Nigel
We have travelled to France and Italy a couple of times from Aberdeen and have arrangements in place to go to le Mans in July this year. We went to Italy via the Newcastle Amsterdam Ferry (Rosyth/Zebrugge far too expensive). Newcastle is an easy day. Amsterdam to Koblenz was a long day in bad weather but would have been fine in the dry with the hood down. (Route passed the Nurburgring which would have been worth a stop had it been dry) Second day Koblenz to Lindau on Lake Konstanz, another long day but the weather had cleared. Two nights in Lindau for a rest and then over the hills and down to Lake Maggiore in Italy. You could obviously spin it out a bit more if you are only going to Switzerland and depending on how much time you have. We did that trip in a +8, The noise when cruising with the hood up in the wet (sports exhaust) was what persuaded us to change to our +4. We took that down to Angouleme last year. Similar daily distances and much more relaxing, can't see the roadster being much of a problem. Going to try the Hull Zeebrugge route this year, very good rates available for the return journey through the MSCC travel guru Quentin English.
Enjoy it when you get it.
Regards
Andy Reeves