Driving to Southern France

[SavMan]

Boat for me to it breaks up the journey and if your kids suffer from sea sickness get them some tablets from Boots they will sleep for 6 hours

 

[Mr E]

We don't bother breaking the journey. We did overnight for a while but it takes a big chunk of time to get over.

Our tips from multiple journeys:

1. Boat or tunnel at about 0400 - 0500. You'll be down south by late afternoon.

2. Midweek travel if possible, especially in French holiday season. Roads are much quieter.

3. CD Player and/or games console in the back - haven't heard a peep from our two for years!

4. Get a tool tag from here - don't have to wake anyone, worry about change, etc.

5. The motorway across Millau from Clermont-Ferrand is cheap by French standards - I'm told that it's because it's th only major road in the area. Can be a bit bleak, but the viaduct is amazing and the drop down to the med is quite spectacular (they're not afraid of motorways with steep hills and bends!)

6. Stick the cruise on, enjoy the ride.

 

[Ream]

Love France the country not great with the people so my advice, a boat from Plymouth straight to Spain and sod the French.

 

[Mr E]

I've done this route but avoiding motorways. Aim to stop an Nantes/La Rochelle, and Bordeux. Thats what I did and I liked it.

Head over via Le Mans and La Sarthe, see the race circuit, its great

That's the wrong side - you want to be heading for Montpelier. We came back from Spain after staying at Bordeaux.

We drove down to Pals (near Girona) a couple of years ago - tried doing it overnight which was miserable, took 12 hours including stops on the way back, leaving at 0800.

 

[A210AMG]

great idea..

4. Get a tool tag from here - don't have to wake anyone, worry about change, etc.


We have a similar thing here for the Mersey tunnel and I've often thought they must have something similar.


I fond it awkward getting so close to the toll stations so my wife can put the car in on her side. OK more and more now are also on the UK drivers side but the fast tag sounds good


Does it work out the same price? As with out tunnel pas in the UK as we pay monthly we get a discount.


thanks for the heads up

 

[Simon_M]

If possible, don’t plan to travel on a French public holiday weekend. The queues for the toll booths around the large citys tend to be horrendous, or at least they were when we did it last year.

Consider buying an electronic tag for the tolls, means you can go through upto 20mph and the queues are a lot shorter as there as tag only lanes.

Oh, I've been beaten to the suggestion!

S

 

[Mr E]

great idea..

4. Get a tool tag from here - don't have to wake anyone, worry about change, etc.


We have a similar thing here for the Mersey tunnel and I've often thought they must have something similar.


I fond it awkward getting so close to the toll stations so my wife can put the car in on her side. OK more and more now are also on the UK drivers side but the fast tag sounds good


Does it work out the same price? As with out tunnel pas in the UK as we pay monthly we get a discount.


thanks for the heads up

You pay a deposit (€30 if I remember correctly). Toll fee remains the same, and there is a €2 fee per month that you use it. Return the tag and get the deposit back. Tag arrived in a couple of days, everything in English, easy access to statements, bills, etc.

We used to have a French one (from a French account) but this was much easier as we don't tend to keep to much in the foreign bank (usually a transfer to pay the mortgage) and they get a bit funny if they can't collect.

 

[davidjpowell]

If you go by ferry, you can get priority boarding for a modest supplement - it means you will be first off. This can easily save half an hour.

Back of a big ferry (parked on the up ramp!) when going to Le Mans. probably took ten minutes to get off. This tight northerner would not pay extra. (we'll leave aside the donuts in the other cars getting on a later ferry, despite being in front of us...).

It's not very PC parent friendly, but I have found the secret to long and peaceful journeys is a dvd screen or Ipad. Really does make a difference.

As Charles suggests Troyes should be feasible. I did Doncaster to beyond Grenoble in a day, but that with a family would be hard work.

 

[Mr E]

Don't forget your breathalyser too.

Well remembered - got ours in the supermarket out there, way cheaper than on the ferry.

Also a hi-viz vest or jacket. There seems to be some confusion around this, but our local gendarme recommended getting one for each occupant. IIRC the law says explicitly that the driver must have one, and then goes on later to say that anyone outside the vehicle needs to have one on.

Seeing as I wouldn't fancy leaving anyone in the car on the hard shoulder, we've got one for everyone. Mine rolls up into the cubby at the front of the seat, the rest go in the boot (usually on top of luggage or thrown in the back) - the driver can put his on and then get the rest of the other occupants - and that seems to be OK with the flics I've spoken with.

I did notice more radar cameras this time - and unmarked ones in roadworks too.

 

[davidjpowell]

Well remembered - got ours in the supermarket out there, way cheaper than on the ferry.

Also a hi-viz vest or jacket. There seems to be some confusion around this, but our local gendarme recommended getting one for each occupant. IIRC the law says explicitly that the driver must have one, and then goes on later to say that anyone outside the vehicle needs to have one on.

