Driving to France - Euro 2016

Voodoomelon

So anyone contemplating motoring over to France next year? Just did the maths for three adults over a two week period, comparing driving over and flying over and renting.

Driving from Ireland is in a 4.0l V8 too.

Drive from Ireland				
Stena Line	861	11/6/2016	to 26/05/2016	287 each
				
155	Dublin to Rosslare			
356	Cherbourg to Paris			
584	Paris to Bordeaux			
806	Bordeaux To Lille			
508	Lille to Cherbourg		Total transport cost	
155	Rosslare to Dublin		approx €417 each	
2564	KM			
	@ 12L/100km = 	307 litres		
	@	€1.27		
		€390.00	Fuel Cost	




Fly from Ireland & rent a car					
Ryanair	Dublin to Beauvais	11/6/2016	to 26/06/2016	280 each	
	return				
									
	90	Beauvais to Paris			
	584	Paris to Bordeaux		Total transport cost	
	806	Bordeaux To Lille		approx €502 each	
	1480	KM			
		@ 7L/100km = 	104 litres		
		@	€1.05		
			€110.00	Fuel Cost	
Ford Focus Rental + extra driver  + full insurance	€557.00	

It's interesting how fuel almost becomes irrelevent, car rental is so bloody high. If you had a diesel for driving over, it's a no brainer to choose that option.

Any thoughts on the best way to plan the journey, tips/tricks for driving in France?

Jesus.

That must be a petrol Focus you've done the fuel for

166man

Went to France and Italy in April with two other lads in here, in an Alfa 166 of all cars and it was brilliant!

- avoid the motorways! Save money on the tolls and enjoy the back roads. They are simply stunning and the surface and general lack of traffic that we found meant they were a pleasure. Having that fantastic V6 certainly added to that!

- Rosslare to Cherbourg is a long journey on a boat. I'd advise getting the cabin option if you can. The boat is quite unrefined and only one restaurant on board (food is good though).

- we went Cherbourg-Paris-Geneve-Milan-Turin-Grenoble and upto Paris again. Your route may be different but I know the roads we had were just amazing.

- motorway fuel stations were higher than off it. Just another point to bear in mind with a V8!

Can't think of much more but it's been a long day! I'm sure the other lads might pop in with a few words!

Good luck with the trip though man! What a machine to do the journey in!

Vic_08

Voodoomelon wrote: »

So anyone contemplating motoring over to France next year? Just did the maths for three adults over a two week period, comparing driving over and flying over and renting.

Driving from Ireland is in a 4.0l V8 too.

Drive from Ireland				
Stena Line	861	11/6/2016	to 26/05/2016	287 each
				
155	Dublin to Rosslare			
356	Cherbourg to Paris			
584	Paris to Bordeaux			
806	Bordeaux To Lille			
508	Lille to Cherbourg		Total transport cost	
155	Rosslare to Dublin		approx €417 each	
2564	KM			
	@ 12L/100km = 	307 litres		
	@	€1.27		
		€390.00	Fuel Cost	




Fly from Ireland & rent a car					
Ryanair	Dublin to Beauvais	11/6/2016	to 26/06/2016	280 each	
	return				
									
	90	Beauvais to Paris			
	584	Paris to Bordeaux		Total transport cost	
	806	Bordeaux To Lille		approx €502 each	
	1480	KM			
		@ 7L/100km = 	104 litres		
		@	€1.05		
			€110.00	Fuel Cost	
Ford Focus Rental + extra driver  + full insurance	€557.00	

It's interesting how fuel almost becomes irrelevent, car rental is so bloody high. If you had a diesel for driving over, it's a no brainer to choose that option.

Any thoughts on the best way to plan the journey, tips/tricks for driving in France?

For a fair comparison you need to add in the actual cost of putting 2500k on your car as well as the petrol.

