Drive UK to Spain
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 38
Drive UK to Spain
I'll be driving from Uk to Spain (Costa Blanca) during mid September - probably Calais thru France etc. -- Santander too expensive !
Have you done it ?
Any advice would be appreciated
Have you done it ?
Any advice would be appreciated
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 487
Re: Drive UK to Spain
Try http://www.viamichelin.co.uk and put in likes and dislikes. Less tolls on Calais, Rouen, Tours, Bordeaux, Pau, Sompfort tunnel, Zarragosa, Valencia. Alternatively Calais, Rouen, le Mans, Tours, Vierzon, Limosin, Toulouse, Girona, Barcelona, Valencia but it is expensive.
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 418
Re: Drive UK to Spain
I'll be watching this thread with interest as I am planning to come over myself soon so I want to find out the best route and prices of ferries etc. which are the best ferries to use for my two dogs. I'm hoping to come to el Campello if we can get a rental sorted.
#4
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: now just seville ( province)
Posts: 550
Re: Drive UK to Spain
I did it last year but in July. Went Calais Rouen Orleans Limoges Angouleme Bordeaux Bayonne Vitoria Gasteiz Burgos Madrid ( no traffic jams!) Valdepenas Cordoba and Seville. missed out quite a few toll roads.
Pete
Pete
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Javea by choice / Kazakhstan mostly / UK sometimes!
Posts: 56
Re: Drive UK to Spain
I regularly travel from Javea to Calais and vice versa.
My preferred route is always via Saragossa and Pamplona to Bordeaux. Then on to Tours, LeMans Rouen (not good) and Calais. I avoid any route taking me near Paris! (Reverse if heading South...)
I usually stop overnight in Bordeaux, the Holiday Inn is good value, its on the by pass so easy access to your route, has secure parking and is close to a Carrefour Hypermarket for stocking up on French wine and goodies at better than ferry/tunnel prices.
The toll roads in France make the journey easy but boring, a good guide to the toll costs is on the AA site. You can use your credit card at the toll gates - much quicker than cash.
theaa.com/allaboutcars/overseas/european_tolls_results.jsp?country=France
IMHO its worth the extra using non toll roads will add 4-6 hours to your journey but if you want to avoid plenty of advice on this site....
about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
If you want to sight see consider going through the Pyrenees/Andorra but it will add significant time to the journey and probably another overnight stop.
I'll be returning to the UK in September and will go via the Millau viaduct for the photo opportunity then up through Germany to the Hook of Holland ferry.
Beware of the new french rules on breath test kits in the car, no laser detection devices and speed camera locations on your GPS. Plenty of info on the AA site. If you search my posts there is a thread on this subject with some 'interesting' comments. http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=744472
Finally don't try to do it in one go even if you have two drivers. Take an overnight stop.
My preferred route is always via Saragossa and Pamplona to Bordeaux. Then on to Tours, LeMans Rouen (not good) and Calais. I avoid any route taking me near Paris! (Reverse if heading South...)
I usually stop overnight in Bordeaux, the Holiday Inn is good value, its on the by pass so easy access to your route, has secure parking and is close to a Carrefour Hypermarket for stocking up on French wine and goodies at better than ferry/tunnel prices.
The toll roads in France make the journey easy but boring, a good guide to the toll costs is on the AA site. You can use your credit card at the toll gates - much quicker than cash.
theaa.com/allaboutcars/overseas/european_tolls_results.jsp?country=France
IMHO its worth the extra using non toll roads will add 4-6 hours to your journey but if you want to avoid plenty of advice on this site....
about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
If you want to sight see consider going through the Pyrenees/Andorra but it will add significant time to the journey and probably another overnight stop.
I'll be returning to the UK in September and will go via the Millau viaduct for the photo opportunity then up through Germany to the Hook of Holland ferry.
Beware of the new french rules on breath test kits in the car, no laser detection devices and speed camera locations on your GPS. Plenty of info on the AA site. If you search my posts there is a thread on this subject with some 'interesting' comments. http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=744472
Finally don't try to do it in one go even if you have two drivers. Take an overnight stop.
Last edited by Mykap; Aug 29th 2012 at 4:17 am.
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,888
Re: Drive UK to Spain
As mentioned, the Millau Viaduct on the A75 and the scenic beauty of the Auvergne (plus that autoroute is free from Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers where you join the A9) is recommended.
Hope this helps!
#7
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Posts: 12,053
Re: Drive UK to Spain
Angouleme is a large place, plenty of hotels and restaurants to meet all pockets.
Plenty of roadworks around the west of Madrid, it was Dec, dark, raining, not a happy time.
In April 11 we came the same way thru France but came over the mountains to Pamplona. We made the mistake of missing a turnoff to Taragona and entered the roadworks around Sarragossa - which was horrendous.
On both occaisions, other than a hotel booked at Calais so a good night's sleep obtained before the heavy bit, all overnites were just walk in and ask for a room. Never a problem, seemed to be plenty of capacity in the smaller places.
with planning I am sure you can find some very nice family run places if you have the time to spend.
hope the journey goes well
let us know all the gory details - we could be the next ones doing it
#8
Re: Drive UK to Spain
http://about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
#9
Re: Drive UK to Spain
Have a look at this link, very economical re tolls etc.
http://about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
http://about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
#10
Re: Drive UK to Spain
So many options, but worth bearing in mind is that unless travelling from the extreme S.W.corner of England, Portsmouth is no further than Dover and in most cases closer as well as easier traffic wise.
That leaves a number of options of which for me the best by far is the overnight ferry to St Malo allowing a good nights sleep on the ferry and a much shorter and much easier trip down the West side of France.
