THE BIG MINI ADVENTURE 30 SEP — 10 OCT ’26
OUR 2026 ROAD TRIP WALES TO FRANCE

Small car.
Big adventure.

Cardiff to Creutzwald in our white electric MINI. Across the Channel, into France, over to Germany for a day, and straight to Mikael’s 40th birthday celebrations.

Explore the journey The birthday plans
The adventure begins 30 September
Our white electric MINI Cooper ready for the road trip
THE ADVENTURE MOBILE CARDIFF, WALES
MIKAEL’S 40 IN FRANCE!
THE ROUTE CARDIFF FOLKESTONE CALAIS MARQUISE CREUTZWALD ↩ HOME TO CARDIFF · 10 OCT
THE WHOLE ADVENTURE · 30 SEP – 10 OCT

One day, one story.

THE MINI ADVENTURE · DAYS 01–11

The camera roll is right here, day by day. Explore the crossing, birthday, Maginot Line, German drives and evenings together, with every story and photo on this page, right through the drive home.

  1. CardiffOn the road
  2. FolkestoneLeShuttle
  3. CalaisIn France
  4. MarquiseFirst night
  5. CreutzwaldHome base
  6. CardiffHome again
01
WEDNESDAY · 30 SEPTEMBER 2026

The crossing & the first night

Cardiff, LeShuttle, France, and a dinner with a truly memorable amount of cheese.

Cardiff → Folkestone → Calais → Marquise
  1. 01

    The road out of Cardiff

    We set off in our white electric MINI with Mikael’s 40th birthday ahead of us. The first miles were about getting across the country and making the crossing.

  2. 02

    The MINI boards LeShuttle

    At Folkestone, the road trip changed pace: the car rolled onto a train. A short trip beneath the Channel took us to Calais and the French half of the adventure.

  3. 03

    Our first evening in France

    We stopped near Marquise for dinner and a night at Best Western Marquise Côte d’Opale. The meal came with considerably more cheese than either of us expected.

The road east through the MINI windscreen
01 / ON THE ROADEast from Cardiff.
The two of us in the MINI aboard LeShuttle
02 / THE CROSSINGCar, meet train.
The two of us at our first dinner in France
03 / FIRST EVENINGDinner on the French side.
A meal with a large amount of melted cheese
04 / THE MEALYes, that really was too much cheese.
The two of us setting off on the MINI adventure
THE CAMERA ROLLThe adventure begins
02
THURSDAY · 1 OCTOBER 2026

Across France to Creutzwald

Pastries, open roads, a MINI charge and the keys to our home base in Creutzwald.

Marquise → Creutzwald
  1. 01

    One last look at Marquise

    After our first night in France, we left Best Western Marquise Côte d’Opale and found pastries to take along. It was time to point the MINI east.

  2. 02

    France through the windscreen

    The motorway ran past open country and wind farms. This was the big driving day: plenty of road, a few stops, and the feeling of getting closer to family.

  3. 03

    A charge for the last stretch

    The electric MINI had its own pause at a French charging stop. Then we carried on towards Creutzwald and the birthday week.

  4. 04

    Keys to our home base

    By early evening we had reached the Airbnb in Creutzwald. The living room, kitchen and bedrooms made it feel like a place to settle in for the week.

Bakery pastries during the journey across France
01 / MORNING STOPPastries for the road.
Motorway ahead through the MINI windscreen
02 / EASTBOUNDFrance, mile by mile.
Wind turbines beside the route
03 / OPEN COUNTRYWind turbines on the way.
Our white electric MINI at a charger in France
04 / ELECTRIC MILESA boost for the MINI.
Bedroom with a striped bedspread at the Creutzwald Airbnb
05 / ARRIVEDHome for the week.
The living room at our Creutzwald Airbnb
THE CAMERA ROLLOur home base
03
FRIDAY · 2 OCTOBER 2026

Local miles & family time

An E.Leclerc charging stop, wooded border roads and an evening with the parents.

