW Germany, where some very good end-of-line bargains can sometimes be had (Such as small System 3 helmets at £110) Take the A81 towards Stuttgart, crossing the interchange with the A8 Karlsruhe/Ulm autobahn at the Stuttgart Autobahnkreuz - then keep in the inside lane, and exit for Viahingen - turn L at the traffic lights - you will see the IBM building on the left, and then BMW next to it - and L again into BMW. The motorcycle centre is just inside the entrance. A small restaurant is provided for visitors, at very reasonable prices.

 Museums:

 Motor Museum Otterbach Housed in an old church in the village of Otterbach, a few miles north of Kaiserslautern. It contains many interesting items, including a lot of one-off motorcycle designs from BMW. Opening hours seem to be rather variable, so do not depend on it being open.

 On the north side of the A6, between Heidelberg and Hiellbron is the Sinsheim Auto & Techniks Museum - containing a wealth of engineering and transport related exhibits, and are not to be missed. Sinsheim in particular is superb, requiring a three-hour visit, with a good restaurant and plenty of seats for the weary! 

Technik-Museum Speyer is south of Mannheim, off the A6 autobahn.  Of similar style to the Sinsheim museum (owned by the same people) it is interesting, but lacks the sheer size and variety of its larger brother.

Aschaffenburg sportscar museum - off the A3 east of Frankfurt - with just about every racing Ferrari made etc etc!

 Daimler-Benz museum at Stuttgart is one of the world's great automotive collections, telling the history of the automobile in terms of the company which began it all. Enter the city from the south on the A81, and follow the signs for Bad Cannstadt and the Football Stadium to Mercedes Strasse, and with the stadium on the L keep going under the bridge, and turn R at the sign for the museum.  Alternatively come from the E on the B10, and exit at the Mercedes Bad Cannstadt sign to Mercedes Strasse.  Follow the signs oppiste the Porsche stadium, past the museum on your L and around the back tothe underground parking area, above which is the shop and an excellent restaurant.  The city campsite is close by.

 MAN Museum in Augsburg is also worth a visit, with Dr. Diesel's original engine displayed among many other notable engines and printing presses from the company which first produced the compression-ignition engine, the first diesel road vehicle, and developed the massive low speed double acting two-stroke marine engines of the nineteen-fifties. It is in Heinrich von Buss Strasse, close to the city centre. Parking in the company parking area behind the museum. Entry by prior arrangement via their website.

 BMW Museum in Munich is a little arty, but interesting for everyone - follow the Mittler Ring to the Olympic Stadium - and if (ideally) going westwards towards Ulm - and turn R immediately after the BMW office tower. The museum is a large bowl-shaped structure next door to it. Park on the pavement in front of the museum, or 100 metres down the road on the L at the U Bahn station. Rather expensive, but presentation of your BMWCC membership card will give a large discount.

 Deutsches Museum is sited on an island in the river Neckar, at the centre of Munchen. This is the largest technical museum in Europe, rivalling even Washington's Smithsonian Institute. Allow at least a full half day, if not more! The basement exhibits include a full size U Boat, neatly cut down the centre ... Allow at least three hours for even the most cursory of visits! The restaurant is very good.  The aero annex is at the old Oberschliessheim airfield to the N of the city, and the Transport annex is about a ten-minute walk from the main museum building.

 Haigerloch: A small village south of Stuttgart, just off the A81, it contains the nuclear reactor built during WW2 as part of the German atom bomb project. It is sited in a cave below the schloss and its ornate church. The safety precautions were non existent, and it is fortunate that it never became operational! Turn off in the village centre opposite the fountain, over the pavement, to the car park behind. The church is well worth the climb.

 Augustusburg: Schloss with small but interesting collection of motorcycles - mainly two-strokes - 10 miles E of Chemnitz.

 South West:

Lichtenstein: A small but spectacular castle, to the south of Stuttgart, built onto the side of a sheer cliff face - well worth seeing, and all the better for the excuse to ride the Swabian Alpenstrasse nearby! Off the B312 8 miles S of Reutlingen.

 Ludwigsburg: A full copy of Versialles, in the town of the same name, north of Stuttgart, built by King Ludwig 1 of Bavaria, the grandfather of Ludwig 2. (The third "Versialles" is the Esterhauser Palace, near Vienna)

 Hohenzollern: The country seat of the Kaiser, this pointed castle sits on its pointed hill 3 miles outside the town of Hechingen, 45 miles S of Stuttgart off the B27. The castle is very popular, but the tour has even been known to bore Germans! Motorcycles usually park at the top, saving a long uphill walk!

