Hi gentlemen and all
i guess you have been asked this before but i am looking to drive to spain from the uk up north of england , i would like some advice please i am a myself a HGV 1 Driver please go easy thanks much thanks in advance on this . i would like to perhaps end up in Altea thanks again
In a car or lorry?
Oh please excuse me in a Car
tommy t:
In a car or lorry?
Tony101@:
Oh please excuse me in a Cartommy t:
In a car or lorry?
Make sure that your insurance covers you outside the UK for the whole period you will be abroad, Best to have some Breakdown cover for the EU as well And make sure you take the documents for the vehicle with you, for a start
Then i would if you haven’t already worked out the toll & fuel costs and cheap hotel accommodation versus ferry to Spain It would also depend on when and how much time you wish to spend getting from uk to spain as to which route’s you might want to take, if driving motorways in some case are going to be the quickest if you plan on driving all the way , there are several French ports you can get a ferry to from the uk as well all depends on how you want to do it
Brittany Ferries To give you an idea of ferry cost to spain, though better deals maybe available
elsewhere
Or a ferry to one of the French ports like cherbourg
Brittany Ferries
As a company preferance, we always take the ferry to Spain and back, provided the times fit. We take the view that it saves wear and tear on vehicle and drivers!
Which ever way you go make sure you go over the Millau Viaduct, there’s a viewing area before you go across. Anyone suffering from vertigo tell them to close their eyes. French built but British designed 
The old route through the town in the valley is good too.
Also check the requirements of what safety equipment you need for each country you pass through.
Off the top of me head think it’s hi viz for every occupant, warning triangle, spare bulbs for France.
Adjust headlights as well, this can be a lever on the headlight or those stick on things, top tip buy spares as mine fell off.
I prefer rhd motors abroad as its easier to change gears, for some reason I can’t handle a knob in my right hand (that’s what she said etc).
Course you could always sit on your hand till it goes numb then it will feel like someone else is changing gear for you.
Dipper_Dave:
Also check the requirements of what safety equipment you need for each country you pass through.Off the top of me head think it’s hi viz for every occupant, warning triangle, spare bulbs for France.
Adjust headlights as well, this can be a lever on the headlight or those stick on things, top tip buy spares as mine fell off.
I prefer rhd motors abroad as its easier to change gears, for some reason I can’t handle a knob in my right hand (that’s what she said etc).
Course you could always sit on your hand till it goes numb then it will feel like someone else is changing gear for you.
Dont forget Alcohol tester for France,if i am right
I take the car to Spain twice a year but I carry on to Portugal. I take the car on the ferry from Porstmouth/Plymouth to Santander/Bilbao. I have costed this against taking the car over the channel and driving down through France with two overnight stops and toll road charges. It is more expensive but it depends on how enjoyable you want the journey to be. The ferry from Plymouth leaves about 4.00pm and gets to Santander midday the next day.
The flagship ferry Pont Aven is like a mini cruise liner with a choice of eating facilities , good public areas and even a cinema if you want to pay to watch a film and there is a choice of cabin types.
After 43 years on the road and now retired I tend to become some sort of zombie when driving long distances so it is splash the cash and take the ferry for me.
Immigrant:
Don’t forget Alcohol tester for France,if i am right
No longer a legal requirement 
Make sure you carry all nessesary vehicle documents (V5, MOT certificate, insurance etc). If you are not the owner of the vehicle, ensure you have a letter stating you are authorised to drive it. There should be 1 hi viz for each person in the vehicle which is easily accessable (ie: not in the boot) in case you breakdown. Ensure your vehicle is serviced & ready to drive such a distance, European breakdown cover which will repatriate the car (and caravan/trailer if coupled) and all passengers is highly recommended.
My personnel choice for Euro cover is the German ADAC adac.de/mitgliedschaft/adac_membership/ with their mitgliedschaft plus+ membership which does the above for €84 p/year. Due to how their online registration works they can’t be joined online, however they have a dedicated English speaking team on __*__00 49 89 76760.
The adac covers you for any vehicle (motorbike, car, camper etc up to 7.5T). Whichever company you choose for breakdown cover check their terms / small print for repatriating the vehicle and contents, as many state that if the cost of repatriating the vehicle exceeds the value of the vehicle, then they won’t do it. Also if you breakdown and they tow you to a garage, you will be expected to pay for repairs IF the vehicle can be repaired locally, to allow you to continue your journey. This can run into €1000’s, I’ve been stung by this for €720 before.
