Chandolin, Switzerland

We broke camp at sunrise near Lyon, France, after our border-hopping day through Andorra, French motorways and the Pont Séjourné viaduct, the sky just beginning to blush behind the mountains and the air sharp enough to wake even the sleepiest overlander. Today was the day we (a) visited the famous Silk Museum of Lyon, France and (b) traveled into Switzerland through Charlie Chaplin and Ella Maillart territory. The next chapter of our Silk Road expedition was calling and it came with silk artesans, alpine peaks, endless switchbacks and the promise of standing in the shadow of the Matterhorn and visiting the Chandolin home of legendary Swiss traveler Ella Maillart.

Pont Séjourné viaduct, Fontpédrouse, Pyrénées-Orientales, France

We woke up in our pine-nestled campsite next to Spain's border with Andorra, after the long push north from Pulpí through Valencia, Barcelona and Lleida in the Pyrenees, to the sound of mountain silence, which is to say: the occasional bird call, a rustle of wind through pine needles, and Chetak squeaking every time Odyssean Journey rolled over in their rooftop tent. The air was crisp, almost alpine-sharp, and it smelled faintly of woodsmoke and damp moss. Shehzadi, our ever-stoic Toyota Tundra, had a light coat of dew. It was the kind of morning that feels borrowed from a postcard.

Coffee was brewed, stretches were stretched, and sleepy grins passed between our two overlanding couples. The Vagabond Couple and the Odyssean Journey were back on the road. Today's mission: leave Spain behind (temporarily), enter the fairytale micronation of Andorra, fuel up, caffeinate, and then keep pushing toward France. Because that's what you do on the Silk Road—follow the stories wherever they lead.

Lamborghini is a name synonymous with unparalleled luxury, speed, and innovative design in the automotive world. 

By MarkSweep - Own work, Public Domain, Link

However, the brand's influence extends beyond the roar of high-performance engines and sleek car designs into the realm of lifestyle and dining with Tonino Lamborghini Cafés. These upscale cafés, scattered across the globe, are more than just eateries; they are a celebration of the Lamborghini brand's ethos, offering a fusion of high-end dining, sophisticated ambiance, and an immersive brand experience. 

Switzerland, France and Germany: A Trifecta of European Shenanigans

German side of the Three Countries Bridge Flags of Switzerland, France, Germany, the European Union and Weil am Rhein This bridge is so international it needs a passport just to cross itself

We did Switzerland, France, and Germany in one swing because borders here are less dramatic than our coffee needs.

Quick planning cheatsheet

• Currencies: Switzerland uses Swiss francs (CHF). France and Germany use euros (EUR).
• Emergency number: 112 works across the EU, and it also works in Switzerland.
• Power plugs: Switzerland uses Type J. France commonly uses Type E. Germany uses Type F.
• Getting around: Cities are built for walking plus public transport. Trains between countries are routine.
• Driving in Switzerland: Motorways require a vignette (toll sticker).

• Language: French is the default. Alsace also has a regional dialect (Alsatian) you may hear.
• Getting around: The historic center is very walkable, and Strasbourg has a modern tram network.
• What to pack: Rain happens. Umbrellas are helpful. So are shoes that don’t hate cobblestones.

Strasbourg basics we actually used

• Languages: German is the most common language in Zürich. Switzerland has four national languages overall: German, French, Italian, and Romansh.
• Water: Zürich’s public fountains are widely used for drinking water.
• Public transport: Trams and S-Bahn trains make it easy to skip driving inside the city.

Zürich basics we wish our wallet had read first

If you just want a simple route: Basel area for the “three countries” flex, Strasbourg for storybook streets, and Zürich for lakeside calm with big-city prices.

This long and juicy roadtrip travel guide takes you overland through the stunning heart of Europe:

• Cities: Paris (France) → Zürich (Switzerland) → Basel (Switzerland) → Huningue (France) → Three Countries Bridge (France, Germany, Switzerland) → Strasbourg (France) → Kehl (Germany) → Baden-Baden (Germany) → Heidelberg (Germany) → Triberg (Germany) → Meiringen (Switzerland) → Lucerne (Switzerland) → Venice (Italy)
• Provinces (Regions): Île-de-France (France) → Grand Est [Alsace] (France) → Canton of Zürich (Switzerland) → Canton of Aargau (Switzerland) → Canton of Basel-Stadt (Switzerland) → Baden-Württemberg (Germany) → Canton of Bern (Switzerland) → Canton of Obwalden (Switzerland) → Canton of Lucerne (Switzerland) → Canton of Glarus (Switzerland) → Veneto (Italy)

Europe has this funny habit of cramming multiple countries into spaces smaller than some American parking lots. Switzerland, France and Germany decided to play a particularly intense game of border hopscotch in this corner of the continent. We'd just finished ogling Parisian opulence and decided to trade baguettes for bratwurst via Switzerland, because why take the direct route when you can involve three currencies, four languages and enough bureaucracy to make a paperwork enthusiast weep with joy?

Our route was essentially a literary pub crawl with better scenery. We followed Victor Hugo's hunchback inspiration in Strasbourg, chased Dostoevsky's gambling demons in Baden-Baden, hunted Goethe's ginkgo poem in Heidelberg and nearly tumbled down the Reichenbach Falls like Sherlock Holmes' inconvenient demise. All this while dodging cuckoo clocks in the Black Forest that probably contained more intricate machinery than our first car.

London–Paris–Versailles–Zurich Train Journey: Europe Rail Travel, City Sightseeing & Palace Tours

On our way to the Palace of Versailles. Did you know the palace's garden fountains actually run on a 17th-century hydraulic system that once used 14 massive water wheels and roughly 250 pumps (historically documented at about 259 pumps)? During Louis XIV's reign, the gardens consumed never produced enough pressure to run all the fountains at once. The king's gardeners would sometimes paint grass green during droughts to maintain appearances.

London ➡️ Paris ➡️ Versailles ➡️ Zurich. Our European train travel adventure continues with what we call the "Channel Dash" - that mad sprint from London to Paris via the underground tunnel that still feels like science fiction. After chasing solstice shadows at Stonehenge and getting thoroughly windswept in Scottish coastal towns, we figured civilization might be nice. So we traded North Berwick's sea spray for Parisian perfume, reminding us that sometimes the best travel plan is simply booking a seat and watching the countryside roll by.

The Mercury Room. A bronze-and-crystal chandelier hangs above one of the ceremonial rooms in the King’s State Apartment. The portrait behind it shows Louis XV in coronation dress. The room once contained tables, mirrors, and lighting fixtures made of solid silver. Louis XIV ordered that silver furniture melted down in 1689 to help finance the War of the League of Augsburg. Royal decoration had discovered the liquidity event.

Our summer Europe journey reached France after the midsummer solstice at Stonehenge, Edinburgh, Seacliff Beach, and North Berwick. From London we crossed by Eurostar to Paris, then made this train day trip to Versailles.

On June 25, 2014, we traveled from near Gare de l’Est to Gare Montparnasse, rode to Versailles-Chantiers, and walked to the palace. The day moved through the royal apartments, Hall of Mirrors, museum galleries, gardens, Trianon palaces, and Queen’s Hamlet before the train returned us to Paris. Versailles had enough gold to make restraint file for unemployment.