 South East:-

 Walhalla, A Ludwig 1 copy of the Athens Parthenon, above the N bank of the Donau, E of Regensburg. Exit the A3 autobahn for "Worth" and turn towards Regensburg.

 Befriegungshalle, A large round tower near Berheim, on the N bank of the Donau W of Ingolstadt. Built by Ludwig 1 to celebrate Teutonic feats of arms, it provides good views of the Danube from the upper galleries. 

 South Central -

 Dachau: Remains of "Model" concentration camp, whose inmates built BMW aero engines, to the N of Munchen. Interesting museum with exhibits and photographs, lots of brooding emptiness, one hut and the crematorium. Signed from the Munchen ring road.

 Herrenchiemsee: Another copy of Versialles, built by "Mad" King Ludwig 2 of Bavaria, on an island in a large lake between Munchen and Salzburg. This outstanding recreation must be seen to be appreciated - it is more tham a mere copy!  Exit the A8 at the "Bernau" junction, and take the B305 to the N of the autobahn to Prien, on the W shore of the lake. The ferry is is boarded from the car park on the R before the town centre. Allow three hours for the visit - don't miss it.

 Neuschwanstein: The best known of Ludwig 1's castles, at Schwangau, in SW Bavaria (Near Fussen) which was inspired by Ludwig's bizarre tastes and remains a tribute to German craftsmanship - not to be missed! Schwangau is SW of Munchen, on the B17 near the Austrian border, and makes an excellent centre from which to see this most scenic area.

 Hohenschwangau On the rocky crag opposite Neuschwanstein is the castle where Ludwig was raised, built by his father Maximillian 1 on the site of the mediaeval castle of the Knights of Schwangau - not so eccentric, but well worth a visit, as is the entire area.

 Linderhof: Ludwig's idea of a Loire Valley chateau in the Allgau alps - small and pretty, with a make-believe underground grotto and lake. Very scenic gardens if you see it in the summer. Near Schwangau - cross into Austria, heading for Reutte, turn off for the lake Plansee, and follow the road back into Germany. Linderhof is on the L. (Take lunch at the Hotel Ammerwald - just after the lake - it's owned by BMW!)

 Wieskirche: Massive pilgrimage church in the mountains N of Schwangau, with the traditional Bavarian passion for Baroque interiors almost carried to excess, with  an almost three-dimensional painted ceiling, and ornate side altars etc. Off the minor road between the B17 from Fussen and the B23 from Oberammergau. If travelling from Fussen/Schwangau turn off at Steingaten.

 Zugspitze: The highest mountain in Germany (10,000 ft) with terrific views from the top. Go to Garmish Partenkirchen, follow the road to Grainau, and take the Eibsee cable car up the mountain. The view is quite something. At the top, the brave can then climb to the peak over the smooth rock, with the aid of steel wires and rungs, to the golden cross which marks the summit.

 DDR Area South -

 Colditz: S of the autobahn between Leipzig and Dresden, the village is a gem - the cobbled square contains the church, brewery, and gasthaus, with the famous castle towering over it. The nearby Escape Museum (Closed on Mondays) can be found by walking from the castle gate, and taking the first street on the left. It is on the L at the end.

 Buchenwald: Site of large concentration camp, with various monuments to the dead of many nations with an interesting museum and crematorium. NW of Weimar on Ettersburg Hill - easy to find from the city centre. Spectacular monumental sculptures, representing each nation whose people perished there, can be seen further along the road.

 Dresden: Once regarded as the "Florence of the North", this centre of art and culture was destroyed in a massive firestorm kindled by a thousand bombers in March 1945. Much of the city centre and all it contained is gone for ever, but the Zwinger Palace has been restored to its former grandeur. Today the unimaginative concrete blocks of the DDR stand close to the charred timbers of the old city, but it is intended that the old Dresden will rise again, complete with many of its objects d'art returned from 'safe keeping' after the collapse of the old USSR. As with most of the old cities of the DDR, Dresden has a massive traffic problem, so enter the city from the west by leaving the autobahn at the 'Willsdruff' exit, find accommodation,  and use the excellent public transport system to travel inwards.

