Southern France via Paris - avoid?
Discussion
DoubleSix said:
Also got the tag ready for les grandes vacances...
How about some hints & tips for the Eurotunnel noobs... (got FlexiPlus already)
Drive on in England.How about some hints & tips for the Eurotunnel noobs... (got FlexiPlus already)
Drive off in France
Do the opposite on way home.
On a more serious note....watch your wheels when driving on/off and through the carriages.
Also.....not sure Flexiplus is worth the cost but I may be wrong. On a standard you can usually get an earlier train if you arrive early etc.
MrThomo said:
NDA said:
Great.... There is 'that' moment when you first use it. Will it work? Will the barrier raise? But it does. 
That’s all part of the game - chicken with the barrier.. Makes the holiday I have one for the Mersey Tunnels from Liverpool to Wirral but that one you have to top up with credit....I was once the tw@t who went in the tag lane with not enough credit on his tag.......
Have done the Paris route a few times over the years, but after seeing the Rouen / Evreux / Chartres A75 route recommended last year would always opt for this in future.
Again saw recommendations for the Emovis tag sand got one for the last trip which made a massive difference. Playing barrier bingo is fun, if a little edgy
Bonus fun watching other cars avoid your lane as they think the Brit has messed up going for the tag only lane only to zip through 
Again saw recommendations for the Emovis tag sand got one for the last trip which made a massive difference. Playing barrier bingo is fun, if a little edgy
Bonus fun watching other cars avoid your lane as they think the Brit has messed up going for the tag only lane only to zip through Another vote for get a Tag, we regularly (although not so far this year) head to Cahors in South West France we generally travel via Calais as it is cheaper.
As we have 3 Kids we time it to arrive circa 11pm and then drive through the night so go straight through Paris about 2am and the kids sleep in the car, wake for Breakfast and we are virtually there. On the return leg we stop over in Orleans, there are lots of reasonably priced with secure parking Hotels we tend to then go south side of Pairs typically mid morning and up the A1. That for us always seems to be quicker than going LeMans/Rouen and avoiding Paris.
We do also have Crit Air in the Car and for the sake of about £5 it does give the freedom to not worrying about taking a wrong term and driving into the 'congestion' zone
As we have 3 Kids we time it to arrive circa 11pm and then drive through the night so go straight through Paris about 2am and the kids sleep in the car, wake for Breakfast and we are virtually there. On the return leg we stop over in Orleans, there are lots of reasonably priced with secure parking Hotels we tend to then go south side of Pairs typically mid morning and up the A1. That for us always seems to be quicker than going LeMans/Rouen and avoiding Paris.
We do also have Crit Air in the Car and for the sake of about £5 it does give the freedom to not worrying about taking a wrong term and driving into the 'congestion' zone
Ben Jk said:
Yeah...can imagine that first use is a bit edgy!
I have one for the Mersey Tunnels from Liverpool to Wirral but that one you have to top up with credit....I was once the tw@t who went in the tag lane with not enough credit on his tag.......
Think I’ve had mine about 4 years now and was thinking it might need to be exchanged, logged on to website and it stated another 2.5 years. Bonus...I have one for the Mersey Tunnels from Liverpool to Wirral but that one you have to top up with credit....I was once the tw@t who went in the tag lane with not enough credit on his tag.......
Cancelled this year thought due to changes in work commitments but campsite have changed to next year at no additional cost and already looking forward to it
DoubleSix said:
Also got the tag ready for les grandes vacances...
How about some hints & tips for the Eurotunnel noobs... (got FlexiPlus already)
We got FlexiPlus too this year. Thought it might be a little more busy than usual.How about some hints & tips for the Eurotunnel noobs... (got FlexiPlus already)
I do find it a bit stressful worrying about the wheel rims but otherwise it’s pretty painless.
DoubleSix said:
Ha! Yeah, perhaps im over thinking it...
High vs low vehicle? Will taking bikes put us in a slow lane??
We always have a roof box so with box/bikes on roof or a high vehicle you get put on a single level carriage. Not sure it’s any slower. From memory they also may be a bit wider so the wheel issue isn’t as bad. High vs low vehicle? Will taking bikes put us in a slow lane??
EdJ said:
We got FlexiPlus too this year. Thought it might be a little more busy than usual.
I do find it a bit stressful worrying about the wheel rims but otherwise it’s pretty painless.
That was my thinking, and first time using it I fancied removing the timing variable.I do find it a bit stressful worrying about the wheel rims but otherwise it’s pretty painless.
Where’s the wheel rim threat; ramp or on the actual train?
dsl2 said:
I'd defo give that the swerve.
We've always gone the Rouen / Evreux / Chartres A75 route except the one time I absentmindedly just followed the t
t nav via Paris.
Big mistake lost several hours sat in nose to tail traffic around Paris, pretty stressful after having already driven 500 miles & being in a 9.1mtr motorhome at rush hour......
I made exactly the same mistake. I picked up a new 5 berth motorhome from Florence (it was a "free" holiday in exchange for picking the van up for a hire company) and stopped off in Nice for a few days; I followed the sat nav from there and ended up closer to the Eiffel Tower than I wanted to be....nightmare!We've always gone the Rouen / Evreux / Chartres A75 route except the one time I absentmindedly just followed the t
t nav via Paris. Big mistake lost several hours sat in nose to tail traffic around Paris, pretty stressful after having already driven 500 miles & being in a 9.1mtr motorhome at rush hour......
DoubleSix said:
EdJ said:
We got FlexiPlus too this year. Thought it might be a little more busy than usual.
I do find it a bit stressful worrying about the wheel rims but otherwise it’s pretty painless.
That was my thinking, and first time using it I fancied removing the timing variable.I do find it a bit stressful worrying about the wheel rims but otherwise it’s pretty painless.
Where’s the wheel rim threat; ramp or on the actual train?
If you go here
https://www.autoroutes.fr/en/traffic-forecast.htm
You will find a forecast based on historical data...
https://www.autoroutes.fr/en/traffic-forecast.htm
You will find a forecast based on historical data...
Ben Jk said:
In the train carriages. There is metal kerb edges throughout the carriages. They are a risk as you go up into the carriage and then when driving through. I think the carriages for high vehicles give more space though.
If you have a particularly wide or low car then Eurotunnel put you in the high vehicle carriage automatically. They must have a list of makes / models that need this treatment and they work it out from the registration number.If you are that worried choose your route on the day after you have checked www.bison-fute.gouv.fr
Tag here too.
I didn't bother for several years but after curbing a freshly refurbished alloy because my Wife has 'short' arms, I decided to get the Tag.
We always steer clear of Paris and take either the east or west route down.
Took the kids to Disneyland and found Paris to be a bit of a nightmare.
I didn't bother for several years but after curbing a freshly refurbished alloy because my Wife has 'short' arms, I decided to get the Tag.
We always steer clear of Paris and take either the east or west route down.
Took the kids to Disneyland and found Paris to be a bit of a nightmare.
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