We are going to Agde in Languedoc-Roussillon with our caravan on the 20th August, we should have gone last year but had to cancel so hopefully all be well this time!
We are going to Calais and planning on using the A16, A26, N28, with an overnight stop in Pont de l'Arche, then following the route for Dreux & Chartres, A13, A154, N154, A10, A71 with an overnight stop in Saint-Amand-Montrond, passing Clermont Ferrand onto the A75, we are then going to take the N102 to the ardeche and stay for 3 nights in Vallon Pont d'Arc then onto Agde for 13 nights taking either the A9 or the N106 & A9. On our return journey we are doing the A75 via Millau upto Clermont Ferrand and then the same route as our outward journey.
I was wondering if anyone had done any of these routes towing a caravan, as I was looking at aboutfrance.com and it was warning that the A75 is not a route for cars towing laden caravans, as there are several long and (for a motorway) steep climbs and descents, we are towing with a Kia Sedona 2.9. which we find to be a good tow car and we always make sure our caravan is packed correctly and not oveloaded.
Any other route suggestions welcomed.
Regards
We tow regularly through France and I personally have not been over that route for many many years there are lots of people who go over Millau with their vans and I do plan to one day
We tend to go the Western route to Spain now but we also travel the other side and follow the A9 sometimes
to get to Agde and the area I would suggest simply for ease and good stop-overs (don't use Autoroute services overnight South of Lyon)
Calais
Reims
Troyes
Lyon
Orange
Nimes
Montpellier
if you go to Mappy.com and plot the route remembering to put in via Reims and Lyon tell it you are towing and it will give you the tolls that you have to pay too
We tend to go the Western route to Spain now but we also travel the other side and follow the A9 sometimes
to get to Agde and the area I would suggest simply for ease and good stop-overs (don't use Autoroute services overnight South of Lyon)
Calais
Reims
Troyes
Lyon
Orange
Nimes
Montpellier
if you go to Mappy.com and plot the route remembering to put in via Reims and Lyon tell it you are towing and it will give you the tolls that you have to pay too
Thanks Gray I will have a look at that route.
No problem any more questions fire away
Like I said we now go down the Western side because the Autroroutes are cheaper AND we visit a certain Twin Lakes in Soumeras Pitou Charentes every year twice or three times when I really try
Great place for a stop over as it's so so quiet but still has all you need Bar electric pool fishing lakes x2 bar oopps I've already said that
Like I said we now go down the Western side because the Autroroutes are cheaper AND we visit a certain Twin Lakes in Soumeras Pitou Charentes every year twice or three times when I really try
Great place for a stop over as it's so so quiet but still has all you need Bar electric pool fishing lakes x2 bar oopps I've already said that
Gray,
I've looked at the route you suggested but the autoroutes are twice the price than the route I was looking at, when you do the western side what route do you take?
Also I understand the speed limits in France have now changed for vechicles towing to 80 & 90 Kph do you put
80 & 90 stickers on your van?
Thanks
Dawn
I've looked at the route you suggested but the autoroutes are twice the price than the route I was looking at, when you do the western side what route do you take?
Also I understand the speed limits in France have now changed for vechicles towing to 80 & 90 Kph do you put
80 & 90 stickers on your van?
Thanks
Dawn
Re stickers do not put them on the van as if you go to another country you are then prohibited going any faster they are only compulsary for goods vehicles
Will check out the speed limits as I have not heard of any changes on Autoroutes except that there are more short stretches where the speed limit is reduced for hills - and they are compulsory unlike UK advisory ones
and here they are
Note the bottom say GROSS WEIGHT over 3.5 tonne that is usually a big twin axle and a 4x4 tug not a car 4 berth outfit my outfit Skoda Octavia and Pageant comes in at 2.9 tonne
We go
Calais
Le Mans
Niort
Bordeaux ring-road
Perpignan (A9) not N9 which actually goes right through the middle of the city ---- if going the other way then the Autoroute Junction with the A61 is before Perpignan at Narbonne
Spanish Border where it becomes the Autopista 7
Will check out the speed limits as I have not heard of any changes on Autoroutes except that there are more short stretches where the speed limit is reduced for hills - and they are compulsory unlike UK advisory ones
and here they are
Note the bottom say GROSS WEIGHT over 3.5 tonne that is usually a big twin axle and a 4x4 tug not a car 4 berth outfit my outfit Skoda Octavia and Pageant comes in at 2.9 tonne
We go
Calais
Le Mans
Niort
Bordeaux ring-road
Perpignan (A9) not N9 which actually goes right through the middle of the city ---- if going the other way then the Autoroute Junction with the A61 is before Perpignan at Narbonne
Spanish Border where it becomes the Autopista 7
Thanks for the information Gray. Re the speed limits I got the information from the CC web site but they are not yet sure about the stickers, the new lower limits are 80 & 90 kph for Gross Weight over 3.5 tonne. Our caravan is a 2 berth compass Rally and we tow with a Kia Sedona (MPV) so our gross weight is over 3.5 tonne, but we are going to double check this to make sure I've not got it wrong!
Re our route we want try and go via the west side as you say it is alot cheaper, but I will have to do more research!
Thanks again for your advice.
Re our route we want try and go via the west side as you say it is alot cheaper, but I will have to do more research!
Thanks again for your advice.
monkeyface wrote:Our caravan is a 2 berth compass Rally and we tow with a Kia Sedona (MPV)
Thanks again for your advice.
Think about it the caravan can't weigh in at more than 1200kg max laded (880kg empty) so does the car weigh more than 2500kg ??? the heaviest I can see on the website is 2200kg so that's only 3.4 tonne so the weighted speed limits don't apply
Our caravan is 1340kg and our Kia Sedona (57 reg) is 2900kg, we have been looking at a new sedona and they do seem to have a lower gross weight of 2200kg.
monkeyface wrote:Our caravan is 1340kg and our Kia Sedona (57 reg) is 2900kg, we have been looking at a new sedona and they do seem to have a lower gross weight of 2200kg.
Ouch
our Pageant is a 4 berth and only weighs in at 1500 kg max weight and as the car is 1800kg we are OK but 1340 kg for a 2 berth is a very heavy caravan and it's a pity you will be limited to the lower speeds but at least on the Autoroutes the traffic is lighter than here in the UK and on Sundays remember that French HGV's are not allowed to travel so there's even less traffic
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