Talk Quesada forum

Please can anyone tell me a quick way to drive from quesarda to Calais avoiding Paris but on the motorway, no mountains, and pet friendly places on the way would really appreciate it as I have never done this before, and how many times would you have to fill up with a petrol car
Thank ing you

We lived in SW France for 11 years so know the journey from there to the channel ports intimately.

I'm unsure what you mean by 'quick' or what 'mountains' you seek to avoid.

Although there are three principal options you're talking the thick end of 2000km or 1200 miles for all of them so with two or more drivers and stopping only for the two P's (pee and petrol) the very best you could hope for would be about 18 hours, with pets you can add substantially to that or factor in one or even two overnight stops.

Sticking to motorways means you won't be going over the Pyrenees and apart from there there are no other 'mountains' either in Spain or France. If you were to take the easterly route which passes by Lyon and through the Central Massif in France the very highest point there is only 1800m but the motorway doesn't reach anything like that.

Driving through, or rather 'round' Paris, can strike fear into the most confident of drivers but provided you time it correctly is nothing to be afraid of at all, plan to do it between say 23:00 and 06:00 and the whole thing takes about 45 minutes.

Also, and despite how it looks on Google maps etc. it's not complicated and you don't need sat nav or maps either because on the way up you simply follow the very clear signs for Lille and back down the signs for Bordeaux !

Fuel wise only you know what MPG you get from your car.

Fuel is expensive in France though, particularly on the motorways. E10 is around €1.60 but if you're prepared to go a few km off piste and find a Carrefour, Intermarche, or other independent, you can very easily save 10c/lt or more.

Don't forget those tolls either - reckon on ~€200 each way - and if alone and in a RHD car the toll booths are definitely no fun !!!!!

Personally if I were contemplating such a journey I'd probably take the easterly route via Lyon and the Central Massif as mentioned above which does avoid Paris completely, definitely the prettiest route too. Minus pets I'd go up the middle via Toulouse and Paris as that's what I'm most familiar with.

My wife and I with our pet dog have been doing this journey twice a year for the last five years and I think we have devised the best way using pet friendly motels, mainly motorways and dual carriageways we use the Somport tunnel at the Pyrenees. if you pm me your email address I will send you details

Please can anyone give me the best route to go from Quesarda to Calais avoiding Paris would prefer motorways as it’s my first time so a little worried, also is there any pet friendly places we can stay on the way. And roughly how much does it cost. How much are the tolls if anyone knows please would be really grateful for any information you can give as I’m a lady and would like to know I’m safe also are the many petrol stations on the way?
Thanking you

Huh?

Gremlins at work

A nice easy route
Valencia, Zaragoza, Pamplona, Bayonne, Bordeaux,
Poitiers, Le Mans, Rouen, Calais

90% motorway. Tolls are a pensive.
I’ve just come down from Caen and used 2 tanks of fuel averaging 44 mph

I have a lovely route mainly avoiding motorways in France with tolls less than 40 euro, but it is a bit slow

Is there anyone that is going to Calais from Quesarda that we can follow as I’ve never done it before my husband doesn’t drive so it’s just me to do the driving, I would really appreciate anyone’s help once I know the way I will be able to do it myself but it’s a bit nerve racking

Regards
Crumpet

It would be a nightmare having someone following you and having to keep checking you were behind. Get a sat nav, we have one for sale 50 euros (TomTom), it's brand new and we've used it once.(bought because the other one failed us half way through a journey but then worked again). I wouldn't be without one now.

Crumpet wrote:Is there anyone that is going to Calais from Quesarda that we can follow as I’ve never done it before my husband doesn’t drive so it’s just me to do the driving, I would really appreciate anyone’s help once I know the way I will be able to do it myself but it’s a bit nerve racking

Regards
Crumpet

Got one already
Thank you