South of France here we come

[77racing]

Just started to plan a trip to St Tropez from Calais in M/Home. Two days planned to get there and then 10 days up the coast road to Monaco and then home again.I think a stop over at Lyon and then an easy drive into St Tropez the next morning looks favourite. Can you suggest a good route from experience and any idea of toll costs or where I can find out. I have been told that motorhomes over 3 metres high cost same as HGV but under 3 meters are same as a car, is this correct. If so I will take off my roof rack and be under the 3 metres. Can any one suggest a door alarm as we plan on staying at Aires if we can if nor wild camping and like the idea of some warning we are getting robbed.

This is probably a well travelled route so any help and idea's on the way down and once there would be good

[77racing]

we were thinking middle to end of September. I drag a race car all over so not worried about driving long distances. Looks to be about 900 miles from Calais. We easily do Calais to spa in Belgium 4 - 5 hours so two of us doing a stint each should be Lyon in a good 8 hours surely, no ?

[77racing]

oblio said:

Just need to buy some budgie smugglers now due to the rubbish French laws on swimming in trunks

what's that all about then, they making playdo trunks obligatory

Edited by 77racing on Thursday 16th March 07:56

[77racing]

Rosscow said:

If it takes you 4 to 5 hours to drive 215 miles to Spa, then double that and more to Lyon (470ish) is more like 10 plus, no?

It's perfectly doable, just not very enjoyable. In my opinion!

I hear you, we just want to spend more time in the south.

[77racing]

philv said:

Be sure to visit
Valbonne (lots of restos...go to look around and have dinner)
Old mougins (lots of restos, art galleries, etc.
Eze (mountain top village)
Gorge de verdon

If you stop over night in tne camping place parc des Maurettes, you can walk to tne train station, and the trains go all along the coast to nice, juan les pins (bars at night), menton, etc etc.

Coast road from cannes going west is a nice drive along tne coast.

we will be using the coast road from st tropez around to Monaco on our trusty DT50 moped. Just moving M home up as and when as the base.

[77racing]

Will look at that Cavalier, as we probably will stop in St Tropez for a couple days to recoup from the trip down but heh we will be in the sun.

[77racing]

tight fart said:

I thought drag racing tends to be over a 1/4 mile, not really a long distance compared to the Sth of France?

Not a drag race, more an endurance.............................

15451443315_e95852a88c_c by flat chat, on Flickr

[77racing]

Thanx, i did that, said it was only £97 found that hard to believe.....result

[77racing]

Yes very useful info, a few people are saying avoid Lyon now, so we have just got to work out a route round or stop a little way south of it. Will definatly get the TAG before we go, good call that thank you, It will save a lot of hassle at the tolls, as we can just drive on through.

Anyone got any good shouts for a camp site while we are there. was think a mix of a few camp sites and a few Aires once on the coast road.

[77racing]

Just had a look at that site looks nicely positioned and away from the late summer crowds might be just the ticket.

Measured the MH this morning and we fit into class 2 ,under 3 mts and spot on GVW 3500 result, will just have to take off the top box no biggy but looking good for the toll prices.

[77racing]

Thanx Curly,
will be looking at Chateaux to stop over on way back good call by the looks of the site. may be moving the holiday forward a bit to beginning of September because majority of the smaller 2-3 star sites on the coast road seam to close mid October, wonder why that is. Possibly because the schools go back after summer hols in mid to late September here.

Anyone charging electric bicycles with an inverter through lighter plug in motorhome. Any advise or tips or links to inverters you are using. I was going to use my moped once down there but are now probably going to take our electric bikes instead to get around. We will be at camp sites every three days so will need to charge up bike battery's with out mains plug in. I'm not taking my genny.

Anyone want to post up there preferred route from Calais for a starting point for me.

[77racing]

All good info and a good source of info not just for me but others heading this way, thank you chaps. ran the idea of the karting side trip by mrs 77 ..................not very impressed This holiday is hers really after been shuffled all over the country with car 77 she will deserve a bit of a chill out in the sun. personally I will be just popping to the shops for an hour or so when we get near the track, whilst she chills out round a pool of some sort. what the eye doesn't see the heart won't ....................

we will be using that Soffel site on way home as well,as long as there is not a tunnel we can't get through.

Edited by 77racing on Thursday 23 March 19:31

[77racing]

all I could find is those dimensions but no width sizes so will have to do more digging , it was suggested that it was 2.5 wide but it has an arched roof so probably a no go for me, good job you looked at that alan.

[77racing]

I always admired an intrepid adventurer. be careful with such a good looking MH. please report back as I love a good tunnel, adds to the excitement sad eh no dought you will have a few tips and recommendations for me as you will be back well before I leave.

[77racing]

Does anyone know if you can take push bikes on the bus in France ?

[77racing]

That looks awesome, I might come down those on my push bike just because I can. Thanx for getting back to us. looks fantastic

[77racing]

Three weeks till we take our camper on our first trip over the water . Racing at Spa Francorchamps in belgium. Will be taking our old westie dog he is 13 and never been on holiday abroard .......................bless

[77racing]

we will be staying in the paddock this year at the track, I am racing there it will be my 7th year in a row to race there for the summer classic. For the last 5 years we have been staying in a lovely small hotel/B & B just as you go into Staverlot a medieval village about 3km from the circuit. As you say a beautiful area all around the Ardennes region and I have spent many hours mooching about.