Signature Luxury Travel & Style

THE HIGH-SPEED INCENTIVE

Volare’s European Supercar Tour takes you through the Continent’s iconic roads to the glitz of the Monaco Grand Prix.

-

In the fabled alpine peaks between Switzerlan­d and Italy lie some of the most spectacula­r roads in Europe. The sharpened turns of Davos and the San Bernadino Pass are a delight for the true driving connoisseu­r – but this is only a taste of the automotive pleasures awaiting you on an Ultimate Driving Tour incentive programme.

Volare Travel Group knows the power a unique and peerless incentive can have on employees’ motivation. Its selection of driving tours and luxury escapes represents the pinnacle of experienti­al travel but the most extraordin­ary of all is the European Supercar Tour, taking in the Monaco Grand Prix from the deck of a private superyacht.

Grand Prix fever

There are two tours on offer, either beginning or ending with the thrills of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix. Over three days, you’ll experience the passion, glamour and high-octane excitement that makes the Monaco edition the highlight of the F1 calendar. From your base in Nice, your team will be transferre­d each day to Monaco and Volare’s privately chartered superyacht, moored in the heart of the action in Port Hercule; for an additional cost, make a highflying entrance with a helicopter transfer.

On board, the spirit of Monaco comes to you in the form of an all-inclusive bar serving premium drinks, gourmet all-day catering (from a buffet breakfast to a substantia­l supper) and access to Grand Prix tickets for those who want to feel the power of these multi-milliondol­lar machines up close. Volare is even able to organise access to the Amber Lounge, the official F1 after party, and

a once-in-a-lifetime experience behind the wheel of an F1 car, all 600bhp of its 600-kilogram mass propelling you around a private circuit in the south of France. With a power-to-weight ratio twice that of the Bugatti Veyron, these vehicles demonstrat­e the synchronic­ity between man and machine that no production car can match.

Between events – including your own Friday-night cocktail reception – there is also time to soak up the renowned chic lifestyle of this small-but-mighty principali­ty, or make Monte-Carlo your base by upgrading accommodat­ion to stay on board the superyacht.

A roll call of automotive prestige

It’s not all watching at the sidelines, however. Team-building gets exclusive behind the wheel of coveted supercars: Ferrari 458, Lamborghin­i Aventador LP700-4 and Huracan LP610-4, Audi R8 V10, Porsche 911 Carrera S, Mercedes SLS AMG with gullwing doors, Jaguar F-Type and Aston Martin Vantage S.

Each one is as much a member of the tour as it is a marvel of modern engineerin­g. On the switchback­s, hairpins and sweeping curves of these alpine passes, you will discover what these cars are truly capable of beyond the confines of city roads. Travelling in a convoy, a two-way communicat­ion system connects you to the expert commentary of your guides, unveiling the beauty of the surroundin­g landscape as you drive.

Should you end your supercar touring in Monaco, you’ll head out from Zurich for four days of high-performanc­e driving, watching as the city bustle melts away into a landscape of sweeping green and snowy peaks. Bound for Locarno on the Swiss shores of Lake

“EACH CAR IS AS MUCH A MEMBER OF THE TOUR AS IT IS A MARVEL OF ENGINEERIN­G.”

Maggiore, you must first navigate two roads that are the stuff of legend: the San Bernadino Pass and Davos.

From Locarno, the Grand St Bernad and Simplon Passes deliver you into Italy, and then on to Jausiers in France, driving the Route des Grandes Alpes, a road made famous by the Monte Carlo Rally and the Tour de France. Those behind the wheel of the Aston Martin Vantage S on the final day of driving into Nice will feel particular­ly in character along Provence’s D2, following in the track marks of 007 in the James Bond classic, ‘Goldeneye’.

Those setting out from Monaco will take in ice-crusted lakes, historic towns and the mountainou­s sublime via the Col de Turini before continuing back through the Simplon and Davos Passes. The final day of driving winds through the fairytale mists of Germany’s Black Forest before a stretch on the Autobahn and arriving in Stuttgart, the famed ‘cradle of the automobile’ and home of both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

Along the way, your team-building experience will be supplement­ed by stays in five-star châteaux and castles, and meals in Michelin-star establishm­ents and award-winning restaurant­s. After a day behind the wheel of the world’s finest supercars, there can be nothing better than sitting back with a local wine – and the promise of more automotive finery to come.

Amber Lounge

The team that parties together stays together, and there is no greater party than the Amber Lounge at Monaco, the highlight of the Grand Prix weekend. Volare can arrange access to this extreme VIP indulgence at Le Méridien Beach Plaza Hotel in Monte-Carlo, attracting F1 drivers, internatio­nal supermodel­s, film stars, musicians and even His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II. The festivitie­s begin with the Fashion Show, where F1 drivers strut the catwalk, suspended over the hotel pool, in an exclusive collection from British label, Apsley, before a charity auction and an evening of fine dining. It has also been the official F1 after party since 2003 and in 2014 all three podium winners – Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Australia’s own Daniel Ricciardo – celebrated their triumph at the Amber Lounge.

 ??  ?? 02 Superyacht antics in Monaco 03 In the heart of the F1 action 04 Driving in convoy 05 Supercars all in a row 06 Mountain passes for driving delight 05
02 Superyacht antics in Monaco 03 In the heart of the F1 action 04 Driving in convoy 05 Supercars all in a row 06 Mountain passes for driving delight 05
 ??  ?? 04
04
 ??  ?? 06
06
 ??  ?? 03
03
 ??  ?? 02
02
 ??  ??
 ??  ?? 01 01 Coasting in the Ferrari 458
01 01 Coasting in the Ferrari 458
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia