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Quote: Originally posted by magicaly on 25/9/2009

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We dont tow but we have stopped busting our guts to get to our destination only to arrive worn out and frazzled and then spend the next 2 weeks dreading the journey back. For me going somewhere is the easy bit. You're on your hols, you're off to the sun and you cant wait to get there but coming back is a different matter. It's just the long slog home.

We now have a couple of nights each way as stop overs using hotels. Planned to arrive mid afternoonish so we can stroll around the town or do a bit of sightseeing. Have a nice meal and a couple of drinks. We are able to take 18 nights holiday but even if I only had 2 weeks I would sooner spend 10 days at my destination and a couple of days getting there and back and make it a pleasant part of my holiday, not just a mad dash to get there and a mad rush to make the ferry home.

We plan on having a caravan next year and it will be just the same but without the hotels. It will be nice to arrive at a site and spend a pleasant evening before setting off on the next leg.

Carol

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Quote: Originally posted by TethersEnd on 25/9/2009

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absolutely Carol - even wandering off track a bit to take in the sites

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You're right Hew. I love the autoroutes for their lack of traffic and speed but its nice to detour off them and use the N roads for a stretch. To drive through some lovely villages and make a couple of coffee stops. This year we detoured to Bayeaux to visit the American cemetary and driving across lower Normandy on the N & D roads really opened my eyes to how pretty a department it is. For us it has always been a region we shot through on the autoroutes but it is an area worth visiting in its own right. Verry pretty and everything you imagine France to be.

Carol

i agree with the above but it can be  a stressful pain in the rear if you are towing a caravan.

some of the picturesque villages tend to have a market going and are totally congested when we`ve been through with the van on...interesting

Have done both. atlantic coast is very good down towards Bordeaux area but need an overnight stop if using calais. South of France weather will be more reliable but need one overnight & 2 long drives. Towing (motorways especially) is easy. Not much traffic & plenty of services or rest areas. We don't go near Paris but take an eastern rout stopping over at les bouleaux in Beaune. Nice site easily found interesting town etc. It is also a much easier drive for about 50 miles more to get south.

don't worry- loads of people do it. France is closed in winter but in summer loads of good sites at reasonable cost. Fuel is not cheap!

It is a lot more realxing to pull into a campsite and let the kids go for a late afternoon swim.  It also lets you recharge your battery.

Brian

I agree with Vic, our first trip to France put us off going again for a few years. We did Glossop to Dover  leaving home about 8.00pm, straight on the ferry, arriving in Calais about 2.00am and then drove straight to Le Bohat in Brittany. We had the 2 kids (aged 10 and 8), towing a trailer with our tent etc. We tried sleeping in the car which didn't work and evetually arrived at 4.00pm on site completely knackered! We did have a fabulous holiday but i didn't want to face a journey like that again so we didn't go again for a few years!

So take your time and enjoy the journey as part of your holiday!