Creutzwald → Betting → Warndt
  1. 01

    A stop beside E.Leclerc

    We headed towards Betting, near Freyming-Merlebach, and paused beside E.Leclerc. The MINI had another charging stop at the Electra station there.

  2. 02

    Into the wooded roads

    The afternoon drive took us through the Warndt area near the German border. The tree-lined road felt a world away from the previous day’s motorway.

  3. 03

    With the parents at last

    That evening we got together with the parents and family. It was the best kind of arrival before the 40th birthday celebrations the following day.

E.Leclerc hypermarket near Betting during our 2 October stop
01 / BETTINGAn E.Leclerc stop.
Mikael beside the white MINI at an Electra charger
02 / ELECTRIC MILESAnother boost for the MINI.
Quiet wooded road in the Warndt seen from the MINI
03 / BORDER ROADSThrough the trees.
The first evening with Mikael’s parents and family
THE CAMERA ROLLWith the family
04
SATURDAY · 3 OCTOBER 2026

Mikael’s big 4-0

A Chinese meal with the family in Creutzwald and the birthday we came all this way to celebrate.

Creutzwald · the birthday dinner
  1. 01

    The big day arrives

    After the crossing and the drive across France, we were in Creutzwald for the milestone we came to celebrate.

  2. 02

    All around the table

    The evening brought everyone together for a Chinese meal. The group photo catches the family, the busy table and a very happy birthday gathering.

  3. 03

    A four-legged moment

    The day’s camera roll also caught a black dog out for a walk in the sunshine.

A black dog walking along a pavement beside a person on a sunny day
01 / A WALK IN THE SUNA four-legged friend joins the day.
Mikael’s birthday dinner with the family
THE CAMERA ROLLThe birthday table
05
SUNDAY · 4 OCTOBER 2026

An afternoon with friends

Time in Creutzwald, catching up with friends after the big birthday gathering.

Creutzwald · a day together
  1. 01

    A slower start

    After the birthday gathering, Sunday was a chance to enjoy being in Creutzwald rather than chase the next long drive.

  2. 02

    Time with friends

    The afternoon was for seeing friends, just as we had hoped when planning the birthday trip.

The lake in Creutzwald, our home base for the week
THE CAMERA ROLLA view of Creutzwald
06
MONDAY · 5 OCTOBER 2026

Inside the Maginot Line

A day at Ouvrage du Hackenberg: the fortress outside, underground railway tunnels and the rooms below.

Creutzwald → Ouvrage du Hackenberg → Creutzwald
  1. 01

    On the road to Hackenberg

    The day took us from Creutzwald towards the Maginot Line at Ouvrage du Hackenberg.

  2. 02

    Down into the fortress

    We followed the underground spaces and railway, a remarkable change from the bright October sun outside.

  3. 03

    Back above ground

    After the rooms and tunnels, the fortifications outside gave the visit another sense of scale.

The underground railway carriage at Ouvrage du Hackenberg
THE CAMERA ROLLThe railway beneath the hill
Matthew and Mikael together in the fort’s tunnel
THE CAMERA ROLLTwo adventurers underground
A historic gun room inside Ouvrage du Hackenberg
THE CAMERA ROLLInside the fort
The fortification outside Ouvrage du Hackenberg
THE CAMERA ROLLAbove ground at Hackenberg
07
TUESDAY · 6 OCTOBER 2026

A sunny day in Saarlouis

Over the border into Germany for a wander through Saarlouis, coffee and cake, and a look around a German supermarket.

Creutzwald → Saarlouis → Creutzwald
  1. 01

    Across the border

    From our base in France, we made the short adventure into Germany and headed for Saarlouis.

  2. 02

    A walk through town

    Sunny streets and colourful buildings made for a lovely wander. We stopped for coffee and cake along the way.

  3. 03

    A German supermarket mission

    There was time to explore a German supermarket before heading back to Creutzwald. The shopping was part of the fun.

