Driving in France & things to do in Central France

I tend to use viamichelin for route planning in France. Think you've covered the basics of what you need equipment wise. Sounds like it's your first time driving overseas? I found it much easier than I thought I would if that's any reassurance.

Out of preference I avoid the motorways partly because of the charges, partly because of the scenery and wee towns you miss otherwise and partly because I drive an unreliable 20 year old campervan that only does 50mph ?

Lunch stops - we have never planned these - if you're on smaller roads you will drive through towns with boulangeries and we tend to embrace the culture and live off lunches of fresh bread, cheese and wine. (Though everything shuts for 2 hours at least between about midday and 2)

Thanks RA! I hadn't thought about using smaller roads to take advantage of scenery etc. sounds like a lovely idea - will try viamichelin x

We hired a car out there last year but used it to get to and from the town centre in the evenings, 5 minute drive each way, we had intended to drive to San Sebastian but never did, so H has driven on French roads, just roads with no other cars ?

You sound like you have what you need. I know they are particularly strict with their speed limits (just over 80mph in good weather, it goes down for wet.

We have done the journey you mention but we stuck to the motorway. We went via Rouen-Le Mans-Tours-Poitiers (and then we carry on for another 90 mins) Its a very good route, and the bit from Rouen to Tours was ridiculously quiet when we went. I think we overtook about 20 cars in about 150kms! It isn't free though.

Remember to have some money on you for paying the toll, or use your Credit card if you prefer. The passenger will need to give the money.

Service stations - If you want a bit more "luxury" (I use this term loosely) use the services with a knife and fork symbol. If you prefer a picnic lunch, stop anywhere. The toilets might be basic, or possibly non-existent. The resto food will usually be pretty good, even if the cafeteria looks rubbish. Looks are deceptive.

Motorway driving in France is a pleasure out of town.

I agree with R-A though, if you are N roads, you cannot fail to find a nice bakers, butchers and greengrocers to get a nice french lunch. Cheaper and probably nicer than service station stuff!

I always use googlemaps for route planning, and it hasn't failed us yet. ?

What R-A said re smaller roads, but if you decide to take the motorway (autoroute) the service stations (aires de service - will be signposted "aire de something") are much nicer, and much more frequent, than they are in the UK. There are primarily two different sorts - those with restaurants/petrol and those without. The ones with restaurants have better loos, with loo seats, but you don't have to eat there to use them, obv. The ones without will either have seatless loos (which I hate) or holes in the ground (which I hate even more). If they only have holes in the ground they will usually have a disabled loo that is a sit down one, but probably without a seat.

The signs for the ones with restaurants will have a crossed knife and fork, the ones without will have a picnic bench sign.

The ones without restaurants often have fairly nice and peaceful picnic areas, set well back from the road, often in quite nice wooded/shady areas.

When we are travelling through france from the Uk we usually take a picnic lunch with us, for the first day at least. If we have a longer journey we would buy bread/cheese/meats etc on the way.

Eurgh! Will make sure we stick to those with restaurants! That said [TMI] I don't actually wee very often, I could probably go 6 hours without needing a loo [/TMI] ?

Part of me was thinking of stopping off in Paris but I suspect that will be stress than it's worth?

Google maps reckons about 5h46mins on autoroutes, or 10+ hours if you avoid them.

Bloody hell - thanks FtG, think we'll be taking the autoroutes in that case ?

Just need to sort out holiday & car insurance now, think everything else is sorted, I'm so disorganised.

For the drive through france i keep a "loo bag" in the car, v easily accessible. Kind of like a beach bag, but for loo trips, not beach trips ?. I keep a loo roll, any period/sanitary items, some wet wipes of some description and some hand gel stuff in it. I developed this after driving down to the south of france with a dodgy tummy, and the worst (heaviest) period I have ever had in my life. I think on that trip we stopped at every single aire going, and i leapt out of the car almost before it had stopped, loo bag in hand, pegging it to the loo to sort my self out. I don't advise that, but the loo bag is still handy on long trips. ?

Avoid Paris. Avoid Paris. Avoid Paris.

The traffic will be horrendous.

Apparently the picnic aires are very basic as a man with a van comes round with a hose every few hours, hoses it down and then moves on the next one. ? My mum worked that out a few years ago, after 20 years of holidaying in france!

The toilets have got better recently. They are nowhere near as bad as they used to be.

Am loving the "loo bag" - will add that to my list! I'm beginning to think this drive could be quite fun, H will not be amused if I send him off to some grotty hole in the floor toilet - he was bad enough at Dubai airport and they weren't that bad ?

Vicbic I think we'll be avoiding Paris in that case - you seem pretty insistent!

Sorry! ? Its a mistake my parents have made several times. Its just because on the map it looks direct but once you hit central Paris it is sooooo busy (and downright scary) ? I think my parents did it with a full car and the trailer tent and ended up on a jammed Pereferique (sp) ?

I am so jealous of you going to France. i hve to wait until August.

Oh it will be fun - you'll have a great time. I quite enjoy doing long drives like that.

We are off to the ardeche in 2 weeks, and I can't wait. It won't be a very long drive for us though, as we are half way there already ?

I believe you are also supposed to carry a first aid kit, spare set of light bulbs and some way of putting out a fire - though I'm willing to be put straight on any or all of those!

I've always wanted to go to Futurescope which is just outside Poitiers, a kind of futuristic theme park, though we always go further south and pass it on the autoroute, so I've not been (yet!).

I went to Futuroscope in Poitiers about 15 years ago and it was fantastic, I'd love to go back actually! ?

Definitely avoid Paris, there's a new motorway now (can't remember the number sorry) which is brilliant, if expensive toll wise, and really quiet and really cuts the time taken now.

I would stick to the autoroutes, aside from being much faster other advantage is that if you are travelling on a Sunday you can actually stop and get food and petrol as most places in France are shut on Sundays. ILs used to always take the N10 and we tried it the first time we went and it was bloody dire it takes forever as you pass through every wee town which is all very lovely but when you've driven 500 miles through the UK and have the same to go in France you just want to get there (well we do anyway).

Most of the proper service stations should have proper loos but as FTG says often without seats. The smaller picnic "aires" often have just the hole in the ground ones which I will not use but if there is a disabled toilet it should be a proper one as FTG also says.

I find driving on the motorways fine, the French are very impatient drivers though, they overtake on motorway slip roads and all sorts. In fact the motorway slip roads you have to be careful as the traffic comes on and off the same road IYSWIM as opposed to here where the on and off slips are completely separate.

As for Poitiers, I've not been to Futuroscope but some of the ILs have been and have said it's really good. We'll really need to stop off and take the boys sometime.

Have fun!