Seeing as I wouldn't fancy leaving anyone in the car on the hard shoulder, we've got one for everyone. Mine rolls up into the cubby at the front of the seat, the rest go in the boot (usually on top of luggage or thrown in the back) - the driver can put his on and then get the rest of the other occupants - and that seems to be OK with the flics I've spoken with.

I did notice more radar cameras this time - and unmarked ones in roadworks too.

They are 'unmarking' all their cameras. Not sure if it's just a Le Mans thing, but they were also staked out in camouflage gear by the side of the toll roads.

 

[jpwilliams]

We tend to take our time these days, but when we went with the kids - heading to SW - we literally always went Dover - Calais (tunnel is so easy now but boat gives the kids a break..) leaving reasonably early to get crossing at around 10... then drove to Orleans... about 4 or 5 hour drive from Calais. Booked into the Novotel (La Source) cos it was comfortable but more important - it has a nice outdoor pool for the kids to chill out after the drive, and food is reasonable....

Next day you have about 6 -7 hour drive to Perpignan ... and if you go via Montpellier you can drive over the Millau viaduct .... an awesome experience unless you're scared of heights.....

I would agree with Scottishman.The tunnel and the A75 to Montpellier via the Milau bridge.Enjoy your journey.
Regards
John

 

[st4]

That's the wrong side - you want to be heading for Montpelier. We came back from Spain after staying at Bordeaux.

We drove down to Pals (near Girona) a couple of years ago - tried doing it overnight which was miserable, took 12 hours including stops on the way back, leaving at 0800.

He said Perpignan, which is on the west side, as is La Rochelle and Nantes, depends what he wants to see but nowt wrong with the Montpellier way

 

[ShinyF1]

I did a two day run to Gers a few years ago, and after an early tunnel, we drove through the day and stopped overnight in Brive.

We were four families in convoy and it worked really well - our hotel in Brive was great and we managed a fab grown ups evening with the children being looked after by babysitters.

Although a few years before that did a boys trip from London to Rosas in Spain via Amsterdam, with Amsterdam to Rosas in one long fast stint. We enjoyed it so much the return leg was Oporto to Calais in one go trying to get back to London in time for a party. Never again - the idocy of youth. Still don't know how we kept awake through either run.

Good luck with your trip - I would be inclined to get through the road trip as quickly as possible

 

[Benzmanc]

Stayed in Perpignan when we went down on the bike, the manager of the Balladins hotel let us put the bike in his personal garage, top bloke

We usually go to the west of Paris via Blois and the chateau (a must see) then down through Toulouse, not as busy as the east side.

 

[Mr E]

He said Perpignan, which is on the west side, as is La Rochelle and Nantes, depends what he wants to see but nowt wrong with the Montpellier way

I know he did - Perpignon is on the eastern / Med side of the Pyrenees. Definitely not the Bordeaux / La Rochelle / Nantes side of the country which is west / Atlantic coast.

 

[BigSilverEstate]

Well I thought this would be a good group to ask about this but can't get over all the helpful, friendly and knowledgeable advice from everyone. Having read all this I am leaning towards the quicker dash with one overnight stop. Very helpful to hear everyone's stopping points and real-world timings.

I did not know about the toll tags, def going to look into that as the whole thing with the passenger paying the toll is a pain.

 

[scottishman2]

Well I thought this would be a good group to ask about this but can't get over all the helpful, friendly and knowledgeable advice from everyone. Having read all this I am leaning towards the quicker dash with one overnight stop. Very helpful to hear everyone's stopping points and real-world timings.

I did not know about the toll tags, def going to look into that as the whole thing with the passenger paying the toll is a pain.

trust me - we do it often... just use the credit card only lanes... as long as your passenger has enough agility to put the card in the slot... its painless, and easy... even better if you can persuade the wife to use her card and not yours!!!

 

[DITTRICH]

trust me - we do it often... just use the credit card only lanes... as long as your passenger has enough agility to put the card in the slot... its painless, and easy... even better if you can persuade the wife to use her card and not yours!!!

Exactly what we do!

 

[DITTRICH]

Don't forget your breathalyser too.

From London you should be able to get down to around Troyes without really pushing it, and then you would have a much easier drive the following day. I can't offer much advice on child friendly things (my idea of a good stop involves a place with a mediaeval cathedral and a Michelin starred restaurant - of the old school - with a damned good cellar).

If you go by ferry, you can get priority boarding for a modest supplement - it means you will be first off. This can easily save half an hour.

Law from 1/7/12 and fines issued from 1/11/12 so I am told.

 

[Benzmanc]

Law from 1/7/12 and fines issued from 1/11/12 so I am told.

We're going to ze fatherland in August, cutting a corner of France so won't bother this year if they're not fining until nov