has anyone here driven across europe?
we're driving from just north of london to Brno in the czech rep in august, and wondered if anyone has any tips? thinking of going Dover-Dunkirk as it's cheapest ferry route I can find, but I have no idea where to stop on the way - I reckon it'll take 2 days, but if we find somewhere nice to stop on the way, will make it a 3 day journey. Oh, and we'll have a 10.5 month old in the car, just to add to the delights of a 100+ mile journey in the middle of summer.

I can't be bothered to come up with an alternative question, but feel free to answer your own.
( ascorbate, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 12:51, 15 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

First tip: it's a lot more than 100 miles

EDIT: 949 mi – about 14 hours 18 mins
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 12:54, Reply)

gah
that was meant to say 1000+
( ascorbate, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 12:55, Reply)

Much better, just thought I check you knew what getting into

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 12:56, Reply)

haha yeah
first hundred miles, "are we there yet?"
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 13:19, Reply)

Lad I work with does this every year
He says the best way is to go straight through Belgium, Go south at Hamburg, head down towards Pilsner, then just head straight to Brno. (if you'd not already planned your route).

It's the quickest way, and there are plenty of stop offs if required.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 12:57, Reply)

is he from brno?
can't imagine why else anyone would want to go there.

anyway, thanks, will check out that route - we were thinking of going straight through/past Frankfurt.
(Hamburg, are you sure? that's right in the north of germany - seems a bit out of the way!)
( ascorbate, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 13:00, Reply)

I have no idea, just what I was told, haha

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 14:39, Reply)

You'll pass hamburg which is quite nice.
alt answer: of course not.
(PsychoChomp, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 12:58, Reply)

I hitchhiked down through France and Spain to Morocco last year
Hadn't seen much of Europe until then, so I will simply say this; take a camera.

Alt Q. - most kind. My place, half an hour. And bring a friend
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 13:04, Reply)

I'm going to my own wedding
so will have cameras with us, if only for the pre-wedding pics, before the photographer turns up.
but thanks for the tip :-)
( ascorbate, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 13:06, Reply)

I could not have given you more useless advice if I'd tried
But I'm very glad you're well-prepared
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 13:07, Reply)

I don't have a driving licence, let alone a car.
But for alt Q: a sticky bun, and a cup of normal tea with a dash of milk please.
(LongJohnBaldry, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 13:27, Reply)

We drove from Cornwall to The Czech Republic
We took the ferry then drove through France, Belgium and Germany. We did it without stopping for an hour in Germany. It was great fun.
( Peej, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 13:31, Reply)

Make sure the car, including the air conditioning, is in utter mint condition.
You may not mind sitting on a verge of an autobahn, but the little nipper will.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 13:39, Reply)

Aye, I've done it.
Went through France then Germany then Czech Rep. Didn't stop at all in Germany. Spent 3 days in France by a toll booth toilet due to convoy breakdowns though - I don't recommend that. It's a straightforward journey in a roadworthy car.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Fri 4 Jun 2010, 14:01, Reply)