Best Return Route Valencia - Western France?

[xtab]

Heading back from Murcia to France, I now usually take the longer option of the motorway Valencia > Zaragoza > San Sebastian and then head to Irun to make life as stress-free as possible for a nervous passenger who's not at all keen on steep hills and hairpin bends.

Someone recently suggested taking the Zaragoza, Huesca, Jaca, Pau route. I can't really get a feel for it looking on Google Earth and Maps. Has anyone used this route and able to give me a white knuckle scale comparison vs the motorway?

 

[SandraL]

This would be via the Somport tunnel. Spanish side roads and gradient are good.
French side there is a short 500m ?? section that has a few rocky bits and is not wide enough for mh and a lorry.
Some of the rest is slender but ok.
For us we prefer thisroute to the san sebastian coastal route.

 

[trophychap]

Sedge did it years ago with Mr S MkI - before they built the tunnel and says it wasn't even that steep then. Now the Col des Ares; that used to be a tad steep !

 

[filopastry]

I'm with @SandraL .. Zaragoza and Somport tunnel, there are a few places where it is a little tight, we are 7.1metres, steady speeds and keeping to the centre white line when nothing is coming the other way gives better view. If artics can negotiate the route so can we, just not at full chat. Once in France Othez, Mont Marsan and you are up to Bordeaux and still not a cent in tolls. This route as far as Bordeaux will take approx 2 hours longer than the peage route via San Sebastian but it is much prettier and FREE.

 

[SomeoneElse]

As has been said the French side of the Somport tunnel is terrible.
My solution is to only use it on Sundays, when (most) lorries are banned.
However recently I have opted for a easy life and paid the tolls from Bordeaux via Biarritz to Tolosa.
The cost works out at about £25 but its a pain having to stop and pay half a dozen times.

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[Sundowners]

Somport tunnel all the way. Easy route, take your time and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Yes there are rocks that overhang the road, but not low enough to give even the big trucks a problem. If you find this route scary you must be an awfully nervous driver.

On our way back to UK from Portugal or on our way down, we always overnight at one of the many good parking places along this road. We have a 7.9 metre long motorhome towing a 4 metre trailer.

 

[tonka]

As has been said the French side of the Somport tunnel is terrible.
My solution is to only use it on Sundays, when (most) lorries are banned.
However recently I have opted for a easy life and paid the tolls from Bordeaux via Biarritz to Tolosa.
The cost works out at about £25 but its a pain having to stop and pay half a dozen times.

"Terrible" I think is a bit strong.. It's very scenic and there are a few areas where you do need to be cautious..
Granted nowhere as nice as the Spanish side but that's down to Geography and it is only for a short part of the whole trip.

Ref Sundays.. Most definatly if you can do it. We came back a week Sunday and had a very smooth and almost empty run from Somport to Oleron.

Somport - Oleron- Orthez - Mont de marsen - Bordeaux Is the route I use most...

 

[gus-lopez]

SomPort -Oloron, Pau, Aire-sur-l ádour, all the way up to Langon then over the river to the D10 & through Cadillac up to Bordeaux. I find that way I enter the Bordeaux ring on the east side & only a short distance around on to the A10 then on to N10. All free

 

[Lenny HB]

. If you find this route scary you must be an awfully nervous driver.

Agree dead easy route we are 7.5 m.
This year we used the Bielsa tunnel, much prettier route good roads a bit steeper on the French side..