i dont like flying so could the more experienced of you on here give a bit of advice please,1 driver me. how long would it normally take to drive in car also rough ball park figures in costs please ie tolls and what would be best way to go.hoping to go in april/may
thanks kevin
I done Andover to Barcelona in a car via Dover - Calais in 16 hours once (wouldn’t recommend it though)
You’ve probably already looked but if you haven’t the AA route planner states 20h 35m.
mrpj:
You’ve probably already looked but if you haven’t the AA route planner states 20h 35m.
thanks mrpj.i had not looked at aa route planner but just a normal map.i was looking at the east coast of spain but aa took you through the heart of spain,thanks again
From Calais I’d take the A16 for Rouen,bit of tolls,from Rouen head for Evreux then Dreux then Chartres,I then head for Thivars which is south of Chartres where you can pick up the N10 (non toll),depending on what sort of time I’ve got on the job depends on whether I hop on the A10 at Tours,I’d then come off at jct 30 just South of Poitiers and head to Angouleme again on the N10 and then onto Bordeaux,Bayonne,Irun,Burgos,Salamanca,Caceres,Seville or you could go via Madrid,Malaga, Spanish Tolls aren’t as expensive as the French 
I have gone via Logrono,Soria as I had plenty of time,pretty but can be slow…
I haven’t done many trips to Spain so you may get some better routes…
N10 is alot of dual carriageway,plenty of resties along there and plenty of Spanish and Portugese trucks up and down it so if you get lost,follow one of them…
You could try mappy.com from memory you can put what vehicle your driving and what fuel and whether you want to go Toll or non Toll. 
It may be easier to drive at night, as you can go faster and less chance of the Police stopping you for speeding, the Muslim community travel long distances and they drive at night and sleep for free on the grass at service stations.
Or you may wish to use the good value motels such as Formulae 1, where the shower room washes itself after use.
Most hotels in France and Spain will have a very good value restaurants, and plenty of parking for trucks and your car, it would be safe to park there too.
When i was leaving the port of Ouistreham/Caen 10 hours driving in a truck at 56 mph got me South of Bordeaux, the next shift would get me South of Madrid on the national free roads.
From there about a 6 hour drive to Gibraltar, as Caen is about 3 hours from Calais just add that to the planning.
The route for trucks was to head to Pamplona, to get there you exit from the border at Irun/Hendaye, then pass via Sunbilla, there is a picturesque drive via Tudela, then to Almazan where you join the national two to Madrid.
Be aware of petty crime, and take your valuables with you when leaving the car, it is a bit naff but an 80`s style bum bag for the bank cards and passport is safer.
The national or free roads in France can be a pain with agricultural traffic, more wear and tear, more fuel, the toll roads for cars are very good value, the tarmac is high quality reducing fatique, it feels like you are floating on the road.
thanks for info toby1234abc,and azer
You can go go Chunnel; get a cheap day return. & then when you return get another cheap return. Save faffing about on dopey ferries.
harry:
You can go go Chunnel; get a cheap day return. & then when you return get another cheap return. Save faffing about on dopey ferries.
+1 excalty!
thanks for all replies
Betz:
harry:
You can go go Chunnel; get a cheap day return. & then when you return get another cheap return. Save faffing about on dopey ferries.+1 excalty!
Of course this is an option until the number plate recognition system recognises you and charges the fullest of whacks.
Interesting…" Can Iget an upgrade ?"
when we went down that far we woould go calais rouen lemans tours potiers N10 to bordeax then to irun then burgos salamanca to seville then on to gib
Scenic route.That takes you over Ruta del Toro,I don’t know if thats been straightened out yet?
Direct route used to be;Calais,Paris,Bordeax,Irun,Burgos,Madrid,Granada,Malaga,direction Algarciras,hang a left for La Linea/Gib.
This is my route ,Calais to Gib = 1377miles.
Pop in La Linea de Conception for destination.
The route via Bordeaux/Irun/Burgos/Madrid/Malaga is dual carriagway all the way, as said before there is a scenic route on the rural roads via Pamplona to Alamazan, not many police controls on that route, and you travel in Navara which is quite scenic.
Be sure to have a warning triangle or two for break downs and have a high viz jacket in the vehicle, both without are a fine and cash out of the pocket.
If it was me going i would get some cheap part worn old tyres to chuck in the boot for good measure, and have a European break down cover to get you and the car back to the UK.
Bring the NHS Euro medical card for free or cheaper medical costs, it is free to apply for one online, with your NHS number or tax number at hand.
Allow two to three hours for a lunch and dinner break, as some road side restaurants do not rush, plenty of coffee stops are a must, in Spain you will find the cafe staff to be Eastern Europeans.
A basic tool kit, and bring some spare head light bulbs and indicator bulbs.
At Puerto de Banus near Malaga, you will see the Ferrari/Bentley/Rolls Royce/Porsche brigade being driven by 18 year olds, and the marina is worth a walk aro und to see the multi millionare yacht owners, there are a few night clubs frequented by young girls, up to 100 ladies in one of them, and you use your imagination as to why they may be plying their trade in there.In Spain, a house with “club” on it means it is a brothel.
That site says about £80 in tollls and £250 for petrol, and about 23 hours driving in a 1.6 hatchback car, total costs approx £320 not including the food and drinks.
Wonder how much a train is from Calais to Paris to Madrid to Malaga to La Linea/border to Gib, at least you can sleep on the train.
…or, make down to the first club. Camp there until the cash runs out & then sell the car to one of the gals for credits .Then hitch a ride home from one of the many trucks taking a 45 there? 
PS. Don’t let them get hold of your credit card under any circs!
PPS. If they are commie block gals just exit left - chilling!
That is true about the bank card details, do not give it to them, i once had a double transaction done on mine a few years ago, the boss took the card away and in an office he was "fiddling " with some sort of swipe machine, so i paid twice for something i did not get.
Take cash for the clubs, and they buy their drinks at a cash and carry or the super market and charge the punters 100 times more, cheap acid tasting Champagne, and watch out the girls do not put stuff in your drink, later on you find you have been robbed or a large bouncer is demanding 500 euros for some service you have not had .
Eurolines have very good coach service all over europe, some are two driver trips, non stop overnight trips.
In the bigger cities the Clubs there tend to be like meat factories, not very personal and very cold service, the clubs in the rural areas and off the beaten track are the best ones, and if you go in as a regular you can hook up with a lass, swap numbers, and arrange to take her out on her day off if you are in the area next.I once hired a car with a Columbian lass to stay at the Expo in Lisboa, stopped at an open air pool for the day, she did not demand money either, staying at her mates flat in Navalmoral de la Nata.
The beach in Gib by the RAF camp and old MOT test station is not pleasant to swim in, tampax and rubbish floating around, i used to swim in the sea in the Winter while driving in Europe.
La Linea is not too bad, plenty of places along the coast from Malaga to Algercerias, you may see plenty of Morrocons and Northern Africans racing down that way to get the ferries to Ceuta and Tangiers, Ceuta is Spanish and not African.
To save some money, there is an option to pack a tent and stay at offical sites on the trip down, camping anywhere else is illegal in Spain, the Guarda Civil will wake you up and move you on in a field some where.
And maybe come home via Lisbon through Jerez and Seville, along the Algarve coast.