Overnight at Bayonne then via Zaragoza to Costa Blanca by mid afternoon next day, again an easy and fairly traffic free run on a brand new motorway.
That leaves a number of options of which for me the best by far is the overnight ferry to St Malo allowing a good nights sleep on the ferry and a much shorter and much easier trip down the West side of France.
Overnight at Bayonne then via Zaragoza to Costa Blanca by mid afternoon next day, again an easy and fairly traffic free run on a brand new motorway.
#11
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Posts: 12,053
Re: Drive UK to Spain
When I did my run last December I was fully booked to ferry into N. Spain but it was cancelled at the last minute so had to drive thru the tunnel.
And it rained all the way through France, cats, dogs, and anything else it could hit me with.
if the ferry had been able to run it would have been a spewy time indeed with all those choppy bits in the Bay of Biscay.
And it rained all the way through France, cats, dogs, and anything else it could hit me with.
if the ferry had been able to run it would have been a spewy time indeed with all those choppy bits in the Bay of Biscay.
#12
Just Joined
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10
Re: Drive UK to Spain
just arrived in Granada from UK yesterday...
We made a break of it and stayed overnight 6 hotels on route..Did Folkestone Eurotunnel (35 mins to Calais) overnight in Coquelles next to Tunnel Etap Hotel..
2nd night to Le Mans, ibis Hotel, then Tolouse, Tarragona 2 nights, Alcoy and home
1760 miles..12 toll stops - no problems at all, plenty of service stations, petrol stops and picnic areas with loos on route France and Spain
We made a break of it and stayed overnight 6 hotels on route..Did Folkestone Eurotunnel (35 mins to Calais) overnight in Coquelles next to Tunnel Etap Hotel..
2nd night to Le Mans, ibis Hotel, then Tolouse, Tarragona 2 nights, Alcoy and home
1760 miles..12 toll stops - no problems at all, plenty of service stations, petrol stops and picnic areas with loos on route France and Spain
#13
Re: Drive UK to Spain
just arrived in Granada from UK yesterday...
We made a break of it and stayed overnight 6 hotels on route..Did Folkestone Eurotunnel (35 mins to Calais) overnight in Coquelles next to Tunnel Etap Hotel..
2nd night to Le Mans, ibis Hotel, then Tolouse, Tarragona 2 nights, Alcoy and home
1760 miles..12 toll stops - no problems at all, plenty of service stations, petrol stops and picnic areas with loos on route France and Spain
We made a break of it and stayed overnight 6 hotels on route..Did Folkestone Eurotunnel (35 mins to Calais) overnight in Coquelles next to Tunnel Etap Hotel..
2nd night to Le Mans, ibis Hotel, then Tolouse, Tarragona 2 nights, Alcoy and home
1760 miles..12 toll stops - no problems at all, plenty of service stations, petrol stops and picnic areas with loos on route France and Spain
#14
Re: Drive UK to Spain
I regularly travel from Javea to Calais and vice versa.
My preferred route is always via Saragossa and Pamplona to Bordeaux. Then on to Tours, LeMans Rouen (not good) and Calais. I avoid any route taking me near Paris! (Reverse if heading South...)
I usually stop overnight in Bordeaux, the Holiday Inn is good value, its on the by pass so easy access to your route, has secure parking and is close to a Carrefour Hypermarket for stocking up on French wine and goodies at better than ferry/tunnel prices.
The toll roads in France make the journey easy but boring, a good guide to the toll costs is on the AA site. You can use your credit card at the toll gates - much quicker than cash.
theaa.com/allaboutcars/overseas/european_tolls_results.jsp?country=France
IMHO its worth the extra using non toll roads will add 4-6 hours to your journey but if you want to avoid plenty of advice on this site....
about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
If you want to sight see consider going through the Pyrenees/Andorra but it will add significant time to the journey and probably another overnight stop.
I'll be returning to the UK in September and will go via the Millau viaduct for the photo opportunity then up through Germany to the Hook of Holland ferry.
Beware of the new french rules on breath test kits in the car, no laser detection devices and speed camera locations on your GPS. Plenty of info on the AA site. If you search my posts there is a thread on this subject with some 'interesting' comments. http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=744472
Finally don't try to do it in one go even if you have two drivers. Take an overnight stop.
My preferred route is always via Saragossa and Pamplona to Bordeaux. Then on to Tours, LeMans Rouen (not good) and Calais. I avoid any route taking me near Paris! (Reverse if heading South...)
I usually stop overnight in Bordeaux, the Holiday Inn is good value, its on the by pass so easy access to your route, has secure parking and is close to a Carrefour Hypermarket for stocking up on French wine and goodies at better than ferry/tunnel prices.
The toll roads in France make the journey easy but boring, a good guide to the toll costs is on the AA site. You can use your credit card at the toll gates - much quicker than cash.
theaa.com/allaboutcars/overseas/european_tolls_results.jsp?country=France
IMHO its worth the extra using non toll roads will add 4-6 hours to your journey but if you want to avoid plenty of advice on this site....
about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
If you want to sight see consider going through the Pyrenees/Andorra but it will add significant time to the journey and probably another overnight stop.
I'll be returning to the UK in September and will go via the Millau viaduct for the photo opportunity then up through Germany to the Hook of Holland ferry.
Beware of the new french rules on breath test kits in the car, no laser detection devices and speed camera locations on your GPS. Plenty of info on the AA site. If you search my posts there is a thread on this subject with some 'interesting' comments. http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=744472
Finally don't try to do it in one go even if you have two drivers. Take an overnight stop.
#15
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Posts: 12,053
Re: Drive UK to Spain
when it was first announced Amazon had listings for plenty of sources