Fredbargate

Hi
I am planning a trip through France at the end of May early June, starting at the Tunnel heading to the Carmarge via the Millau Bridge and then on to Andorra.
Could anyone suggest a route avoiding city centres, particularly Paris but interesting and scenic.
Any other useful tips welcome.

grannybunz

How are you travelling and how long have you got??

dmu

Hi,
As you're taking the A75, you could stop off anywhere between Clermont-Ferrand and Lodève for scenic beauty in the Auvergne and Larzac. After Lodève you're in the plain (and soon, toll-booths on the Autoroute). If you're heading for the Camargue, then make a detour to visit St Guilhem le Désert. On the way back west, Pezenas is a jewel of a town, worth a stop-over; a quick visit to the 9 locks (Ecluses de Fonserannes) on the Canal du Midi south of Béziers (without stopping in the town): there are abbeys, cathedrals, and other architectural splendours all along the Languedoc Plain, and plenty of interesting small towns down towards Perpignan.
Hope this gives you some ideas, you could even stop over in Millau (small town) and you'll see the Viaduc from the Tarn down below.

cyrian

You may want to use the A16 which comes down to the west of Paris.
You pass Beauvais and then turn off towards Cergy-Pontoise then the A15 until you connect with the A86 - the outer ring road around Paris.
Follow the A86 until you meet the N118 towards the A10.
Follow the A10 south.

dmu

.... but the OP says he wants to head for the Camargue via the Millau bridge, so, from the A86 south of Paris, he should head towards Clermont-Ferrand. (As you may have gathered, I only know south of C-F and more particularly the Hérault and neighbouring départements!)

Fredbargate

Thanks for the suggestions so far, I will need to research them more.

This is part of a trip from Gibraltar to Ireland / UK and back.

Spain I am fairly familiar with and the trip up through the West of France to Roscoff is already planned.

Time wise we are fairly relaxed about and has we are unlikely to do this again we want to make the most of this trip.

dmu

Wow, that's some trip!
I'll look out for more places in my part of the world, so you'll have a good choice of not-to-miss visits...

P.S. Forgot to mention Arles, which is a real "must-see" if you like Roman archeology. A day won't be enough to visit the town and the Museum where you'll find a "human-looking" bust of Caesar and a reconstituted boat recovered from the Rhône. If you'd prefer a coastal route going West, pass through Aigues-Mortes, Sète, Agde (another good Museum in Cap d'Agde), Narbonne, before going South.

cyrian

Yes he changes onto the A71 at Orleans then the A75 .
I assumed that having guided him round Paris that he would be able to work out the rest of his route.
My DD studied in C-F for a year and I travelled the route many times.

Fredbargate

cyrian yes avoiding Paris was high up on my list

Also using Bing Maps route planner is very useful but also personal advice / knowledge helps to turn a journey from an A to B into an experience

cyrian

You also have to allow for autoroute charges which will be expensive.
The following link can give you the areas of potential congestion for a given date and also (under Tarifs) the cost for certain routes.
http://www.vinci-autoroutes.com/fr/prevision-trafic
Traffic on holiday weekends can be a nightmare (M25 - like).
Also watch for radar traps especially near Calais but generally throughout France.
They can also time you from one pay station to the next.
You also need all your vehicle documents with you including registration document.
Sorry if you already know all this.

Fredbargate

What's M25? I fled UK before it was built.
Thanks for the link, can you pay tolls by cash and or debit card?
Radar I am used to it.
Documentation is necessary throughout most of Europe so it is always in my car, however what happened about carrying breathalysers?

cyrian

The M25 is a free car park around London.
Most peage are manned. you have the option of cash; card or telepeage.
Many manned booths are closed overnight and are card only.
France decided not to enforce the law regarding carrying breathalysers - they are not necessary although the last time I crossed the channel they were being sold on the ferry.

petitefrancaise

Be warned that the telepeages won't accept foreign visa or debit cards, only the french Carte Bleue (you will the CB sign). Same for unmanned petrol stations. Carry sufficient cash with you and don't wait to fill up your car overnight or on a Sunday away from a motorway service station. In most towns you won't find a manned station at night or on a sunday.

cyrian

I couldn't include that info because I have only ever used a french card in France. Thanks for the addition.

dmu

To split hairs a little, "télépéage" is an electronic payment system for regular drivers, indicated by a stylised t
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%A9l%C3%A9p%C3%A9age
not the actual "péage" (tool-booth).
Just to encourage the OP, the A75 between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers and/or Montpellier is free, except for the toll to cross over the Viaduct.
Likewise thanks for the info re paying by CB. I use a French card, and didn't know.