FYI you could do all the internal travel by rail for less than €100 per person if booked in advance.

koutoubia

You have a couple of choices.
Drive to each game via motorways and have a good chance of sitting in a logjam for hours plus endless hours albeit at 130kph on motorways. Tolls are high but imo worth it.
Avoid the motorways and enjoy the scenery and roundabout's.
Each game is on the TGV network. Stay somewhere near Paris/Lille /Bordeaux and train it.

If you are driving and end up driving on Sunday use the motorway and stay on it. Fuel up regularly and have plenty of food/liquid with you as France effectively closes on a Sunday. You may get someplace open in the morning "Dimanche Matin" but after that few and very far between.

Bordeaux to Paris is circa 400kms via motorway. Just to give you a sense of distance.
HTH

Voodoomelon

Jesus. wrote: »

That must be a petrol Focus you've done the fuel for

Well my fathers 2010 diesel Focus does about 6.2L/100km with distance driving if i remember correctly, I stuck it at 7L becuase of the extra weight. Wouldn't be too far off i'd imagine.

Vic_08 wrote: »

For a fair comparison you need to add in the actual cost of putting 2500k on your car as well as the petrol.

FYI you could do all the internal travel by rail for less than €100 per person if booked in advance.

That's true, i'd probably burn through €250 of tyre alone. Rail is an option, but a pain in the arse at the same time.

Interesting about Sundays and everything being closed, wasn't aware of that!

koutoubia

Voodoomelon wrote:

Interesting about Sundays and everything being closed, wasn't aware of that!

Yep. And I mean everything. I learned the hard way. Drove for way too many miles then was comfortable on '0 miles to empty' before I found a petrol pump open.
Oh and if a French bank holiday falls while your there DONT even contemplate driving.Its a national pastime over there.

Terrontress

koutoubia wrote: »

Yep. And I mean everything. I learned the hard way. Drove for way too many miles then was comfortable on '0 miles to empty' before I found a petrol pump open.
Oh and if a French bank holiday falls while your there DONT even contemplate driving.Its a national pastime over there.

Most fuel stations I encountered in France have automated fuel sales for the weekend. Some of them even have an automated, operator-free car wash!

But don't ever expect to find any human undertaking any commercial activity on a Sunday.

koutoubia

Terrontress wrote:

Most fuel stations I encountered in France have automated fuel sales for the weekend. Some of them even have an automated, operator-free car wash!

Indeed....but don't forget the deposit taken from your card as well as the fuel amount.

Jesus.

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Well my fathers 2010 diesel Focus does about 6.2L/100km with distance driving if i remember correctly, I stuck it at 7L becuase of the extra weight. Wouldn't be too far off i'd imagine.

Sorry mate but that's a dreadful return from a small modern diesel

166man wrote: »

What a machine to do the journey in!

What machine is it?

shietpilot

Jesus. wrote: »

Sorry mate but that's a dreadful return from a small modern diesel

If you brimmed every tank I reckon that's what you should expect, unless you only use your car on motorways.

The trip meter doesn't always show accurate fuel consumption.

I wouldn't be surprised if people who drive short journeys around towns get 7l/100km averages

Jesus.

shietpilot wrote: »

If you brimmed every tank I reckon that's what you should expect, unless you only use your car on motorways.The trip meter doesn't always show accurate fuel consumption.I wouldn't be surprised if people who drive short journeys around towns get 7l/100km averages

But he said "distance driving" not around town.

Besides I get 50+ (always brim) from a 1.5 diesel and I live in Dublin and rarely go on a long trip. If he's guessing just 40mpg on a long journey in a diesel focus then that ain't good Mr Pilot

Voodoomelon

Well his driving was to Castleblayney from Dundalk daily. Its 80kph-100kph stretches, with a few sets of continuous road works for the last few years. 7L/100km is 45mpg, so he wasn't doing the worst. From reading online, the most these era of cars do is 55mpg realistically.

Anyways you're right, should probably expect 4.5-5L/100km on the motorway. Still wouldn't swing it for me to pick a diesel hatch over my own.

koutoubia

Seriously if your gonna be spending many hours on a motorway at a decent speed do you really wanna be in a focus?

