The Joys of Driving in France

[tonyinfrance]

Dieppe to Carpentras (Provence 84) on a bank holiday weekend cruise control all the way (600 miles).  No roadworks or any other kind of delays, plus the best fuel economy I have ever achieved.  OK, it's péage and it costs a bit but it's well worth it!

I'm pretty sure I couldn't enjoy such easy driving over such a long distance anywhere else in Europe.........

[AnOther]

I feel you bro, amongst the many reasons we came to France rediscovering the joys of driving is right up there [;-)

[mint]

I agree, and with their fantastic network of roads, I never mind getting lost or missing a turning because you're bound to find another road further along that will take you to your destination.

None of this wondering how on earth you are going to turn round with a whole queue of impatient drivers behind you and you could imagine the names they are calling you even if they don't blast their horn.

[bigears]

You trivialise the cost.

[AnOther]

Explain ?

[tonyinfrance]

It's a fair point Bigears.  I didn't keep count but the cost must have been upwards of Euros 80.

I consider this good value because wear and tear on the car is minimalised, quite apart from the fuel economy aspect (I achieved 35mpg against a UK best of 29 and considering the journey length this has a meaningful value).  Harder to quantify but nevertheless important is the personal stress reduction and satisfaction one gets from covering long distances without delays - impossible on most UK motorways for example.

As always these things depend on personal circumstances but if I need to get from A to B in quick order the péage is the answer.

[bigears]

Unfortunately the cost is significant to most of us. 

[AnOther]

I see what you meant now but I'm not sure you can justify categorising it as for 'most'.

Amongst lets say the dozen or so Brits I know reasonably well I reckon no more than 2 or 3 of them might find it any strain on their finances or it to be a bar to them using it. Despite apocryphal tales of legions of poverty stricken pensioners I personally can't say that I know of anyone who is really struggling to make ends meet,

Besides, if you kept a light foot you could probably offset 50% of the cost in fuel economy, just because you can go 130k doesn't mean you have to [;-)]

[woolybanana]

Well, camping cars are penalized on les autoroutes as they are charged the commercial rate that is about 40% higher than for cars, so no bloody economy there.

That being said, I came up from the Pyrenees yesterday, partly on the old N10 and it was a pleasure as most of the trucks were off the road, apart from some Spanish ones, and certainly saved on fuel.

[Lehaut]

Couple of years ago, I decided to economise on the peage costs for our camping car by using the RN/RD's for the long holiday run.  "Flashed" twice it was a false economy!  My children fled the room when the second PV arrived.

[tonyinfrance]

Wooly - good point about the trucks: my friend here in Vaucluse (who's made the Dieppe/Carpentras round trip about 23 times so far) told me trucks don't use the autoroutes on Sundays - makes all the difference, especially getting around places like Lyon.  I now make inroads on a Saturday but leave the bulk of the journey to a Sunday.

[Gardengirl]

We too use autoroutes for most of our trips from UK to France, about 3 returns each year, with the rest by plane. Sundays are lovely on autoroutes, with only a few stray Italian and Spanish lorries. In winter we are fine with most days, but once traffic builds up we prefer to stick to Sundays for one of our travelling days. It was very busy for the leg from Champagne to the south on Thursday.

It is dear, about 80 euros for a single journey, but we don't drive at 130, use cruise control and get about 38mpg in our old Saab, which isn't bad. When we take to other routes from time to time we do have to allow quite a lot more time, and I find the 2 days from one home to the other long enough.

[Chancer]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

Well, camping cars are penalized on les autoroutes as they are charged the commercial rate that is about 40% higher than for cars, so no bloody economy there.

[/quote]

Camping cars are not penalised Wooly, it is the height of your gin palace that goes against you.

I do sympathise because it appears that normal size camping cars just dont exist in the mind of the French buyer who dont seem to understand why the first word of the name and hence are bloomin hard to find in France.

I think that exaggeration (in the French sense) is part of the national psyche, have you seen the amount of scarfs and swaddling clothes the average city dweller wears as soon as there is even a slightly chilly day in May or June? and dont get me on the subject of men who wear gloves!

