[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Just spent 3 weeks in France in my 440i GC with family and kids.

Not really a road trip, stayed in a gite near Royan on the Gironde estuary for most of it. Great weather and great location. Loved the beaches.

We did manage a stay over in a nice Chateau in Alencon on the way down and a spontaneous 2 nights in a fancy hotel in Paris on the way back. The supercars in Paris are what made me think of going for the MPPSK.

Car was brilliant, great to drive, even when fully loaded and a roof box on. The B58 did drink quite a lot with a roof box on and at 85 mph. 28.5 mpg for the whole trip.

I even managed to get 3 in the back comfortably when the mother in law flew out for 10 days. Baby seat on one side. Wife on the other. 5 year old on a little seat in the middle, bubblebum, smallest booster seat available. Side protection not needed when sat in the middle.

Favourite times in the car were later in the evening when I got to go out for a couple of blasts on the empty French country roads.

Worst time was at the end of a very long day one when I looked the wrong way on a roundabout and a bus nearly hit me. I still don't know how he missed me, would have been a pretty short holiday if he'd hit us.

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Pics from the gite we stayed at.

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Also learnt something new about the car. If you open the door and get out with the engine running it automatically puts the gearbox in park. I knew it did it automatically when you switched engine off, but not getting out with engine on.

I know some moan about the sat nav, but it didn't put a foot wrong. I took a French road map with me due to a torrid time with a Jaguar sat nav in France a few years ago. Didn't need it once.

Also loved the rain radar that I'd not seen before, was extremely accurate on the couple of days I used it. Only thing that would make it better would be a pin for your current location on the map.

[MashinBenzin]

Sounds like a great trip Alex, cheers for the write-up and pics. Lucky escape from the bus vs. autopilot brain incident, it's always hard to re-programme from what we know instinctively (I always feel uneasy crossing complex junctions on foot in LHD countries, especially where trams abound - have I really checked all the right directions?!)

[werewolf81]

Great write-up Alex. It's nice to know that the GC can be a very practical car.

[TodmordenLad]

Nice one
Went to Royan in July last year myself - great beaches and great coastal cycling routes
Am off to Provence in September. Last trip in my F31 before the 4GC arrives in October

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by TodmordenLad

Nice one
Went to Royan in July last year myself - great beaches and great coastal cycling routes
Am off to Provence in September. Last trip in my F31 before the 4GC arrives in October

Was our first time, loved it. Great in the school holidays because there are literally miles and miles of beaches and even when busy you always have plenty of space.

Plus, this year it escaped the mega heat wave on the South coast. We mostly had pleasant sun at 22-26 degrees, as opposed to 38 where some of our friends were in Nice. Wouldn't have been much fun in that heat with a 5 year old and a baby!

Think we'll go again next year.......and now we've done it in comfort in the GC I won't have to spend ages explaining to the wife why we're not taking her Volvo.

[Tr0y]

Drove mine to Marbella a few weeks back, albeit F33, but besides having to stop frequently for fuel I'd agree with you, didn't miss a beat.

Although, car parks in Europe are tight!! And I didn't use the nav so couldn't speak for its usefulness.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by Tr0y

Drove mine to Marbella a few weeks back, albeit F33, but besides having to stop frequently for fuel I'd agree with you, didn't miss a beat.

Although, car parks in Europe are tight!! And I didn't use the nav so couldn't speak for its usefulness.

Car parks near Royan all had plenty of space and most were free. Paris was a different story.

One of those Top Gear style underground car parks, where they got stuck getting out with 3 super cars. I had to drive round the whole place with parking sensors on. That picture below was the entrance, looks tight even with a smaller car in it.

[Racing Teatray]

Good to hear. We took our 440GC down to Italy last Christmas for two weeks returning via the Alps, and it was brilliant.

Mercifully we didn't need a roof box (or as the Italians call them, a "porta suocera", which translates as "mother-in-law-carrier"....).

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by Alex440

Also learnt something new about the car. If you open the door and get out with the engine running it automatically puts the gearbox in park. I knew it did it automatically when you switched engine off, but not getting out with engine on.

Does this mean you tried getting out with the engine in D

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by Racing Teatray

Good to hear. We took our 440GC down to Italy last Christmas for two weeks returning via the Alps, and it was brilliant.

Mercifully we didn't need a roof box (or as the Italians call them, a "porta suocera", which translates as "mother-in-law-carrier"....).

