Driving routes through France and Spain

 Knowing that many of you have driven down to the costas, can anyone recommend routes which do not or have only minimum tolls, give plenty of dual carriageway or motorways for easy driving and don't go through big towns.

We are planning our drive back to the UK  and have heard that new dual carriageways have been opened fairly recently. Any help in this direction would be appreciated.

Steve

This message was last edited by jencoo on 2/12/2007.

I haven't but would like to know if anyone has done the Santander route??

I can't really comment on the UK side, but we drove from Paris down to Duquesa (nr Estetpona) and back last summer and we really didn't find it expensive at all!! We must have paid, maximum, about 125 Euros I think (?? could have been a little more or less) driving there and back. In all honesty, we didn't record it, but can't really remember spending more then between 5 euros (normal) and 10 euros (here and there) between pay stations the whole route.

How long does it take to drive the full distance?

Any recommendations for stop offs and overnight stays? and how much to stay the night?

I would love to make the drive but am put off by imagining long boring roads and nodding off at the wheel, plus I,m sure my missus would moan all the way that it's cheaper and quicker by plane. 

Laurync, if you mean the route from Barcelona to Santander, I can only say it's best to pay the tolls - the old road is poor and overcrowded with heavy trucks. The ferry is a nice way to go if you have the time. I don't know anything about them, but check out AT Ferries http://www.atferries.com/index.html for Portsmouth - Bilbao, I think you may find a bargain.

Kelju, for overnight stays check out Accor hotels http://www.accorhotels.com/accorhotels/index.html which encompasses IBIS, Etap and Formula 1, according to your budget. Whenever you start nodding off, there'll be one nearby with easy access from your route. They're pet friendly too. If you can plan ahead, you can book by internet. Tell the missus she can pack more frocks if you go by car, then set the cruise control and enjoy the scenery - it may cost more and take longer, but it beats all that airport security crap.

there must be more of you that drive down to your place in the sun. Please reply

We have already done the Portsmouth - Bilbao ferry trip and the drive down through the centre of Spain via Madrid to our destination at La Cala between Fuengirola and Marbella on the Cota del Sol.

However, in September this year we intend to drive down from Calais and we have plenty of time i.e. about 5 - 7 days to do the trip and we would like to travel no more then 300-400 miles per day. We would like to link up eventually with the coast road from outside Barcelona somewhere and finish our journey from there,

We will be driving a medium sized hatchback and the party consists of just myself and my wife, we have both driven overseas in many different destinations around the world so are fairly well experienced drivers.

Our question is, Has anybody got any ideas as to the most scenic route to take? and also any recommendations of towns/villages and hotels to stay at on route?

 

Hi

 

JHavent done it yet but we're doing this in 3 weeks, getting ferry from plymouth to santander then driving down to alicante but missing out the madrid route and going via zaragoza etc.

We are stopping at a motel at teurel outside zaragoza and then finishing the journey next morning. Viamichelin says its only about 9 1/2 hours drive the whole way but we thought we'd break it up. it's going to mainly toll roads or motorways but we think that will be better than getting caught up or going wrong in Madrid.

Anybody done this route?

The Santader route sounds very picturesque. PLease post when you finalise your route.I'd liker to confer on it,
Arthur

 

We drive from the UK to Costa Almeria once or twice a year. We catch the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to LeHavre, docking at 07.30 approx. This means we have a full day driving thorough France. We head for Chartres, Orleans  then Bordeaux and stay overnight at Pau....a beautiful spot at the foot of the Pyrenees. We avoid the tolls, and although the route is not exactly 'scenic' it goes through some lovely countryside and villages . The next morning there is the glorious  trip over the Pyrenees to Zaragoza and then the new motorway to Teurel and then Valencia. Again we avoid the tolls - from Zaragoza there is non-toll  dual-carriageway  down to Alicante and beyond.  We arrive late evening.

 

 

 

Hi Sue-g & Arthur

When we moved here last May, (yes, we have been here almost a year!) we took the ferry to Santander and drove through northern Spain towards Zaragoza and stayed over night in Teruel before heading for the coast road which we took all the way down to San Juan de los Terreros. We loved seeing the change of scenery from the lush hills of the north, through the plains where it was unbelievable how flat it was for as far as you could see. Teruel is a lovely picturesque town with some good bars, restaurants and squares, and then onto another scenery change as you get to the coast.

You can get more of an idea of our journey by checking on my blog here

http://relocatetospain.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20drive%20to%20Spain.

There are some photos of the journey and of Teruel.

We limited our driving time to about 6 hours each day, mainly because we had the pups with us and thought that was as long as they should be in the car, but even though we were in 'the wreck', we thoroughly enjoyed the journey (and 'the wreck' is still being driven around San Juan!

Hope you have a good journey.

 

 

This message was last edited by J&N on 07/05/2009.