I recently went south with a group of divers, we hired what was the biggest mini-bus that I have ever seen, 4 rows of 3 seats with the last set removed creating a cavernous loa compartment for the cylinders and kit bags for the whole group of 20 divers and it passed under the 2 metre péage height restriction. It was a Renault Trafic and would make a good base for a sensible camping car.

[woolybanana]

But I do so enjoy my shower and all the storage space, as well as the headroom.

[Sunday Driver]

In terms of understanding the name, a camping car is literally a 'camping coach', ie providing living accommodation for comfortable medium/long term use.  That makes it the normal size which exists in the mind of the French buyer who would no doubt find it difficult to view a Renault Traffic minibus as a sensible alternative.....[;-)]

 

[Clair]

[quote user="tonyinfrance"]... trucks don't use the autoroutes on Sundays - makes all the difference, especially getting around places like Lyon.  I now make inroads on a Saturday but leave the bulk of the journey to a Sunday.[/quote]

By law, trucks/lorries are not allowed on French roads from Sat. 22h to Sun. 22h en France, except if they transport perishable goods (fruit, fish, meat...). This restriction can be extended to bank holidays.

This applies to all lorries travelling in France, French or foreign registered, delivering in France or merely crossing the country.

Whether the police/gendarmes choose to stop those lorry drivers who drive during the restricted hours is another matter altogether.

[woolybanana]

But they do stop the lorries supposed to be transporting perishables and lo and behold, they find all sorts of other things sometimes, such a drainage pipes.

Where you been Clair, digging the briar patch?

[bigears]

hi

I drive to the uk about once every 12 months, the other times I fly, perhaps 4 round trips a year.  If I had to drive them it would cost too much.  We find it makes sense to have a car at both ends. 

[bixy]

Absolutely right. Being able to drive where you want, when you want has become a quality of life issue, for me at least. I am so pleased to be away from the UK road system and the uncertainty of never knowing when or even if you will get where you want to.

Patrick

[Gardengirl]

I can't say we've had any major problems driving in UK, apart from traffic jams in peak hours and driving to Luton airport or Heathrow on Monday mornings; we just leave home with plenty of time to spare. I've never been uncertain about when or if I'd arrive. We drive a lot in SE UK, using M25, M4, M20 etc, plus trips to Norfolk and Yorkshire. It's certainly lovely here in France to just have traffic jams on Saturdays for the market, and for a few minutes in the evening sometimes at certain junctions.  [:)]

[Panda]

[quote user="bixy"]Absolutely right. Being able to drive where you want, when you want has become a quality of life issue, for me at least. I am so pleased to be away from the UK road system and the uncertainty of never knowing when or even if you will get where you want to.

Patrick
[/quote]

If you ever have to drive to Bordeaux airport take as much precaution as you would with say Standsted, I missed a flight due to a traffic jam which turned a 1h10m drive into 3h, I got too used to being able to jump in the car and  know when I was going to arrive!  Bordeaux can get really choked but the traffic that day was hideous.

[velcorin]

Do ANY of you live in a french city? Or, joined the world's longest traffic jam on the A6 for the Rentree. Thought not[:D] Tends to somewhat influence the "joy of driving in France"[:D]

[Gardengirl]

When we go to Nimes or Avignon we set out early to avoid the tourists, unless it's winter. And some of us know which dates to avoid!  [:D]

[velcorin]

Can't avoid the c*ap dates............fixed holidays, like most worker ants. The UK is very good in that mosts worker ants can take holidays when they want. Not possible in any other country in which I've worked.

 

[Chancer]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

In terms of understanding the name, a camping car is literally a 'camping coach', ie providing living accommodation for comfortable medium/long term use.  That makes it the normal size which exists in the mind of the French buyer who would no doubt find it difficult to view a Renault Traffic minibus as a sensible alternative.....[;-)] [/quote]

Well I would agree with them, far too big for someone that is used to T1 bedbugs and an Esterel folding caravan.

I often wonder if the French have to sleep outside when they go camping proper i.e. with a tent there cant be room for a matress after making space for the stock of aperos. I saw several medicine cabinets today at the rederies that were larger than my apartment

I take your point about car = coach though, must have dissapointed a few that rented campervans in other countries.