Spanish trip
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About 650 miles from Caen ferryport to Costa Brava - using as much or as little motorway mileage as you wish, but some bits of motorway are sensible.
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Succinct😉
several other questions were posed to help with route...starting point, preference for long driving over sailing, trip duration, desire to visit places en route etc...
I also did the 'comparison' re the long ferry back from Spain this April and, for us heading back from the Valencia region to the West Country, there was very little in the cost or the timings between Bilbao to Portsmouth or the drive to (say) Cherbourg for the Poole ferry.
also, the outward Santander ferry has two nights on board, whereas the Bilbao return had just one. The long trips were a change...heading south can be a bit soulless through France in Jan/Feb...as, like AD, we had access to the Commodore Lounge and can't remember ever eating so much on a ferry....
BTW, both sailings were of the 'millpond' variety....
having said that, France is a wonderful country to 'bimble about in' should you decide to take your time and get used to why this country is known as Motorhome Heaven....check out the Aires system and pause and smell the flowers, as they say....
good luck.
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Marley, When going to the Costa Brava I usually drive through central France to Toulouse, Narbonne and Perpignan and then use the A9 to cross the Pyrenees to the Cosat Brava, a journey of about 800 miles. It is a while since I last did the route but to give your a flavour of it, have a look at my blog >here,< days 4 to 7. I do not think you will be able to go via Rouen because of the age of your Dakota there being a driving ban with stickers 4, 5 and without sticker. If this is the case I would leave the A26 at Neufchatel en Bray and take the road to Forges Les Eaux, Les Andleys and Dreux to get you back on the route through central France.
Hope it helps.
peedee
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I am surprised no one picked up my error above, the heat must be making everyone dozey! I though while making a correction I would embelish it some more. I wrote:
I do not think you will be able to go via Rouen because of the age of your Dakota there being a driving ban with stickers 4, 5 and without sticker. If this is the case I would leave the A26 at Neufchatel en Bray and take the road to Forges Les Eaux, Les Andleys and Dreux to get you back on the route through central France.
it is of course the toll free A28 which you take from Abbeville to Rouen not the A26 , therefore I have modified the above to read:
I do not think you will be able to go via Rouen because of the age of your Dakota. The low emission zone now in place does not permit transit of vehicles with crit air stickers lower than 3 i.e you may get fined if you do not have a sticker or one showing only category 4 or 5. To avoid Rouen leave the A28 at Neufchatel en Bray (junction 10) and take the D915 to Forges les Eaux and Gournay en Bray then the D916 to Les Andelys, followed by the D313 and D316 to join the N154 near Evreux and the central route south to Dreux and beyond. I used to use this route when visiting the vets at Forges les Eaux on the way home when we had a dog with us.
FYI there are two very good motorhome Aires if you need them. One at Neufchatel en Bray which is part of Camping St Claire and the other at Forges les Eaux. Both have EHU. There is also a good camp site at Les Andelys, Camping I'lles des Trois Roi.
peedee
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"it is of course the toll free A28 which you take from Abbeville to Rouen not the A26 "
must admit have become very lazy when it comes to reading maps and knowing road numbers, now a days i tend to plug into satnav and go, I have one where you can plug in your caravan details and it sort of takes care of the rest
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One thing I did notice by looking at the above route suggestions was that quite a large section of the A20 is toll free, fine for heading south in central France.
for those that cross the whole country, perhaps to head to Portugal or Spain from a northern port, it's always good to know the toll free motorways.
the A75 is also another where one can travel toll free.
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Yes that free section was originally a route National, some of my first trips in the early 1990's through France were on it. Once you get to the end of the free section switch back to the orignal route national, it is still a very good road all the way to Toulouse if somewhat hilly compared to the A20 toll section. I have also used the A75 which takes you through the Central Massive but it is a more demanding route on fuel than using the central route Vierzon - Toulouse and of course you have the Millau Bridge toll but you can avoid this by again switching back to the old national route to travel through Millau.
I guess with me old habits and the knowledge I have of stop overs and the central route die hard when heading for the Costa Brava.
peedee
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There is a good camping carpark Aire right in the middle of Millau where we spent the night. Although we did go back out the same way, as we wanted to cross the viaduct. It was €14.20 but it enables you to stop at the closer viewing Aire, which also has an exhibition on building it. I believe the toll increases for August.
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HGV rate is 38 euros! Don't think I paid that, I will see if I put the cost in my notes I make.
peedee
P.S. No didn't make a note of the cost, it was 2014 but, potentially if you are over 3.5 tons, todays charge could be as high as 38 euros.
peedee
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