 DDR Area Central:

 Harz Mountains: Known as the "Saxon Switzerland" most of this area (East of Goslar) was in the old DDR, and so was spared the usual post war development. It therefore resembles the pre war Germany, even to the extent of the narrow gauge steam railway system! The area is famous for its gemstone industry and forests. Start in Wernigerode, on the northern edge of the area, with its mediaeval timbered buildings and ornate schloss. Take the Trans-Harz railway south towards Nordhausen, changing trains to the rack and pinion track which climbs the Konigsberg mountain. Use a local coach service to visit the gemstone mines, and the Hall of Columns cave at Rubeland. Other attractions include the WW2 concentration camp "Dora" and the underground V2 rocket factory below the Kohnstein mountain.

 "Dora": The infamous WW2 concentration camp in the southern Harz Mountains is between the village of Niersachsenwerfen and Nordhausen. The inmates worked at the nearby underground V2 missile factory under the worst conditions in the entire Nazi slave labour empire.  A large sculpture is erected to the memory of those who perished there and in the adjacent factory.   Access from Nordhausen.

Underground V2 Rocket Factory: A massive underground factory dug below the Kohnstein mountain, for the manufacture of the V2 missile and other important projects by slave labourers, in horrific conditions – life expectancy in the galvanising shop was four weeks. The complex was destroyed by the Red Army in 1945,  but a new tunnel has been driven into the southern section of the ‘Mittlewerke’ where the V2 was built.  (Visits Sat/Sun 1100-1300-1500, Weekdays 1100-1400 from Dora museum.)

 Central West (Mosel Valley):

 Mosel & Rhine Valleys: In general, the Mosel valley is far more scenic than the Rhine, particularly in its northern part; south of Bernkastel Kues there is only great areas of vines etc. If seeing the Rhine, keep to the West bank - it is prettier.

Wine festivals The towns and villages of the Mosel have a rota of Winefests, and it would be nice to stay during one of these; booking is a must, however.

 Mosel Day Tour: Follow the road from Gemunden towards Bernkastel Kues, which is very twisty, entering Bernkastel via a collection of what seem to be people's back yards etc! The town is very touristy, but with style, and is the southern limit of worthwhile scenery in the Mosel Valley.

Parking is best in the large parking area on the river bank, with motorcycle parking spaces below the bridge which spans the river.

Leave Bernkastel by keeping on the same side (ie Southern bank) with the river on your left; this will bring you to Cochem.

 Cochem Another touristy but pleasant town, surmounted by a Schloss, said to have been the inspiration for the Castle Dracula! Parking on the L of the road, before the signs for Mayen and the Autobahn, near the church. There is usually space for motorcycles around the fountain. The view from the castle is terrific, and there is a good restaurant. Leave Cochem towards Koblenz, stopping to visit Schloss Eltz, a really traditional German castle - as used on their postage stamps. The parking area is a two mile walk from the castle, but it is worth the trouble.

From Eltz, backtrack a little to cross the river, and return to Gemuden on the minor roads via Kastellaun and Simmern.

 Trier  - At the southern end of the Mosel is this oldest (Roman) town in Germany, and home of Karl Marx etc. (He edited the local paper, and married the daughter of the local squire) It is always disappointing; It is just an old town with a traffic problem and a few ruins.

 Hermeskeil:  Excellent aircraft musuem, with full-size Concorde mockup as the restaurant, many US and Russian military aircraft, lots of engines, helicopters, etc etc.

 North West:

 Mohne Dam: Small dam at the end of a large lake - the Mohnesee - to the SE of the Ruhr valley. The NW section of the lakeside road is very popular with local motorcyclists! Good for a break from the autobahn, but don't mention the War! Exit A44 at "Soest" (NOT "Soest-Ost"!) and follow B229 about 5 miles to the south; at large traffic light controlled junction on shore of Mohnesee, cross lake on bridge to snack bar and toilets, or turn R to dam with similar facilities.

 Altena: On the SE edge of the Ruhr basin, above the river Lenne. A small castle, but in good repair with an interesting armoury and a good restaurant. Well worth a visit. On the B236 to the E of the A45. Exit A45 at "Ludenscheid" and head E towards Werdhol. Turn L and follow signs to join the Altena road. Park by the river, or at the castle - access is via the shopping centre.

 North Central:

 Wewelsburg: SW of Paderborn,between the B1 and E331, this castle is not open to the public, but has an interesting history - it was rebuilt during the thirties from a ruin, by one Heinrich Himmler, and became a shrine to the SS. It was burnt down at the end of the war, but rumour has it that the round tower (Which has been sealed since the War) contains a basement room with a twelve-sided table and matching thrones etc with various Nazi flags etc! Worth a view from the outside if you are in the area.

