I have posted this in euro driving section but also in here in case any of you guys / gals don’t frequent the euro driving bit. Not really a trucking question but advice needed all the same. In May we are going on a family holiday to Argeles-Sur-Mer and am struggling to come up with best route - timewise and cost wise. We are booked on the 1915hrs Dover to Calais and then have whilst 1500hrs the following day to get there. I’m normally a night driver so the 700 mile trip overnight doesn’t worry me too much. My wife will drive the first couple of hours into France and then I will take over. We have got a petrol volvo estate which averages about 25mpg on combined (bit higher whilst sat on cruise on motorways etc). I won’t be driving for more than 2 - 3 hours in a stretch and am not suicidal so know to pull over when tired etc. So over to you guys who know infinately more about this kind of drive than I will ever know. Thanks in advance. Oh It is estate car only not towing and not got a roof box etc
Personaly, I would go Reims, Troyes, Dijon, Lyon, Nimes, then A9.
That’s the way we used to go on the coaches, miss the traffic round Paris, few miles more but quicker.
Madguy 
Thanks for the above info you wouldnt happen to know road numbers would you?
Norfolknewbie:
Thanks for the above info you wouldnt happen to know road numbers would you?
Basically pick up the E15-E17 out of Calais and follow it straight down, pretty much stay on that road all the way.
Madguy
Thanks for that will have a look on viamichellin or however its spelt
anyone else?
It’s pretty much 6’s to be honest, mate. That way is a bit longer and you’ve got tolls but it’s all motorway so better fuel consumption. You could go Rouen, Orlean and then limoges, toulouse etc or over the Millau viaduct.Both those ways are roundabouty and hilly. France can be a bit desolate at night in some places for fuel, pee and grub stops.
While you are there though I’d head up the coast with car. Le Cap de Agde is a very nice place, ■■■■ beach if your open minded 
. Marseillan plage next to it is gorgeous and on the lagoon which starts the Canal de midi. It’s also famous for the drink Noilly prat which you can sample 
billybigrig:
France can be a zb nightmare at night and weekends in most places away from the motorways for fuel especially if you’ve got a car that only does 15 mpg .
Fixed that.
Carryfast:
billybigrig:
France can be a zb nightmare at night and weekends in most places away from the motorways for fuel especially if you’ve got a car that only does 15 mpg .Fixed that.
Supermarkets and visa cards
billybigrig:
Carryfast:
billybigrig:
France can be a zb nightmare at night and weekends in most places away from the motorways for fuel especially if you’ve got a car that only does 15 mpg .Fixed that.
Supermarkets and visa cards
But don’t forget that the nearest place with 24 hr fuel can be miles away and even if you can find one in range it all depends on wether the machine will accept the card or tell you it’s been declined for countless possible icomprehensible reasons in French and if it’s declined a few times it just shuts the card down completely for ‘security reasons’.At which point you then spend ages on the mobile to the 24 hr uk card help line to re activate it which costs a fortune for the phone but still no fuel for the car. 
Carryfast:
billybigrig:
Carryfast:
billybigrig:
France can be a zb nightmare at night and weekends in most places away from the motorways for fuel especially if you’ve got a car that only does 15 mpg .Fixed that.
Supermarkets and visa cards
But don’t forget that the nearest place with 24 hr fuel can be miles away and even if you can find one in range it all depends on wether the machine will accept the card or tell you it’s been declined for countless possible icomprehensible reasons in French and if it’s declined a few times it just shuts the card down completely for ‘security reasons’.At which point you then spend ages on the mobile to the 24 hr uk card help line to re activate it which costs a fortune for the phone but still no fuel for the car.
You must be a bit dodgy CF, I’ve never had a problem
billybigrig:
Carryfast:
billybigrig:
Carryfast:
billybigrig:
France can be a zb nightmare at night and weekends in most places away from the motorways for fuel especially if you’ve got a car that only does 15 mpg .Fixed that.
Supermarkets and visa cards
But don’t forget that the nearest place with 24 hr fuel can be miles away and even if you can find one in range it all depends on wether the machine will accept the card or tell you it’s been declined for countless possible icomprehensible reasons in French and if it’s declined a few times it just shuts the card down completely for ‘security reasons’.At which point you then spend ages on the mobile to the 24 hr uk card help line to re activate it which costs a fortune for the phone but still no fuel for the car.