A colourful cobbled street in Saarlouis on 6 October
THE CAMERA ROLLColourful streets in Saarlouis
Matthew, Mikael and a friend smiling together in Saarlouis
THE CAMERA ROLLTogether in the sunshine
08
WEDNESDAY · 7 OCTOBER 2026

Zweibrücken Designer Outlet

Our MINI took us via Saarbrücken to the designer outlet in Zweibrücken, then back to Aline’s house in Carling for dinner and a very photogenic dog.

Carling → Saarbrücken area → Zweibrücken Designer Outlet → Carling
  1. 01

    Ready in the MINI

    A back-seat view catches us getting ready for another drive across the border.

  2. 02

    Zweibrücken Designer Outlet

    Our destination for the day was the designer outlet in Zweibrücken. The camera roll catches the German motorway near Saarbrücken and the MINI's route; we didn't take an outlet photo to add here.

  3. 03

    An evening together

    Back at Aline’s house in Carling, everyone gathered around a tabletop grill for dinner. A friendly dog supplied the final portraits of the day.

The MINI's cabin before the afternoon drive
THE CAMERA ROLLReady for another drive
View through the MINI windscreen on the motorway near Saarbrücken
THE CAMERA ROLLOn the German road
Mikael smiling at a dinner table with a tabletop grill at Aline’s house in Carling
THE CAMERA ROLLDinner at Aline’s house
A friendly brown dog sitting on a patterned rug in Carling
THE CAMERA ROLLThe evening's star guest
09
THURSDAY · 8 OCTOBER 2026

Saarlouis shops & family dinner

IKEA, Decathlon, a less-than-great Burger King stop, then dinner and a huge dessert with Mikael’s family. The evening took an unexpected turn when a woman collapsed at the restaurant.

Creutzwald → Saarlouis → family dinner
  1. 01

    An IKEA and Decathlon loop

    We headed to Saarlouis for IKEA and Decathlon: a very different kind of cross-border day trip. Both stops are marked on the route map.

  2. 02

    The Burger King stop

    The Burger King meal was horrible, and I ended up with food on my face. At least the photo makes that part of the day impossible to forget.

  3. 03

    Dinner with family

    We went to a restaurant with Mikael’s family again. A woman collapsed during the evening, which was unsettling; we hope she was okay. Firefighters arrived at the restaurant, and we caught one moment from our table.

Matthew with food on his face after the Burger King stop
THE CAMERA ROLLThe Burger King mishap
Matthew, Mikael and family at the restaurant table
THE CAMERA ROLLDinner with Mikael’s family
Mikael smiling beside a large chocolate dessert
THE CAMERA ROLLA very good dessert
A firefighter outside the restaurant in Creutzwald on 8 October
THE CAMERA ROLLFirefighters at the restaurant
10
FRIDAY · 9 OCTOBER 2026

A Lidl charge & pizza at Aline’s

We charged the MINI for €0.29/kWh, went to McDonald’s, and finished the day with pizza at Aline’s house in Carling.

Creutzwald → Lidl → McDonald’s → Carling
  1. 01

    The Lidl top-up

    We charged the electric MINI at Lidl for €0.29 per kWh. That little charging stop became one more memorable detail of our time in France.

  2. 02

    A McDonald’s stop

    We went to McDonald’s during the day, keeping things simple before packing for the return journey.

  3. 03

    Pizza at Aline’s

    In the evening we went to Aline’s house in Carling for pizza again — a relaxed final night with family nearby.

Matthew in the MINI on 9 October
THE CAMERA ROLLOut in the MINI
Our white MINI charging earlier in the trip, used as an illustration of the electric journey
FROM EARLIER IN THE TRIPOur electric road trip
11
SATURDAY · 10 OCTOBER 2026

France to Cardiff in one day

A quick goodbye, a long drive across France, LeShuttle home, and a change of plan in Ashford: we skipped the hotel and drove on, tired, all the way to Cardiff.

