Driving routes through France and Spain

Hello, I was working in toulouse for airbus,  I would come home to Murcia every month,

From toulouse I would go towards tarbes and lourdes exit at J18 folowing the route to bossost,les and llieda, Over the pyrenesse

Lots of snow this time of the year though ( awesome views expecially in the summer, there are lots of blue lagoons with stopping points) Then I would head for Zarragoza, then Valencia then take the old motorway towards font de la figuera and murcia. All the route is toll free and In a diesel It would cost me about €60 petrol a bit more.

If you would like more info I can help, I travelled this route for 2 years every month! never a hickup.

We are driving down in the summer and was thinking of the ferry from Dover to Calais as it seems the shortest crossing, but looking at the replies no one seem to take this route. Is there a reason?

The route I take is from Santander to Valladolid, then to Madrid, take M50 and then R4 which will take you via other roads to Albacete ,then Mercia and join AP7-E15 to Vera

Get a Google route and it is easy to follow  and roads are very good-I do use the toll roads but I am told that you can avoid these if you want

I have done it in one drive and to Huercal Overa it is 604 miles and circa 9 hours driving time, but I now prefer to stop over at Madrid [ circa 4 hours from Ferry] then 4 1/2 hours to H-O

I stay at the Ibis at Mostoles which is just off the M50  

When we first moved over in january 07 we came via dover-calais, but took the perpignan/montpellier route (mucho dinero for the tolls) If you have time and no children unless they dont mind sitting in the car for a couple of days! take the west coast of france by bourdeaux nantes then over the mountain via Bossost,les and llieda,zarragoza, valencia etc  Try green flag with the option of non toll roads.  

Hello Tinto

This post somehow seems to have been resurrected from 2007. The subject has been covered many times since then.

We still travel down from Dover/Calais abbeville rouen chartres dreux everaux then pick up the n10 bordeaux bayonne and skirt the pyranees to irun and down to pamplona,(new road through here now) across to zarrgosa then the a23 to valencia a35 across to font de la figura a31 down to elche and pick up the a7 to murcia. 

No tolls all the way unless we choose to use them 

 Hi, I raised a very similar question, (before I realised there was a more specific thread) as we have now retired and it had long been an ambition to drive to our apartment in Mojacar. However, assuming that Continental driving was somewhat similar to around London (!!) we were a bit apprehensive about attempting it.

Suffice to say that our fears were groundless, the drive there and back from Calais was an absolute dream, so much so that we are now considering this as a permanent feature of our holidays!!

It was easy to plan the route, even persuaded TomTom that there was a route via Rouen, and took a leisurely week stopping to visit friends in France near Limoges and Toulouse, before heading towards Barcelona for an overnight stop before a day drive to Mojacar.

Yes, some drivers do have a preference for travelling a foot off your bumper, but despite most of the route being only 2 lanes, there is hardly any traffic and lorries and slower vehicles promptly return to the inside lane, so it's a lot less fraught than a 4 lane UK motorway with no traffic on the inner two lanes!!

Much of the time was on cruise control which hardly can be used in the UK and no need to do more than 130 kph in France or 120 kph in Spain, just humming along with a dot of a car on the far horizon in front and perhaps another dot in the distance behind. The main challenge was judging whether the car behind also on cruise control maybe 1 kph faster would get to overtake you before you got to overtake the car ahead!! 4 hours solid driving with a lunch/refuel stop of about an hour, plus another 4 hours in the afternoon saw  us back to Gerona, then a similar drive the next day (and whatever else you do, you must try the A57 over the Millau Viaduct, the entire day was superb scenery and easy peasy driving!!) up to Chartres and another easy 4 hour drive back to Calais.

Do use the Via Michelin site and check out the toll and toll free routes. One minor gripe is the toll charges didn't always match up with those calculated, resulting in a scramble for shrapnel to make up the payment, but in the overall scheme of things, not a problem.....

We're already planning refinements to the route and can't wait for the next trip!!

Has anyone ever driven through France to Spain in January?  I am looking for advice on the best routes or where I can find that info - and if snow chains will be needed at some point? 

Many thanks.

All the best, Paul

I'd have to say that snow chains would seem a sensible option to at least pack and have available (assuming you don't have a complete set of spare winter wheels) as snow and ice can occur even at low altitudes at that time of year.

It would be a false economy not to have them and then find too late that you are in a skid (or worse). On some routes, I believe the police will stop you travelling if you don't have snow chains fitted as they would feel you are a danger not only to yourself, but others if you lost control.

