A20 instead of A75, which is the easier road to tow on?

[paul_5132583]

Hi,
I am still researching my route for next summer down to Vias, I have read that the A20 particularly the stage between Limoges and Toulouse, is an alternative to the A75 from Clermont Ferrand, does anyone have experience of this route? .
Back in 2000 I travelled down which I now believe was on the A75, solo on route to the Costa Brava, and I seem to remember some quite serious inclines and declines, advised at the time whilst staying near Paris, that this was the road the French used, and not to waste my money on toll roads for the holiday makers! I have a sensible match car to caravan, but never the less, don't want to spend hours on end climbing up and down mountains.
Am I exagerating, or am I right to be conserned, too much research can at times can cloud the issues.
Regards Paul.

 

[DavidKlyne]

Paul
We have done both routes and certainly the A20 is easier in terms of inclines and particularly it does not have some of the tight twists that the A75 has in the southern parts. However the A75 is now a different road compared to 10 years ago, although it still climbs to about 1100 metres above sea level, which I think was before the Millau Bridge was opened.
David

 

[ValA.]

I'd agree with David - we've done both routes, and the A75 is no problem towing for us at least. We have a Mondeo Turbo Diesel, towing a Swift Speedbird - which is at the top end of the towing limit for the car, but we've not had a problem on the A75. At one stage, when the A75 was being built, several sections of temporary road had some seriously steep and twisting sections, but these have been 'ironed out' now and there are no particularly steep ascents or descents, except perhaps on the section down the long descent from the Pas de l'Escalette tunnel south of Millau down on to the plains of the Mediterranean. The road does rise up to a height of 1100 metres around St Flour, but the inclines and declines are long and reasonably gentle rather than steep and winding. The route via Toulouse is also 713 miles, instead of 657 - tolls approximately the same, but the section around Toulouse can become seriously congested at commuter times (and this can include lunchtimes too).
Perhaps an ideal would be to use the A75 for going down to Vias, and the A20 for returning home - thus avoiding the long ascent from Vias to the Pas de l'Escalette tunnel on the return home.

 

[paul_5132583]

Thank you for the further advice, I will stick with the A75, and carry on my research for the overnight stop 2nd day.

Regards Paul.

 

[ValA.]

Where are you staying the first night, Paul? We've done that route lots of times, and overnighted in various different campsites along the way (depending on the speed/ease of our journey each time). We usually stop near Nevers for our first/only night, and if we want a second stop then around Millau. However, we've stopped further north near Orleans, and around Clermont Ferrand areas in the past - so I've a fair selection of recommendations, depending on where you think you'll be.

 

[Guest]

We have also done both this year, but in the reverse order. We usually use the A20 but cleverclogs (me) thought it would be quicker to go back the A75 to Paris. It possibly is but the difference is negligible and the climb up from the Med was indeed long and tortous. Not having a turbo diesel we chugged up the slow lanes along with the trucks, but got to the top in the end. looking back at my notes the tolls were as Val states, similar although the part from Clermont Ferrand up to Orleans was quite a bit pricier than the Toulouse route. We paid a total of €87.50 from Perpignan up to the French/Belgian border at Lille. They aslo hit you for €9 to cross the viaduct which is very scenic, but a lot of cash for a few miles. There are also few stopping places at the south end and those there are, are well used so avoid the loos.

All in all we feel we will stick to the Toulouse route up through Limoges as it is, to us at least, more scenic and seems less ardous. However, even here there are long inclines going both up and hopefully down. There is also the option of popping into the Dordogne for a bit of R&R.

 

[paul_5132583]

I have booked a crossing to Dunkirk, leaving Dover at 10.00am so I have provisionally booked a site
Campsite Les Petits Prés , which is in Dourdan. I have previously travelled down to the Med in two days but this time rightly or wrongly?( two long days in the car, with 3 kids!) I have decided to split the journey into 3 hits.The first campsite in Dourdan, didn't require a deposit, and were happy to accept the booking.
I have emailed a site in Ville d' Lssoire, Camping Municipal du Mas, for the second night, but have'nt received a reply back as yet.
Google earth has put it very conviently placed to the Motorway.
However Using the A20 would require a different second stop, one to which I have'nt researched as yet, any suggestions?
After talking the family back into travelling by car again(last two trips by plane) I am keen not to put them off the long journey again, not to mention the fact, that getting back in two days leaves me feeling that I need a holiday to get over the journey home, I must admit though 6 days travelling does also sound arduous.