KenjiOdo

Can you drop car off at Lille (Might be extra charge?) or would you need to drive back to Paris to drop off??

Preset No.3

For the last 3 years I have done a summer banger rally across Europe that actually starts in Lille.

Firstly, boat across to holyhead. Take the Stena/Irish Ferries service that gets you into Holyhead at 5:30. You generally have about 2-2.5 hours before traffic gets really heavy. You should be in Birmingham around 8ish. The brits don't know the value of a toll road yet so not many take the M6 Toll which cuts about 40 mins off your journey. You pay at one end and it costs £5.50

The drive across the UK usually takes about 7-8 hours. Allow time to stop for a piss, break etc. As for speed if you keep with the flow of traffic you will be alright although the motorway speed limit is 70mph.

At the other end you have options of ferries or tunnel. I have done both! The ferry is going every 40 mins or so so if you can buy a flex ticket all the better. If you arrive early and there is room you can get on. The tunnel is more expensive but takes all of 20 mins.

Far side in France. Its takes about 90 mins to get to Lille. Ibis Budget is in the centre of town, 2 min walk to square and the Aussie bar which is alway great crack! The thing about Lille is that it is mainly 1 way and REALLY easy to get lost. Make sure you have the sat nav or google maps. Traffic around Lille is crap at the best of times. Add a load of football fans and its even worse.

Fuel. On the french motorways you will pay about 15 cent a litre more than if you went into a town. Also bear in mind that french shops close at 6/7pm and there is NOTHING open after that. Even McDonalds close early.

When you go somewhere for food, attempt a few words in french, then say "Je suis en Irelande". They will ignore you if you just speak English and will think you are English and especially in Northern France they despise the English!!!

Driving across the motorways in France is long and boring!!!

http://about-france.com/routes-from-calais.htm

This is a good site. Shows Tolls and main routes if you plan on driving south. French drivers are c**ts!!!! You will have a guy in sh1t box with 4 kids in the car tail gate at 100mph and won't bat an eyelid to get past you. Someone comes up behind you, don't do the Irish thing and stay in the left (overtaking lane), they will literally blow you out of it. The french are fearless drivers!!!

As I said I have done a banger rally. If you can do it. Buy a car for €300, drive it across France. Scrap it and fly home!

power pants

would you and your family not consider thumbing for lifts to get to your destination. Why not make a real adventure out of it?

koutoubia

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Driving across the motorways in France is long and boring!!!
French drivers are c**ts!!!! You will have a guy in sh1t box with 4 kids in the car tail gate at 100mph and won't bat an eyelid to get past you. Someone comes up behind you, don't do the Irish thing and stay in the left (overtaking lane), they will literally blow you out of it. The french are fearless drivers!!!

HAHAHAHA...That pretty much sums up driving on French Motorways.
Piles of ****e that are 30 years old packed with the whole family with all sorts crap hanging off the back scraping the ground driving at 140 kph!

Leonard Hofstadter

Preset No.3 wrote: »

The drive across the UK usually takes about 7-8 hours. Allow time to stop for a piss, break etc. As for speed if you keep with the flow of traffic you will be alright although the motorway speed limit is 70mph.

As you can't be caught for speeding on a UK motorway unless you're above 79 mph, the de facto limit is a speedo indicated 80 mph or 130 km/h. And even if you're above that, they won't bother going after you if it's a foreign registered car (the only bother with that in NI), I understand the rules are meant to be changing but for now it's just not worth the hassle for them to send a fixed penalty notice unless you're really taking the p1$$. Do take care on the temporary roadworks on the motorways though (and there will be plenty en route), it is very much 50 mph on these and nobody dares break them.

Preset No.3

Oh and the M25 is terrible. Pay attention to radio traffic news as you can go clockwise or anti clockwise around the M25.

BMJD

I would get the ferry direct to France every time, don't care if it costs more. The M6 and M25 are a pox.

