Hi guys looking for more of your excellent advice looking at these areas for next year seen a few nice camp sites so far looking at the bilbo ferry but quite expensive looking for anybody else who has done this from other ferry ports what was the driving time like any info on the area campsites been to vendee before via st mallo thanks in advance for any info yous guys can give me
looking for advice for heading to provence or cote d azur
- Thread starter leanne33
- Start date
I haven't done the Bilbao ferry route at all but looking on a map it doesn't seem much nearer to Provence/Cote D'Azur than Calais! The route from Calais, which I have done, is fairly straightforward.
Bilbao to St Tropez (for example) is 958 kilometres and 9 hours driving time. Ferry costs around £1,000 return with car and caravan.
Calais to St Tropez is 1191 kilometres and 10.40 hours driving time. Ferry costs can be as little as £58.00 return with car and caravan.
Both these are calculated using www.Viamichelin.fr and driving time is at maximum allowed speed on all sections, with no stops allowed for and no road hold-ups of any sort - so you should reckon on at least a third as much again. Most people do overnight stops, rather than one long drive, some people manage with one stop, others do several.
Calais to St Tropez is 1191 kilometres and 10.40 hours driving time. Ferry costs can be as little as £58.00 return with car and caravan.
Both these are calculated using www.Viamichelin.fr and driving time is at maximum allowed speed on all sections, with no stops allowed for and no road hold-ups of any sort - so you should reckon on at least a third as much again. Most people do overnight stops, rather than one long drive, some people manage with one stop, others do several.
I avoided putting any driving times because it took us two weeks to get down there, but we were in no rush. Val's right tho' 13 hours min, 15-20 hours approx for me, and I would probably not attempt it in less than 3 stops. But if you're younger and have more than one driver it's up to you how long you keep going. The main toll roads are much busier than say the west or central regions with lots of HGV traffic, running between calais/Paris/Lyon/Marseille but still not as bad as the M6 or M25.
Depends where in UK you are starting from, but the Dover area crossings including eurotunnel will be much cheaper than the long haul ferry.
If you took an early morning crossing you should get to Avignon on the second night without too much trouble, particularly if you plan ahead and use toll roads for the stretchs round the main towns and cities. First night say at Pouilly en Semur.
An alternative would be Calais round Rouen to Orleans then overnight at Salbris, then down to Millau (free autoroute from Clermont Ferrand) and across to wherever. I'm going to try this in the next few weeks and may get a little further south than Salbris (or may no, I've a reasonable time to go at).
If you took an early morning crossing you should get to Avignon on the second night without too much trouble, particularly if you plan ahead and use toll roads for the stretchs round the main towns and cities. First night say at Pouilly en Semur.
An alternative would be Calais round Rouen to Orleans then overnight at Salbris, then down to Millau (free autoroute from Clermont Ferrand) and across to wherever. I'm going to try this in the next few weeks and may get a little further south than Salbris (or may no, I've a reasonable time to go at).
…..I spent most of my working life as a driver and the most I ever did in one day was 850 kilometres whilst being paid for it.
I would not recommend it to anyone.
500 kilometres is a lot for someone who is not that used to driving and they would probably achieve less in a day towing a caravan.
I would not recommend it to anyone.
500 kilometres is a lot for someone who is not that used to driving and they would probably achieve less in a day towing a caravan.
will be leaving from scotland planning to get into calais around lunchtime then do around 4 to 5 hrs driving before stopping for the night then do the rest the next day i am quite an experineced caravaner and used to covering fair distances in one day so should be no promblems i hope just planning just now so any other ideas on routes ect would be good
will be leaving from scotland planning to get into calais around lunchtime then do around 4 to 5 hrs driving before stopping for the night then do the rest the next day i am quite an experineced caravaner and used to covering fair distances in one day so should be no promblems i hope just planning just now so any other ideas on routes ect would be good
Leanne33
We have been travelling to Provence from Scotland for a number of years now. We travel from just west of Edinburgh to Hull and cross overnight to Zeebrugge. The journey to (and from) Hull takes from 9am to 5pm with a few stops. On the other side we stop at Chalons sur Champagne (208 miles) and then Sennecy le Grande(Burgundy), a further 213 miles. Our major stop in Provence will be at Vaison la Romaine in Provence which is another 250 miles, or so. each of these trips are easily done in one day. The ferry from Hull is around £390 but saves us from travelling all the way south with at least one overnight stop en route there. Also, with this ferry you get off at around 9.30am with a full day of travelling easily done.
