‘Having been delayed by Covid, the club driving trip to the Black Forest finally took place in September 2023, only three years late. That being said, it was worth the wait. I believe that this trip will be remembered as one of the best, as not only was the weather fantastic, but the company and the scenery were brilliant’ - Jennie Wilson, Tour Coordinator.
Embarking on our first overseas adventure with the club, our journey began in Dover with a welcoming pre-trip gathering over dinner. An early check-in was to follow the next morning at 6:30 am so most chose to arrive the night before. The following morning, equipped with walkie-talkies, once checked in we navigated the ferry terminal maze in a somewhat comical fashion, zig-zagging until eventually finding the correct boarding lane - the signage was poor, honest.
A few hours and a hearty breakfast later, the ferry doors opened in Dunkirk with nine Lotus’ poised to start the day's adventure. However, one Elise was particularly reluctant to disembark but it wasn’t long before we were all aligned in a rather colourful convoy leaving the port at Dunkirk.
Our route, flirting with the French and Belgian border, made good use of the toll-free roads. We stopped for a break at Givet, a charming French town on the Canal de Meuse which is surrounded on three sides by the Belgian border. Our route through the Ardennes showcased open countryside and led us to our night's haven, the Hotel Quartier Latin in Marche-en-Famenne. The hotel specialises in classic car tours, good food, Belgian beers and local wine. The evening unfolded under the lingering warmth of the September heatwave, which had gladly followed us through France, setting a perfect tone for the rest of our trip.
The journey to Heidelberg the next morning involved traversing Luxembourg on autobahns and motorways, crossing into Germany over the Mosel River. Having revelled in the wonderful weather, the scorching temperatures proved a challenge when we found ourselves in our first traffic jam, with temperatures in the high 30s. Rather than shunning the lorries we embraced their shade and paused under bridges, with those with the roof off manufacturing makeshift shade with magazines. Nervously keeping an eye on the temperature everyone eventually made it past the holdup and our arrival at the Novotel in Heidelberg marked a cool relief.
Our third day was spent exploring Heidelberg with a private and entertaining guided tour of the Schloss Heidelberg followed by a serene river cruise along the Neckar River with suitable refreshments - including the largest ice cream you can imagine.
On leaving Heidelberg the following day we enjoyed our first experience of the Schwarzwald-Talerstrasse (Black Forest Valley Road) and the Fantastiche Strasse (aptly named!) led us to our first taste of the famous gateau at Café Blaich in Höfen an der Enz. This is what we came for, wonderful roads, scenery and very sumptuous slices of gateau!
We continued to Schramberg and stopped at the Autosammlung Steim - a private collection and classic car museum assembled over many years. A short drive from here brought us to Rottweil, a Roman town with a medieval centre and our destination for the night at the Hotel Bären. The owner ensured we could all park in the courtyard at the front of the hotel (think of Tetris) and proceeded to welcome us, very generously, with pre-dinner drinks before our evening at the restaurant Zum Pflug nearby. This was a typical German BierKeller and the weather was still warm enough for us all to sit outside.
From Rottweil, we journeyed along the Oberndorfer Strasse complete with hairpin bends to Triberg im Schwarzwald. With its seven-tiered waterfall, Triberg is the home of the Black Forest Gateau and also where the cuckoo clock industry began in the 17th century with one particular shop offering a choice of 1,000 cuckoo clocks! It was also a shopping opportunity, something we soon became synonymous with, and our car (Elise S1) was soon referred to as ‘The Tardis.’
That afternoon, we were back on the famous Bundesstrasse 500 that traverses the heights of the Black Forest. The sweeping roads and scenery, twisting past Furtwangen im Schwarzwald, didn’t disappoint as we headed for Freiburg.
Venturing through the southern region the next day, we enjoyed a circular route to Freiberg which was recommended to us by a local Lotus owner and member. Highlights of this included the Schauinsland cable car, Germany's longest gondola lift (2.2 miles), and a thrilling drive on the L124, used for European Hill Climbs from the 1920s to as recently as the 80s and described as ‘a little like Shelsley Walsh’.
This led us to lunch at the fabulously located Almagastgstatte Kalbelescheur restaurant, atop another prominent hill. From here, our journey through Gengenbach to the Hotel Schliffkopf, high in the Black Forest, showcased yet more picturesque landscapes.
Day six took us back on to the B500, picture perfect with everyone in convoy. Today’s stop was at the beautiful and traditional medieval town of Gengenbach. After a quick stretch of the legs along the pretty cobbled streets and a spot of shopping with coffee and yes, more gateau, it was back on the road. With its stunning views across the region and the sweeping B500 at its feet, it felt like you were on top of the world.
Schliffkopf, where our hotel was situated, was also close to Mummelsee, a 17-metre-deep lake. We stopped here to take in the pleasant views (some decided to hike up the Hornisgrinde mountain from here later that day) and enjoyed talking with another small group who were travelling from the UK in a Porsche GT3, Lotus Exige S2 and a TVR Griffith. They commented on how they found it great that, out of our group of ten cars that day, the majority were being driven by women.
With two nights at the Schliffkopf, we took a day trip to the spa town of Baden Baden. A charming and beautiful town with its baroque and art nouveau buildings, street music, gardens and art along with shops and food to enjoy. It was upon leaving here that we had our only ‘glitch’ of the trip. The main group continued, leaving a few with us until we were back on our way. With diversions and roadworks ahead, we took an off-piste detour along what turned out to be a stunning route. We had no idea where we went; we simply followed the ‘Tiger’ in front. The glitch with the immobiliser turned out not to be too bad after all.
On the seventh day, we reluctantly started our return home, with a brief sojourn through Luxembourg and back into Belgium, returning to the Hotel Quartier Latin one final time. Following a fantastic meal, a lazy morning and a final little retail therapy on our part, we then set off through the lovely old streets of Marche en Famenne before blasting back into France and the final stop. Finishing this wonderful trip in style, our last night was at the Hotel Chateau Tilques, just thirty miles from Dunkirk. The weather was still gorgeous and with the stunning chateau backdrop, we bid farewell in style lining up for one last photo opportunity.
Before heading back to the ferry though, we stopped at the Blockhaus d’Eperlecques, a fascinating historic monument and museum that details the history of the V-2 bomb, a huge concrete bunker that was intended to launch thirty-six missiles per day. All that then remained was the drive to the ferry and to say goodbye as we left for Dover.
Our heartfelt thanks to Jennie and Richard, the organisation was perfect, and the routes we followed were everything, if not more, than what you would expect from a trip through the Black Forest. Many thanks to all of those with us on the trip - this was more than a driving holiday; it was a camaraderie-filled adventure that left us eager to do it all again.
Total mileage 1,269 miles, Dunkirk to Dunkirk.