Author: Mike Fishwick
Subject: Places of Interest in Europe
Posted: 22 Oct 2012 at 2:15pm
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PLACESOF INTEREST - FRANCE, GERMANY, CZECH REPUBLIC Mike Fishwick
These are some of theinteresting places which I have seen in three main centres of Europeantourism - it depends upon your tastes, of course, weather You also find then of interest! They do, however, cover a widerange of subjects, from churches to motor museums, war graves to mountainpasses, and castles to concentration camps - I hope that you enjoy them as muchas I did!
Forgreater details on each country, I suggest that you buy a copy of theappropriate Baedeker's Guide - theseare the standard by which all guide books are judged - they were even used bythe Wermacht during the take-over of Austria!
TheMichelin Green Guides for France andGermany are also to be recommended, and provide details of many otherinteresting sights, scenic roads, and tourist areas. Similar information on theold DDR area is still difficult to find, unless you have access to a copy ofthe old German Democratic Republic Travel Guide, copies of which may still beavailable from the German Tourist Board.
Thebest maps of Europe currently available in the UK are the Michelin series - usethe 900 series (Red covers) for basic route planning, with the larger scale(Yellow for France or Orange for Germany and the Benelux area) sheets fordetailed use. The long awaited Michelin Sheet 414, covering the old DDR area,is still (In 1994) to be completed, and even in Germany the large publisherssuch as FalkPlan and Esso have yet to produce a similar map, so travel ineastern Germany can still be an adventure! Michelin 987 therefore remains thebest bet. Good maps of the Czech Republic can also be hard to find in the UK,but are readily available in Germany (The Germans seem to regard it as aHoliday Area!) but the Michelin 987 is useful for all but the minor roads.
Alwayscheck the publication date of all Michelin maps before purchase - look at thetop LH corner of the map. Reject anything before 1992, and replace your oldmaps regularly.
Rememberthat in most ex-Eastern bloc countries you must cancel your tram or bus ticketyourself, 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 thelong lunchtime - most castles etc. are closed between noon and 2pm. Go native,and enjoy your lunch!
FRANCE:
Getting There: The usual routes toFrance are Dover - Calais, and Portsmouth - Le Havre/Cherbourg. Should you wishto cross the channel from Dover during the afternoon and stay the night inFrance
Eating in France: French cuisine isjustifiably famous, and over the last twenty years has improved remarkably, dueto the influence of the "Nouvelle Cuisine" movement. Do not confusethe real thing with the pretentious blobs of puree, artistically covered by alimp lettuce leaf, which is sometimes similarly labelled in this country! For agood 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 menutranslator I have ever seen!
Agood source of lunches at sensible prices is simply to pick any villagerestaurant with a few white vans parked outside – ask for the Plat du Jour, andyou will receive up to four courses, with wine and often coffee, for about 12 Euro.
Places of Interest:
North –Pas de Calais
Blockhaus d'Eperleques - In the Foretd'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.
