Doncaster to Barcelona - driving

[Slashmb]

Just after an idea of real time driving for this trip.

I think 4 hours to Dover, but then how long will it take realistically to get from Calais to Barcelona?

Google maps says about 1160 miles and 18 hours 42 mins with no stops for food/fuel/toilets etc from Doncaster to Barcalona. Can we do nearly 1200 miles in 2 days? There will be 2 sharing the driving and we will be stopping for the night somewhere.

Does France have rush hour like we do? Also, how much in tolls will it cost us for the whole journey?

Our plan is to gun it for the way down and then take 3 days to come back taking in more of France, like the Millau viaduct and using smaller roads instead of the toll routes.

Any other tips from anyone who has done a similar trip would be really appreciated.

Thanks

[davepoth]

Take the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander. That gives you a night on the Ferry, and gets you a drive across the Pyrenees to Barcelona which is much better.

The drive down from Calais on the A6 is incredibly dull. the Periphique around Paris can be a disaster if you hit it at the wrong time.

[hornetrider]

600 per day is realistic on the peage. Not fun but certainly possible. If you are coming back via Millau and avoiding the peage you will need more than three days to do that.

[Riff Raff]

davepoth said:

Take the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander. That gives you a night on the Ferry, and gets you a drive across the Pyrenees to Barcelona which is much better.

The drive down from Calais on the A6 is incredibly dull. the Periphique around Paris can be a disaster if you hit it at the wrong time.

If it was me and I was in the Pyrenees, I'd be lost.

Santander to Bilbao, then Autopista all the way to Barcelona is the way I'd do it. With a stop off to see the mother in law in Zaragoza.

[Wombat3]

davepoth said:

Take the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander. That gives you a night on the Ferry, and gets you a drive across the Pyrenees to Barcelona which is much better.

This - (Santander or Bilbao, makes no odds, 60 miles apart). But if you end up in the Pyrenees you've taken something of a detour .

Could head south east to Pamplona & then X - country from there - Google maps is your friend - if you can find the N260 its worth a visit

[davepoth]

The guy wanted a nice drive! It's not a direct route, I know.

[Riff Raff]

davepoth said:

The guy wanted a nice drive! It's not a direct route, I know.

No that's fair enough. The problem with going into the mountains though is that once you're in, then going in a general south easterly direction is hard (or non existent) on the Spanish side anyway.

Even using the motorways though, you can stop off to see 'stuff'. There's a fair bit to see in Bilbao, and, personally, I really like Zaragoza. It's one of the 'nicest' cities in Spain with some absolutely brilliant places to eat. But, if you choose to beast it down the motorways, Santander to Barcelona could be done in less than 12 hours with stops.

Edited by Riff Raff on Saturday 18th February 12:41

[hornetrider]

Riff Raff said:

But, if you choose to beast it down the motorways, Santander to Barcelona could be done in 6 hours with a stop.

EFA

[surveyor]

Depends on the car I'd say. Some will be torture for that length a drive. If it's a mile muncher could be done.

My limits are 500 miles a day in BMW. 700 miles a day in Volvo. Anything else hurts.

[madbadger]

Slashmb said:

Does France have rush hour like we do? Also, how much in tolls will it cost us for the whole journey?


Thanks

Not really. The French basically sit around playing Petanque and drinking Pastis. None of them work so there is no rush hour.

[mattdaniels]

I have driven Le Havre to Barcelona twice now, in a Lotus Elise. It's a shade under 900 miles door to door, and the quickest we did it was 12 hours with 6 stops for fuel. Have a front seat passenger if you can because it makes the Peages a lot easier.

Get a cabin in the overnight ferry from Portsmouth, you drive off the boat at about 7am and are sipping Sangria around the pool by 7:30.

[bzh1p9]

As Matt says . get in the correct mind set and off you go
have done on several occasions 1 hr south of barca , to tunnel , pop out the other side and 2 hours in blighty
starting at 8-9am Spanish - home at circa 2am UK

However , if you do not drive to any great measure in the UK on a regular basis don't bother , and I don't mean this in an 'off way' only , some can , some cannot , you and only you know what you are comfortable with at the wheel .

Plan what is best for your driving 'style' and enjoy the great views and stops it's fun

[Slashmb]

Thanks so much for replies guys.

Some interesting suggestions there which I will be sure to follow up.

The car we will be using is a 2005 BMW 330d convertible if anyone was wondering.

Myself and the other chap have always been in to cars, both love driving and are really up for this trip. Everyone thinks we are mad, crazy fools though.

We were going to buy a car just for this trip but then my mate bought the 330 and said we could go in that. We are going for a stag do and left it a bit late to book the flights so the price went up. Also we couldn't go on the days we wanted to, so I suggested driving instead and he was positive about it.

Any more suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

[nick francis]

mattdaniels said:

I have driven Le Havre to Barcelona twice now, in a Lotus Elise. It's a shade under 900 miles door to door, and the quickest we did it was 12 hours with 6 stops for fuel. Have a front seat passenger if you can because it makes the Peages a lot easier.

Get a cabin in the overnight ferry from Portsmouth, you drive off the boat at about 7am and are sipping Sangria around the pool by 7:30.

Happy days Matt?

I remember your tale about being stopped by the Gendarmes on one of those trips, very very funny

[Roger645]

This is a good route planner if you need to calculate toll costs etc:

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/