Creutzwald → Coquelles → Folkestone → Ashford → Cardiff
  1. 01

    Goodbye and the long French leg

    We stopped briefly to say goodbye to Mikael’s parents, then set off across France. At an unpleasant service station we saw a couple arguing by a campervan covered in cheerful “Living the Dream” slogans. One line we remember from the exchange was: “I am going to take a shot in a minute if that’s alright with you, Tina.” The contrast between the slogan and the conversation gave us a much-needed laugh on a long day.

  2. 02

    Under the Channel again

    We reached LeShuttle at Coquelles and took the MINI back to Folkestone. The train photo from the car marks our second crossing.

  3. 03

    Ashford, then home

    We went to the planned Ashford hotel, but it was horrible, so we did not stay. We drove across the UK to Cardiff that same night. We were very tired when we got home.

Our MINI approaching a LeShuttle train at Coquelles on 10 October
THE CAMERA ROLLBack onto LeShuttle
Our white electric MINI photographed before the trip
OUR ADVENTURE MOBILEThe MINI that brought us home
A campervan at the French service station, with identifying details obscured
THE CAMERA ROLL“Living the Dream” campervan
FOLLOW THE DOTS

The route, at a glance.

Tap a dot for its story. Follow the MINI from Cardiff to France and back, plus the Maginot Line, two Saarlouis outings, Zweibrücken, Carling, the Lidl charge and our long return drive. The lines tell the story, not every turn in the road.

CardiffFolkestoneCalaisMarquiseCreutzwaldCoquellesFolkestoneAshford stopCardiff
A LITTLE ROAD TRIP, A BIG OCCASION

The kind of journey we’ll talk about for years.

One white MINI, two LeShuttle crossings, a first night near Calais, a home from home in Creutzwald, and more than one hop into Germany. The birthday brought us together; the return drive brought us home in one long day.

03countries
02crossings
40years to celebrate
THE ROADBOOK

Every stop has a story.

From the first mile out of Cardiff to the final tired stretch home, here’s how our adventure unfolded.

01   OUTBOUND 02   IN FRANCE 03   HOMEWARD
01
WED30 SEP
THE DEPARTURE

Cardiff → Folkestone → Marquise

We loaded up the MINI, drove east to Folkestone and took LeShuttle to Calais. Dinner in France came with a lot of cheese; Best Western Marquise Côte d’Opale is our first overnight stop.

Jump to day one
Electric MINILeShuttleNear Calais overnight
02
THU01 OCT
THE FRENCH LEG

Marquise → Creutzwald

After our night near Calais, we found pastries for the road, drove past wind turbines, charged the MINI and reached our Airbnb in Creutzwald. This is our home base for the birthday week.

Jump to day two
French roadsCharging stopAirbnb arrival
03
FRI02 OCT
LOCAL EXPLORING

Betting, border roads & family

We charged the MINI beside E.Leclerc in Betting, followed the wooded roads near the German border, then spent the evening with the parents and family.

Jump to day three
E.Leclerc stopMINI chargingFamily evening
04
SAT03 OCT
THE MAIN EVENT

Mikael turns 40!

We celebrated in Creutzwald with a Chinese meal and family around the table. This was the reason for the miles.

Jump to day four
Birthday dinnerFamily time
05
SUN04 OCT
MORE GOOD COMPANY

An afternoon with friends

Another day in Creutzwald and an afternoon to catch up with friends after the birthday celebrations.

Jump to day five
FriendsCreutzwald
06
MON05 OCT
BENEATH THE FORTRESS

Ouvrage du Hackenberg

We drove to the Maginot Line and explored Ouvrage du Hackenberg, from the concrete fortifications outside to its railway and rooms underground.

Jump to day six
Maginot LineUnderground railway
07
TUE06 OCT
ACROSS THE BORDER

A day in Saarlouis

We went to Saarlouis in Germany, walked through town, stopped for coffee and cake, and explored a German supermarket.

