Proposed joint XK8/XJS Trip to Switzerland July 2010

[dhdove]

Dear All

We have been contacted by Michael Horlor about participating on a joint run with the XK8 Forum to Switzerland next year.......I reproduce his e-mail below. I expect further publicity will come along but this will whet your appetites in the meantime hopefully..........if you are interested please do post as numbers will decide whether this project moves forward.

"I’m on the verge of putting a proposal for an XK8 Forum trip to Switzerland up for JEC approval. We have a member who lives and works in Switzerland and who with some input from me has done the outline legwork for a 6/7 day trip next year. However, since the £ has dived against most currencies including the Swiss Franc and along with general recessionary pressures, I think we will have a smaller pool of members keen to shell out for the run but it occurs to me that we might be able to get a larger number of participants if we were to advertise a joint XK8/XJ-S Forums’ trip, i.e. a modern Jaguar sports cars trip.
The basic details of the trip are as follows.

Friday 23rd July – Depart Dover, easy drive to an overnight stop between Troyes and Dijon (specific hotel yet to be confirmed).

Saturday 24th – Complete drive to Leukerbad, a spa town in the Alps. Display cars in town square during evening/attend fondue party.

Sunday 25th – Attend local Shepherds’ festival (on Gemmi pass). Evening meal in hotel.

Monday 26th – Excursion taking in Furka (where Goldfinger filmed), Susten and Grimsel passes. Evening meal in popular Relais.

Tuesday 27th – Free morning in Leukerbad; pm at local wine tasting. Evening meal in hotel.

Wednesday 28th – Drive to overnight hotel at Laon.
Thursday 29th – Cross Channel.

Very approximate costs for ferry, B&B & evening meals for two people sharing a car will be about £1500/£1600.

I would like to think we would be able to include a degree of flexibility (TBC) so that those keen on driving hard could cut out one or both the en route stops and treat the trip as a long weekend. The Calais to Leukerbad travelling can be done in 9/10 hours but that option’s more of a fall-back position if members are reluctant to commit for the whole package. "

Michael would like a quick initial response to gauge people's enthusiasm - or otherwise!- what do you think?

Regards
Tony

[MichaelSB]

Hi Mr T

Tracy and I would be interested in a trip of this sort so please put our names in the pot.

[rainbowhardy]

Hi Tony

Ruby and I would be very interested in this trip. Put our names down
and we cant wait to find out more about it.

Regards

Philip and Ruby

Black XJS coupe 3.6

[dhdove]

Dear All

I'm posting here on my own behalf (if you see what I mean).
Libby and I would like to go, if it goes ahead

Tony

[PaulE]

The Entente Cordiale 2010 is from 18th to 24th June based at Besancon and stopping at Epernay en route; a week-long trip organized by Kelsey and the club. Seems a shame to put on another attraction about the same time. The Entente is a great event. I have done it 7 times.(the Entente!).

[dhdove]

PaulE

Hi Paul, I take your point but would point out that at present the Switzerland trip is subject to numbers and confirmation. If it does go ahead it's a clear month away from the entente anyway, things do get pretty packed in during the summer season. Let's see how it goes, I don't think it should be a problem.

Regards
Tony

[dhdove]

UPDATE

Dear All
Things have moved on, this is a copy of Mike Horlor's post on the XK8 Forum BB........

"In the December magazine, members should have been able to read about next year’s exciting trip to Switzerland as well as hearing about it here online. However, this information hasn't been printed as planned. So, please read on and spread the word as widely as possible to other JEC XK8 and XJS owners.

Tony Copeland, one of our members, lives in a beautiful part of the Valais in Switzerland and courtesy of his local knowledge, he has been busy arranging a special deal for us to visit Leukerbad, a thermal spa town where each year a local Alpine festival, the Schaeferfest or Shepherds’ festival, is held. As well as attending the festival, there will an opportunity to drive three fabulous Swiss mountain passes with scenery so good that ‘Goldfinger’ was filmed on one of them (the Furka). Our base in Leukerbad (www.leukerbad.ch) will be the four star Lindner hotel which has thermal baths and all the spa treatments you would expect but our rooms along with some evening meals for our Jaguar group have been secured at attractive rates.

Leukerbad can be reached from the Channel ports in a day’s driving although it’s likely that most will choose to commence their journey on Friday 23rd July and break it with an overnight stop in France. Participants will have the choice of 4 or 5 nights at the Lindner Hotel (arriving Friday or Saturday through to Wednesday morning). We plan to display the cars in the town square on Saturday afternoon before heading off for a fondue evening. Then, on Sunday, giving participants a rest from their cars, we will visit the Schaeferfest. On Monday, we will spend the day enjoying the magnificent scenery of the three nearby passes. Tuesday, our final day before leaving for home on Wednesday will have time for shopping and a local wine tasting event.

The trip has been designed to encompass a mixture of driving from continental cruising to Alpine twists. Equally, participants will be able to socialise with JEC members over good food and enjoy the luxuries of a spa hotel. To acquire more information, special rate details and how to book a place on this sports car adventure, make contact a.s.a.p. with Mike Horlor (mike@jec-xk8-forum.org.uk. To obtain the special JEC rate, bookings must be made no later than the end of February 2010."

Those XJS BB members who have already expressed an interest will receive an e-mail from me shortly with itinerary details. Discounted hotel prices have now been held until end February 2010 due to the slippage in details being released in the Club magazine.

Best Wishes
Tony

[dhdove]

Dear All

Just a reminder that time is moving on and if you wish to take advantage of this organised run to Switzerland you will need to contact Mike Horlor (e-mail above) within the next couple of weeks - otherwise you may miss out.

As it turns out we have reviewed our holiday plans for this year and will now not be attending.

Regards
Tony