Luckily I only needed it for the way down and back, I took it off for the 3 weeks we were actually there.

After a longer journey back, via Paris for a couple of days fully loaded, the car felt like a Mazda MX5 straight after I unloaded everything.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

As I said previously, the supercar noise in Paris is what has made me change my mind on the MPPSK.

Another expensive detour to Louis Vuitton, where my wife kindly bought me a pocket organiser, like a small wallet for over £200, was where I saw loads of cars for hire. 90 euros for half an hour. I really should have had a drive rather than just take pics!

Round the corner outside the Four Seasons were two super ugly SUV's, presumably owned by Arabs.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

Does this mean you tried getting out with the engine in D

Not really, was climbing out to enter a gate code, at the same time as reaching for the gear stick, when I noticed it move on its own before my hand reached it.

After that I did just climb out, handbrake applied and in D, it moved across to P each time. Nice safety feature.

[330Stevie]

Rain radar is great app and seems more accurate than BBC weather!!!

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by 330Stevie

Rain radar is great app and seems more accurate than BBC weather!!!

Definitely, just a pin for my location would improve it for me. Not necessary all the time, like at home or when in a fixed position. But, when I was travelling north through France and there was a huge downpour on the autoroute it would have been nice to see where I was in the rain splodge on the map.

[MrChumley]

Great write up Alex and kudos for driving round Paris

I've done most of the major French cities but I always give the capital a miss.

And please don't get me started on the car parks - have I mentioned my recent trip cost me a new sill, new front wheel, touched up second front wheel and a bumper repair

[Lux700]

That's what these cars are for... driving, touring and enjoying. Glad you enjoyed it. The car looks good, SG with CR, nice.

Drove mine to Tuscany and back last year via the Alps (both ways). Always good to go on a driving holiday where you can appreciate some proper roads and scenery.

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by MrChumley

Great write up Alex and kudos for driving round Paris

I've done most of the major French cities but I always give the capital a miss.

And please don't get me started on the car parks - have I mentioned my recent trip cost me a new sill, new front wheel, touched up second front wheel and a bumper repair

Paris traffic not too bad in August. All the locals are out of town. Stayed near the Arc de Triomphe and decided to go round it Sunday morning as we left. A bit daunting when you approach and the sat nav says please take the 9th exit on the roundabout. Never seen anything like it, one 12 lane wide road with no markings. It also only becomes apparent when you are half way round that you give way to traffic entering, not the other way around.

Technically you should stop for everyone entering, which was nigh on impossible on a Sunday morning, can't imagine what it'd be like in the rush hour!

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by Lux700

That's what these cars are for... driving, touring and enjoying. Glad you enjoyed it. The car looks good, SG with CR, nice.

Drove mine to Tuscany and back last year via the Alps (both ways). Always good to go on a driving holiday where you can appreciate some proper roads and scenery.

I've always loved driving in France, been 4 times in the last 5 years. I like the empty roads, even in the holidays, if you travel at the right time of day, sat at 85 in cruise control eating up the miles. Done it twice in a Jaguar XFS, once in an Audi A6 biturbo and now in the 440. The Jag just wins for the cruise on the motorways, it also bettered both on the twisties, but loses a million points for the sat nav and the noise wasn't that great compared to the other two.

Apologies for even more pics, bit self indulgent, but I'm enjoying reminiscing about past trips and cars as well!

[MrChumley]

Originally Posted by Alex440

Paris traffic not too bad in August. All the locals are out of town. Stayed near the Arc de Triomphe and decided to go round it Sunday morning as we left. A bit daunting when you approach and the sat nav says please take the 9th exit on the roundabout. Never seen anything like it, one 12 lane wide road with no markings. It also only becomes apparent when you are half way round that you give way to traffic entering, not the other way around.

Technically you should stop for everyone entering, which was nigh on impossible on a Sunday morning, can't imagine what it'd be like in the rush hour!

You did the Arc?????

Double

Even in August!!!

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

Originally Posted by MrChumley

You did the Arc?????

Double

Even in August!!!

I could see it from outside the hotel, couldn't resist.

In fairness, it was 9am on Sunday morning. I wouldn't have gone near it with the moderate traffic I saw there Saturday afternoon.

It was more like picture two when I went round. Still confusing when you get on and then keep stopping to let others on. Plus I missed the 9th turning off as sat nav didn't keep up and I went down the tenth. I did a u turn and went back, slowly realising I'd have to do the full circle round it again. 🙄