Hope this helps. If you want the name of the sites we use I will happily give you them.
Lawrence
We have been travelling to Provence from Scotland for a number of years now. We travel from just west of Edinburgh to Hull and cross overnight to Zeebrugge. The journey to (and from) Hull takes from 9am to 5pm with a few stops. On the other side we stop at Chalons sur Champagne (208 miles) and then Sennecy le Grande(Burgundy), a further 213 miles. Our major stop in Provence will be at Vaison la Romaine in Provence which is another 250 miles, or so. each of these trips are easily done in one day. The ferry from Hull is around £390 but saves us from travelling all the way south with at least one overnight stop en route there. Also, with this ferry you get off at around 9.30am with a full day of travelling easily done.
Hope this helps. If you want the name of the sites we use I will happily give you them.
Lawrence
never thought of that laurance any info you can give me would be great how long does the ferry take whats the weather like there july any nice sites down that way would be looking to drive down with one once over in france hull would be alot easier than going to dover thanks for any help
Leanne
The ferry leaves at about 6.30pm and disembarks around 9.30am on weekends and an hour, or so, earlier on weekdays. We generally go to France in September - we are off there next week for 5 weeks! It is very warm then without being stifling. I would imagine that it will be much hotter and busier in July. We stay in Vaison la Romaine in Provence which is a lovely town and quite central for Orange, Avignon and Nimes. There are aslo lots of interesting places to see 'in the hills'. There is a site in the town ' Camping du Theatre' from which you can walk into town but it is always busy and you would likely have to book for July. The site is always crowded and quite dark in places under trees. The upside is you can easily walk into town. We stay at a site called 'Camping Le Soleil de Provence' about two miles out of town. It is bright, airy and very spacious. I've never been in July so cannot comment on how busy it might be. We always take two easy days to travel. First stop is at Chalons en Champagen at 'Camp Municipal', with the second night at Sennecy le Grand at 'Camping Chateau de L'Eperviere' Both are excellent sites with the latter being a good base to spend a few days in Burgundy. Looking at the map a half way stop may be about Beaune or Chalons sur Saone, but I don't know any sites there. If you don't already have it, I would recommend that you buy the Caravan Club's 'European Site Guide Handbook'. You don't have to be a member to get it as it is available from the likes of Watterstons. If you do think about using the Hull ferry and are flexible with your leaving dates then check each day around the time you want to leave as the price can vary quite a bit. Normally the weekend dates are the cheapest. One thing about arriving on a Sunday morning is that heavy goods vehicles are largely banned from the motorways on that day so you zcan often make better time.
Hope this helps.
Lawrence
The ferry leaves at about 6.30pm and disembarks around 9.30am on weekends and an hour, or so, earlier on weekdays. We generally go to France in September - we are off there next week for 5 weeks! It is very warm then without being stifling. I would imagine that it will be much hotter and busier in July. We stay in Vaison la Romaine in Provence which is a lovely town and quite central for Orange, Avignon and Nimes. There are aslo lots of interesting places to see 'in the hills'. There is a site in the town ' Camping du Theatre' from which you can walk into town but it is always busy and you would likely have to book for July. The site is always crowded and quite dark in places under trees. The upside is you can easily walk into town. We stay at a site called 'Camping Le Soleil de Provence' about two miles out of town. It is bright, airy and very spacious. I've never been in July so cannot comment on how busy it might be. We always take two easy days to travel. First stop is at Chalons en Champagen at 'Camp Municipal', with the second night at Sennecy le Grand at 'Camping Chateau de L'Eperviere' Both are excellent sites with the latter being a good base to spend a few days in Burgundy. Looking at the map a half way stop may be about Beaune or Chalons sur Saone, but I don't know any sites there. If you don't already have it, I would recommend that you buy the Caravan Club's 'European Site Guide Handbook'. You don't have to be a member to get it as it is available from the likes of Watterstons. If you do think about using the Hull ferry and are flexible with your leaving dates then check each day around the time you want to leave as the price can vary quite a bit. Normally the weekend dates are the cheapest. One thing about arriving on a Sunday morning is that heavy goods vehicles are largely banned from the motorways on that day so you zcan often make better time.
Hope this helps.
Lawrence
Facebook
Twitter