Thanks Randolph for the advice about Chartres, Orleans and Bordeaux as stop off points and then Pau by the Pyrenees, the Pyrennes stop is particularly important for us as we do not have a clue where to stay in that area and your recommendation of the town of Pau sounds interesting, can now check these towns out on the net and see how they compare to the route we want to take.

Once again many thanks for the advice.

hello last september we done the same thing.we drove from Santander to near salou but because of the very heavy traffic on the daul carraigeways going about 40/50 kmph not MPH so we went onto the toll road and quickly got on but it cost quite a bit .It took about 6 hours .And i do reccomend anyone to do it we stayed at a place called las palmas in a bungalow on the beach thru hostelworld com very cheap only £20 per night

also i can reccomend anyone staying in santander it is just like devon with the nice weather but it does rain thats why they call it the green side

 

good luck anyway and keep us informed on your travels

We use the formula 1 www.hotelformule1.com   rooms from 29e per night sleep 3, although the toilets and showers are out in the hallways, they are always very clean, rooms do have sinks, but if you just want a cheap room for the night these are great, most of these hotels lock the car park at night and can only be accessed by guests with pin numbers to the compound.

 

 Etap hotels are cheap too. They all sleep 3, allow 1 dog per room and have toilet, shower and wash basin in every room.

The breakfasts are really good.

Hello everyone, we are setting off to spend 6 months in Spain down Vera way.  We plan on getting the ferry to Santander and I thought I had mapped out a good route, but i do not see that anyone has used this route ie Santander, Logrono, Arcos de Jalon Cuenca, Albacete. Also I hadn't considered toll charges!  I see that a couple of people have used the route via Saragossa instead of Madrid.  I would prefer a route that isn't too busy ie to take in some scenery and don't fancy driving on roads full of trucks!.  Can anyone advise please?   This will be our first trip down through Spain.  I shall be driving the car and hubby on a motorbike.  I would really appreciate any advice please.  Many thanks Tricia

<p>Hello everyone, we are setting off to spend 6 months in Spain down Vera way.&nbsp; We plan on getting the ferry to Santander and I thought I had mapped out a good route, but i do not see that anyone has used this route ie Santander, Logrono, Arcos de Jalon Cuenca, Albacete. Also I hadn't considered toll charges!&nbsp; I see that a couple of people have used the route via Saragossa instead of Madrid.&nbsp; I would prefer a route that isn't too busy ie to take in some scenery and don't fancy driving on roads full of trucks!.&nbsp; Can anyone advise please?&nbsp;&nbsp; This will be our first trip down through Spain.&nbsp; I shall be driving the car and hubby on a motorbike.&nbsp; I would really appreciate any advice please.&nbsp; Many thanks Tricia</p>

If  not in a hurry, Santander, Valladolid, Salamanca, Caceres, Merida, Sevilla is a great drive through Roman Spain. Once near Valladolid it's fabulous empty motorway - through dehesa - all the way to Sevilla. I haven't driven cross country Sevilla - Vera so can't speak for that leg. It's about 8 hours driving time Santander-Sevilla.

Hiya Guy, thanx for that but looking at the map that route is to the left of Madrid and takes us much further away from where we are heading.  We are heading down towards Murcia direction.  Again many thanx sounds like a lovely route.

See viamichelin link...most direct routing avoids central Madrid using the M50 which routes between the Barajas airport and Torrejon Airforce base. This is where you are most likely to meet heavy traffic but its only as bad as the M25 on a Sunday!  Variable speed limits apply on the M50 depending on traffic flow. Be advised that at the moment Spain is experiencing some very heavy weather off the northern coast and snowploughs are on standby for the Cantabrian mountains passage.

Hope this helps....travel time is quoted at 9hrs 45 mins for 947kms.

Take your time, dont forget the Hi-viz vests, spare bulbs and original documentation for the car and bike.

Good luck

fb

Hello, I was working in toulouse for airbus,  I would come home to Murcia every month,

From toulouse I would go towards tarbes and lourdes exit at J18 folowing the route to bossost,les and llieda, Over the pyrenesse

Lots of snow this time of the year though ( awesome views expecially in the summer, there are lots of blue lagoons with stopping points) Then I would head for Zarragoza, then Valencia then take the old motorway towards font de la figuera and murcia. All the route is toll free and In a diesel It would cost me about €60 petrol a bit more.

If you would like more info I can help, I travelled this route for 2 years every month! never a hickup.

We are driving down in the summer and was thinking of the ferry from Dover to Calais as it seems the shortest crossing, but looking at the replies no one seem to take this route. Is there a reason?