Thismassive structure was built during 1943-44, for the firing of V2 missiles; theoriginal 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 concretespilled out! The resulting massive spludge of concrete can still be seen. Notdiscouraged, the Germans then dug out a large pit, and filled it withreinforced concrete 20 feet deep. This was to be the roof of the finalbuilding, which was completed without too much of a problem by the expedient ofjacking 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 (Todeliver the missiles from the Harz mountains in central Germany) which waseasily destroyed; the building was finally used for liquid oxygen production.It remains the largest building of its type in the world, and is well worthseeing. The RAF dropped 6 ton "Tallboy" bombs on it, claiming totaldestruction, but only succeeded in chipping a corner off the roof! (3 Euro entry)
A later, and equally useless buildingwas constructed in a quarry at Wizernes, SW of St.Omer. The domed roof canstill be seen. (The V2 was developed under sponsorship from the Wermacht, whosaw it as a modern piece of artillery; it was therefore considered that itdeserved an impressive bunker from which to fire it; the fact that it wasdesigned as a mobile, self-contained weapon escaped the attention of the upperechelons! It was actually erected by its transporter, and fired from an 8 footsquare steel platform.) Now open as ‘LaCoupole,’ it is an excellent museum showing how the war affected life in thePas-de-Calais area, and the development of rockets from WW2 to the Moon Landingof Apollo XI. It is well worth a coupleof hours, and is signed off A26 J4. (2-3 hr tour 55F)
The V3, a little-known but potentiallysuccessful and cheap weapon, can still be seen near Landrethun, above Maquise,off the D231 between Ardres and Maquise - it consisted of several batteries of150 mm smooth-bore guns, and was virtually complete when the war ended, but fora few pieces trapped by the destruction of the railway system. We can nowexplore the empty upper levels. (1 hourtour; open April-Nov 1400-1800 and Jul-Aug 1000-1900 for 9 F)
BlockhausTodt – this is a massive gun emplacement, situated off the road betweenWizernes and Wissant. Exit from the A16at sortie 7 towards the coast on the D191. At the D940 turn left, towards Wimeraux, and turn right following thesign. The Blockhaus is wellsignposted. This was one of four 380 mmradar-controlled guns, which effectively commanded the strait of Dover, and wasnamed for its architect Mike Todt, who was responsible (amongst other things)for the Atlantic Wall. The gun is longsince gone, but it is an interesting visit, with many impressive exhibitsincluding a massive railway gun.
Thenearby town of Ambleteuse has a good museum devoted to the town’s experiencesduring WW2. Cap Gris Nez is also worthvisiting, its collection of concrete blockhouses being a vivid reminder of itsvisits by Hitler and Goering to view their ‘next’ conquest.
North East -
Grotto de Naours: -On the D60, W of theN25 about 12 miles N of Amiens, is an underground village, dug by those whowere persecuted during the middle ages for their religious beliefs. It is quiteinteresting, and was also used by Rommel during WW2. The British army were thelast residents, using it as an ammunition dump after the war.
Thiepval: Travelling eastwards fromAmiens towards Cambrai on the D929, pass through Albert (The cathedral is wortha quick visit - it was rebuilt in the 1930s art deco style; legend had it thatthe golden statue on the spire, which was leaning horizontally from 1916, wouldnot fall until the end of the war ... on the last day it fell!) and turn L atPozieres onto the D73. Follow the signs for Thiepval, where a great series ofarches (visible from the D929) commemorate the 600,000 British dead at theBattle of the Somme
Notre Dame de Lorette: Off the D937 Nof Arras - signed from the A26. This is the French military cemetery for Artoisand Picardie, with lots of graves, an ornate basilica, and a very imaginativeTomb of the Unknown Soldiers.
Vimy Ridge: Signed from the N17 to theN 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 thetrenches have been preserved - you can stand in the Canadian trenches, and talkto someone in the German trench across a shell hole, through which they wouldperiodically advance to kill each other! There is even a tunnel complex whichcan be visited, and live munitions in the surrounding forest, whichperiodically blow up a few sheep!
Centre East -
Laon Hotel Marmotte - good value,behind the Hotel IBIS – From the A26 follow the sings for Soissons, and exitthe N44 at the three-lane section just before the Carrefour hypermarket. Those who are fit will enjoy the climb tothe 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 thepleasant shopping centre. (Parking isavailable behind the catherdral)
ReimsFormula One Circuit – Not used since 1966, this was the fastest GP circuitin Europe, the final event being won by Jack Brabham at record speed, alsomarking the first event won by a driver who was also the constructor. The triangular circuit is wholly made up ofpublic 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 cityafter a tight RH bend, immediately after which is an exit slip – take this, andat the roundabout follow the road under the autoroute, and through anindustrial estate. Go straight on atthe next roundabout, and take the fourth exit at the next one. This road will take you down a long straightto the pit and grandstand area, which are in a good state of repair. You will see the overhead scoreboard, whichis shortly to be renovated, and which rotated to show the current situation toeveryone, and the central fuel tank. The area remains much as it was, and it used for an annual memorial tothose who raced here.
