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Thanks for all of tyhe advice VIC,

great holiday, trouble free route down and back, and as you say, even with a van on the back the route was easy.  My wife is already talking about repeating it next year.

 

Thansk again,

Paul//

 

Quote: Originally posted by Vic Wildish on 12/8/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by Wakey65 on 11/8/2010

Looks like the run to Nantes is not too bad, so will give that a go, but from nantes to Biscarosse toll free adds 2 hours to my journey.  When driving all night long the difference between a 7 hour and 9 hour journey is probably worth the 18 quid it will cost me.

Are there plenty of fuel stops on the run to Nantes etc?

 

Thanks again.

 

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It's £40.00 ONE WAY!!!!! and I think you're being extremely optimistic if you think you're going to do Caen to Biscarosse in seven hours with fuel and comfort stops.

I'm sorry but I simply cannot see how driving toll free from Nantes to Biscarosse puts 2 hours on your journey. From Nantes you take the A83-E3 south. This becomes a toll road just south of Nantes. It joins the A10-E5 at Niort which is part of the route you are planning to take anyway.

Looking at a full map of France, from Caen the two routes form the shape of an elongated rugby ball. Cut this in half vertically and you have one route which is toll free for virtually half your journey, the other will cost you a fortune in tolls. Also the road from Caen to Alencon is not all dual carriageway and is in dreadful condition. In particular from Falaise to Aregentan it's dire. I picked up a puncture in a brand new tyre along this bit of road last year. They are building a new road, but as far as I know it still isn't open.

ALL of the route I am advising is dual carriageway and as such there are plenty of opportunites to stop for fuel and comfort breaks. Believe me, I've done this route on numerous occasions, and both of us being of the generation where bladder strength ain't what it was, it works well for us!

Caen - Rennes takes me about two hours, Rennes to Nantes about an hour and a half, Nantes to Royan (roughly the same direction) about two and a half hours and I promise you, I don't hang about.

Check it out - what you'll save in tolls should buy you a nice meal out.

Vic

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Quote: Originally posted by Wakey65 on 30/8/2010

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Thanks for all of tyhe advice VIC,

great holiday, trouble free route down and back, and as you say, even with a van on the back the route was easy.  My wife is already talking about repeating it next year.

 

Thansk again,

Paul//

 

Quote: Originally posted by Vic Wildish on 12/8/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by Wakey65 on 11/8/2010

Looks like the run to Nantes is not too bad, so will give that a go, but from nantes to Biscarosse toll free adds 2 hours to my journey.  When driving all night long the difference between a 7 hour and 9 hour journey is probably worth the 18 quid it will cost me.

Are there plenty of fuel stops on the run to Nantes etc?

 

Thanks again.

 

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It's £40.00 ONE WAY!!!!! and I think you're being extremely optimistic if you think you're going to do Caen to Biscarosse in seven hours with fuel and comfort stops.

I'm sorry but I simply cannot see how driving toll free from Nantes to Biscarosse puts 2 hours on your journey. From Nantes you take the A83-E3 south. This becomes a toll road just south of Nantes. It joins the A10-E5 at Niort which is part of the route you are planning to take anyway.

Looking at a full map of France, from Caen the two routes form the shape of an elongated rugby ball. Cut this in half vertically and you have one route which is toll free for virtually half your journey, the other will cost you a fortune in tolls. Also the road from Caen to Alencon is not all dual carriageway and is in dreadful condition. In particular from Falaise to Aregentan it's dire. I picked up a puncture in a brand new tyre along this bit of road last year. They are building a new road, but as far as I know it still isn't open.

ALL of the route I am advising is dual carriageway and as such there are plenty of opportunites to stop for fuel and comfort breaks. Believe me, I've done this route on numerous occasions, and both of us being of the generation where bladder strength ain't what it was, it works well for us!

Caen - Rennes takes me about two hours, Rennes to Nantes about an hour and a half, Nantes to Royan (roughly the same direction) about two and a half hours and I promise you, I don't hang about.

Check it out - what you'll save in tolls should buy you a nice meal out.

Vic

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