The route I take is from Santander to Valladolid, then to Madrid, take M50 and then R4 which will take you via other roads to Albacete ,then Mercia and join AP7-E15 to Vera

Get a Google route and it is easy to follow  and roads are very good-I do use the toll roads but I am told that you can avoid these if you want

I have done it in one drive and to Huercal Overa it is 604 miles and circa 9 hours driving time, but I now prefer to stop over at Madrid [ circa 4 hours from Ferry] then 4 1/2 hours to H-O

I stay at the Ibis at Mostoles which is just off the M50  

When we first moved over in january 07 we came via dover-calais, but took the perpignan/montpellier route (mucho dinero for the tolls) If you have time and no children unless they dont mind sitting in the car for a couple of days! take the west coast of france by bourdeaux nantes then over the mountain via Bossost,les and llieda,zarragoza, valencia etc  Try green flag with the option of non toll roads.  

Hello Tinto

This post somehow seems to have been resurrected from 2007. The subject has been covered many times since then.

We still travel down from Dover/Calais abbeville rouen chartres dreux everaux then pick up the n10 bordeaux bayonne and skirt the pyranees to irun and down to pamplona,(new road through here now) across to zarrgosa then the a23 to valencia a35 across to font de la figura a31 down to elche and pick up the a7 to murcia. 

No tolls all the way unless we choose to use them 

 Hi, I raised a very similar question, (before I realised there was a more specific thread) as we have now retired and it had long been an ambition to drive to our apartment in Mojacar. However, assuming that Continental driving was somewhat similar to around London (!!) we were a bit apprehensive about attempting it.

Suffice to say that our fears were groundless, the drive there and back from Calais was an absolute dream, so much so that we are now considering this as a permanent feature of our holidays!!

It was easy to plan the route, even persuaded TomTom that there was a route via Rouen, and took a leisurely week stopping to visit friends in France near Limoges and Toulouse, before heading towards Barcelona for an overnight stop before a day drive to Mojacar.

Yes, some drivers do have a preference for travelling a foot off your bumper, but despite most of the route being only 2 lanes, there is hardly any traffic and lorries and slower vehicles promptly return to the inside lane, so it's a lot less fraught than a 4 lane UK motorway with no traffic on the inner two lanes!!

Much of the time was on cruise control which hardly can be used in the UK and no need to do more than 130 kph in France or 120 kph in Spain, just humming along with a dot of a car on the far horizon in front and perhaps another dot in the distance behind. The main challenge was judging whether the car behind also on cruise control maybe 1 kph faster would get to overtake you before you got to overtake the car ahead!! 4 hours solid driving with a lunch/refuel stop of about an hour, plus another 4 hours in the afternoon saw  us back to Gerona, then a similar drive the next day (and whatever else you do, you must try the A57 over the Millau Viaduct, the entire day was superb scenery and easy peasy driving!!) up to Chartres and another easy 4 hour drive back to Calais.

Do use the Via Michelin site and check out the toll and toll free routes. One minor gripe is the toll charges didn't always match up with those calculated, resulting in a scramble for shrapnel to make up the payment, but in the overall scheme of things, not a problem.....

We're already planning refinements to the route and can't wait for the next trip!!

Has anyone ever driven through France to Spain in January?  I am looking for advice on the best routes or where I can find that info - and if snow chains will be needed at some point? 

Many thanks.

All the best, Paul

I'd have to say that snow chains would seem a sensible option to at least pack and have available (assuming you don't have a complete set of spare winter wheels) as snow and ice can occur even at low altitudes at that time of year.

It would be a false economy not to have them and then find too late that you are in a skid (or worse). On some routes, I believe the police will stop you travelling if you don't have snow chains fitted as they would feel you are a danger not only to yourself, but others if you lost control.

There are experts here who could advise you more specifically, but snow and ice can certainly be expected in January and it would be foolish not to be prepared for bad weather. Google "snow chains and see what the recommended types are for your car. There is usually a speed limit (if you can even get up to it) so you might need to revise your accommodation plans as you won't be able to travel as far each day. 

Via Michelin show 3 major routes through France, I'd discount the A75 which is the "central" route through the Massif Central, and consider either the one running close to the Swiss/Italian border or the "western" one via Le Mans, Poitiers and Toulouse. I'd also think that the Mediterranean route via Perpignan would be preferable for least affected by bad weather.

 

Havent done it in January, but snow chains may be necessary when crossing the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian range (South of San Sebastian or Santander). These are the 'usual suspects' no matter where you cross from France into Spain. I'd say that its fairly certain that in January you are going to find snow anywhere above about 1000 metres altitude.

When their use is required, snow chains become mandatory, and vehicles not equipped are not permitted to tarvel.

Always follow the manufacturers instructions and use them only on the driven wheels.

Remember also that daylight hours are somewhat less than in the Summer so unless night driving is familiar stop off somewhere en-route.

As for best routes it obviously depends on where you are going and where you start from.

viamichelin.com offers the best updated routings and hotel recommendations.

If Madrid is involved avoid any M30 / M40 routings use the M50 as the easiest way of avoiding the city.

fb

 

This message was last edited by foxbat on 21/11/2010.

 To fb and Kevin,

Thank you both very  much for your replies -they've helped me a great deal.

All the best,

Paul