Fort de la Pompelle, south of the Reimson the dual carriageway section of the N44. This once-crenelated ForeignLegion-like fort now looks like a heap of rubble, but contains a greatcollection of WW1 memorabilia, from uniforms to swords to snuff boxes and coal-scuttlehelmets. It is well signed from the N44 in either direction. If you aretravelling S towards Reims on the autoroute, take the sign for "Chalonspar RN" as the autoroute passes through the city - turn L at the end ofthe 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 clearlysigned from the Reims-Metz autoroute, off the exit for Etain. See the massive Ossuaire (Memorial) withstomach-turning bioscope pictures taken during the battle, the museum, and theunderground Fort Douamont.
Accommodation in the Verdun area isvery sparse, particularly to the south of the autoroute, but there are at leasttwo good hotels at:
Ste-Menehould - Hotel du Cheval Rouge,off town square. Very nice - if you like pig! The town is given over toveneration of pigs in all forms! Louis XVI was recognised here as he attemptedto flee to Germany after the revolution, after he was almost captured atClermont-en-Argonne.
Clermont-en-Argonne - Hotel Bellvue isthe only hotel in town, and has excellent rooms ... the restaurant can beeither very good or terrible, depending on the ability of the staff! Ratherexpensive, and only for those with a robust sense of humour. Does not speakEnglish, as is the case with most small French hotels.
(LouisXVI was eventually captured at Varennes-en-Argonne, as he would not allow hisguards 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 majorfortress 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 theChiers valley between Longuyon and Longwy, the fort is off the D17a, 4 miles NEof Longuyon, and is also clearly signed from the N18 on the northern side ofthe valley. (Open during afternoonsfrom 1300.)
Mulhouse: Just over the Rhine fromGermany, this city offers plenty for the museum minded tourist - the famous Schlumpf Collection of Bugattis haslong since been rationalised, and is now known as the Musee Nationale de l'Automobile. The collection now includes allmakes ever manufactured in France, even down to the ABC flat-twin motorcycle,which some claim to have been the inspiration for the BMW! Just up the road isthe Musee Nationale des Sapeurs-Pompiers(Fire Service) and the adjoining MuseeNationale des Chemins de Fer (Railway Museum) not to mention the Electrotechnology museum, and those ofthe defunct Ceramic & Potteryand Weaving industries. If travelling on the A36 autoroute, exit at"Mulhouse Ouest" which will put you in the centre of thesecollections.
Central:
Paris: the capital city by which allothers 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 bankto 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 spiralstairs to the top of the north tower - the view is magnificent. End the daywith 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 thetown of Melun, SE of Paris, this wasthe 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 hadpaid for the chateau by ripping off the Crown! He was arrested on the King'spersonal arrest warrant, by a musketeer named d'Artagnan (Really!) and neverseen again - it is rumoured that he was the Prisoner in the Mask. Louis usedall the key people, such as the Chef, Architect, Interior Painter, and Gardenerto build Versailles. The chateau was used in the James Bond film"Moonraker".
Versailles: This remains the palace bywhich all others are judged - allow a full day if you wish to see the inside andthe gardens. Remember to explore the full depth of the gardens to the Trianonsand le Hameau, and make a point of deviating across the gardens to see theOrangerie, and also the hidden statues to the east of the place - each one is awork of art. The fountains are operated on the first and third Sundays of eachmonth from May to September. Should you wish to see the inside, do NOT waitpatiently for an English Language tour - they are not too frequent - but buy aGuide Book, and join a French group.
Pierrefonds - North of Paris, to the SEof Compiegne, this massive castle was built for Napoleon III; he could not,however, resist the temptation (Like most French rulers!) to take on theGermans over the Franche-Compte area; he was captured at Sedan, and forced toabdicate before he ever lived in the castle. Well worth a visit, but closes atlunch 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 itstributaries Cher and Vienne, provides a background for some of the finestchateaux - and the worst! Avoid those in towns, such as Ambois and Blois, andsee:
Chambord - the largest chateau on theLoire, designed by Leonardo da Vinci, with 365 chimneys and a double-helixspiral staircase. No furniture, but a very good restaurant providingestate-grown food. S of the Loire, between Orleans and Blois off the D33.
Chenonceaux is a charming white palacebuilt across the river Cher - a kind of fortified bridge - 25 miles to the SEof Tours on the D40. Access from the N bank of the river.