Also, I've driven around Brittany 3 of the last 4 summers and never experienced any of the stereotypical rudeness either on the roads or out and about, and my French is non-existant

spuddy

Don't forget about right-side priority! Absolutely scared the crap out of me first time someone turned out in front of me! Watch out for the diamond signs in towns and cities and then proceed with caution

Example 3 here is a good one.

Del2005

You need to disable speed check point warnings on your Sat Nav when driving in France. And the French cops actively look for foreign drivers for speeding unlike our cops.

Voodoomelon

Thanks for the info guys.

Just did another calculation and it's €50 cheaper a head to drive through England from Holyhead, down to the Channel Tunnel and on to Paris, than to get the Rosslare to Cherbourg ferry and on to Paris.

And whilst it's more driving, it's 7 hours quicker. That 17 hour ferry is a killer, even if you have a bed.

166man

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Thanks for the info guys.

Just did another calculation and it's €50 cheaper a head to drive through England from Holyhead, down to the Channel Tunnel and on to Paris, than to get the Rosslare to Cherbourg ferry and on to Paris.

And whilst it's more driving, it's 7 hours quicker. That 17 hour ferry is a killer, even if you have a bed.

In that case Id go through the UK. The ferry from Cherbourg really is a bleak prospect, can really get the holiday off to a crap start and you have to do it again coming back!

That 740 will be an absolute joy to drive down anyway. What the lads say about Sunday and evenings in France is true too. Things close early there and when they do there really is little open.

Any more questions fire away!

Preset No.3

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Thanks for the info guys.

Just did another calculation and it's €50 cheaper a head to drive through England from Holyhead, down to the Channel Tunnel and on to Paris, than to get the Rosslare to Cherbourg ferry and on to Paris.

And whilst it's more driving, it's 7 hours quicker. That 17 hour ferry is a killer, even if you have a bed.

Stay away from Paris at all costs!!! Unless you want to arrive at your destination sometime around July!!!!

Heading south take the ring road around Rouen and Chartres.

Preset No.3

Few other things you'll need for driving in France.

Hi Vis jacket
Spare bulb kit
First Aid Kit
Warning triangle
Breathalyzer
Beam benders

All that stuff is required by law.

koutoubia

Hi viz jacket for everyone in the car to be stored in the car so you can put them on before you get out to be pedantic.
Also bring full versions of Insurance cert,NCT cert log book.
I have a feeling they are gonna be super strict about stuff like that this year due to terrorism etc.

Drummerboy08

Personally I think you'd be mental to drive across the UK.

Yes it's 7 hours shorter and ys it's 50 quid a man cheaper, but go on the ferry and you'll arrive fresh and ready to go. Go thru the uk and you stress levels will be thru the roof!!

I've done both several times and I'd pick the ferry all day long.

We're going to Le Mans next year and are going via Cherbourg.

koutoubia

Agree with Drummer Boy.
Although it's slightly better cost effective way it's just not worth it - stress wise.
Once your on the ferry you can have a few beers ( if your that way inclined) watch some footie/news etc ,Hit the hay , have a shower brekkie and get onto Le Continent fresh as a daisy. Your gonna be spending enough time on the car as it is.
Did landbridge once and won't do it again unless it's a last resort.

Tigerandahalf

Do you really want to drive it? Will one of you not be drinking so the driving can be done the following day?
Personally I think it is easier to fly in and get the TGV to the various cities. You could fly into Brussels for small money and get the TGV to Paris or Lille for the last game. Less hassle.

_Brian

It's funny, sometimes you think people are in a different country.

I've holidayed in France for the last 11 years and brought my own car every time.

Sundays are quiet. Sunday up to 12 and supermarkets and stores are open but from 12 onwards virtually nothing. Except motorway stations, they are open. Some restraint chains too, Buffalo Grill is always a dead cert on a Sunday and good too.

