Cherbourg to Provence / Cote d'Azur- suggested routes?

Dublin Mum

Hi,

Taking the ferry to Cherbourg with CF in early October, and will be heading South for some sunshine. Will be our first time taking the camper to France, so are complete novices.

Just wondering if anyone has done a similar trip and has any advice or recommendations on routes to take or avoid? We'll have 2 toddlers (aged 2 and 3) with us, and will have 2 weeks in total, so are hoping to stop over for 2 nights (although ferry gets in to Cherbourg late in the evening, so may need 3 nights), which will give us a week or so to relax in the South. Not in a major rush, but happy enough to travel on motorways if this saves a lot of time- we'll be coming back next year and will do a lot more sightseeing around the North/Centre then. Also, only my husband will be driving, so more rest stops required and no taking turns driving.

Any help appreciated. Thanks.

SARZY

I have been having a look at the same trip recently and plan to do it in September,

I have a plan to go about 5 hours driving on first day to here; http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/reviews.asp?revid=7489

then 3-4 hours to here; http://www.camping-les-moulettes.fr/ and

Finally 3-4 hours to Provence ; http://www.camping-les-moulettes.fr/.

So its 1st stop in the Loire, 2nd stop in the Auverne.

Its only a suggestion and these campsites may not be open in October.

Best of luck with it anyway.

SARZY

The campsite in Provence which is Open to end October should be; http://www.camping-monplaisir.fr/campsite-bouches-du-rhone/camping-pitches.html

niloc1951

In reality the trip you are planning should really be for three weeks, especially with young one on board, it's quite a long journey, think Cork > Belfast return three times :eek:

To get to the Med in three days driving (two overnights) you will need to use the A roads (motorways) apart from fuel costs for the approx 1,200 Kms you will also have tolls of about €120, these are each way figures, it's really not doable using the N roads unless at least four days are factored in.
I hate being a wet blanket, but a returns trip to the Cote d'Azur in two weeks, especially with kids is quite ambitious and not very 'recreational'.

However, it is an amazing part of France and September/early October is a great time to experience it, the crowded roads and facilities of the summer will be long gone but from the back end of October it starts to really wind down into 'off season' mode.

Remember also if your MH is over 3,500Kg DGVW you will be subject to reduced speed limits. SPEED LIMITS IN FRANCE

SARZY

VIA MICHELIN ROUTES gives the distance from Cherbourg to Marseilles as 1,131 Km, the driving time as 10hours and 22mins with a toll cost of €68.50.

Thats average speed of 110 kph.


(Avoiding Tolls) VIA MICHELIN ROUTES gives the distance as 1,233 Km, the driving time 14hrs 59mins and of course NO toll costs.

Thats an average speed of 82 kph.

There are many options.

Personally, I believe that Motorways are for work travel and Towns and Villages are for leisure.

dfbemt

Agree with Sarzy - use www.viamichelin.com to get an idea of how much tolls will cost and how long avoiding them will take.

Also remember that staying off the toll roads and passing through the villages and towns is where you will get your cheaper fuel. generally, on the toll roads, you will pay anything from 10 - 20c per litre more.

Also bear in mind that in October a number of sites will have closed, especially if you want facilities for the kids. A good number will still be open but your choice will be less.

Ferry prices and campsite prices are down once the kids are back to school. If I was you I would go a bit earlier if possible, with mid September being very nice

niloc1951

SARZY wrote: »

VIA MICHELIN ROUTES gives the distance from Cherbourg to Marseilles as 1,131 Km, the driving time as 10hours and 22mins with a toll cost of €68.50.
(Avoiding Tolls) VIA MICHELIN ROUTES gives the distance as 1,233 Km, the driving time 14hrs 59mins and of course NO toll costs.

For the most realistic info from the Michelin site, in 'more options' select 'car/caravan and 'sedan' in car type.
If you do this you will be closer to the reality for a motorhome for fuel usage, and the toll price (class 2) will be correct.

Only inputting departure and destination calculates for a solo car.

Dublin Mum

Thank you all for your responses.

I realise what we're doing is not ideal, but it's just the way things worked out this year with regard to our holidays, and we're trying to make the best of it. Like I said, this is the first of what we hope will be an annual trip to France which will be taken much earlier in the season, so we'll have a lot more time for leisurely driving and exploring, which is what we enjoy.

Thank you Sarzy I will check out those links now. Even if the campsites are not open in October, it will give me an idea of areas to stop over. I have All the Aires and a few other books and brochures of various campsites (Yelloh Village, Alan Rogers etc), so should find something for an overnight trip.

Keep the suggestions coming, especially anyone who has done a similar trip.

Thanks again.

paddyp

Whichever way you go fit in a trip to Les Baux the locals took us up there at night - nip over the turn stile its still one of the coolest things I've ever seen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_baux

If you're up around the pont du gard its amazing what a 2 star campsite in france is like: http://www.campings-franceloc.fr/camping-france-languedoc_roussillon-gorges_du_gardon-FR.html

And the four star :-O

Dublin Mum

Thanks PaddyP- do you happen to have a link for that 4 star site?!

paddyp

Dublin Mum wrote: »

Thanks PaddyP- do you happen to have a link for that 4 star site?!

http://www.zoover.co.uk/france/languedoc-roussillon/remoulins/domaine-de-la-soubeyranne/camping

http://www.soubeyranne.com/

joed571

Im currently in the south of france. we aloud three weeks for our journey. it took four overnight stops to do our trip with 2 boys aged 7 & 3 to here http://www.floride.fr/
but we used very little motorways.