Drive from Calais to Sete (Cap d' Agde)

[No-More-Nights]

Is it practicable to almost avoid most, not all toll roads ?
I see that using some toll roads is beneficial, but 90% of the way is quite doable on non toll.
I should say I have 7 days to drive from Calais to the South in a self contained campervan

[Rebew]

It is certainly possible, Google maps says that avoiding tolls will take you around 14 hours rather than 11 by using the toll roads so certainly practicable. Avoiding motorways altogether will take about 17 hours and would probably be the route I would choose if you have a week to play with. A couple hours per day and stop wherever takes your fancy.

We did Strasbourg to Calais earlier this year and avoided motorways for a large chunk of the journey. It was a very enjoyable drive but you can end up driving a long way without seeing any amenities once you are off the main roads so take that into account.

What is your reasoning behind avoiding toll roads?

[Ed Boon II]

No help at all, but I'm very jealous and do enjoy a road trip, good luck

[tommobot]

No-More-Nights said:

Is it practicable to almost avoid most, not all toll roads ?

100% if your not in a rush.

We do the a run down to South of France each year avoiding almost all tolls in our old Defender.

The drive through France is amazing, trundling through villages and watching the landscape change towards the Alps is amazing.

Daytime progress is restrained, but overnight everyone, including the truckers absolutely fly down the back roads.

Lots of this



Followed by more of this

[No-More-Nights]

Rebew said:

It is certainly possible, Google maps says that avoiding tolls will take you around 14 hours rather than 11 by using the toll roads so certainly practicable. Avoiding motorways altogether will take about 17 hours and would probably be the route I would choose if you have a week to play with. A couple hours per day and stop wherever takes your fancy.

We did Strasbourg to Calais earlier this year and avoided motorways for a large chunk of the journey. It was a very enjoyable drive but you can end up driving a long way without seeing any amenities once you are off the main roads so take that into account.

What is your reasoning behind avoiding toll roads?

I am driving a campervan, and was looking to keep a steady 55 mph, so I was thinking toll roads for me, would be a waste.
I am only planning around a max 2 hour drive morning, and a max 2 hour drive afternoon.
I have all the time in the world.

[No-More-Nights]

tommobot said:

No-More-Nights said:

Is it practicable to almost avoid most, not all toll roads ?

100% if your not in a rush.

We do the a run down to South of France each year avoiding almost all tolls in our old Defender.

The drive through France is amazing, trundling through villages and watching the landscape change towards the Alps is amazing.

Daytime progress is restrained, but overnight everyone, including the truckers absolutely fly down the back roads.

Lots of this



Followed by more of this



This 100% is what I am after,
What speed do you normally try to stick to ?

[dundarach]

I quite enjoy the toll roads, they're just so easy and not really all that much, but the back roads are lovely too.

[Rebew]

No-More-Nights said:

Rebew said:

It is certainly possible, Google maps says that avoiding tolls will take you around 14 hours rather than 11 by using the toll roads so certainly practicable. Avoiding motorways altogether will take about 17 hours and would probably be the route I would choose if you have a week to play with. A couple hours per day and stop wherever takes your fancy.

We did Strasbourg to Calais earlier this year and avoided motorways for a large chunk of the journey. It was a very enjoyable drive but you can end up driving a long way without seeing any amenities once you are off the main roads so take that into account.

What is your reasoning behind avoiding toll roads?

I am driving a campervan, and was looking to keep a steady 55 mph, so I was thinking toll roads for me, would be a waste.
I am only planning around a max 2 hour drive morning, and a max 2 hour drive afternoon.
I have all the time in the world.

You will feel very slow at 55 mph on the French autoroutes so avoiding them makes sense. Have a great trip, I love a good Euro road trip!

[Landlubber]

We simply doddle off down the jolly A75, but, if you've a mind to then the back roads are super, what would stop me is the fact that every single village is now 30kph with some of the most brutal speed humps in existence. Amusing at first it soon starts to grate. When you get there please say hello to the Plage des 3 digues for me? Will you?

[tommobot]

No-More-Nights said:

100% if your not in a rush.

We do the a run down to South of France each year avoiding almost all tolls in our old Defender.

The drive through France is amazing, trundling through villages and watching the landscape change towards the Alps is amazing.

Daytime progress is restrained, but overnight everyone, including the truckers absolutely fly down the back roads.

Lots of this



Followed by more of this



This 100% is what I am after,
What speed do you normally try to stick to ?

Just stick as a minimum to the speed limits... (not rushing but at the same time not dawdling)

We can do around 70 on the dual carrageways / and plenty fast up the hills but its just really a lovely drive.

We usually go towards Reims, then down to Lausanne and over and around alps and down through Aosta Valley and to the coast if required.

The first 3 hours from Calias is motorway (non toll) which is dull as anything, but from then on its really a lovely drive