Disable sat nav stuff, well I've never seen any problem with it. Most cops are looking for driving problems and excessive speed, stay within the law and you shouldn't have a problem at all. There are compulsory items you need in the car, always carry them.

In my opinion motorways are worth it if you want to make time. The next step down in roads are good but slower travel times.

Driving in Paris, I crossed Paris, driving close to the Eifel tower two years ago at 4pm, took 2.5 hours and we did it for the crack more than needed to, was interesting.

Someone above suggested driving to somewhere central and using the TVG to avoid heavy traffic. This is a good idea as you have the car to haul luggage to your destination and then get to travel on a good rail system without baggage.

Long ferry crossings, a cabin is a must really. You'll get a fair night sleep and have an en-suite to have a shower before hitting the road. Very handy. I've not done the land bridge through the UK but those I know who do say it's draining.

In general the standard of driving and courtesy on the roads is above that if here, yea if you make a mistake you'll have horns blown but what would you expect, the foreign reg excuses a lot.

It's a beautiful country, driving through it is a real pleasure.

two wheels good

Voodoomelon wrote: »

That's true, i'd probably burn through €250 of tyre alone. Rail is an option, but a pain in the arse at the same time.

Interesting about Sundays and everything being closed, wasn't aware of that!

Intercity rail in France is a pleasure! And cheaper than motorway if you can book in advance. Though with four passengers in a car those savings are probably lost.
The real pain will be the navigating and parking in foreign cities. I say check a few routes before you rule it out.

SNCF
Seat61

Jesus.

koutoubia wrote: »

Seriously if your gonna be spending many hours on a motorway at a decent speed do you really wanna be in a focus?

But diesels these days are very comfortable at Motorway speeds, even small ones like the 1.6 Focus. They're just ticking over at 75mph. Far more comfortable than the equivalent petrol imo. You'd actually be grand in a Focus

koutoubia

I was more thinking interior space with 4 adults ( he did say 4 people didn't he !?!) on a a multi hour motorway journey .
Brings me back to the horror of a time when myself and 3 others non midget like lads traversing Italy in a Fiat Panda back in the mid 90s.
Have a fear of small cars since then.







The car was in a mechanical mess when we have it back!

Jesus.

Ah I get ye. Still a newish Focus is spacious. He wouldn't have problems fitting 4 people in there but then where to store all their luggage? Fill the boot and add a roof rack and he might be okay depending on how light they travel. If there's any women among them he's screwed

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Voodoomelon

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Personally I think you'd be mental to drive across the UK.

Yes it's 7 hours shorter and ys it's 50 quid a man cheaper, but go on the ferry and you'll arrive fresh and ready to go. Go thru the uk and you stress levels will be thru the roof!!

I've done both several times and I'd pick the ferry all day long.

We're going to Le Mans next year and are going via Cherbourg.

Glad you said that, because we've settled on the Rosslare to Cherbourg route, for the exact same reasons.

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Do you really want to drive it? Will one of you not be drinking so the driving can be done the following day?
Personally I think it is easier to fly in and get the TGV to the various cities. You could fly into Brussels for small money and get the TGV to Paris or Lille for the last game. Less hassle.

two wheels good wrote: »

Intercity rail in France is a pleasure! And cheaper than motorway if you can book in advance. Though with four passengers in a car those savings are probably lost.
The real pain will be the navigating and parking in foreign cities. I say check a few routes before you rule it out.

SNCF
Seat61

Yup, no doubt rail is a nice way to do it, especially with an excellent network and i'm not looking forward to navigating and parking in Paris in a big car. But driving north to south through France in the summer time is something i've always wanted to do and we finally have a reason to do it.

It's three lads in total so we should have plenty of room.
Booking the ferry this evening, looking forward to it!

Armchair Andy

Voodoomelon wrote: »

And whilst it's more driving, it's 7 hours quicker. That 17 hour ferry is a killer, even if you have a bed.