Regards Paul.

 

[ValA.]

That's quite a short first day - we stayed near Dourdan on our way home in September, and it took only half a day to get to Chateau du Gandspette, even with a quite late (for us) start in the morning and a cross-country journey once around Paris on the E104.
Looking at the map, then you'll have to do either a much longer second and third day so somewhere around Brive/Souillac/Cahors might be best. We stayed at Domaine de la Faurie just north of Cahors (lovely site, but I don't know if they'll take just one overnight stop - depends on the season) -- takes Camping Cheques outside peak season, and is not far from the autoroute. There are lots of small municipal sites all along this section though, but as we've only used the route a couple of times in recent years we haven't stayed at any (other than Faurie, above) on that section.
We did stay at the municipal site at Vatan, south of Chateauroux on our way south this year, and that was a lovely site for an overnight stop - ideally situated with exit/entry on to the autoroute at the north and south ends of the village so no back-tracking. Two toilet blocks - the one further from reception is the better one, large pitches, hedged for some privacy, and good access to most pitches. A walk around the lake is nice to relax, and you can take a short walk into the village where there is a small Casino type shop almost immediately opposite the road to the campsite, or a small SuperU about 500 metres south on the way back to the autoroute (cheapish fuel here, too).

 

[paul_5132583]

Val,

I see that you mentioned staying in Nevers, can you remember how long the total journey took, day 1 and 2, you have now got me wondering about the 3 day duration.
I have previously travelled down to a site near Macon, and then to either Vias or Calonge, which would take me all of the second day, especially with the latter.
I will be doing this from the 23 rd July.
Regards Paul.

 

[paul_5132583]

Val,

I see that you mentioned staying in Nevers, can you remember how long the total journey took, day 1 and 2, you have now got me wondering about the 3 day duration.
I have previously travelled down to a site near Macon, and then to either Vias or Calonge, which would take me all of the second day, especially with the latter.
I will be doing this from the 23 rd July.
Regards Paul.

 

[Guest]

Not quite sure why you feel the need to book. As long as you get to a site by about 4 pm then usually you can get in without problem. Of course you may find your pitch gets decidely smaller as others pile in behind you, but for 1 night this is not usually a problem. As Val mentions the site at Vatan is very good but again get there by 4 pm or earliuer. We arrived at 3 pm to a very quiet site, by 5 pm it was chokka with Dutch. Allowing 3 days is usually fine but I will admit by the end of the 3rd day you will probably want a rest. Trying to get south as quickly as possible is what we all usually want to do, but if it causes a lot of stress, then it is not worth it. At the end of July you will actually find most people going the other way as many 'elderly campers' head north at the end of the Camping Cheque season to look after grandchildren for the holidays. However, you are travelling about 1 week before the French go mad and all head south, so when you get there be prepared for a busy time.

 

[ValA.]

Paul - we're off earlier than you are - about 7.30 - 8.00 am and usually reach Nevers about 3.30 to 4.00 ish - with a couple of more coffee/comfort stops, and a stop long enough to make lunch in the van and eat outside if the weather is fit! Having said that, the site at Nevers does get busy - even in low season - and in July is probably one that I would actually book. There are plenty of long-stayers whenever we've been, rather than people just overnighting and we have seen people who've arrived just after us turned away.
We travel outside peak season (and I would say your date of Saturday 23rd July is as busy as it gets, excepting perhaps the weekend before, as it's a popular day with the French, as well as the start of the English school holidays!) so journeys are quite different then. The French traffic websites generally give five weekends from about the 11th July to the 15th August as peak traffic days). If you're taking the A10 towards Orleans then there are a number of sites on the N154 which runs parallel and is only a few kilometres away, which would be suitable for an overnight stop - and might be a better split of distances - Olivet, just south of Orleans, La Ferte st Aubin, Lamotte Beuvron, Nouan Le Fuzellier, Salbris and Vierzon all have municipal sites and we've stayed at several over the years - Salbris most recently on three occasions - but again outside peak season.

 

[paul_5132583]

Thank you everyone, for all of your most informative replies.

Thank you.
Regards Paul.