France to Spain - to toll or not to toll, that is the question! (1 Viewer)

[Mikeco]

I have just amended my Brittany Ferries booking for the end of December, we were going Portsmouth to Santander but the 30 hour crossing and potential for bad weather has put us off so I have changed it to Portsmouth Caen, now I will have to decide whether to pay to use the toll roads.

 

[Reusables]

Fast as possible for us... toll roads all the way ..less stopping and starting.and AP7 now free.
If we had more time without kids we may take a slower route...nah I doubt it.

 

[GAVLAD]

Thanks Minxy Girl for posting this - we’re considering northern Spain (Costa Brava) next year and the toll guru site will be very useful.

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[kenandcaroline]

we have done this route numerous times, usually the 'N10' way/slight variations on it, but also the A75. When are you planning to travel (months) ?

 

[Riverbankannie]

Not yet been to France Richard. I have watched a number of Youtube videos and I get confused by the direction road signs. They don't appear to be as easy to read (the layout) as roadsigns here in the UK. Any tips?

In fact they are easier as they are uniform in placing and appearance. With satnavs there is no problem but before, with only paper maps, I always made a note of the biggest towns on the route we wanted to take as direction signs are twofold, major signs with the biggest town enroute and then smaller signs with all in between places. Once you get used to the system it is easy. I haven’t explained it very well.
One important thing when using a satnav is to know the department of the place you are putting in as a destination. There are often the same place names in different departments and you need to select the correct one.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

In fact they are easier as they are uniform in placing and appearance. With satnavs there is no problem but before, with only paper maps, I always made a note of the biggest towns on the route we wanted to take as direction signs are twofold, major signs with the biggest town enroute and then smaller signs with all in between places. Once you get used to the system it is easy. I haven’t explained it very well.
One important thing when using a satnav is to know the department of the place you are putting in as a destination. There are often the same place names in different departments and you need to select the correct one.

Thanks for that. When I look at some of the signs I've seen on the videos I just get swamped with too much information. The fact that you're travelling at 50kph doesn't make it any easier! My French geography is extremely poor which doesn't help, think I need to do some homework!

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[Riverbankannie]

Thanks for that. When I look at some of the signs I've seen on the videos I just get swamped with too much information. The fact that you're travelling at 50kph doesn't make it any easier! My French geography is extremely poor which doesn't help, think I need to do some homework!

We use a satnav but I still use a highlighter on a good paper map book before setting off. Drawing the route with a highlighter pen will help set in your mind the direction and the places you will be going through.
If you get a Michelin map book, it shows green routes which are scenic and also places of interest so it is easier to mark up the route for the day, use satnav just for short sections so you don’t get routed to the autoroutes.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

We use a satnav but I still use a highlighter on a good paper map book before setting off. Drawing the route with a highlighter pen will help set in your mind the direction and the places you will be going through.
If you get a Michelin map book, it shows green routes which are scenic and also places of interest so it is easier to mark up the route for the day, use satnav just for short sections so you don’t get routed to the autoroutes.

Sounds like a good place to start. We had been thinking of a short trip, maybe a week or so and maybe going no further than Normandy just to build our confidence, then who knows.

 

[Minxy]

we do the route clickem has mentioned above we pay the small toll on the abbyville stretch then dive of before the millau bridge then back on again but we always reckon on 4 days to get down if time is of the essence then we would use tolls i would think by the time you had paid a few tolls minxy you would need to lay down in a darkened room.if you need further info on tolls ask lenny hb

You have obviously been paying attention and noted that I'm a Yorkshire woman so paying out good money for something that I could possibly do 'cheaper' doesn't always come naturally!

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[Minxy]

we have done this route numerous times, usually the 'N10' way/slight variations on it, but also the A75. When are you planning to travel (months) ?

We were hoping that with Mum being in a care home and settling in well we could possibly get away in late November/early December for some warm sun as I always suffer in winter (last winter wasn't great for me) and it has been made more acute since my 'do' earlier this year that left has me with hyper sensitivity to cold, unfortunately now that Mum has got all stirred up again I don't know if we'll manage it however we're still hopeful so are just trying to plan in case we are able to escape.

