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.
Esta historia es de la edición November 13, 2019 de Country Life UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 13, 2019 de Country Life UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
