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Quote: Originally posted by paul_M on 24/8/2010

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I'm usually of the view that the extra time taken by using non-tolls is pretty minimal and the monetary saving very worthwhile so we usually use non-paying motorways or local roads.  However, we have an exception: this year we took the non-peage between Dijon and Lyon which took over six hours (although this included a lunch/petrol stop and a couple of places where we mislaid ourselves [seldom happens on a motrway]).  There wasn't even much benefit in sightseeing opportunities. So for the return we gave in and did the easier thing ....  shame it's so tricky getting on to the autoroute at Lyon Nord!            

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Lyon to Dijon in 6 hours are you sure you are not getting mixed up?????????

Autoroute would be 2 hours, non autorouth around 3.5 hours.

Not getting mixed up at the moment but certainly did in Macon! Maybe it was just a bad day, perhaps because it was a Saturday but we seemed to be stopping every few kilometres: traffic lights in every town, minor jams, slow vehicles &c. - could have done some serious wine tasting as we passed through Chateauneuf du Pape, Gevrey-Chambertin and other wine villages! Got even slower by Villefranche ...   The big problem is that the D974 and N6, by and large, go through the centre of every village and town (Beaune is an exception, perhaps); in great contrast to (for instance) the N73 &c going from Chalon-s-S to Besancon - the road passes outside almost every village/town.  

Quote: Originally posted by ben9 on 24/8/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by paul_M on 24/8/2010

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I'm usually of the view that the extra time taken by using non-tolls is pretty minimal and the monetary saving very worthwhile so we usually use non-paying motorways or local roads.  However, we have an exception: this year we took the non-peage between Dijon and Lyon which took over six hours (although this included a lunch/petrol stop and a couple of places where we mislaid ourselves [seldom happens on a motrway]).  There wasn't even much benefit in sightseeing opportunities. So for the return we gave in and did the easier thing ....  shame it's so tricky getting on to the autoroute at Lyon Nord!            

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Lyon to Dijon in 6 hours are you sure you are not getting mixed up?????????

Autoroute would be 2 hours, non autorouth around 3.5 hours.

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This year, first time driving in France, we went from Calais to Dordogne on non toll roads and found driving through the long narrow street villages a trial.  Took a wrong turn and drove through a village where I don't think they have ever had a caravan pass according to the gestures and shouts we got!  Did autoroutes and tolls on return journey and found it so much easier and quicker.  Also on the non toll route we felt that there were not many petrol stations and they were usually off the road we were on so having to take small detours, whereas on the autoroutes there were petrol stations and rest areas galore which to a worrier like me was a relief. 

Carol

We used the mainly non-toll route from Calais to the south via Rouen Chartres and Moulins then the A75 (free). On the way there the journey was fine. No problems with traffic and we felt like we were making good progress as well as seeing a bit of France on the way. It was a bit different on the way back! It took 9 hours to get from Millau to Chartres using this route. We had loads of delays. Either stuck behind lorries, diversions through towns, roadworks and we hit Orleans at rush hour. We've decided that since we travelled down on the 15th - 17th August , most of France must still have been on holiday, and they'd all retuned to work (including the roadworks) for our return journey. Next time we'll use tolls if it's during the week, and non-tolls at weekends, cos there's no lorries on the roads at weeekends!

Sally.

Quote: Originally posted by Argente4 on 03/9/2010

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We used the mainly non-toll route from Calais to the south via Rouen Chartres and Moulins then the A75 (free). On the way there the journey was fine. No problems with traffic and we felt like we were making good progress as well as seeing a bit of France on the way. It was a bit different on the way back! It took 9 hours to get from Millau to Chartres using this route. We had loads of delays. Either stuck behind lorries, diversions through towns, roadworks and we hit Orleans at rush hour. We've decided that since we travelled down on the 15th - 17th August , most of France must still have been on holiday, and they'd all retuned to work (including the roadworks) for our return journey. Next time we'll use tolls if it's during the week, and non-tolls at weekends, cos there's no lorries on the roads at weeekends!

Sally.

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