Considering doing some toll roads for a change is partly to do with not having to spend so long on the way down via France if the weather is very cold and get more time to spend in the sun, but also so that if we need to get back home quicker for some reason we can do so having some idea of what toll roads to use and which to avoid if practical to do so.

 

[Abacist]

I think the question should have been To Toll or To Roundabout & Speedbump! I remember the days when you could ask the AA for a route map giving you turn by turn and road by road instructions, a bit like rally pace notes! I can remember reading them out to Dad as a kid going to France and Italy, having taken the air ferry from Southend to Calais. You used to get given a boiled sweet to stop your ears popping and I used to watch the grass through the cracks in the floor of the plane which of course were not pressurised in those days.

 

[marchie]

In fact they are easier as they are uniform in placing and appearance. With satnavs there is no problem but before, with only paper maps, I always made a note of the biggest towns on the route we wanted to take as direction signs are twofold, major signs with the biggest town enroute and then smaller signs with all in between places. Once you get used to the system it is easy. I haven’t explained it very well.
One important thing when using a satnav is to know the department of the place you are putting in as a destination. There are often the same place names in different departments and you need to select the correct one.

Menswear and Ladieswear being just two of said departments ... 2nd and 3rd Floors respectively, I believe ...

Steve

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[Minxy]

Menswear and Ladieswear being just two of said departments ... 2nd and 3rd Floors respectively, I believe ...

Steve

I'm free!

 

[sueandjohn]

I have just amended my Brittany Ferries booking for the end of December, we were going Portsmouth to Santander but the 30 hour crossing and potential for bad weather has put us off so I have changed it to Portsmouth Caen, now I will have to decide whether to pay to use the toll roads.

We were just about to book and realised it’s 2 nights - I can’t face that journey and I believe , Galicia has no entertainment . So it’s a no for us too

 

[The Wino]

Not yet been to France Richard. I have watched a number of Youtube videos and I get confused by the direction road signs. They don't appear to be as easy to read (the layout) as roadsigns here in the UK. Any tips?

I think it's just getting used to them after being used to the UK ones for so long

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[Clarky]

Not yet been to France Richard. I have watched a number of Youtube videos and I get confused by the direction road signs. They don't appear to be as easy to read (the layout) as roadsigns here in the UK. Any tips?

Get a decent sat-nag.

 

[Clarky]

We have just had our invoice for our toll tag for September.
It covers our drive from Calais to Narbonne so could be very relevant to Minxy Girl .
We tend to use a mixture of toll and non toll if there aren’t too many slow or ‘Micky Mouse' sections.
Real time costs are:-
A16. Boulogne to Abbeville. €13.10
Short section of A13 south of Rouen to link with N154 €3.40
N154 is mostly dualed with a few sections of single carriageway.
A10/A71 Allaines all the way past Orleans to Bourges €26
At Bourges we went off the most direct route south to go south east to Sancoins, a bit of a detour.
Joined A71 again at Riom to Clermont-Ferand €2.50
A75 from Clermont to Beziers is free apart from Millau viaduct €16.80
Detour through Millau takes 25-30 minutes.
A9 Beziers to Narbonne €3.90.

Hope that is helpful.

Richard.

 

[PJGWiltshire]

We were just about to book and realised it’s 2 nights - I can’t face that journey and I believe , Galicia has no entertainment . So it’s a no for us too

We came over on the two night crossing. It is very comfortable. You set off at 11.00pm so more or less straight to bed and then you get off at 7.30am. By 10.00am I was parked up in San Sebastian So overall you are awake for the whole sailing day. We were on the Cap Finistrate and there was no entertainment. We were lucky and the crossing was flat and sunny so sitting out on the deck was the order of the day. This being our first Spain crossing and found the journey much less stressful than the three night trip down through France.
We costed out the price difference from Caen to Irun Spain and What it cost to sail to Bilbao. We worked a difference of around £200 more expensive in taking the long crossing. As we wanted to get straight to the sun we elected to have the extra cost rather than the three day long drives to reach the Spanish border

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[marchie]

I'm free!