There are experts here who could advise you more specifically, but snow and ice can certainly be expected in January and it would be foolish not to be prepared for bad weather. Google "snow chains and see what the recommended types are for your car. There is usually a speed limit (if you can even get up to it) so you might need to revise your accommodation plans as you won't be able to travel as far each day. 

Via Michelin show 3 major routes through France, I'd discount the A75 which is the "central" route through the Massif Central, and consider either the one running close to the Swiss/Italian border or the "western" one via Le Mans, Poitiers and Toulouse. I'd also think that the Mediterranean route via Perpignan would be preferable for least affected by bad weather.

Havent done it in January, but snow chains may be necessary when crossing the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian range (South of San Sebastian or Santander). These are the 'usual suspects' no matter where you cross from France into Spain. I'd say that its fairly certain that in January you are going to find snow anywhere above about 1000 metres altitude.

When their use is required, snow chains become mandatory, and vehicles not equipped are not permitted to tarvel.

Always follow the manufacturers instructions and use them only on the driven wheels.

Remember also that daylight hours are somewhat less than in the Summer so unless night driving is familiar stop off somewhere en-route.

As for best routes it obviously depends on where you are going and where you start from.

viamichelin.com offers the best updated routings and hotel recommendations.

If Madrid is involved avoid any M30 / M40 routings use the M50 as the easiest way of avoiding the city.

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 To fb and Kevin,

Thank you both very  much for your replies -they've helped me a great deal.

All the best,

Paul

Hi Paul,

Sorry haven't logged on to EOS for a few days....but saw your 'January' question and thought I should reply. We actually did this journey last January - during the big freeze. Didn't have snow chains (and although they would have been useful, we managed without them easily).

The journey was unreservedly magnificent, the roads were fantastic and the scenery was spectacular - we started from Marbella and were in two minds as to whether to make trip at all given the weather reports and forecasts. But we were so pleased we did.....

Once we had passed Granada there was snow all around us, but the roads through the Sierras were in great condition, snow piled around 3 feet either side of us, but nothing at all on the roads themselves - a lesson in how to cope with inclement conditions. Took about 200 photos during this part of the trip! It was pretty much the same for the rest of the journey, it kept snowing, they kept clearing it away (including all the way through France as well). We stuck mainly to the toll roads throughout, purely as we had more faith that those would be the clearest...but there was little or no traffic and no jams at all.

Predictably enough, having boarded the ferry at Boulogne and started the UK leg at Dover, we were held up for ages on the M25, the one and only weather-related problem we faced.

When we came back about 10 days later, our major disappointment was the fact that most of the snow had gone! Still managed to keep ourselves interested of course, there were flocks of migrating geese to see, we visited Tours in France (gorgeous) and Burgos in Northern Spain (even more gorgeous, and of course, the natives were friendlier) at decent hotel prices....

Thoroughly recommend doing the journey at this time, just wrap up warm :o)

All the best,

Peter

 Thanks very much Peter - no surprise about the M25 though; don't miss it at all.  Regards, Paul

 My first time to this site and I have already found it so helpful.  Wednesday we are setting off from Southampton to Lisbon in Portugal.

We arrive in Dunkirk midday on Wednesday then plan to travel to Tours with an overnight stop.

Tours to San Sebastian on day 2 with an over night stop in San Sebastien.

San Sebastien to Guarda in Portugal on Day 3 with an overnight stop.

Guarda to Lisbon with 2 nights in Lisbon.

Then Lisbon to San Miguel de Salinas near Murcia for the rest of our holiday to visit family.

This will be our first time driving in Europe.  We are travelling with our son aged 6 and have invested in a dvd player and games console for his entertainment as well as education along the way (school books).

Does anyone have any advise or experiences that they would like to share so that we know what to avoid/expect.

Thank you

Sarah

SFc Blaze;

just one minor thing although it may not be so minor when you actually come to do it...

Lisbon to San Miguel de Salinas is one hell of a long hop in one day...its over 1000kms...and at least 10hrs 30 driving...

Here is the viamichelin recommended route.

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 Thanks Foxbat

Hubby said I was being a bit ambitious thinking Lisbon to San Miguel in one hit would be easy. When Checking the Sat Nav  he also discovered I booked all the hotels for next month.  Was late at night and I had been searching for hours.  No harm done I have re booked all hotels and am just looking for an extra night between Lisbon and San Miguel.  The Viamichelin route is the route we are taking. :)  Will post back on our return to England.  (If we can make it out of Dover on the right date).

Just drove home via the Rioja region and stayed overnight at Logrono, what beautiful town and countryside. Would recommend this drive,some twisted roads but well worth it.