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We've done Argeles - but break the journey. We usually set off on Friday after work, but usually we're outside of peak season, and catch a ferry as near to mid-night as we can. We then spend the remainder of that night on an Aire - where you can have a good sleep provided you don't have 'Norbert Dentressangle' rev ving up next to you. We then have another night somewhere in the middle of France (depends on which route we choose).

Whichever route you choose it's a long way. We usually cross Dover/Calais, then sometimes down the St Quentin/Reims/Troyes/Dijon/Rhone Valley/Montpellier/Narbonne/Perpignan (usually keeping off the autoroutes as much as possible) but we sometimes do Calais/Senlis/E104 around Paris, Nemours, Montargis, Moulins, Nevers, Clermont Ferrand, Millau, Beziers, Perpignan.

Quote: Originally posted by JKSara on 21/6/2007

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bev + jon,

We went to Argeles in 2002 and loved it but the drive nearly killed us, it was our first trip to France and drove from Zebrugge to Argles in the day (I know, I know, nieve is not the word). Since then we have always been to the Vendee which is very nice but not as nice as the south.

We are planning to go back again next year and would love to hear others routes, us like you live in the north. What is the best route you have found, where do you cross and where do you stop over en route? Thanks in advance for any advice!

JK

Post last edited on 21/06/2007 15:47:14

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Hi ,

 we use Dover- Calais , mainly as its paid in full with clubcard points.Ok, its not ideal having to drive down the A1/M11/M25 etc but not any problems as yet and we aim to do it in 5 hours through the night,and the sheer choice of times of sailings out of Dover fit in better for us than a Hull-Zeebrugge crossing which is expensive with the van even with £200 knocked off with clubcard points.

From Calais, we now arrive around 5am we head for Rouen,Chartres,Orleans where we will more than likely stop for the Friday night then may (or may not) head further South on the Saturday.If things arent too bad we aim to reach the Millau area and stop the night there and take time out on the Sunday to go see the viaduct and do the spectacular drive through the tarn gorge before hitting the road for the last leg down to Argeles on Monday.Its great that we now have 3-4 days to reach argeles so dont have to worry about hammering 400 miles + a day

We did Beziers in 2003 , stopped at StPere -sur-Loire 1st night, made it to Riviere -sur-Tarn for the 2nd night and completed the journey to beziers in a couple of hours next day , all on N roads and free bits of autoroute , this was our 1st trip.

The following year we went to Pong in the Vendee, again from calais and still had a 2 night stopover en route ,but like you found the Vendee ok (bit flat and uninspiring for us), but the south wins for us due to the brilliant scenery,beaches and of course the weather.

Thanks for the advice, your Calais / Argeles route sounds ideal. Although to have 3/4 days each way would probably eat into our time in the south too much. Will ahve to look at timings and stuff. Would love to see the Millau bridge, supposed to be amazing.

JK

It works with UK *credit cards*, but I believe NOT with debit cards.

Angela

Hi Bev + Jon

I am heading to argeles in mid July, although from Roscoff, luckily I arrive on a Sunday morning, so am hoping for a relatively smooth drive, I got one of them telecard thingies, they are brill, once u stay below 2m, bought it online, works a treat, and saves loads of time, I have rarely seen queues at the telecard booths.

Angela

We have always used our UK Nationwide Visa debit card in the toll booths and have never had a problem.