Azay-le Rideau is probably the best ofthe Loire chateaux, being small but perfect, built at the edge of a man madepool. 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 - theyall played their part in the legend of Chinon. Perhaps the saddest was thestory of the Knights Templar - the elders of this incredibly rich order, afterrefusing a command by the bankrupt King to hand over their wealth, wereimprisoned 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 yetfound it! Chinon is on the river Vienne, 27 miles SE of Tours. Approach thetown on the D749 and park on the river bank below the castle.
Oradour-sur-Glane: 20m NE of Limoges -this village was destroyed, and its inhabitants killed, by the 2ndSS Panzer Division just after D-Day, when they were urgently needed inNormandy. No one knows why, but the best bet is that as the Resistance hadambushed a small convoy the previous day, and unwittingly captured someone'spost-war pension fund, they wanted it returned! The village is preserved as amonument, exactly as it was left by the Germans, down to the Mayor's Peugeot inthe middle of the road.
Liseaux: The Basilica de Ste.Therese iswell worth a visit - this massive Taj Mahal-type creation in situated on thewest side of town, and is built on a truly grand scale. The interior (Seatingfor 4500 people) is decorated in art deco style, with enough gold and mosaic tolast a lifetime! Enter from the D267road 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 riverHerault, with several smaller caves. The centre piece is a unique rockformation which is claimed to resemble the Madonna and Child. Off the D986, 3miles S of Ganges - 30 miles N of Montpelier, and 40 miles W of Nimes. Wellworth a visit.
Gouffre de Padirac: Two successive liftjourneys take you to down a vast hole in the ground (200 feet wide and about400 feet deep) at the bottom of which is a long cave system punctuated by aboat ride. Spectacular to say the least! On D90, off D673 20 miles SW ofBrive-la-Gaillarde, 10 miles E of Rocamadour. (4 miles S of Dordogne valley, 30miles W of Aurillac and 55 miles SE of Limoges. Not to be missed.
Pont du Gard: A recently-functioningaqueduct built in the first century AD by the Romans. The scale is vast - 275metres long, by 49 high. North of Nimes - exit the A9 12 miles E of Nimes tothe N100 for Remoulins, then take the D981 towards Uzes. The Pont is wellsigned about 1 mile from Remoulins. A good break from the autoroute. The best way to see it is by staying theCamping Municipal, which is on the river about 400 metres from the Pont. The view is outstanding, even at night whenit is floodlit.
Thereis a small motor museum in Uzes - the Museondi Rodo, 3, Avenue Foch.
Conques: Small isolated village in thesouthern Auvergne, with old Romanesque church dedicated to the memory ofSte.Foy, a 12 year old girl who was martyred by the Romans, and who is claimedto strike off the fetters of those unjustly imprisoned. The church is veryinteresting, but the adjacent Treasury is something else - a wonderfulcollection of golden religious statues, the centrepiece being a large figure ofSte.Foy, encrusted with jewels, which is carried through the village on feastdays. (Placing your best jewel between her feet, and praying hard, guaranteedabsolution for your sins - it therefore helped to be rich!) Conques is abovethe river Dourdou, south of the river Lot - about 36 miles S of Aurillac on theD901, about 5 miles S of the river Lot. Excellent Hotesl - Hotel Ste.Foy in the village, and the Moulin de Camboulong on the riverbelow, offering haute cuisine at similar high prices, or the campsite on the riverbank immediately below the village
SouthWest:
TheDordogne Valley is probably the most famous part of this area, and will notdisappoint you.
Sarlat:The main town, Sarlat, is a tourist mecca during the summer months, andoffers free parking if you know where! Entering from the direction of the A20 via Souillac, follow the roaddownhill to a roundabout under a large stone railway viaduct. At this roundabout take the first exit – a one-waystreet – and keep left to the traffic lights. Turn left here, cross the next road (traffic lights) pass the first carpark on the right (usually full) and follow the road round to the right. Here- behind the first car park – is theparking ground for the local boule club, which is a little-known overspillparking area – and it’s free! Walk backto the road you crossed, and turn L. Afive minute walk will bring you to the post office – cross the road to the towncentre, and walk up the Rue de la Republique, turning right quite soon down aramp. This will take you into the oldtown, a medieval gem of a place, but eating is at tourist rates!