Any time I've done the Cork Roscoff I've never used the bed even though I've booked it(wife and kids). If it's yourself and a couple of lads I wouldn't bother, just nominate the driver and fill him with coke or coffee. Plenty of couches and stuff around. Dunno about ferries on other routes.
I've done a good bit of motorway driving all over France, always found them far more competent than here, but most motorways I've done in a French friends French car as opposed to a hire job or Irish car.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

koutoubia

Voodoomelon wrote: »

But driving north to south through France in the summer time is something i've always wanted to do and we finally have a reason to do it.

If your doing a driving holiday thru France I would highly recomend ,if you can factor in the time and cost, to take a trip across The Millau Viaduct across The Tarn Gorge!

http://www.leviaducdemillau.com/en_index.php#/accueil/

Granted its a big diversion but maybe while your down in Bordeaux .....!!!!

Crossed it...fantastic...and stayed on the Plateaux just West of it in a campsite run by a Scots lad and his French wife. That was an experience!

kirving

Looking at booking the ferry today. Settled on Ferry to Rosslare/Cherbourg, down to Bordeaxu for the Belgium match, then take a few day working out way back to Lille for the Italy game, and then returning via the UK.

Two options going over;

Irish Ferries
Rosslare - Roscoff
4pm Wed 15th - 10am Thurs 16th
€175 each with a cabin.

Stena Line
Rosslare - Cherbourg
8pm Thurs 16th - 4pm Friday 17th
€120 each with a reclining seat.

Preferred by far is the Irish Ferries as we can take our time, but one of the lads is tight on leave from work. Think it's realistic to make it down to Bordeaux that night, for a game the following afternoon? Google Maps says 6hrs 30 mins, but in reality with a few breaks and a dinner stop, that's 8 hours all going perfectly.

Finally, 4 lads going, all 6ft or there abouts, and haven't got a big exec car for the journey. So, the two options are a 1.9 TDI Golf, and a 1.8 Petrol S40. Golf would be about €100 quid less in fuel over the entire journey, but has a smaller boot and hasn't got leather so a real pain in the ass if someone so much as spills a drink. Both have cruise control and AC, but the S40 has climate control and better seats. Anything else that I should be thinking about when choosing which car to take on a long journey with a full car?

*Kol*

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Looking at booking the ferry today. Settled on Ferry to Rosslare/Cherbourg, down to Bordeaxu for the Belgium match, then take a few day working out way back to Lille for the Italy game, and then returning via the UK.

Two options going over;

Irish Ferries
Rosslare - Roscoff
4pm Wed 15th - 10am Thurs 16th
€175 each with a cabin.

Stena Line
Rosslare - Cherbourg
8pm Thurs 16th - 4pm Friday 17th
€120 each with a reclining seat.

Preferred by far is the Irish Ferries as we can take our time, but one of the lads is tight on leave from work. Think it's realistic to make it down to Bordeaux that night, for a game the following afternoon? Google Maps says 6hrs 30 mins, but in reality with a few breaks and a dinner stop, that's 8 hours all going perfectly.

Finally, 4 lads going, all 6ft or there abouts, and haven't got a big exec car for the journey. So, the two options are a 1.9 TDI Golf, and a 1.8 Petrol S40. Golf would be about €100 quid less in fuel over the entire journey, but has a smaller boot and hasn't got leather so a real pain in the ass if someone so much as spills a drink. Both have cruise control and AC, but the S40 has climate control and better seats. Anything else that I should be thinking about when choosing which car to take on a long journey with a full car?

I would go in the S40. You have all day to get there so ample time for a two stops. I would make sure your climate control is working to its max. Sweating can become quite tiresome!!!

Voodoomelon

In the process of bundling together parts for a massive service in the next few weeks in perpetration for France, with belts, pulleys, tensioners, auto box fluid and filter renewal, oil, air and cabin filters and lots more.

We're going a bit mental on one of the days, the Bordeaux to Lille journey, 800km in one day, to arrive around 6pm. That one will be fun!

