Through France to Spain ? not likely (1 Viewer)

[Barclaybasher]

On my way back from Spain (Barcelona)

Went out Portsmouth to Bilbao

Expensive but pleasant - 1 day drive from Bilbao to Valencia - easy

Came back through France - 2 day drive but hard work - always find that a "5 hour drive" turns out to be all day.

The second day really is too much and I always seem to find a hold up - this time roadworks in Rouen

Diversions round back streets, inches to spare.

And the cost of nearly everything in France makes the UK look cheap

Next time it'll be Portsmouth - Bilbao both ways - sod the extra cost

 

[StitchesnFluff]

Agreed, choose the most relaxing route you can afford

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Or, if you’re not pushed for time, take the drive through France at a relaxed pace, use back roads and enjoy it as part of your journey. (I recognise not everyone can spare the time for this.)

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Munchie]

Came through Rouen two days ago. No roadworks on our route easy peasy!

Heading North to Neufchatel en Bray

 

[MikeD]

We agree. Never drive through France now.

We only want to do a minimum amount of miles driving a day and for me France would be 4-5 days driving.

Ferry - even though i am a crap sailor is much easier.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Or, if you’re not pushed for time, take the drive through France at a relaxed pace, use back roads and enjoy it as part of your journey. (I recognise not everyone can spare the time for this.)

Did a bit of that

Got fed up with the speed bumps - and worse some of the villages have laid new cobbles just to slow you down to walking pace

.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Stealaway]

And the cost of nearly everything in France makes the UK look cheap

And I thought it was just me.
Except for the bread and wine EVERYTHING in France is so much more expensive now, even accounting for the exchange rate.
It won't stop us going, it's just that I can remember when you could live cheap. The locals must be feeling the pinch.
Is it the Macron factor or are we in for a mega increase in the cost of living come Brexit

 

[Camdoon]

Over in the evening; pick up French goodies in Carrefour Cited'E; onto Baie de Somme for free aire; re-fuel in Rouen; refuel at Carrefour Issoire; drive on for another hour or so still short of Millau; free favourite aire - pleasant meal in village restaurant or take away or French goodies; into Spain by 1100hr - no problem. Summer avoid weekends and reverse at other times. Depends how much time you have and age Don't like faffing about on a ferry, would rather have access to all my stuff, food, coffee, music, lack of riff-raff and comfortable seat. Horses for courses.

 

[tacr2man]

And I thought it was just me.
Except for the bread and wine EVERYTHING in France is so much more expensive now, even accounting for the exchange rate.
It won't stop us going, it's just that I can remember when you could live cheap. The locals must be feeling the pinch.
Is it the Macron factor or are we in for a mega increase in the cost of living come Brexit

Logic would dictate that everything being expensive in France would tend to show a lower price here after Brexit when we are not in the same customs union

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Allanm]

Funny, we always find most day to day stuff in France cheaper than the U.K, but I agree it is getting more expensive. Cost of living for us, taking into account the crappy exchange rate, is still so much cheaper for us than when we were back in Kent.
Best place to shop for fresh food is at local markets, but keep away from touristy places, where everything is dearer than you would expect.

 

[Munchie]

Funny, we always find most day to day stuff in France cheaper than the U.K, but I agree it is getting more expensive. Cost of living for us, taking into account the crappy exchange rate, is still so much cheaper for us than when we were back in Kent.
Best place to shop for fresh food is at local markets, but keep away from touristy places, where everything is dearer than you would expect.

Agree 100%!!!

 

[Munchie]

Current inflation rate in France under 2%

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[LesW]

Never had to negotiate Roune on my travels in that direction, plenty of wide roads available avoiding the place.

 

[Allanm]

Never had to negotiate Roune on my travels in that direction, plenty of wide roads available avoiding the place.

We go through Rouen every couple of months and although generally busy, we have only been held up once, in February when we took the wrong turn going south and ended up in a traffic jam. I think if you get there mid morning or mid afternoon, the traffic is generally flowing quite freely. Avoid rush hours at all costs, Sunday’s are best.