 Hermannsdinksmal: Massive statue of Arminius, a local Teutonic hero, who was educated by the occupying Romans, and who led local freedom fighters in an epic ambush of a complete Legion, who were lured into the forest and destroyed. The 85 ft. copper statue stands on top of a collonaded tower of similar size (75 steps) from which good views of the surrounding area can be seen. On a hill in the Teutoberger forest NW of Paderborn. Turn off the B1 Paderborn to Hameln road after Horn and follow signs past the Externsteine toward Detmold.

 Externsteine: Spectacular rock formation in Teutoberger Wald near Horn (See Hermannsdinksmal) which was claimed to resemble the place of the Crucifixion. Three twisting rock columns, with caves for hermits, relief carvings, and an underground chapel, are climbed via stairs, and an interconnecting cast iron walkway. Well worth a visit for those who do not suffer from Vertigo!

 Hameln: Hamlyn, as the Brits persist in calling it, is a very pretty town, with a red GPO phone box in the centre. The famous tale of the Pied Piper is re-enacted each day at 1pm by miniature figures who live in the clock at the Rathaus in the town square.

 CZECH REPUBLIC:

 

The Czech Republic embodies the best of the old divided Germany - it is truly civilised, has plenty of petrol stations, excellent roads, good signposting, but is a bit off the Beaten Track, and makes us feel rich! A good meal can be had in the country for (1993 prices) about 50p including beer, or even £3 in Praha. The best buy is Bohemian glassware - buy in the country, such as Zlin, rather than Praha.

 Getting There: A good route to Praha is to travel from Le Havre to just over the Rhine near Strasbourg, then S of Nurnburg to the border at Waldhaus and so to Praha. A very interesting route over country roads from the border to near Praha, which avoids Plzen and the German tourist traffic, winds through villages with vast decaying churches etc. (Nurnburg-Waldhaus-Route 5-Stribro-Kokasice-Krsy-Nectiny-Manetin-Route 27-Route 6-Praha)

 Other popular routes are via Zinnwald (S of Dresden) Phillipsreut (N of Passau) and Mikulov (N of Vienna). In general, avoid the autobahns, and enjoy the country roads.

 Eating: Czech food is basically similar to that in Germany, but in common with most Eastern bloc peoples they still use plenty of animal fat!  Although most dishes are available in Praha, do not expect a great variety in the country areas. Do not be afraid to venture into any of the village restaurants - signed "Restaurauce" or use the "Motor Rest" hotel/restaurants, which are a little more up market. Coffee is good, but usually served with the grounds in the cup. Beer is excellent, with many local breweries. 

 Accommodation: Hotels can be a little variable, but are improving rapidly; the established "International" type are very expensive. Most of the good campsites offer chalets, which are a good alternative, and also make you appreciate the luxury of a good German gasthaus on the return journey!

 Praha: The best value and most convenient way to stay in Prague is to use the Sportcamp - either with your tent, or hiring a chalet - It is wise to book chalets in advance during the summer - they are basic - someone likened them to coal bunkers with windows, but they are very clean, with starched duvet covers etc. The site is easy to reach from either the Dresden or Nurnburg directions.

The fax number is 010-42-2-52-16-32. Avoid the adjacent Caravan Camp, which is a even more basic.

 If entering the city from the north, follow the signs for "Centrum" until in the centre, and then take the route for "Plzen" which will take you to a wide dual carriageway with trams in the centre - Plzenska - watch for the sign to the Sportcamp on the L. The entrance is opposite a petrol station.

 If entering the city on the Route 6 from the Nurnburg area, follow the road past the beginning of the tram system, onto the dual carriageway, and then right at (I think) the first major junction, following the sign for "MOTOL"; follow the road downhill, to another major dual carriageway (Plzenska) and turn left, Follow this past the Hotel Golf, the Caravan Camp, and then sharp right (Opposite the petrol station on the other side) and follow the road 300 yards to the Sportcamp.

 Take the tram into Wenceslas Square - they call it Vaclavske Namesti (Obtain the tram tickets first, at the campsite) and start in the Grand Hotel Europa - on the L at the top end of the square - with a glass or two of Bukerovka, the local plum brandy, while the violinist plays tunes from the twenties. If they ask you for a choice, ask them to play My Country - this is a traditional Czech song, and they love to be asked to play it! You can dine below the Grand Hotel, but it is expensive (£10 each) so explore the side streets off the square, where you will get much better value. 