Jump to day seven
GermanyCoffee & cakeSupermarket stop
08
WED07 OCT
OUTLET DAY

Zweibrücken Designer Outlet

We drove there via the Saarbrücken area, then returned for dinner and a four-legged welcome in Carling.

Jump to day eight
Electric MINIGermanyCarling dinner
09
THU08 OCT
SHOPPING & FAMILY

IKEA, Decathlon & dinner

We drove to Saarlouis for IKEA and Decathlon, stopped at a disappointing Burger King, then went to a restaurant with Mikael’s family. A woman collapsed there during the evening.

Jump to day nine
SaarlouisFamily dinnerDessert
10
FRI09 OCT
THE FINAL FULL DAY

Lidl charge & pizza at Aline’s

The MINI charged at Lidl for €0.29/kWh. We went to McDonald’s, then spent the evening eating pizza at Aline’s house in Carling.

Jump to day ten
Electric MINI€0.29/kWhPizza evening
11
SAT10 OCT
THE WHOLE WAY HOME

Creutzwald → LeShuttle → Cardiff

After a quick goodbye to Mikael’s parents, we crossed France and took LeShuttle back to the UK. The Ashford hotel wasn’t right for us, so we drove home that night, very tired.

Jump to day eleven
Across FranceLeShuttleCardiff that night
THE CHANNEL CHAPTER

MINI meets LeShuttle.

Drive aboard at Folkestone, roll out near Calais, then do it all again on the way home. Two train rides make this road trip feel wonderfully different.

Explore LeShuttle
A Channel Tunnel car shuttle train at Folkestone
THE TRAIN THAT TAKES THE MINI UNDER THE CHANNEL
Cars parked inside a Channel Tunnel shuttle carriage
ROOM FOR THE CAR, TOO
The two of us smiling together on a sunny day
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MILES
03 OCTOBER · CREUTZWALD
40

Here’s to Mikael.

We made the trip for Mikael’s milestone birthday. The Chinese meal with family on the 3rd was the celebration we came for, followed by an afternoon with friends.

03 OCTChinese meal with family
04 OCTAfternoon with friends
THE DAYS IN BETWEEN · 05–09 OCT

The little side quests.

The Maginot Line, Saarlouis, Zweibrücken Designer Outlet, IKEA and Decathlon all made it into the journal. A longer Saarbrücken walk and a Creutzwald hypermarket browse can wait for another trip.

Exterior of an E.Leclerc hypermarket in France; a representative image, not the Creutzwald store01 / THE FRENCH SUPERMARKET MISSION

Explore E.Leclerc Creutzwald

For another trip: a proper wander around the local hypermarket for French treats and the inevitable “we don’t have this at home” discoveries.

Store details Photo shows an E.Leclerc in Rambouillet as an illustration.
Fountain and square at St. Johanner Markt in Saarbrücken, Germany02 / A GERMAN SIDE QUEST

Hop over to Saarbrücken

We passed through the Saarbrücken area by car on 7 October. A longer stop to explore St. Johanner Markt and the centre is an idea for another trip.

Explore Saarbrücken
PIT STOPS & HOME BASE

A place to pause.

Two places we stayed, and one planned stop that changed the ending.

01 / ON THE WAY OUT A guest room at Best Western Marquise Côte d’Opale

Marquise, near Calais

Our first night in France at Best Western Marquise Côte d’Opale, after the LeShuttle crossing.

See the hotel 30 SEP · ONE NIGHT
02 / OUR FRENCH BASE A path beside the lake in Creutzwald

Creutzwald

Our Airbnb home base for the birthday, family time, friends and the days out across the border.

See our Airbnb 01–10 OCT · AIRBNB
03 / A CHANGE OF PLAN

Ashford — no overnight

We visited the planned hotel after LeShuttle, decided not to stay, and drove straight to Cardiff instead.

10 OCT · HOME THE SAME NIGHT
WALES → FRANCE → GERMANY → WALES

One little MINI.
One big story.

30 September to 10 October 2026. One big birthday, two Channel crossings, three countries and a very tired arrival home.

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