Touring France
hi all
Touring France in September, as previous discussion we have got a month off to to go caravanning, we would like to get a good few miles down the road on our first day but without any stress, leaving Calais 10.30am, I was wondering if Lorraine is worth seeing and realistic to get to on our first day ?
thanks Gary
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Many people stop at Nancy, the main city in Lorraine - 300 miles from Calais, say six hours if you chase down the autoroute (toll 40 euros) but longer if you go the free way via Lille and Namur.
Camping Le Brabois is reasonable enough - many people just stop overnight, but it's a worth a second night to go into the city - the central square is stunning.
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I was wondering if Lorraine is worth seeing
Is she a looker and where does she live?
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Bus stop for Nancy just outside Le Brabois - only bus I've been on that took a mobility scooter. Nice central square as said above, worth a visit. Metz is said to be also worth seeing, we arrived 10 minutes after the site closed for 3 hours lunch so we decided to move on, maybe we'll try again this year
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If I were to stick rigidly to the 56 mph autoroute towing limit it would be 5 hours 20 minutes driving time plus a 40 minute break in the middle.
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On non-toll roads, I only manage to average about 42/43mph on any long trip in France, and that was when the speed limit on most roads was 90 kph (now 80 kph)
So as Eurotraveller says, non-toll will be longer, probably more like 8 or 9hrs, depending on number of towns and villages encountered
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I am always surprised how low my average speeds are, generally high thirties at best.
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jpurney average speeds depend so much on the type of road being used...
it's really easy to keep up a speed of mid 90's kph in a MH (shade under 60mph...in fact, back home this would be dawdling on a motorway, wouldn't it..?
but as David says, 300 miles is five hours at 60mph (100kph), so a long day for many, and beyond quite a few...
also, get off the Autovia (dual carriageway) and things slow down considerably....enforced lower speed limits, more traffic, more junctions and roundabouts.....
if you're just pootling about with no destination in mind, happy to pull in at the next nice village for lunch, it will take as long as....
you can't have it both ways....unfortunately...
we're about to set out on the long journey back to the ferry but I've allowed plenty of time...
the part across Spain (via Zaragosa) is fast dual carriageway, bereft of traffic....but I want to ease my way back up through France and, of the weather is ok (ish) stop for a few lunches...
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Confession time... I did begin my earlier reply with the words "if I were to stick rigidly to the 56 mph towing limit on French Autoroutes"...
But then I tow a streamlined Eriba rather than a cumbersome centrally heated bungalow, and Siamese twin motorcycle motorway flics go by me at even greater speed without showing the slightest displeasure.
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I have done 500 miles in a day using Autoroutes and towing but that was some time ago! Nowadays I would not do 300 miles first day so it depends on your age and energy levels.
Lorraine not too exciting why not stop off first night nearer to Calais then press on to Alsace? You can go via Nancy then across country via St-Dié and the tunnel (if it’s still open) or the grand col to Selestat, alternatively via Metz to Obernai or Strasbourg.
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