I'm not free; but my rates are very reasonable ...

Steve

 

[busby]

Only two tolls we ever pay in France are Millau Bridge and Bypass Perpignon, Enjoy driving through villages and towns but we are never in a hurry and usually have no destination in mind. BUSBY.

 

[namwaldog]

We travelled down what we call the Central route December 2019.

Calais, Abbeville, Rouen, Evereux, Dreux, Chartres, Blois, Chateauroux, Limoges, Toulouse, Narbonne, Perpignan, La Jonquera.

Normally stick to the National or non-toll roads all the way but we were delayed setting off that winter and as the weather wasn't great with fog and rain, decided to make some progress going down the A20 south of Limoges.
So we decided to stay on A20 when it became a Peage south of Brive.
Pleasantly surprised that at Class 2, the total charge from Brive to La Jonquera(Spain) , about 220 miles, worked out at €58.

Certainly a lot easier drive and as we don't use sat-nav it was a bonus to pick up the signs for Barcelona all the way from Toulouse

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[Camdoon]

A75 - worth noting that the large Carrefour at Issoire backs onto the dual carriageway with cheap fuel. Allows us to hit Calais before refilling. La Canourgue has an aire (recently became chargeable) but has a nice selection of hotels, restaurants and take aways and shops as well as being a nice place to wander round.

 

[Sarah]

We had a liber-t tag for France in my last MH but I sent it back last year when we changed the MH. Apparently you can only use them up to 3.5 tonne and 2m high. My current van is 5.3 tonne and 2.07m high plus sat dish but not sure if I have to count that. Is there a similar tag that allows larger motorhomes?

 

[Camdoon]

We had a liber-t tag for France in my last MH but I sent it back last year when we changed the MH. Apparently you can only use them up to 3.5 tonne and 2m high. My current van is 5.3 tonne and 2.07m high plus sat dish but not sure if I have to count that. Is there a similar tag that allows larger motorhomes?

Press the button and say "camping car class doo seal voo play" and 19 times out of 20 you will get through at class 2.

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[EuroTrotters]

We drove through France in September, can't say I noticed much difference in speed limits from the year before. Doesn't bother me doing the 80kph limit. I just have a warm feeling inside as I see the MPG going up and up.

The AP7 toll road down through Spain is now free. (set sat nav to use tolls)

80kph ? On autoroutes ?

 

[PhilandMena]

Fuel & Toll costs. For a class 2 Motorhome. Calais – Irun. Toll = €153.80 Fuel €158.11 Based on 1083 K @10K per Ltr. @€1.46 per ltr. 3.5T motor-home). N10 Calais - Irun. Using partial Toll = €11.50. Fuel €154.17 Based on 1056 K @10K per Ltr. @€1.46 per ltr

 

[PhilandMena]

I just noted the second part of your question was recommended route. Here you go !

Firstly, routes and route maps for France and Spain. This first link is an award winning database about France. It has a host of information on best routes to many locations. I have selected the famous N10 route from Calais to Irun which is used by many motorhomes when travelling to Spain. It’s almost Toll free (more on that a little later) and almost all duel carriageway from start to finish with the exception of about 100 K. This route is great for motorhomes small, medium and large. Note: (HGV’s are not allowed on French roads, Sunday’s, so plan your journey over a weekend if possible).

https://about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm

Fuel & Toll costs. For a class 2 Motorhome. Calais – Irun. Toll = €153.80 Fuel €158.11 Based on 1083 K @10K per Ltr. @€1.46 per ltr. 3.5T motor-home). N10 Calais - Irun. Using partial Toll = €11.50. Fuel €154.17 Based on 1056 K @10K per Ltr. @€1.46 per ltr

Tolls: Avoid the toll road from Calais to Abbeville and save 12.50 Euros. The non-toll route is quite scenic and fairly straight forward, between Boulogne-sur-Mer and Abbeville.

