France - First trip

[ScouseIan]

Just bought a new 'van, my first one (Bailey Provence). I'm about to take it out this weekend to Limefitt pk in Cumbria. Not even sure how everything works now as the handover 2 weeks ago is just a blur now.

Anyway, going to take it down through France this August. Planning on taking three weeks off. Travelling from Liverpool to Dover, down Western side, Pyrenees, Costa Brava, Alps (or elsewhere...its a bit sketchy from there).

I have driven extensively through France before but

A few questions I'm sure some of you can help me with.

1. I'm planning on doing about 300 miles per day (as opposed to up to 600 between 2 drivers when I was driving solo) as I will obviously be going a lot slower. Is this too many? Too few? Should I extend to 400????

2. Can I 'park' at any of the ferry/tunnel ports and basically get some sleep in the van? I know there are no hook up or water facilities but is this the kind of thing that people do? The parks that offer overnight stops seem rather a lot of work at the moment. By the time you turn off the motorway, find the site, check in, set up, sleep, pack up, etc, etc. It seems like a lot of work. I don't supposes the services offer anything like this do they? Even if I pay?

I'm sure I'll have more questions in the coming weeks now, so thanks.

PS, if you are at Limefitt this weekend and you see two people having a domestic and 'she' is saying 'I wanted to go back with Haven', then that'll be us.....

 

[ShadySadie]

If you have a good town car and you and your passengers like car travel, you can easily cover 600 plus miles in France as I did recently. But niot every body likes to travel that far.

You can't stop over night at Dover. But with care and safety in mind, 24 hour French motorway service areas are fine for us. Unmanned french aires (picnic stops) are not a good a smart idea at night. I mainly cross the channel and then park for the night.

 

[Jackie_374362420]

You can park & sleep in Calais, either if you arrive in the middle of the night, or if you get back early to return. One bit of advice though is to park on the opposite side of the carpark away from the lorry exit from the ferry. I made that mistake one night & counted over 100 lorries going over a metal drian cover!

I am going to Geneva next week, but am only doing just over 300 miles a day.1 stop for 2 nights each way, which will probably take aprox 6 hours, which I feel is enough.

Have a good trip.

Jackie

 

[ScouseIan]

Thanks Shadie

Towing with a VW Phaeton, so hmmm, may consider a bit more. 600 miles at (hopefully) an average of 50 mph is still 12 hours though. I think I will try and cross channel about 7pm (still light) and do 40-50 miles on the motorway and then park in Services as you suggest. Do they charge for this?

Yes, I agree and understand about not parking in the french aires.

Crossing at Dover will save me over

 

[GeorgeB]

Ian,

Rouen, Rennes, Nantes every time, much more user friendly than via Paris!

Although many will tell you the route through Rouen can be "difficult" its not!

From Calais take the A16 then onto the A28. as you approach Rouen just follow the "Autres Routes" going down through the "tunnel" staying the centre lane & cross the river Seine and the road then "spirals" round to the right (in effect you've made a left turn after crossing the river) follow the signs for ZI est keeping the river on your left & the railway & marshalling yards to your right, eventually you'll come to a roundabout, can't mistake it as it has concrete cows painted black & white on it, ala Milton Keynes! go straight over to the next roundabout, this one has Greek sytle columns on it, go straight over this one and prepare to bear right onto the A13.

There you go!! Easy peasy! depending on the time of day 15 - 20 mins or 45 mins on a Friday night at rush hour!

have a good trip & enjoy your first time to France

 

[ShadySadie]

Dover-Dunkerque is still proabably the best price for crossing on Norfolk Line. Can add around 20 miles on some routes.

I've never found a French service area that charges! We never go near Paris, head south from Calais past Abbeville and through Rouen. Rouen as GeorgeB says is vert very easy. The motorwa takes you through a long tunnel on dual carriageway through Rouen. Follow Georges direction but just make sure you get into the right lane as you cross abobve the river as it comes up quick and its a tight spiral around to right under the road and along dual carriageway to all routes. (look out for sign for LeMans above the road as well).

Your car should enable you to maintain an average of around 60 miles in an hour with ease. Towing in France is far easier than in the UK! Less traffic problems.

The famous fibreglass cows on the roundabout at the end of the industrial areas dual carriageway are very well behaved. They never wander from the grass and if you all moo to them you may hear them moo back ;-)

Baie de la Somme service area Sailly-Flibeaucourt near Abbeville is set back from the autoroute by a nature reserve. There is quite a large caravan and motorhome parking area to the right of the services and petrol pumps and normaly plenty of room if that area is full. About 60 miles down from Calais.

 

[Michael_374361821]

Hi Ian

We went down to St Brevin in 2006 and down to Biarritz in 2007. Both times we used the tunnel, drove for hour or two and stopped on full service area near Abbeville no problem.

Used the LeHrave, Rennes, Nates route and the trip down the west coast was good if a little long. Toll roads were free running most of the time though we did hit major queues around Bordeaux that added couple of hours to journey.

We tow twin axle Senator with large 4x4 (Discovery until last year but kept breaking down so now have LWB Shogun) and travel 2 adults and 2 children (both teenagers). You can easily stick at 60pmh on the motorways most of the time but with stops for food, drink, stretch legs, etc I reckon 450 miles in 8-9 hours is enough.

Michael

 

[Pat_374304630]

Ian,

I don't know if you are in the Caravan Club.3 miles outside Dover is a cl site literally 4 mins off the main rd.I always pre book so that all I do is pull off the rd ,into the farm field and then wind the legs down put the gas on and fill up with water.Absolutly no hassle.I also put the money in an envelope and post it through the letterbox.

 

[Rioja]

You have as you state, already driven extensively in France.You must know the score. It's a big country.

My only advice though would not to be over ambitious. You have 21 days ( Liverpool to Dover and back is 2 days gone) To get to the South of France and back would be a 4 day trip so you have 15 "holidays" left. Enjoy them. Once you get to nice weather stay put !!!.

 

[Rioja]

Oh, and by the way,August is the one month where everyone in France is on holiday. You might not get into sites in the more popular locations like La Rochelle unless you have pre booked.