Pilgrimage to Turin for the IJ fans

[gs.davies]

In full realisation that this isn't of interest to many members here, but nonetheless..

..I am planning an Italian Job run for September 2025 if anyone is interested in tagging along.

- Departing on 4th September on Dover-Dunkirk Ferry, overnight in Thionville Approx 280 miles from Dunkirk.
- 5th September Thionville to Great St Bernard Pass, Swiss Side via Montreaux. Approx 340 miles
- 6thSeptember, Over the Great St Bernard (Italian Job opening road), visiting Courmayer (Benny Hill flower scene and dumping of Dormobile), La Thuile (Miura Crash), Pondel (ambush by Mafia), Colle de Nivolet (Coach over the side) and onto Turin Lingotto. between 220-250 miles
Staying three nights in the NH Lingotto Congress Hotel which in a former life was the Fiat Car Factory, .."the common market, four million dollars, through a traffic jam.." . Sadly the test track on the roof is no longer open to proper cars but can be visited for a walk around. Bring a dinky model of your car and take a pic of that instead!
- 5 September, a walk around Turin City, visiting the heist locations, the church steps, the gangs hideout etc. Maybe a visit to the Fiat Motor Museum.
- 6 September, a day of rest, or maybe seeing some of the Lingotto locations, like the rooftop jump, the curved roof building etc.
- 9 September, back over the Great St Bernard pass on the way home. I'll be aiming for somewhere around Reims-Geuex (the old GP circuit) approx 480 miles (quite ambitious day, but no worse than Lucerne to Florence for those who remember it!)
- 10 September, wherever in France to home via Dunkirk Ferry. approx 170 miles to Dunkirk.

I think this is doable in the timescale given, it's not an organised tour, and I'm doing it on my own regardless of if anyone comes with me. There's no support vehicle, tour guide etc, and accomodation bookings etc are entirely up to you. It's pay as you go, book the ferries, book the hotels, fuel up, pay tolls as applicable and drive. I'm estimating something like £1500 a car including tolls, fuel, hotels and some food.

There is an 'official' tour run by a company, this tour isn't affiliated with it in any way. I'd have joined that tour but the dates don't align properly for me and with single occupancy uplifts works out more expensive than going solo, and I have detailed instructions of where the locations are in any case.

[hanlminiman]

Sound like a good tour. Way back in 2019 I did a similar tour with the E-type Club to celebrate 50 years of the Italian Job film with Neil & Jo Burgess, Jeff Ruggles and the late great Derek Wilkins who lived up to the Mini reputation as we entered Turin and was a little bit behind red leader Neil. A lot of atmosphere with horn blazing from the local bus as we turned right across him! Hey ho, an adventure of a lifetime with David Salamone & Matthew Field to name just two plus the E-Type club. Oh yes, we did get to drive the roof. Might be worth having a word with the Turin Information Office who were very good to us. There is even a Youtube video of our exploits on the roof and through Col d'Isere. So many happy memories. I saw the film for the very first time in Leytonstone with my late brother-in-law in 1969 and when we came out, three minis were parked together - red,white & blue. I kid you not.
We went out on an early ferry on a Monday and returned on the Monday of the following week after travelling through France (2 overnights), Turin(3 nights), Aosta (Saturday), Sunday night in France and the ferry pm on the Monday.
Check out the Turin Auto Museum as well.
Have a great trip.

[hanlminiman]

Parked up for a "Night on the Museum" - Turin Auto with a very special E Type Jaguar.

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[floormanager]

I was given a good guide to see the movie locations in Turin by a obsessed fan. It was very good. I stayed in the Lingotto Hotel too! https://www.lingotto.com/

If you ask reception, they gave you a key to access the roof from the lift in the shopping centre. It was still a track then, I think since it has been converted somewhat. Great times.

[gs.davies]

Parked up for a "Night on the Museum" - Turin Auto with a very special E Type Jaguar.IMG_0321 (1) 2.jpeg

A few years ago on my drive to work going in the opposite direction was a convoy of Jags, probably having just left JD Classics as it was then. Obviously I gave chase as soon as saw one of them was 848 CRY. They pulled into a local
Hotel, Le Bouchon. Made my day that did!

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