Tesla Road Trip: Pisa to France in One Day
Summary of the video “🚗 Living in My Tesla in Europe | Day 6 | Visiting Pisa + Driving into France!” by Captain Eli.
Captain Eli drives his Tesla from Pisa through Cinque Terre to Antibes, France in a single day, navigating Italian ZTL zones, charging at superchargers, and switching from scenic backroads to toll highways to reach his destination by midnight.
Pisa: Quick City Tour
Navigating Pisa's ZTL Restrictions
Pisa has restricted traffic zones (ZTL) marked with circle-slash icons. Tesla's navigation routed the driver to free parking at Paparelli outside the ZTL, then to the Tower of Pisa 6 km away, avoiding expensive fines for entering restricted areas.
Leaning Tower History and Tilt
The tower began leaning almost immediately after construction due to a poor foundation built on only 10-100 meters of sand. Multiple historical figures including Napoleon and Mussolini attempted repairs; the tower now leans at approximately 4 degrees and is stabilized. Galileo famously conducted gravity experiments from the tower.
Quick Pisa Visit
The driver spent only 15 minutes in Pisa's main attractions before moving on, though he joked about returning later since Pisa is only 3 hours from his base in Antibes.
Journey to Cinque Terre and Charging
Strategic Charging Route
With 174 km range at 31% battery, the driver charged at a supercharger in Sarzana near La Spezia (2.7 km from Pisa) before heading to Cinque Terre. The route was optimized to skip Portofino since it wasn't on the direct path.
Supercharger Mall Amenities
The Sarzana supercharger is located in a shopping center offering vinyl records, Pokémon merchandise, a supermarket, Netflix merchandise, Pokémon cards, and gelato—providing entertainment and food options while charging.
Cinque Terre: Five Coastal Cities
Cinque Terre means five cities in Italian and consists of five stunning coastal settlements along the Italian Riviera. The driver had previously visited by boat and was excited to see the area again, describing it as a must-see destination with dramatic sea views.
Route Change: Toll Road to France
Decision to Use Toll Road
The driver typically takes scenic backroads to explore, but decided to use the Italian toll highway to reach Antibes faster. This trade-off reduced travel time from 7-8 hours to 2.5 hours, sacrificing adventure for speed to reach his destination.
Italy-France Border Crossing
The border between Italy and France is marked by a toll booth rather than border control. The driver experienced over 1 hour of unexpected traffic at the crossing, arriving in France later than anticipated.
Final Leg to Antibes
After crossing into France and charging at Consum air (10 minutes from Antibes), the driver arrived in Antibes at 10:10 PM with 18% battery remaining. He had driven since early morning (7-8 AM from Perpignan) and was exhausted but happy to be home.
Living in the Tesla: Week Progress
One Week of Car Living
The driver moved into his Tesla the previous Tuesday and is now on day 6 of his European adventure. He plans to complete a full week of living in the car by tomorrow (Monday), marking a significant milestone in his journey.
Antibes as Home Base
The driver considers Antibes his base and has mentioned it repeatedly throughout his adventures. He is excited to return and show viewers the spectacular view from his sleeping location, promising an amazing opening shot for the next video.
Daily Sleeping Setup
The driver inflates a bed setup in the Tesla each night and settles in for sleep. At midnight in Antibes, he was exhausted after a full day of driving but content to be back at his favorite location.
Notable quotes
I'm going to Antibes. Antibes Antibes Antibes. It's like saying I'm going home for me. — Captain Eli
I only take the side roads, but I've decided to use the toll road. — Captain Eli
The view behind me is amazing. The new video will open with an amazing view. — Captain Eli