Calais to Grenoble...

[spartridge]

...on a Friday in June or September, coming off the Eurotunnel at about 9.30AM local time.

A reasonable trip in a day for a convoy of sports cars? About 7.5 hours (as per google maps) sound about right or less/more?

Cheers.

[si_xsi]

Yes sounds about right, I did a trip leaving Manchester at 5am and arriving in Chambery (just north of Grenoble) at 6pm the same day - there were 3 of us in one car, so just kept swapping. If I recall, the Calais to Chambery slog was about 7.5 hours.

Enjoy, - lovely Tuscan btw.

[Sortie 10]

Not meant aggressively, but I am pleased that you guys are clearly hitting the autoroutes at pace. At the same time, I need to mention that you are missing some seriously good driving roads that would be yours to enjoy for the want of a single stop over.
The only unavoidable section of autoroute when heading South is Calais - Reims (about 2.5 hours by autoroute, but double taking N & D roads).
Why am I pleased that you are taking the autoroutes? Because it leaves the rural roads to those who know. France is a big & beautiful country - some of the best places are found away from the well known destinations, and merit a detour.

As has been said countless times before, pre-purchase a Tag from Sanef - they enable you to sail through the autoroute tollbooths without having to hunt around for cash or cards. Particularly useful if you are driving solo - no need to stretch across or hop out of the car.

I'll be heading to the Jura at the end of this week - driving heaven (I've let the cat out of the bag...) and as usual Reims will be the end of A-route boredom, then will enjoy the remaining 250/300 miles.

[si_xsi]

Due to time constraints we are using the autoroutes down to Provence, but on the way back stopping at 3 seperate locations overnight using the more scenic / driving D and N roads back up to Dijon, then autoroutes therafter. If I were alone I would do the whole return journey to Calais on these types of roads. Unfortunately my Fiance tends to get arsey after just 2 hours in a car so it would mean taking another week to get home!

The Tag is only useful if driving solo, in peak season (Aug) or if you travel frequently on the autoroutes / France. For one off trips I would just use card or cash and cue for a couple of minutes tops.

[spartridge]

Appreciate the feedback Sortie...reason for the direct route is we were looking to try and incorporate Route Napoleon southwards, then back through some well known passes in the Alps on the way to a day in the Black Forest. As it happens, we were beginning to think the ratio of motorway to decent roads wasn't correct so questioning whether we do both. On this basis, any advice and tips on roads south of Reims towards Black Forest gratefully received on PM....and we are are tooled up with tags BTW


P.S. Thanks for comment on Tuscan Simon

[neil-f]

I do Suffolk to the French Alps south of Grenoble (745 miles) about 6 times a year, door to door usually around 12 hours using the Tunnel.

[spartridge]

Thanks Neil - useful. Will be starting from Hertfordshire so probably equidistant.

[neil-f]

That's keeping at a sane speed so as not to attract Gendarme, and using peage tag.