The Space Race - Top Experiences.
Following on from the success of last year’s Eagle Rally, in 2019 we’re launching our second adventure – The Space Race. We’re creating this adventure off the back of over a decade of driving all around the globe, on adventures which have covered around 80 different countries and made us pretty clued up on just what makes the perfect road trip. It’s this depth of experience on which the Pub2Pub ethos is based, and the thinking behind it is that a road trip should be more than just a series of great driving roads; it should also be a series of great experiences.
This is why on the Eagle Rally, as well as taking in some of the best tarmac Europe has to offer – from the twists of the Ardennes to the Alpenstrasse’s glorious 280 miles – we made sure these glorious miles linked together unforgettable experiences as we headed for the drive’s ultimate objective, The Eagle’s Nest in deepest Bavaria. You can see some of these experiences here.
Given that our ethos proved a success on The Eagle Rally, we’re taking it to the next level for The Space Race. Sure, the roads are great, with our journey taking in such delights as the Route des Cols which runs through the Pyrenees, and the slaloming rural tarmac of the volcanic Auvergne region, but to us driving roads are just the start. That’s why we’ll be leaving the Route des Cols to visit a summit observatory of one of the highest mountains in the Pyrenees. It’s why our trip through the Auvergne stops in picture-perfect medieval villages and on summits where over 100 volcanoes stretch away to the horizon. In short, it’s why the Space Race is the perfect fusion of driving pleasure and unique experiences, put together by people with more global road trip experience than pretty much anyone else out there.
But don’t just take our word for it. Here are a few of the Space Race’s highlights, all of which are strung together by smooth tarmac greatness:
Mont St Michel
It’s an icon of Brittany, a towering island of medieval ramparts and battlements which gel together to form one of the most celebrated views in Europe, shimmering over the bay like an apparition. The view whisks you back hundreds of years to a time before our world, but to cross the causeway to the island, to roam its streets and drop by its restaurants is to take that step back in time. Because Mont St Michel isn’t celebrated as one of France’s greatest historic sites for no reason – it’s earned its fame with the audacity of its architecture and the improbability of its location. Put simply, it’s a must-see.
Manoir de l’automobile
Sometimes, the best car museums are the ones which are the least hyped. And if you were to seek out the museum where the quality outstrips the fame by the biggest margin, there’s a good chance you’ll end up here, at the best kept secret in petroldom - La Manoir de l’automobile. The place has everything, from a fine collection of group B rally cars and Le Mans racers, to a room full of Lamborghinis. There’s also a 1980s F1 starting grid, a smorgasbord of Ferraris and, this being Pub2Pub, a tavern. Just don’t shout about the place, as we'd hate for the secret to get out.
Bordeaux Wine Tasting
France is famous for its wine, and Bordeaux is one of the most celebrated of all its grape-nurturing regions. And given that this is a Pub2Pub road trip, we’ll be taking full advantage of this, with a chauffeur-driven , afternoon tour of several of the area’s vineyards, complete with tastings and merriment. Thirsty? You won’t be after this experience.
Route des Cols
While our ethos is that on the perfect road trip, great roads should be effortlessly balanced by memorable non-driving diversions, just occasionally a road is so good that it becomes a diversion in itself. Running the length of the Pyrenees from the Mediterranean to the Bay of Biscay, the Route des Cols is a case in point. Put simply, it’s one of Europe’s greatest drives, and we’ll be doing its hairpins and vistas full justice on the Space Race.
Pic du Midi
Road trips are always better if you have a destination. A goal to work towards, which gives them a sense of purpose and an identity. Unfortunately all too many organised trips forget this, and find themselves drifting somewhat aimlessly as a result, but not the Space Race. Because we’re driving to the Pic Du Midi, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landings by visiting the telescope which mapped the surface of the moon in the build-up to Apollo 11, so Neil Armstrong knew where to land. And as is traditional for Pub2Pub, there’s a bar there too, so we’ll be able to enjoy a beer as the sun sets, basking in the sense of achievement and shared camaraderie which comes from having driven here.
The Airbus Assembly Plant
Here, the behemoths of the skies come together. Components which are built all across Europe are assembled and tested before delivery to the airlines. It’s a place of grand scale and millimetric precision, where the cutting edge of technology is the everyday norm. It is to technology what Mont St Michel is to history – a pinnacle experience. And it's the perfect place to take a break from the road, and go for a morning tour.
Puy de Dome
In France’s Auvergne, over 100 extinct volcanoes rise from the under-touristed Massif Central. And on a clear day, from the summit of Puy de Dome, you can see them all. But that’s just the start. You can also see the remnants of the Circuit de Charade – France’s answer to the Nurburgring – and to the south, the medieval villages and mountain passes through which we’ll have driven to reach this spot of such rare beauty. And to the north, France stretches away to the horizon, a great swathe of cheese-tinged country which we’ll be driving through as the adventure continues on the long road to England.
So there you have it: just a few of the stand-out experiences we're planning - for the full details of The Space Race, follow the link below and feel free to join us on the adventure:
https://pub2pubadventures.com/pages/space-race