North-Westof Sarlat, around Les Eyezies, theriver Vezere is lined with neolithis caves, the most famous being the Grotte deLascaux, the oldest example of cave painting known to exist.
Southof Sarlat the Dordogne rivermeanders through the Valley of the Five Chateaux, past the castles of Montfort,Castelnaud, Milandes, Payrac and Beynac. This area is best seen by canoe.
Thearea also contains some interesting Bastides, or fortified villages, remindersof the English presence in the area during the Hundred Years War. Domme is a well-known example, butMontpazier – 20 miles to the SW – is better.
South East:
Apartfrom the somewhat faded charms of the Cote d'Azur (St.Tropez is about the onlytown worth a visit) this area contains the French alps, with some fantasticmotorcycling roads - some only 8 miles or so north of Monaco.
Day Tour From Nice: Take the D19 at theNE corner of Nice, near the "Nice Est" exit on the A8. Follow thisroad 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 roadtakes 10 miles to cover the 4 miles to the Col de Turini (1609 metres) From theCol wind down the D2566 along the Gorges du Piaon to Sospel (The eastern limitof the Moorish conquest of Europe) You may then either return to Nice via theequally torturous D2204 to l'Escarene, or take the D2204 and D93 into Italy atOlivetta. Should you be really brave, continue on the D2204 to join the N204 atLa Giandola, along the Gorges de Saorge and Gorges de Bergue to Tende, crossinginto Italy through the Tunnel de Tende ... This tunnel was blown up by theretreating Germans during WW2, and is still shored up with timber! The lightingand surface in the French half is pretty bad, but the Italian half is somethingelse, with potholes, water, exhaust fumes, cobbles, and not much light. Thistunnel is for the brave and/or foolish! I would prefer to take the track overthe Col de Tende.
Shouldyou simply wish to cross the alps into Italy, or fancy an invigorating run oversome of the many spectacular passes in the area, try the route used on thereturn from the 1989 FIM Rallye:
Exitat the A7/A9 interchange near Orange, go through the town to the N7, cross theriver 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 (1854Metres) into Italy. This is a pleasant run, but nothing compared to the nextstep - unless you plan to turn off onto the S335 to Bardonecchia, and followthe track to the Pnte.Sommeillier (3350 Metres) the highest road in Europe, andhome of the Stella Alpina Rally. Followthe road, now the S24, to Susa, and take the S25 over the mountains back intoFrance and the N6. Climb to the Lac de Mont Cenis (2100 metres) and descend theCol de Mont Cenis to Lanslebourg.
Takethe D902 through Lanslevilliard (The Hotel les Prais is excellent) and so toBonneval-sur-Arcs, where the unfenced road climbs into the mountains, and sheerdrops and fantastic views abound. After the Col d'Iseran (2770 Metres) the D902descends to Bourg St.Maurice and the D90, which winds around itself to reachthe Italian border at the Col de Petit St.Bernard (2188 Metres) A short ride onthe 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 snowprotection, so it offers no views) will take you over the Col du GrandeSt.Bernard (2469 Metres) and into Switzerland.
Amore leasurely route is the Grand Canyondu Verdon - a smaller version of the American equivalent - which is to the eastof the large Lac de la Ste.Croix, 40 miles NW of St.Tropez. A good plan is tofollow the southern edge in the Corniche Sublime on the D71 to the lake, andreturn on the northern edge via the D952. It is possible to cross the gorge atthe eastern end to the D955 which returns to Drauguignan and the coast. TheGrand Canyon is best seen at Easter, before the intense heat of the summerdries the foliage which clings to its almost sheer walls, and dries the riverto a trickle. Many vantage points are provided.
GERMANY:
Getting there: One of the most popularroutes into Germany is via the Belgian autoroute between Lille and Koln; afteran hour or two on this rather featureless road the exit for Euypen will takeyou into the Eiffel mountains. Justover the German border is the village of Mutzenich, and the Hotel zum Stehling,built around an indoor riding arena. Itcosts (2001) £30 B&B for 2 and is ideally placed as a first night stopover.
the next town down the hill isMonshau. If time, go past the firstentry 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, acar park, a good glass shop, and glass-blowing demos at back. Worth a quickvisit if time permits.