At Abbeville, join the A28 and cross the river Sein at Rouen. We take the second exit immediately after crossing the bridge (about 50 m past the first exit at the end of the bridge), swing down and under the bridge you have just crossed and continue on this road and join the A13 motorway until the N154 which takes you down to Evreux. (Note: there are a number of different options for getting through Rouen and no doubt other members will have their own preferences. We find this very straight forward on both outward and return legs). Approaching Tours on the D910 join the A10 toll road at Jct. 19 and exit at Jct. 23. This will take you through the city via the toll road, (€1.80). At Jct. 23 take the exit lane for Montbazon which returns you to the D910. (Reverse for the return leg). That’s the last toll to pay until you hit the bottom of the A63 after Bordeaux.

To save toll fares on the A63 south of Bordeaux please read the route recommendations in the above link. Do not come off the A63 near the bottom as all roads will be heavily congested and it’s worth paying the last few tolls. (From Jct 6 €8.90 in total). This route is also recommended during winter, due to its proximity to the Atlantic ocean, which means little to no problems with ice and or snow, unlike using the A75 to cross the Massif Central. Although the A75 is quickly cleared, it is advisable to have winter tyres fitted and there may be some small delays due to snow ploughs clearing this route.

If heading to the Mediterranean side of Spain, it’s worth taking the N121-A to Pamplona after crossing the Spanish boarder on the A63 at Irun. It’s clearly sign posted (Large white sign) about 300 m after passing through the last toll booth and crossing the river. Also near here, cheap fuel with easy access (https://www.fuelflash.eu/en/alcampo...rcial-txingudi-zona-araso_b_-ventas-80-33301/) and shopping opportunities. You will find more details in this link for the N121-A and how to navigate Spain toll free.

https://about-spain.net/travel/no-tolls.htm
If you decide to pay Tolls in order to save time getting to Spain, your best route options are in this link.

https://about-france.com/tourism/routes-to-spain.htm

Should you choose to plan your own routes anywhere in Europe and also establish Toll costs, (or toll free costs) use this link. Under route options, select caravan then select toll roads. Toll costs for a class 2 motorhome will be calculated for the whole journey. You can also choose Non toll routes and other options. This is currently one of the best online free route planers.

https://www.viamichelin.co.uk/

As for stop overs on routes, you can’t go wrong using the App below which is free but I would recommend getting the paid version for about £6.00 which you can then use off line. You will find numerous places to stop along the above route and I have deliberately not made any recommendations so drivers can make their own choices. This app is also brilliant for finding other places too and highly rated by many users.


https://www.campercontact.com/en/content/app



A popular app/website. Used by many and worth taking out the small subscription. Loads of up to date reviews here too.

https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/


There is another popular app/website that is used which you may also find useful if you’re doing a lot of wilding and looking for free overnight stops. It too is used by many motor homers in Europe. Get the paid version to use off line for around £9.00

https://www.park4night.com/

One of the best off line MAP ‘App’ and used by many. It also includes a sat-nav function which is quite good and can also be used off line. Again many motor homers use this, especially in Morocco.

Broken Link Removed.

A fantastic app that can be used off line and a decent Sat Nav included.

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[Richard n Ann]

80kph ? On autoroutes ?

We don't use toll roads, are they the autoroutes?

If dual carriageway I set the cruise control on about 90kph.

 

[Reusables]

Heres another one into the mix .
We used to go this way years ago way before sat navs.
Callais . Reims . Dijon.. Lyon. nimes. Montpellier.. Perpignan.. Barcelona.

Does anyone go this way? I usually go with whatever is fastest on Google maps and this route is not an option.
However after downloading Tom Tom amigo app on my phone this way is only 2mins slower but avoids going near Paris.

 

[Minxy]

Just want to say thanks to all who've contributed to this, although we're going to be postponing our trip until sometime next year (spring hopefully!) I'm gonna bookmark this thread so I don't' ask you all the same question again!

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