In the Path of 007 - James Bond Driving Break

Our James Bond inspired break takes you on a breathtaking one week European driving tour visiting 6 of the most iconic shoot locations for James Bond Movies over the last 5 decades.

The start point for the tour is the stunning Château de Chantilly just north of Paris, and the setting for Max Zorin's estate and racecourse in a View to a Kill.  From here you will make your way to the Champagne region, the perfect place to sample Bonds favorite tipple, vintage Bollinger.  After a short drive along Route Champagne, you then continue south to Switzerland and your gateway to the Alps. The following two days you will tour through the Alps, visiting both the Schilthorn Piz Gloria and Furka pass, both imortalised in Bond movies in the 60's.  From here, head south down to Lake Como, visiting Villa del Balbianello, used as in the more recent Daniel Craig's Casino Royal.

For those wishing to extend the drive by two further evenings, a final leg of the tour takes you south to the Cote D'Azur and the most natural setting for James Bond, then jet set resort of Monte Carlo.  Here you will complete your mission with a final two evenigs in this incredible principality.

Bring your car to the Alps and we dispatch the GPS unit and driving notes to you in advance.  Otherwise, combine with one of our range of rental cars, anything from a Mini Cooper S to the latest Aston Martin V8 Vantage S.


Day 1 - Start Tour - Château de Chantilly

Château de Chantilly is just north of Paris and has been built up by the owners of Chantilly since the Middle Ages and after the Louvre in Paris has one of the finest museums of historical paintings in France. Both the Château and Great Stables were featured prominently in the movie A View to a Kill (1985), as the estate of evil Max Zorin (played by Christopher Walken). From the Château you will then head east towards the Champagne region of France, where you will spend your first evening in Reims at the Chateau Les Aunois

Overnight Accommodation:  Chateau Les Aunois, Reims, Champagne

Day 2 - Head South to Switzerland

The next morning you will take the direct route from Reims to Zurich, your gateway to the stunning Swiss Alps

Overnight Accommodation: 3* Seefeld Hotel, Zurich Lake District

Day 3 - Tour the Swiss Alps / Visit the Schilthorn

Mission 1 - head south over three of the most stunning passes in the Alps, then directly to the Schilthorn ice station Piz Gloria. After a 35 minute cable car ride, you arrive at the ice station some 2790M up. Piz Gloria was the setting for the hideout for Bonds nemesis Bloefeld in On Her Majesties Secret Service. The worlds first revolving restaurant offers stunning views across the Alps and to the adjacent peaks of the Eiger and Jungfrau masiffs. Return back down, then onto your base in the Swiss Alps, the Cambrian Hote, where you can enjoy a well earned Vodka Martini cocktail on their beautiful terrace - shaken not stirred, naturally...

Overnight Accommodation: Evening at the 4*Cambrian Design Hotel, Adelboden

Day 4 - Tour the Big Passes of the Central Swiss Alps

Mission 2 - today you will drive a stunning loop of the "big 3" passes of the central Swiss Alps, all more than 2200M above sea level. The climax to this thrilling drive is a run over the Furka Pass, iconic shoot location for James Bond's DB5 / Mustang car chase in the movie Goldfinger. Take lunch in the Alps, before completing your mission with a visit to the Rhone Glacier, 8KM of solid ice, and the source of the River Rhone.

Overnight Accommodation: Second evening at the Cambrian Design Hotel, Adelboden

Day 5 - South through the Alps to the Italian Lakes / visit the Verzasca Dam

Mission 3 - head south through the Alps to the Italian speaking Swiss Canton of Ticino for your third mission. Just above the beautiful shores of Lake Maggiore you will find the Verzasca Dam - the dam was used for the opening bungee Jump scene in Goldeneye (for the movie the location was assumed to be a Soviet base in Siberia). With an almost sheer drop of more than 200M, it's not for the faint of heart. Agents are not obliged to take the plunge on the 007 bungee jump which is operational during the summer, but if you're entering into the spirit of things.....continue your journey now south to the senic shores of Lake Como where you will be based for the next 2 evenings.