Afterpassing the Nurburgring, the road leads you towards the Mosel valley at Mayen,near Koblenz. The Euypen-Monshau-Blankenheim-Nurburg-Mayen route is one of myfavourites, and is difficult to improve on, and is preferable to the autobahnjourney around Koln. It is possible to leave Le Havre at 0730 and arrive atMontabaur, near Frankfurt, by 1800. This area offers two good hotels and anadjoining campsite:
Hotel Freimuhle /HotelStudentenmuhle/Campingplatze Eisenbachtel
5431 Girod bei Montabaur, Westerwald
Ifvisiting the central area, aim to stay in the Mosel valley, or the area betweenKoln and Frankfurt, such as the Nassau Naturpark, near Limburg.
Avoidthe temptation to head due east from the Metz/Saarbrucken area of France!Navigation through this area is bad enough in a car, and accommodation isusually expensive.
Thealternative is to leave France north of Strasbourg, crossing the Rhine to theAchern area, on the W edge of the Schwarzwald. This journey is quite pleasant,and accommodation is plentiful. (Remember that motorcycles are banned from theB500 Schwarzwald Hochstrasse at weekends and public holidays) You can thenenjoy 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! Eventhough the variety of food may not appear to match that of the French, a givendish will be completely different in each area. Specialities includeBrattepfanne dishes (Served in an iron frying pan) various types of Schnitzel(Thin pork steaks) Hühner (chicken) and Fellen (Trout) not to mention manytypes of cream cake, strudel, and ice cream. The coffee is excellent, as is thebeer.
Leaving Germany: The best advice is tokeep well clear of the city of Luxembourg- it has the appearance of having been nuked a long time ago, and has a trafficproblem of some size ... just like Andorra! If leaving the the SW – towards Thionville – use the B50 or B327, whichjoin to the B407. This road will leadyou past Sarrburg and into France at Apach.
BMW Niederlessung, Stuttgart:
Novisit to the Stuttgart area is complete without a visit to the BMW depot for SWGermany, where some very good end-of-line bargains can sometimes be had (Suchas small System 3 helmets at £110) Take the A81 towards Stuttgart, crossing theinterchange with the A8 Karlsruhe/Ulm autobahn at the Stuttgart Autobahnkreuz - then keep in the inside lane, and exitfor Viahingen - turn L at thetraffic lights - you will see the IBM building on the left, and then BMW nextto it - and L again into BMW. The motorcycle centre is just inside theentrance. A small restaurant is provided for visitors, at very reasonableprices.
Museums:
Motor Museum Otterbach Housed in an oldchurch in the village of Otterbach, a few miles north of Kaiserslautern. Itcontains many interesting items, including a lot of one-off designs from BMW.Opening hours seem to be rather variable, so do not depend on it being open.
Onthe 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 notto 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 A6autobahn. Ofsimilar style to theSinsheim museum (owned by the same people) it is interesting, but lacks thesheer size and variety of its larger brother.
Aschaffenburg sportscar museum - offthe A3 east of Frankfurt - with just about every racing Ferrari made etc etc!
Daimler-Benz museum at Stuttgart is oneof the world's great automotive collections, telling the history of theautomobile in terms of the company which began it all. Enter the city from thesouth on the A81, and follow the signs for Bad Cannstadt and the FootballStadium to Mercedes Strasse, and with the stadium on the L keep going under thebridge, and into the works parking area on the R. Alternatively come from the Eon the B10, and exit at the Mercedes Bad Cannstadt sign to Mercedes Strasse.Park your motorcycle in the staff parking area, and take the Museum Bus intothe factory area. The museum has a very good snack bar.
MAN Museum in Augsburg is also worth avisit, with Dr. Diesel's original engine displayed among many other notableengines and printing presses from the company which first produced thecompression-ignition engine, the first diesel road vehicle, and developed themassive 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 thecompany parking area behind the museum.
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 theBMW 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 theL at the U Bahn station.
