All's Well That Ends Well

Eschewing a cheap flight in favour of a good old-fashioned driving holiday, Nigel Havers embarks on a wine trip to France, accompanied by his wife George and their poodle, Charley

MANY years ago, after making a killing on a horse in the Derby, my dad decided to take us on holiday to Italy. We drove there and back in his old Jaguar, with the journey becoming part of the holiday. It allowed us to enjoy the ever-changing scenery—especially when we broke down. Back then, it was the usual way to travel in Europe, as it wasn’t possible to hire a car in those days, but long driving vacations soon rather fell out of fashion, thanks to the rise of cheap flights and the need for speed of access. Nowadays, as is the way with all things, it’s flying that’s falling out of fashion, due to a combination of growing awareness of our carbon footprint, plus the unpleasant sensation of being herded like cattle into an uncomfortable seat having spent several hours battling the clock, the traffic and, worst of all, airport security.

With this in mind, I was delighted to be asked recently to try out a new Audi A4 Avant by driving it down to the south of France and back, a trip we do most years, visiting friends and staying in a few favourite hotels. The A4 is a sleek sports car of an estate. It moves with the grace of a black panther and has wonderful seats that hold you comfortably in place for any distance. It sports all the latest gizmos, including cruise control plus, which I set at 130km (the motorway speed limit in France) and which, handily, automatically slows the vehicle down in tune with the car in front. This is a little terrifying at first, but I soon got used to it.