Overnight Accommodation: 4* Hotel Lenno, Lenno, Lake Como

Day 5 - Relax on Lake Como / Visit Villa del Balbianello

Mission 4 - after the hard work of your first 4 missions, it's time for some well earned relaxation and recuperation - we suggest you spend the morning relaxing on the lake, then later, make a visit the stunning Villa del Balbianello (used by James in Casino Royal to recuperate from his injuries). There are also frequent boat services that will take you from Tremezzo across to Bellagio, one of the most idilic towns on Lake Como, and certainly worth the visit.

Overnight Accommodation: Second evening at 4* Hotel Lenno

Day 6 - Tour of Lake Como

Mission 5 - today there are a couple of possibilities, either spend the full day relaxing on the lake, or alternatively, we have a scenic tour planned out that takes you on a loop of the southern lake, including a visit to

Overnight Accommodation: Second evening at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo Hotel, Lake Como

Day 7 - Mission Completed - Return to Zurich via the Swiss Alps / Lunch in St Moritz

With all missions completed, start your return journey to Zurich via the jet set Ski Resort of St Moritz - the slopes around St Moritz have been referenced in several bond movies, including For Your Eyes Only. Take lunch in the Alps, before completing your return drive to Zurich via the shores of Lake Lucerne.

Overnight Accommodation: 3* Seefeld Hotel Zurich

Extended Tour to Monte Carlo

Should you decide to extend the tour by 2 days, you can also include a run down to the Cote D'Azur and Monte Carlo.  For this scenario, the itinerary from Day 6 would be as follows

Day 7 - Head south from Lake Como, through the Alps Maritimes to Monto Carlo

Today's drive is pretty extensive (450KM) so is taken in two stages.  Stage 1, takes you via the main highway directly from Lake Como to Turin, where you will stop for lunch close to the main square. 

Stage 2 is a more exhilerating drive, taking you west and into the Alps Maritimes - you then make your way south though some stunning cols (mountain passes) dropping down onto the Cote D'Azur near to Nice, then along to Monte Carlo, arriving in the principality in time for sun down drinks on the hotels terrace bar.

Overnight Accommodation: 4* Novotel, Monte Carlo, Monaco

Day 8 - Relax in Monte Carlo / Take in the Sights

In James Bond style, there should always be time to indulge yourself, so spend your final day relaxing in the jet set principality of Monte Carlo.  Although most famous for Casino Square and the F1 race stage around it's streets every year, there are several other sides to what is the second smallest country (after the vatican) in the world. 

The beach resort is quite small, but has a great collection of stylish bars, cafes and restaurants along it's front, and the prices are not as crazy as one might image.  The port is also a great place to wander around and admire the collection of super yachts, a visit to the Rascase Cafe (recently renovated) is also worthwhile and has great views across the habour and is steeped in F1 history. 

Another possibility is to head up to the Prince's palace, where the tight cobbled streets are lined with small shops and cafes, there are also several beautiful botanical gardens you can wander around.  Reserve the evening for Casino Square - the best seats  to admire the passing faces and traffic would be in the bar at the Cafe de Paris, from where you get great views down to the square.  Later you can try your luck in the Casino , though do remember to pack a jacket and tie for the evening if you plan to visit the tables at the main Casino.

One final point, dont forget to drive a loop of the F1 circuit, it's not exactly complicated, by we have the route marked out in the final GPS file.

Overnight Accommodation: Second evening at the 4* Novotel

Price is per person, based on two persons sharing a twin room on a bed/breakfast basis, parking incl.  Bring your car to the Alps and we dispatch the GPS unit and driving notes to you in advance, otherwise combine with one of our range of rental cars, from a Mini Cooper S, right up to the latest Aston Martin V8 Vantage S.

Packages includes:

• 7 nights accomodation in 3&4 Star Hotels
• 5 Days of touring, with detailed touring pack
• GPS programmed with all routes, hotels & sights
• Maps and mission notes for each day of driving
• On call support back to mission control
• Upgrades to 5 Star Lux accomodation available on request

June till Mid October