Deutsches Museum is sited on an islandin the river Neckar, at the centre of Munchen. This is the largest technicalmuseum in Europe, rivalling even Washington's Smithsonian Institute. Allow atleast a full half day, if not more! The basement exhibits include a full size UBoat, neatly cut down the centre ... Allow at least three hours for even themost cursory of visits! The restaurant is very good. The aero annex is at the old Oberschliessheim airfield to the Nof the city, and the Transport annex is about a ten-minute walk from the mainmuseum building.
Haigerloch: A small village south ofStuttgart, just off the A81, it contains the nuclear reactor built during WW2as the key of the German atom bomb project. It is sited in a cave below theschloss and its ornate church. The safety precautions were non existent, and itis fortunate that it never became operational! Turn off in the village centreopposite the fountain, over the pavement, to the car park behind. The church iswell worth the climb.
Augustusburg: Schloss with small butinteresting collection of motorcycles - mainly two-strokes - 10 miles E ofChemnitz.
South West:
Lichtenstein: A small but spectacularcastle, 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 SwabianAlpenstrasse 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 ofBavaria, the grandfather of Ludwig 2. (The third "Versialles" is theEsterhauser Palace, near Vienna)
Hohenzollern: The country seat of theKaiser, this pointed castle sits on its pointed hill 3 miles outside the townof 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 atthe top, saving a long uphill walk!
South East:-
Walhalla, A Ludwig 1 copy of the AthensParthenon, above the N bank of the Donau, E of Regensburg. Exit the A3 autobahnfor "Worth" and turn towards Regensburg.
Befriegungshalle, A large round towernear Berheim, on the N bank of the Donau W of Ingolstadt. Built by Ludwig 1 tocelebrate Teutonic feats of arms, it provides good views of the Danube from theupper 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 ofVersialles, built by "Mad" King Ludwig 2 of Bavaria, on an island ina large lake between Munchen and Salzburg. This outstanding recreation must beseen to be appreciated - it is more tham a mere copy! Exit the A8 at the "Bernau" junction, and take the B305to the N of the autobahn to Prien, on the W shore of the lake. The ferry is isboarded from the car park on the R before the town centre. Allow three hoursfor the visit - don't miss it.
Neuschwanstein: The best known ofLudwig 1's castles, at Schwangau, in SW Bavaria (Near Fussen) which wasinspired by Ludwig's bizarre tastes and remains a tribute to Germancraftsmanship - not to be missed! Schwangau is SW of Munchen, on the B17 nearthe Austrian border, and makes an excellent centre from which to see this mostscenic area.
Hohenschwangau On the rocky cragopposite Neuschwanstein is the castle where Ludwig was raised, built by hisfather Maximillian 1 on the site of the mediaeval castle of the Knights ofSchwangau - not so eccentric, but well worth a visit, as is the entire area.
Linderhof: Ludwig's idea of a LoireValley chateau in the Allgau alps - small and pretty, with a make-believeunderground 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 lakePlansee, and follow the road back into Germany. Linderhof is on the L. (Takelunch at the Hotel Ammerwald - just after the lake - it's owned by BMW!)
Wieskirche: Massive pilgrimage churchin the mountains N of Schwangau, with the traditional Bavarian passion forBaroque interiors almost carried to excess, with an almost three-dimensional painted ceiling, and ornate side altarsetc. Off the minor road between the B17 from Fussen and the B23 fromOberammergau. If travelling from Fussen/Schwangau turn off at Steingaten.
Zugspitze: The highest mountain inGermany (10,000 ft) with terrific views from the top. Go to GarmishPartenkirchen, follow the road to Grainau, and take the Eibsee cable car up themountain. The view is quite something. At the top, the brave can then climb tothe peak over the smooth rock, with the aid of steel wires and rungs, to thegolden cross which marks the summit.
DDR Area South -
Colditz: S of the autobahn betweenLeipzig and Dresden, the village is a gem - the cobbled square contains thechurch, brewery, and gasthaus, with the famous castle towering over it. Thenearby Escape Museum (Closed on Mondays) can be found by walking from thecastle gate, and taking the first street on the left. It is on the L at theend.
