Tarifa

[Innkeeper]

Hi all
We will be driving from the tunnel to Tarifa in December (we plan ahead). Never got the tunnel or drove though France before. Always got ferry to Spain anyway. Looking at Google maps there is an East and west route.
Which do people on here think is best for roads and views

 

[pagey]

There are 2 much used routes 1 toll and 1 no toll someone will post them up shortly as I am not with my computer

 

[Lenny HB]

The West route is OK if you are 3.5t or under a nightmare over 3.5t as lots of the N10 dual carriageway with no overtaking & 80kph limit & thousands of lorries.

If taking the east route you want to go west first then down past Rouen then back slightly east and pick up the A75.
We often take the middle road and use the A20.

Your east route looks like it may use I think the A6 past Lyon, no one goes that way.

 

[Gaston aires]

Tarifa is great Moorish town. Very windy and gave birth to the word Tariff. Ships used to pay a Tariff to pass through the straits between Spain and North Africa to the local warlord.
Phil

 

[Innkeeper]

Taking our car this time. As would have spent summer in UK in van. So a bit of a treat.
Don't ask why but we love Tarifi been there many times. In van and car. But always drove from Santander or Bilbao. Never knew that the word Tariff came from there.

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[63720]

Your east route looks like it may use I think the A6 past Lyon, no one goes that way.

.....we do if we're not in a hurry.....the old road down the route du soliel, then turn west for a nice drive along the Camargue. Bit chilly in winter though.

 

[StephandJohn]

We've gone through France in various ways a few times in the winter but its always been wet and cold. Not many campsites or aires open so you have to plan ahead. We go to Santiage or Bilbao now.
I feel like I was asked for directions to somewhere and replied 'well I wouldn't start from here'.!

 

[Richard n Ann]

Neither. We always go this way:

All toll free, Just follow the signs;
Calais.
Rouen
Èvreux
Dreux
Chartres
Orleans
Vierzon
Bourges
Clermont Ferrand
Beziers
Narbonne
Perpignon

And down the med Coast. The tolls have been removed on the AP7 now

 

[Lenny HB]

Ba

Neither. We always go this way:

View attachment 610059

All toll free, Just follow the signs;
Calais.
Rouen
Èvreux
Dreux
Chartres
Orleans
Vierzon
Bourges
Clermont Ferrand
Beziers
Narbonne
Perpignon

And down the med Coast. The tolls have been removed on the AP7 now

Basicly what I said guv.

 

[Innkeeper]

Thanks all will get a map out and have a look.

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[EuroTrotters]

None of those routes if I had the time.

Use itinéraire BIS Bison Futé

<Broken link removed>

 

[Gaston aires]

Ba

Basicly what I said guv.

The A75 south from Clermont Ferand to the Millau bridge is one of my favourite roads in Europe.
Phil

 

[knockersmith]

West is best every time.Flatest so best for fuel consumption, also less toll roads.

 

[Carpmart]

Neither. We always go this way:

View attachment 610059

All toll free, Just follow the signs;
Calais.
Rouen
Èvreux
Dreux
Chartres
Orleans
Vierzon
Bourges
Clermont Ferrand
Beziers
Narbonne
Perpignon

And down the med Coast. The tolls have been removed on the AP7 now

Apart from the southern bit (Alicante and south) of the AP7 still has some tolls

 

[Carpmart]

Travelled down the west route in Feb, mainly to avoid potential weather. We are heading back up the east route back, the tolls are quite significantly different, especially as we are Class 3.

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[Richard n Ann]

Apart from the southern bit (Alicante and south) of the AP7 still has some tolls

Oh was free all the way to Benidorm last year anyway. All the toll barriers had errm... well here's a photo...

 

[Lenny HB]

Tolls are not in my vocabulary.

 

[GeeCee]

I think the westerly route would be more picturesque, also it's shorter by 240km and 2 hours (according to Google maps) so fuel cost would be less. The coastal route through Spain would potentially give you more opportunities for stops than the inland route although many campsites from Girona down to Barcelona don't open till April. There will be aires though on either route. Another factor would be the weather. I've never been through the mountain ranges south of San Sebstian in December but that route goes through Victoria and Burgos and the high mountains thereabouts so there could be road closures.

 

[15edward]

Through snow at Burgos couple of years ago in December. But roads soon cleared.

 

[glastry]

Tarifa is great Moorish town. Very windy and gave birth to the word Tariff. Ships used to pay a Tariff to pass through the straits between Spain and North Africa to the local warlord.
Phil

?

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[DBK]

Tarifa is great Moorish town. Very windy and gave birth to the word Tariff. Ships used to pay a Tariff to pass through the straits between Spain and North Africa to the local warlord.
Phil

I think the name is derived from the name of the military commander, Tarif ibn Malik.

The English word "Tariff" originates from the Arabic "to notify" as in notify there is a price to pay and then through Italian and French derivatives to our English word.

But it is an interesting place to visit. If you are there in Spring or Autumn there are a lot of migrating birds to be seen if you look up. We've been 2 or 3 times. The only snag is its a long way!

 

[Gaston aires]

Tolls are not in my vocabulary.

I would agree except in a few instances. The toll road going past south west France into Spain bypasses Biarritz and is worth using just for my sanity. There are some others but not many.
Phil

 

[Lenny HB]

I would agree except in a few instances. The toll road going past south west France into Spain bypasses Biarritz and is worth using just for my sanity. There are some others but not many.
Phil

Agree took the coast road once never again.

 

[GeeCee]

I think the name is derived from the name of the military commander, Tarif ibn Malik.

The English word "Tariff" originates from the Arabic "to notify" as in notify there is a price to pay and then through Italian and French derivatives to our English word.

But it is an interesting place to visit. If you are there in Spring or Autumn there are a lot of migrating birds to be seen if you look up. We've been 2 or 3 times. The only snag is its a long way!

I tried to validate that the word tariff originated from the town of Tarifa. My brief research threw up, as you say, that the town was named after the Military commander Tarif Ibn Malik. It also threw up that bandits did troll the cost around the town and demand payment to pass through the strait, so it seemes reasonable that the word could have spread in this way. And since sailors would have been from all parts including France and Italy, that the meaning, hence word, spread to the UK via those Europeans.