This heady mix of opulent outdoor activities throughout the Swiss and French Alps, rollicking times at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, high-stakes James Bond-style gambling Monaco, haute beachcombing in Nice, and all-night-partying in Spain's 24-7 capital will exceed the hedonism you've long aspired to find. Add in Barcelona's tapas, the vineyards of the Swiss Riviera, and the temptation to just keep on driving down the spine of Africa, and this ten-day road trip could consume the next ten months of your life.

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Day 1-2: Geneva to Montreux (60 Miles)
Start in Geneva and drive east along the northern side of Lake Geneva, into Switzerland's warmest region known as the "Swiss Riviera," a south-facing slope of land with wine vineyards. For a blowout experience of luxury, exclusivity, and expansive views of the Alps, stay at Le Mirador (1801 Mont-Pèlerin; +41.(0)21.925.1111; www.mirador.ch) in Mont-Pelerin. Schedule your trip for early July so you can enjoy the Montreux Jazz Festival (www.montreuxjazz.com) further east along the lake. Don't miss the oval-shaped Château de Chillon (Avenue de Chillon 21; +41.(0)21.966.8910; www.chillon.ch), an 11th-century castle with spooky dungeons and imposing towers on Montreux's lakefront.

Day 3-4: Montreux to Zermatt (85 Miles)
A quick hour-and-a-half drive southeast puts you in Visp, where the train leaves for Zermatt. No cars are allowed in what might be the Alps' most picturesque mountain village, with its cluster of ancient chalets framed by the horn-like Matterhorn. Stay in the venerable Hotel Mischabel (+41.(0)27.967.1131; www.zermatt.ch/mischabel). If you don't stay out too late eating raclette (fresh potatoes with spicy, melted cheese) at Restaurant Weisshorn (+41.(0)27.967.5772) or drinking beer at North Wall Bar (Hotel Rhodania; +41.(0)27.966.3412; www.northwallbar.com), wake up early and climb the Matterhorn with the expert guides from the Zermatt Alpin Center (+41.27.966.2460; www.zermattonline.ch/alpincenter). They also arrange day hikes and glacier traverses.