 

[Camdoon]

Logic would dictate that everything being expensive in France would tend to show a lower price here after Brexit when we are not in the same customs union

Food prices in the EU are high as tariffs are set to protect inefficient French farmers. We buy a lot of stuff from the continent which is cheaper on world markets. They had Lady Nugget on the Daily Politics who was talking of her hero Barbara Castle. The clip shown was from the seventies diaplaying the cost of clothes in the EU compared with what they had been paying. The EU is a trading block which keeps out food and clothes and uses an Italian and Greek depressed Euro to export cars. Thats why the Donald does not like it despite Macron's love-in.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Reallyretired]

Would never take the ferry with the dogs so no choice really. I enjoy the drive through France and though more expensive than Spain is still cheaper than UK.
We have to get SWMBOs wine in France anyway as most of the Spanish white stuff is not dry enough for her taste.
We visit friends in France on the way through so can tske a while.

 

[2657]

Horses for courses.

Exactement

 

[Clarky]

It’s a long drive through France but very pleasant as long as you have time.
We don’t pay tolls and I do find the endless roundabouts a pain but we have time and don’t do long distances in one day.
Four days from the channel to Spanish border is about right for me...........but that could turn into four weeks.

Slow down Vic, life’s too short to keep rushing about.

Richard.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Had a beautiful drive back through France last week found one cracking Aire in a little village we had not come across before and the weather was so much better than Spain 28° and you could sit out in shorts until 9pm a change from huddling inside the van at 6 pm in southern Spain.

 

[Barclaybasher]

My problem is that I like an early start and can easily do 200 miles before lunch so decide to carry on 'for a bit'.....

Last year off the ferry at Dieppe 5am finally got to Parc Verger at 5pm - took me 3 days there to recover...very pleasant it was though

.

 

[Landy Andy]

France I love, and find it cheaper than the south east of the uk. Spain though, no thanks, terrible place. Tried it four times, and learnt my lesson, never again.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Tigertom]

We like France and Spain.........don’t enjoy feeling trapped on a ferry so we use our motorhome for what it was intended.

 

[Chris]

It’s well known that I don’t see the point in France.

I really dont

 

[mexican pete]

In 2016 and 2017 we drove through France both ways en route to the Costa Blanca. Not pleasant each time so tomorrow we are on the 22.30 Portsmouth to Bilbao ferry for a 6 week tour of Spain. Overall cost is most probably less than £300 more than driving.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[2657]

I like France, I like Spain, I love Portugal

Spent the last 25 years touring France and Spain, still have a static caravan in France so need to transit France frequently but when I am going to Spain or Portugal from the UK I use the Spanish ferries.

If I am en route to or from our static then I will usually want to get where I am going not bimbling about though I do usually try and find new places to stop en route, you don't see France or Spain while you are driving, need to stop and explore for a few days to really explore an area.

 

[klaatu]

It’s well known that I don’t see the point in France.

I really dont

Just gets in the way, really, doesn’t it? It would be much better if they could just move Spain 600 miles north to the other end of the tunnel.

 

[Chris]

Just gets in the way, really, doesn’t it? It would be much better if they could just move Spain 600 miles north to the other end of the tunnel.

Quite right.

Glad to see other like minded people on the forum

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[PeteH]

We "did" it from the late 90`s to the mid "00"s. Last time we did it we came back via Bilbao. SWMBO hates driving in France, the French habit of renumbering roads makes Navigation a nightmare. (pre having a Sat Nav!) I have transited Rouen multiple times. Just DONT miss the exit from N28 to D18E. Or you finish up towing a Trailer and Car behind an R-V in down town!.

 

[Manic]

Had a beautiful drive back through France last week found one cracking Aire in a little village we had not come across before and the weather was so much better than Spain 28° and you could sit out in shorts until 9pm a change from huddling inside the van at 6 pm in southern Spain.

Where is this cracking Aire, please

 

[Allanm]

We are lucky, we both retired early, so taking a few days driving through France is very enjoyable for us.
Been to Spain a few times, not keen on the built up coastal towns though we loved Barcelona.
Off to Portugal in September via Bayonne taking the quickest route through Spain to Santiago de Compostela then down to Porto and beyond.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}