 Come out of the Grand Hotel, turn right (Downhill) towards the end of the square, and turn right again to Old Town Square - home of the magnificent clock, turn left, and continue to cross the river on Charles Bridge (Home of artists and purveyors of Red Army memorabilia) to the Hradcany area, with its churches and old palaces.

 Rural Area - Eastern: Hovezi is a tiny village NE of Zlin (NE of Brno) on Route 489 which is off the route 54 at Usti, between Vsetin and Valassa Polanka, with a campsite which hosts the Cytrtakt Rallie, and a memorial in the cemetary to David Gilbert, a BMW Club member who died nearby in 1975, during one of the then - illegal Ctyrtakt Rallies.

 This "Grade 1" site has excellent toilets and showers, saunas, a swimming lake, and chalets. The restaurant outside the gate is good, and the village facilities (Working Man's Club for lunch and Village Hall for evening meal) are just as good -  a good lunch for 60p each. Huslenky, the next village up the road (10 min walk) has a small supermarket. A nice day's run from Hovezi will take you to a wide variety of sights, from the Tatra (truck company) museum to the Roznov village museum showing the life style of ancient Bohemia, with assorted castles etc along the way.

 Places of Interest:

 National Technical Museum, Praha:  (Narodni technicke muzeum, Kostelni 42, 170 78, Praha 7) The Czech equivalent of the Science Museum, with large exhibits of transport, metallurgy, cinema technology, astronomy, and engineering. Open Tuesday to Friday 0900-1600.

 Skoda Museum: N of Praha in Mlada Boleslav - if entering  from the west, on the Route 16 from Melnick, follow the road into the city until it bears right; at this point carry straight on. The museum (Auto Salon) is on the right about 400 metres further on.

 Czech National Motorcycle Collection:. Housed in the castle at Kamen, on the Route 19 SE of Praha, near the village of Pacov, where the FIM was founded in 1904. If travelling from Praha leave the autobahn from Praha to Brno and follow the minor roads which parallel the autobahn to pass through Votice, Tabor, Kamen, Jihlava, and Pelhrimov, returning to the autobahn W of Brno.

 Lidice:  W of Praha, between the capital and Kladno, N of the E48; village destroyed by the SS during WW2 as a reprisal for the (British) assassination of Hans Heidrich, the Riechprotector of Bohemia and Moravia. It is preserved as a monument to those who were killed there. (The last stand of the agents, at a church crypt in Praha, is still supplied with fresh flowers every day)

 Karlstein: Massive, and rather Germanic, castle on hill above town, built as the home of the Czech Treasurer and the crown jewels etc. Well worth a visit. 20 miles S of Praha, between routes 4 and E50/5, east of Beroun.

 Uh.Hradiste: E of Brno; Small collection of Russian Mig fighters etc. at local airport. 

 Velehrad: E of Brno, W of Uh.Hradiste; large and spectacular basilica with crytpt and seminary.

 Roznov: NE of Brno on Route 35 to the E of Olomouc; Mediaeval village theme park, with three types of traditional Czech villages, water powered mills etc. Well worth a visit.

 Koprivnice: On Route 58 S of Ostrava; the home of the Tatra company, and their museum, which shows virtually everything they have manufactured since the dawn of the automotive age, from cars to aero engines, snowmobiles to railway engines. The company is now famous for its air cooled diesel engines and trucks, although a front wheel drive V8 engined car is also manufactured.

 Telc: The old Mediaeval capital, preserved within its walls. 85 miles SW of Brno on Route 23; a good break on the way in or out.

 Cesky Krumlov: Large mediaeval castle, 20 miles SW of Ceske Budejovice, off Route 3.

 Macocha: Huge caverns with unique rock formations and underground lakes. 20 miles north of Brno, off Route 43/E461 NE of Blansko.

 Buchlov: Castle east of Brno. To the north of Buchlovice off Route 50/E50 about 10 miles e of Uh.Hradiste. (Buchlovice has an interesting chateau)

 Kromeriz: Bishop's palace, with treasury, 75 miles NE of Brno, on minor road between Routes 47 and 55, about 30 miles W of Zlin.

 Slavkov: Monument to the south of the town, at the scene of Napoleon's battle at Austerlitz, on the Route 50/E50 about 30 miles E of Brno.

 

Edited by Mike Fishwick - 04 Oct 2014 at 3:59pm