Buchenwald: Site of large concentrationcamp, with various monuments to the dead of many nations with an interestingmuseum and crematorium. NW of Weimar on Ettersburg Hill - easy to find from thecity centre. Spectacular monumental sculptures, representing each nation whosepeople 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 destroyedin a massive firestorm kindled by a thousand bombers in March 1945. Much of thecity centre and all it contained is gone for ever, but the Zwinger Palace has been restored to its former grandeur. Today theunimaginative concrete blocks of the DDR stand close to the charred timbers ofthe old city, but it is intended that the old Dresden will rise again, completewith many of its objects d'art returned from 'safe keeping' after the collapseof the old USSR. As with most of the old cities of the DDR, Dresden has amassive traffic problem, so enter the city from the west by leaving theautobahn at the 'Willsdruff' exit, find accommodation, and use the excellent public transportsystem to travel inwards.
DDR Area Central:
Harz Mountains: Known as the"Saxon Switzerland" most of this area (East of Goslar) was in the oldDDR, and so was spared the usual post war development. It therefore resemblesthe pre war Germany, even to the extent of the narrow gauge steam railwaysystem! The area is famous for its gemstone industry and forests. Start in Wernigerode, on the northern edge ofthe area, with its mediaeval timbered buildings and ornate schloss. Take theTrans-Harz railway south towards Nordhausen, changing trains to the rack andpinion track which climbs the Konigsberg mountain. Use a local coach service tovisit the gemstone mines, and the Hall of Columns cave at Rubeland. Otherattractions include the WW2 concentration camp "Dora" and theunderground V2 rocket factory below the Kohnstein mountain.
"Dora": The infamous WW2concentration camp in the southern Harz Mountains is between the village ofNiersachsenwerfen and Nordhausen. The inmates worked at the nearby undergroundV2 missile factory under the worst conditions in the entire Nazi slave labourempire. A large sculpture is erected tothe memory of those who perished there and in the adjacent: Access from Nordhausen.
Underground V2 Rocket Factory: Amassive underground factory dug below the Kohnstein mountain, for themanufacture of the V2 missile and other important projects by slave labourers,in horrific conditions – life expectancy in the galvanising shop was fourweeks. The complex was destroyed by the Red Army in 1945, but a new tunnel has been driven into thesouthern section of the ‘Mittlewerke’ where the Vr was built. (Visits Sat/Sun 1100-1300-1500, Weekdays1100-1400 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 northernpart; south of Bernkastel Kues there is only great areas of vines etc. Ifseeing the Rhine, keep to the West bank - it is prettier.
Wine festivals The towns and villagesof the Mosel have a rota of Winefests, and it would be nice to stay during oneof these; booking is a must, however.
Thebest accommodation and food in the area is at Gemunden, between the Mosel andNahe valleys, at the Waldhotel Koppenstein; this establishment isreached by passing into the village, and then turning (Following the signs)uphill out of the village for a mile or so, then R to the hotel.
Mosel Day Tour: Follow the road fromGemunden towards Bernkastel Kues,which is very twisty, entering Bernkastel via a collection of what seem to bepeople's back yards etc! The town is very touristy, but with style, and is thesouthern limit of worthwhile scenery in the Mosel Valley.
Parkingis best in the large parking area on the river bank, with motorcycle parkingspaces below the bridge which spans the river.
LeaveBernkastel by keeping on the same side (ie Southern bank) with the river onyour left; this will bring you to Cochem.
Cochem Another touristy but pleasanttown, surmounted by a Schloss, said to have been the inspiration for the CastleDracula! Parking on the L of the road, before the signs for Mayen and theAutobahn, near the church. There is usually space for motorcycles around thefountain. 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 theirpostage stamps. The parking area is a two mile walk from the castle, but it isworth the trouble.
FromEltz, backtrack a little to cross the river, and return to Gemuden on the minorroads via Kastellaun and Simmern.
Trier - At the southern end of the Mosel is this oldest (Roman) town inGermany, and home of Karl Marx etc. (He edited the local paper, and married thedaughter of the local squire) It is always disappointing; It is just an oldtown with a traffic problem and a few ruins.
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