Towing though France trying to keep off the tolls
Hello, we are going to Spain this year starting from Calais and finishing near Girona. Last year we went to South of France. We tried to keep off the toll roads . We tried different routes and we had a surprise in the mountains. It was not the best way
to pull your caravan through. We didn't get stuck but we had an interesting experience. Is anybody been the same way before going mostly off tolls?
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Which mountains and where did you go last year?
We always use non-toll routes, and use either the A75 which does go high, but long and winding hills, rather than steep ones, or we use the A20 down to Brive, and then cross-country towards Rodez and continue down the A75.
There is a good route on AboutFrance which explains how to minimise the amount you pay in tolls, but maximise journey time by paying some small tolls on sections where you might have problems.
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Hello, we are going to Spain this year starting from Calais and finishing near Girona. Last year we went to South of France. We tried to keep off the toll roads . We tried different routes and we had a surprise in the mountains. It was not the best way
to pull your caravan through. We didn't get stuck but we had an interesting experience. Is anybody been the same way before going mostly off tolls?Why do you try and keep off the tolls ? is it because you're not in a rush and want to see the sites and a bit of "real France" or is it to do with cost ? Just wondered that's all.
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Try putting your start/finish point into Via Michelin stating no tolls and also say you are towing a caravan. It will work out a route and as Val says just pop onto the autoroute to miss big cities. I've just returned and went all the way to Gorges du Verdon
without using tolls for any great length. It was all very easy. We just used a short section of autoroute to by pass Bourg en Bresse.Coming back was a different matter. Because of a back injury I decided to use autoroutes because I knew there were several aires to stop at to have a rest and stretch out without having to look for them. That's the down side of non toll, you need to look
carefully for somewhere to pull into.Toll charges on the return were £48
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Adding to DJG's comment '...and you!'. But it really depends on how long you have got. Adding to Val's comment, when you reach Beziers at the end of the A75, the Route Nationale (D609/D900 - old N9) will take you to Spain. You may find it prudent to pay
a few euros to avoid driving through Perthus at the border. Don't attempt to take your caravan on the coast road into Spain via Argeles/Portbou.0 -
If you are pulling a caravan 700 miles on normal roads instead of toll roads any saving will be lost in the wear and tear to your car's clutch and transmission.
Plus the innumerable roundabouts, local kamakazi drivers and all the new sneaky hi tech speed traps.
But, it's up to the individual.
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You may find it prudent to pay a few euros to avoid driving through Perthus at the border. Don't attempt to take your caravan on the coast road into Spain via Argeles/Portbou.
Indeed not. I couldn't beleive the number of wrecks I saw that didn't make it round some of the corners and that was solo cars.
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We came back from Millau this year via Rouen. I have to say that some of that route is extremely tedious e.g. around Chartres - Dreux. Never seen so many roundabouts.
Looks like there may be an Autoroute in due course judging by the number of signs (both For and Against).
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I think the disparity in advice is that those with the knowledge will tend to have done the journey on a number of occasions and be time rich while those asking for advice will tend to be doing the 2/3 week annual dash south.
The route ValDa has pointed the OP towards in post 2 is the basis of the one I use. It has the advantage of missing Paris and is far cheaper than blasting down the motorway via Reims. I would agree with Hitchglitch's opinion that Chartres - Dreux is the
most tedious part of the route. If looking for cheaper petrol on this route then there is a handily placed Carrrefour at Issoire E11 J12.As for driving on motorways/dual carriageways then fuel economy/wear and tear of vehicle/ stress/tiredness are improved by sticking to the main roads.
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I think 'toll or non-toll' depends on how you holiday. If you are in a rush to get to Campsite X or back to your ferry by mid-afternoon, then using toll roads may make sense. If you only want to get 'somewhere nearer to the sunshine' then you can choose
to stop anywhere along the route, in that nice municipal in the lovely village you're just about to drive through, or in that range of hills over to the west and stay for as long as you want, or move on the next morning.The saving on getting to some of our favourite destinations from Calais, with a caravan (say St Pere Pescador in Spain where we'll be heading in September), from not using toll-roads (€154.25 in each direction) could pay for campsites for up to 21 nights!).
For us who have plenty of time, but not plenty of money, then it can make sense to stay off the toll roads.
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Camdoon has hit the nail on the head. If you are on a 2/3 week hoiliday you do not want to spend 3/4 days driving to the south of France; it will take 2 long days even using the Autoroutes. On a long holiday enjoy the variety of scenery France has to offer
and take your time - but ouch, those speed bumps and roundabouts you will come across not to mention the speed cameras! Yes, Chartres/Dreux is a really tedious part of the route mentioned (flat and boring) but when we lived near Beziers we used the A25 -
Chartres - Dreux - Evereaux route nevertheless and we could do the trip in 2 days with or without the caravan. There are also a number of Leclerc (where fuel is very reasonable) filling up points on the route.0
