Route to South of France
Having done a few trips to Northern France, Covid and Brexit issues permitting we want to plan a journey down to the South of France possibly to site Riviera d'Azur next summer
We would want the most direct motorway route (and pay the tolls) with a few stops on route.
Has anyone done this journey and able to recommend a good route and stop overs please?
Thanks
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From Calais? Leave that town on A26 towards Reims, then via Dijon, and Lyon and continue due South. Distance to Nice about 760 miles with stopovers depending on how far you choose to drive each day. Class 2 tolls are about 170 euros each way if you stick to autoroutes.
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Alan
If you look at this link it gives a couple of routes to the South of France with maps showing possible en route stops depending on how far you wish to drive each day.
http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/the_route_south_2.html
David
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We have often used the A26 as we prefer the quickest route to get to where we are going. These are the campsites we have used along the way with reviews of them in my blog.
Camping Vivier aux Carpes near St Quentin
Camping La Chenaie Laon
Camping de L’Ile Cherlieu in Arcis sur Aube near Troyes Champagne Ardenne
Camping Lac D’Orient Mesnil St Pere
Campsite La Croix D’Arles at Saints Geosmes near Langres.
Le Lac Le Liez Langres
https://jennyandjohngocaravanning.wordpress.com/site-reviews/
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If taking the Dijon/Lyon route the most obvious autoroute between these is the A6. Approaching Lyon on the A6 there is a choice between staying on the A6 and going through the city, or taking the A46 which goes around the city to the east.
As an alternative to the A6 I would suggest taking the A39/A40/A42 route from Dijon. This is more or less parallel with the A6 and is much quieter. Not much difference in distance and has the benefit of joining the A46 "ring" to the east of Lyon shortening the distance to be travelled on the ring.
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We always stay on the A6 and go through Lyon, sometimes it's slow, nearly always busy but we enjoy it whatever we encounter! Is a staging point on the journey! If we sit in traffic on the river bank there are beautiful buildings to admire, the boats on the river, people going about their lives. Breaks the montonony of the motorway!
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Favourite stops include Lac d'Orient, the municipal in Beaune, Pont de Bourgogne, Chateau L' Eperviere, Camping L'Albanou south of Lyon and a last/first stop for Riviera! Bord de L' Ainse, north of Reims makes a convenient last stop for Calais but is expensive. There are so many possibilities, get ACSI card and use in conjunction with the Club touring guide, fun exploring new stop offs but also nice to revisit favourites and even to look forward to meals in favourite restaurants along the way!
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If you are travelling through France be aware of the following advice from the goverment.
Private vehicles
You don’t need to self-isolate if you travel through a non-exempt country and you don’t stop in the country.
If you do make a stop, you don’t need to self-isolate if:
· no new people get into the vehicle
· no-one in the vehicle gets out, mixes with other people, and gets in again
You do need to self-isolate if you make a stop and:
· new people get into the vehicle, or
· someone gets out of the vehicle, mixes with other people and gets in again
My insurance advice is that if you stop in a banned country other that the above then your insurance is void for the rest of your journeys.You need to check your insurance
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Many thanks for all the replies and advice. I'll start digging into it all.
We'll probably do about 250 miles a day, I want to make it a pleasure not a chore and do want to stick to motorways from start to finish as much as possible. A few years ago we had a bad experience in France down a wrong road and got stuck so its put me off any "adventures" we don't have to do
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My insurance advice is that if you stop in a banned country other that the above then your insurance is void for the rest of your journeys.You need to check your insurance
a lot of confusion re insurance cover in the present times, Red Pennant seem to be saying that if you land e.g. in Spain but then motor thru Spain to Portugal which is now on the OK to travel list then your insurance is void simply because you landed in a no go country e.g. Spain. I think some of these companies are making it up as they go along
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You can stop in a banned country as long as you do not mix, If you stayed overnight on a site the i doubt you insurance would be valid.and understandable as you have the potential to be mixing with others. Not concerned about self isolation on my return but would you want to take the chance of not having travel insurance.Of to Italy next weekend and as our first overnight will be in Germany not yet a banned country.
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Lots of good sites mentioned in this discussion and we have stayed at most of them. Much depends on when you are crossing the Chanel and how far you want to drive in one go. Our first stop is usually Guignicourt, three hours from Calais. Expensive but convenient. Was ACSI but not sure whether they still are.
With regard to Lyon, the outer ring road to the East is the signposted route and is fairly horrible. Lots of lorries. By all means go straight through Lyon on the old motorway route but be aware that the traffic can be very bad at peak times. Northbound is worse and it has taken us nearly two hours.
I am not a fan of the A75 except further south. The roads south from Rouen to Orleans are very congested. Anyway, that puts you at a very different part of the Med which doesn’t have the glamour of Nice, Cannes etc. Unfortunately the Med is hot, crowded, busy and over-priced, plus you have to book even off-season. Good to try once though.
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Not a fan of A75? Beats the M42 any day.
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Whats the M42 everdone to you cyber?
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Actually the A75 is fine apart from the almost complete lack of aires and services (that’s because it’s free). The problem I have is the section between Rouen via Chartres etc. Truly dreadful. So it’s the route I have a problem with not the Autoroute.
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