Reply to: Driving Through France

[Bacchus]

I'm on the Ile de Ré Saturday and Sunday night...

Often thought about getting a MoHo. What do you have?

I have an old Hymer B544 - small enough to squeeze into supermarkets and normal parking spaces, but big enough to for two to live quite comfortably for a week or two, drop down bed is excellent, leave it made up but shove it out of the way.

Went to look at upgrading to a newer model this summer, but I find the newer ones a bit cheap and plasticky; nowhere near the quality of the "classics" so decided to keep the old faithful.

France is motorhome heaven; where it might cost 30-40 euros to park a car somewhere for a day, the MoHo is usually free on the aires for a couple of days, max five to ten euros including electricity, fresh water, and sewage disposal.

Ile de Ré rocks.

[Archangel]

Well I drove to the UK via Calais a few weeks ago when Operation Stack was running and I saw bugger all in Calais, no delays and in fact we got an earlier train. Once over the other side it was clear sailing although the M20 was one massive lorry park. Driving back a couple of days later, the lorry park was gone and we managed to, once again, get an earlier train so I don't know what all the fuss is about.

Exactly our experience three weeks ago/last week.

[Joe Black]

When you get back to Calais, you may find some friendly, foreign looking, gentlemen asking for a lift to England. Be helpful and squeeze as many of them in to your car as you can.

Indeed. Forget 'saving' money filling up on cheap petrol, why not 'make' money instead. Don't know what the UK based Romanians and Bulgarians are meant to be charging, but start high is my advice...you'll know when you start undercutting.

[OwlHoot]

I've toyed with the idea of a 20 hour ferry trip from Plymouth to Santander on the North Spanish coast.

But I wonder where would be a good place to drive reasonably near Santander, in either Spain or South West France.

Or maybe one could drive from there back up the west coast of France in hops, stopping for a day or two at various interesting places, and get a return ferry from Dieppe.

[kaiser78]

2 hours+ on the ferry though. Much slower than Le Tunnel sous la Manche. And if you don't take a different route you're going to be driving past the tunnel terminal on the motorway where all the immigrants are.

Yes you are right - but kids wanted the adventure of a ferry instead of the train, so even though it will take longer it will be more fun.
And happy kids = happy wife = easy holiday for hubby...

[FatLazyContractor]

Hi All - am going to be driving from Calais to Cognac region at the weekend and will be going through Le Mans. Other than LeM, are there any recommendable locations to stop off on route or on the way back ?

Make sure you stop when you run over a frog

[OwlHoot]

Go for a lunch or dinner at the highly recomended Hotel de Ville Le Mans

Uh oh! I don't like the sound of that at all

Think Vectraman had it right the first time - Toe it until you are in the south of France, or better still Italy.

[original PM]

Isn't there a a fast ferry that takes 3.5 hours or so on that route?

There is a Cherbourg - Poole crossing which does that

but then getting out of Poole and onto a major motorway can be a pita

I have done St Malo - Portsmouth which takes about 8-9 hours and then driven back up to Cheshire in a day

but the best option is the chunnel

[Lockhouse]

Sounds like there will be a few Cukkers down that way next month, perhaps someone should organise the next drinks on Île de Ré

I'm on the Ile de Ré Saturday and Sunday night...

Often thought about getting a MoHo. What do you have?

[darmstadt]

I'll be going that way in about a month. I'm dreading what Calais might be like on the way back.

Well I drove to the UK via Calais a few weeks ago when Operation Stack was running and I saw bugger all in Calais, no delays and in fact we got an earlier train. Once over the other side it was clear sailing although the M20 was one massive lorry park. Driving back a couple of days later, the lorry park was gone and we managed to, once again, get an earlier train so I don't know what all the fuss is about.

[WTFH]

Thanks for responses all.



VMan - we have changed our booking to get the ferry back from Dunkirk instead of Calais, as is only another 1/2hr on the journey to get there.

OK, then definitely go to Auchan Grand-Synthe. When I'm working in Belgium, that's where I stop. Junction 54 of the autoroute, the Centre Commercial is sign posted

[Ticktock]

According to the BBC, Calais is awful. Everybody there wants to leave.

Be fair. They're just trying to get away from the French.

[Bacchus]

I'm heading through le tunnel tomorrow morning and wandering down to the Sud.

Taking the MoHo, not in contract so not in any hurry and haven't booked the return crossing, depends how much fun I'm having ... I mean I shall be plotting the strategic future direction of MyCo to justify my salary.

Lady Bacchus is on a holiday-window so flying down to meet me in Toulouse some time next week for a couple of weeks to spend a bit of time bibbling around the Med and the Canal towns, maybe up into the Pyrenees.

Sounds like there will be a few Cukkers down that way next month, perhaps someone should organise the next drinks on Île de Ré

[d000hg]

I'm dreading what Calais might be like on the way back.

According to the BBC, Calais is awful. Everybody there wants to leave.

[stek]

My hometown, Bolton, is twinned with Le Mans, indeed we have Le Mans Crescent, previously The Crescent, behind the town hall.

Also Bolton used to have a 24hr Pedal Car Race similar to Le Mans 24hr Race, i.e. not with reals cars. Wonder if they still have it. Was on Leverhulme Park ISTR.