You must be a bit dodgy CF, I’ve never had a problem
Admittedly I’ve had the same problem at unmanned peages and motorway filling stations.When I phoned the card helpline they said that the fact that it had been used in Italy,Swiss and Northern France in ( a lot ) less than 12 hours suggested a security issue.
You should have two credit cards and a debit card. The credit cards should be one for you and your wife - if one gets stopped/stolen/lost then the other works. It’s no good if you both have cards on the same issuer.
Never understood the whole driving overnight to get to holiday destination thing, see loads of British cars full of families doing it. Why not make the journey part of the holiday, enjoy it, stay in a cheap Ibis hotel or some such along the way and drive in the day to enjoy the wonderful views as France changes around you? In the end you get there at 3pm in the afternoon absolutely shattered having hardly seen France!
switchlogic:
Never understood the whole driving overnight to get to holiday destination thing, see loads of British cars full of families doing it. Why not make the journey part of the holiday, enjoy it, stay in a cheap Ibis hotel or some such along the way and drive in the day to enjoy the wonderful views as France changes around you? In the end you get there at 3pm in the afternoon absolutely shattered having hardly seen France!
Assuming it’s a holiday run this ^.The best route for the South of France is best done via Grenoble and use the D roads through the Vercors. 
switchlogic:
Never understood the whole driving overnight to get to holiday destination thing, see loads of British cars full of families doing it. Why not make the journey part of the holiday, enjoy it, stay in a cheap Ibis hotel or some such along the way and drive in the day to enjoy the wonderful views as France changes around you? In the end you get there at 3pm in the afternoon absolutely shattered having hardly seen France!
I am with you on this, my friends are flying to Egypt and have asked me to give them a lift to the airport, they want to leave at 3am. I have said they would be better going a day earlier and staying in the airport hotel, many of them offer free parking if you stay with them. They certainly get you to the airport in time with no worries about missing a flight.
they arrive home at 00.40 and expect me to pick them up too. I may have to charge them double time for working nights 
Norfolknewbie:
anyone else?
Went there a few yrs ago just keep on the motorway all the way. It’ll be costly with that motor you got and allow about £65 for tolls and avoid Lyon at rush hour so try and go through before 07.00. Shouldn’t see any old bill in the night I never have in all the times i’ve done it. Take plenty if change for the coffee machines to keep yourself awake.
Ok! Calais to Paris then follow Lyon signs,night time so you will fly through,then join the A6 for Lyon Autoroute after about 30k’s take the Autoroute for Nevers which soon goes into a
National route and dual carriageway.Nevers,Moulin then straight south cutting off to Vichy.At Vichy join Autoroute again for Clermont Ferrand.CF straight on following signs for
Montpelier which is perfect DC crossing the Millau bridge then continue and you will then see the signs for Bezier basically straight on.Bezier you join the Autoroute again heading for
Barcelona enroute you will pass Narbonne before reaching Perpignan which is the area you are looking for.Toll booths are no longer manned,or very rarely,credit card is favourite
and you will obviously carry a spare can of petrol.But you should realise the price of petrol in France today is horrendous and the cheaper option for you is to hire yourself a plane.
And that is almost the route I take in the truck if I am not overly heavy.
switchlogic:
Never understood the whole driving overnight to get to holiday destination thing, see loads of British cars full of families doing it. Why not make the journey part of the holiday, enjoy it, stay in a cheap Ibis hotel or some such along the way and drive in the day to enjoy the wonderful views as France changes around you? In the end you get there at 3pm in the afternoon absolutely shattered having hardly seen France!
Did it years ago with my old man when I was a kid, never done it under my own steam. Will be breaking every couple of hours and to be honest with 3 yougish kids the night drive appeals to me to avoid all the ‘are we nearly there yet’. As for the scenery changing can’t say I’m really bothered about that bit, I’ve got 11 days off and I want to see the sun end of as for the rest of it not really interested. We will see more next year when I have more holidays available.
As for the rest of the comments guys thanks a lot. Being really helpful, the petrol station and unmanned tolls are a bit worrying if card decides to act up, other than that not too worried etc
. We are booked on the 1915hrs Dover to Calais and then have whilst 1500hrs the following day to get there
your going on holiday and you have a booking in time to adhere to
may as well stay at work