If you are going to use the French autoroute system, be aware that the majority of toll Boths are now unmanned, so you will probably need to pay using a credit card which may levy a minimum transaction fee per transaction which soon stack up, so try to ensure you use a fee free card such as the Halifax clarity card for such tolls. You could apply for a French (libre-t) toll tag and be billed at the end of each month you use it. Sanif tolling in Harrogate seem to have a monopoly in the UK, but their charges are high. I personally use the French national company aprr espaceclient.aprr.fr/aprr/Pages/connexion.aspx
You could alway save money my staying off the autoroutes/autovias but that may add a hour or two to your journey. Or leave the car at home fly out and rent a car
Edit:__*__I actually needed to ring the ADAC this afternoon to pay for the renewal of my membership as its due 1st April, the number connects to an automated message, (if you wait) connects you to an operator whom I asked Englisch-Sprecher? She responded in English asking how she could help. When I asked to renew my membership she transferred me to an English speaking staff member in the membership dept. The whole process took just over 4mins Inc a minor detail change in my address
Edit x2: I recently helped a friend join the ADAC but after he phoned the 00 49 89 76760 number above he was told that it is NOT possible to join over the phone, and that he should email them with his details/payment. Luckily I have a template letter for this purpose. So once we edited the letter to Inc his info we emailed it to them at service@adac.de
Numbum:
I take the car to Spain twice a year but I carry on to Portugal. I take the car on the ferry from Porstmouth/Plymouth to Santander/Bilbao. I have costed this against taking the car over the channel and driving down through France with two overnight stops and toll road charges. It is more expensive but it depends on how enjoyable you want the journey to be. The ferry from Plymouth leaves about 4.00pm and gets to Santander midday the next day.
The flagship ferry Pont Aven is like a mini cruise liner with a choice of eating facilities , good public areas and even a cinema if you want to pay to watch a film and there is a choice of cabin types.
After 43 years on the road and now retired I tend to become some sort of zombie when driving long distances so it is splash the cash and take the ferry for me.
The ferry companies are quite aware of the cost factor of driving through France and tend to price the UK-Spain route close to the cost of the cost of driving through France.
A drinking buddy of mine has a place down at Arboleas and he prefers driving down to Poole and catching the ferry to St.Malo then driving down and overnighting near the Spanish border, before heading down to his place on the 2nd day
Except driving, car can be shipped via lorry from UK to Spain for az little as 600 pound, if money are available and driving 1000km is a hassle this is good option.
Before the big French motorway speeds crack down ( which is all about protecting the fast rail interests not safety ) the driving v ferry choice was a no brainer.Now it’s vice versa especially from the Norf of Britain.IE trust me 85 mph max in traffic conditions and on roads designed for 120 mph + gets zb boring very quickly. 
Carryfast:
Before the big French motorway speeds crack down ( which is all about protecting the fast rail interests not safety ) the driving v ferry choice was a no brainer.Now it’s vice versa especially from the Norf of Britain.IE trust me 85 mph max in traffic conditions and on roads designed for 120 mph + gets zb boring very quickly.
Driving at night is always fun I’ve never seen the old bill yet, I do wonder if the motorway cops only work day shifts in France.
The OP might want to look up “priorite a droite” before driving through France 
bald bloke:
Carryfast:
Before the big French motorway speeds crack down ( which is all about protecting the fast rail interests not safety ) the driving v ferry choice was a no brainer.Now it’s vice versa especially from the Norf of Britain.IE trust me 85 mph max in traffic conditions and on roads designed for 120 mph + gets zb boring very quickly.Driving at night is always fun I’ve never seen the old bill yet, I do wonder if the motorway cops only work day shifts in France.
The general consensus seems to be that the enforcement regime is less/better at night.The problem as always being that even then ‘if’ ‘they’ are out to get you the chances are it will be at the type of speed threshold where big penalties could apply.
On that note the word is France is now realistically a no go area for the fast trans Continental runs we knew and enjoyed in the past.A bit like America in that regard of clear good roads lumbered with stupid levels of speed enforcement. 
Tony101, you have a couple of choices, but it seems that you will have to travel down south, either go most of the way by Ferry to Bilbao…or a ferry to Caen, or Cherbourg, and drive through beautiful scenery ( or use the toll roads…or the old way is via Calais, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Perpignon, and the old border at La Junquera…this will take you to the Costa Brava…then onto Barcelona and beyond…good luck and safe driving.
truckyboy:
Tony101, you have a couple of choices, but it seems that you will have to travel down south, either go most of the way by Ferry to Bilbao…or a ferry to Caen, or Cherbourg, and drive through beautiful scenery ( or use the toll roads…or the old way is via Calais, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Perpignon, and the old border at La Junquera…this will take you to the Costa Brava…then onto Barcelona and beyond…good luck and safe driving.
The need to get involved with Paris has long been taken out of the run to Lyon with the A26/5/31 to Dijon.
tommy t:
Best to have some Breakdown cover for the EU as well
If you have a Ford and get it serviced at a Ford dealership, even if its the £99 value service you get free pan European breakdown cover for 12 months or the next service interval mileage, whichever comes first. Its a “take you to the nearest garage” type but its better than nothing and certainly works out cheaper than paying for the AA or RACs European cover.
I borrowed a mates campervan for a run down to the south of France and was advised to take out the AA gold star cover, £50 for two weeks but a fair few years ago now. Glad I did cos the head gasket went so called the number advised and can honestly say I have never been happier with the service given. Good hotels and a car that I actually took on the ferry and exchanged it on disembarkation in Portsmouth, phoned up the AA and said too tired to drive any further, no problem I was told to book another hotel and your costs will be reimbursed and they were ! Enjoyed that extra night in Brighton for the festival that was on 
Totally first class service from beginning to end. (and the campervan arrived back in Scarborough before we did )