Leonard Hofstadter

Voodoomelon wrote: »

In the process of bundling together parts for a massive service in the next few weeks in perpetration for France, with belts, pulleys, tensioners, auto box fluid and filter renewal, oil, air and cabin filters and lots more.

We're going a bit mental on one of the days, the Bordeaux to Lille journey, 800km in one day, to arrive around 6pm. That one will be fun!

Best of luck with that! Did Cork to Portrush in a day once, which is 'only' 515 km, that was hard going! That said, you're doing it in a much better car than I did, and you've got cruise control (I didn't), so I'm assuming it will be far easier for you than it was for me:).

Voodoomelon

Well there's only so much comfort you can have, all arses hurt after the 3 hour mark no matter what car you're in! We have three drivers to alternate though and its the only "mental" trip in the two weeks.

Alkers

Where are you lot thinking of staying while over there?
I'm looking at going over for the Belgium and Italy matches. Would be getting the ferry Rosslare to Cherbourg on the 14th and returning on the 23rd.
I have an 8 seater camper that sleeps 4 so was thinking of taking 4 in that and we wouldn't need campsites or taking 6 and bringing a small tent but haven't sussed out accommodation yet.
Thing only does about 25mpg at best but it should be doable for 500pp for fuel & ferry ticket.

captainspeed

captainspeed wrote: »

Best of luck with that! Did Cork to Portrush in a day once, which is 'only' 515 km, that was hard going! That said, you're doing it in a much better car than I did, and you've got cruise control (I didn't), so I'm assuming it will be far easier for you than it was for me:).

In all fairness driving on this island, especially the N.I. A roads is a totally diffrent kettle of fish. It feels like good days work to drive few hunded km in Ireland whereas in France for example you can do 1000 km a day quite easily if the traffic agrees. But if something unexpected happens you can get stuck in a jam for hours.

I have driven in the past several 1000 km stints on camper, bike and car. Calais - Berlin is about 900 km and can be easily done in a day at 100 km/h. I once drove Holyhead-Dover-Calais-Berlin (~1300-1400 km+ ferry) in 24 hours on camper but that was tough and I did not have passengers that time.

French autoroutes are no different, maybe even slightly less traffic than Germany apart from the bank holidays. I have a feeling that there were way less lorries compared to East-West routes.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Voodoomelon

Simona1986 wrote: »

Where are you lot thinking of staying while over there?
I'm looking at going over for the Belgium and Italy matches. Would be getting the ferry Rosslare to Cherbourg on the 14th and returning on the 23rd.
I have an 8 seater camper that sleeps 4 so was thinking of taking 4 in that and we wouldn't need campsites or taking 6 and bringing a small tent but haven't sussed out accommodation yet.
Thing only does about 25mpg at best but it should be doable for 500pp for fuel & ferry ticket.

First night in a cabin on the Rosslare to Cherbourg route on the 11th, Airbnb apartment for 3 days in Paris with private parking, then one night in La Rochelle in a self catering place, then 4 nights in Bordeaux in a Premier Inn-style hotel that wasn't even finished when we booked it. Another four days then in Lille in another airbnb apartment and still have to book another 3 days.

Accomodation is mental, we only booked Bordeaux about 2.5 weeks ago and there was only 9 hits on Hotels.com out of 190 and half of them were over €1000 a night. The camper will be handy if you're taking it, but i think you still need to book sites before you arrive.

ianobrien

If you're thinking of taking a camper, campers are welcomed and most villages have designated parking spots for camping-cars (as motorhomes are called in French). The parking spots are called Aires. There are also proper service spots called Aires-de-Service where you can get fresh water and dump waste. Campers parking in towns are perfectly acceptable once it's in a proper defined camping-car park. Some Aires are free, some charge a small amount for the night. We have used them for years when on holidays. We would only need a site every 5/6 days for clothes washing, etc. I've sometimes counted over 50 vans parked up for the night.

Also, taking to people who went on both Irish Ferries and Stena from Rosslare to Cherbourg, take Irish Ferries. The boat is far superior.