Route Calais to Argelès sur mer

[richengland]

Hi, driving down from Calais to Argelès sur mer, end September. Bertie is a 7.5m x 3m home and is Crit’Air 4. Hoping to get down there 2 or 3 days, looking for inspiration on the route, my maps keep sending me via greater Paris which I assume is a no go with my sticker. Was thinking of a first stop maybe Troyes / Dijon / Lyon. Will bimble our way back up . Any thoughts appreciated, cheers all

 

[Grianan]

Ha ha we had a cunning plan to avoid Paris …. I realised it had gone to pot when we saw the Sacre-Coeur!

We’re planning the same on October. New plan is via Dijon, picking up some sparkly en route then back up the western side …

I’ll be following your travels with interest!

 

[suavecarve]

You ll do well to get to Argeles sur mer in 2-3 days and finding things to do on the way.
I would be heading round the peripherique (not everyones cup of tea) and heading via Nevers on the fast free road to Clermont and use that fast free road, or using the limoges road. Plenty of decent overnight stops in both those routes.

Enjoy

 

[royandsharont]

I personally avoid Paris & go Calais Rouen Evreux Dreux a Chartres Orleans Gien Nevers Clermont-Ferrand then toll free A75 to Beziers then A9 to Perpignan then Argeles. I would normally do that over 4 days stopping outside Rouen, at Nevers then Millau for at least 2 nights Toll free all the way except for a small one joining north of Clermont to avoid the city to get onto the toll free A75

 

[richengland]

Thanks, sounds a good route and I suspect you are right, 4 days makes sense

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[lunarman]

Rouen has a clean air zone that only allows vehicles with crit air 3 or better. With a crit air 4 you will need to find a way around it.

 

[richengland]

Ah, a spanner in my works

 

[suavecarve]

Ah, a spanner in my works

The peripherique (to avoid Rouen and save an hour and a bit) is no worst or better than the M25. Nothing to be overly concerned with but worth avoiding at 0800 hrs and 1700 hrs during weekdays. Possibly used it 10+ times and not had an issue but just like the M25 it can be a lottery.

I get surprised when people avoid it but wont avoid the M25.

 

[richengland]

Rouen has a clean air zone that only allows vehicles with crit air 3 or better. With a crit air 4 you will need to find a way around it.

 

[richengland]

i accepted the fact my burstner was Crit’Air 4 for the last couple of years as it had the sticker and the one previous had an extensive history showing trips to a France every year. But … I did a check on line - it’s a 2 !! So Rouen route back on the table, along with the Paris ring road

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[TwistNShout]

Our van is Crit'Air 5, so we can't enter Rouen either. We headed down that way, to avoid Rouen we drove to Yvetot then south over the Pont De Brotonne. Our first overnight was at Evreux in the camping car park, only six spaces and right in the city. From there our route was via Chatres and Orleans then roughly followed the A71/A75 - aiming for Marseillan-Plage. We did pay tolls on the first day but after that, apart from the Millau bridge, we avoided toll roads. We took more than 2/3 days because, after Orleans, we were in wandering mode.

Edit: Just seen your update, better quickly order a new sticker if your van should be a 2.

 

[richengland]

New sticker ordered and on its way thanks