Supercars have never been more popular, whether you're looking to buy one or merely rent for a few days of fun. But where to drive them to make the most of the experience? A new holiday tour offers an answer.
I once got into a conversation with a man who, thanks to his father’s employment, spent several years growing up in Dubai. Money and domestic staff were both plentiful in his life at the time, with the result that he was regularly chauffeur-driven to school in a Ferrari.
If that sounds exotic to you, well, I know the feeling. Probably all the more so because I used to catch the bus to school in Croydon.
But there was something about his tale of domestic mundanity which struck a note of sadness, even for somebody who had at the time never so much as sat in side Modena’s finest machinery. What a terrible waste of a wonderful car, to sit in choking traffic for a few minutes for the most humdrum of journeys. It’s a bit like wearing a hand-made Savile Row suit to do the gardening.
Supercars, like Savile Row suits, really need the right context to shine. You can’t drive to Tesco — or even Waitrose — in a Lamborghini, Bentley or Aston Martin without feeling a tinge of petrolhead sacrilege. Cars such as these deserve, demand and depend upon locations which match their beauty.
So it was with some delight that we came across a touring holiday idea the other day which understands this phenomenon, and does its utmost to provide the perfect backdrop for a driving experience. Luxury travel company Leo Trippi is now running a nine-day tour through the Alps during which you can take the wheel of cars such as a Ferrari 488 GTB, Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet or Maserati Gran Cabrio.
The route runs for 450 miles from Zurich via Grindelwald, Andermatt, Verbier and Gstaad to Geneva, taking in some of Europe’s most extraordinary scenery – and, of course, its greatest driving roads, including the Susten, Furka and Great St. Bernard passes.
Such cars and scenery also calls for top places to stay and talk over the day’s driving, and the bases include The Chedi in Andermatt and No 14 in Verbier. The latter is a place that confidently — if a little immodestly — pitches itself as ‘the world’s greatest chalet.
Prices will vary wildly depending on season, hotel and whether you want to follow the full itinerary or carve out your own, but Leo Trippi quote just over £11,000 for their nine-day tour with two people sharing a Ferrari 488 — you can find out more about the route at Leo Tripp’s website.
No 14, Verbier – yes, this is just one chalet
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