Message Forums

Just booked up for St Jean De Monts in Vendee going to Haven Site with our caravan Les Bois Masson in August 2005

Anyone been there ?

Whats the best website to look route up?

Many thanks in advance

PS travelling from Calais

Quote: Originally posted by tony007 on 29/10/2004

---

Whats the best website to look route up?

---

We travelled from Calais to Southern Brittany this year and used the AA route planner [http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp?database=E] for the trip down. Quite honestly it was more trouble than it was worth.

On the way back we bought an up to date road map and used that in conjunction with the well sign posted autoroutes, just following signs to major towns/cities along the route - much simpler.

BTW you'll love the French roads, espicailly if you have cruise control.

JayGee

Hi Tony....only travelled to the Vendee from Calais once, won't do it again.  It does depend on where you live mind, and living in Kent it makes sense to cross at Dover.  Have a look at this web site........I think you can do it from your home to St Jean de Monts. http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm

Mike

We did Calais - Vendee this year, very long journey, on the way down we took the Autoroutes and paid the tolls. Had to fill up 3 times!

So on the way back we decided to go the "scenic" route through towns and only using no-toll roads untill we had no choice. Much better in my opinion, only had to fill up twice on the way back and was a more relaxing drive, although it did obviously take longer.

We towed our Folding Camper to Vendee (St.Gille de Croix) this year from Calais, actually from Sittingbourne (Kent), the whole journey door to door (including the crossing) took 12 hours. We planned the route using ViaMichelin and had no trouble whatsoever. We decided the expressways (toll roads) would be the easiest and for us they were, 500miles in all but no traffic, usually just us and two or three other cars on the road. Tolls cost about £16-£20 one way, which isn't bad for the quality of roads. We made two stops, one long one and one fuel top up. We are sticking to Dover-Calais crossing next year (have booked), personally, I would prefer to drive the additional 250miles to caen rather than spend 6hours on a ferry, after 2hours drive to Portsmouth. But it all depends if you enjoy driving or not.

Plus another thing to remember that itis a possibility that the fastcraft from Portsmouth to Cherbourg is going to be stopped by P&O, so you'll have no alternative to the 6 hour crossing.