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Looking at a peak season week (early August) and flights are c.£350 each to take bikes via Ryan air.
So, might drive instead. If splitting between 2 or maybe 3 people looks to be worth it but will French motorways just be a car park at that time of year?
Any advice based on experience appreciated!
Never driven, but flying is pretty easy. Fly to Barcelona and there's a regular (hourly) bus service that goes to Vallnord. It's a two and a half to three hour drive though...
All the French go on Holiday in August, I don't think I want to be driving south TBH. You could get the ferry to Santander though?
Is this cost that much different? (flying to driving)
In my experience the French motorways are great. Never had any hold ups. I drove down to Spain last year on a route that avoided a lot of the toll roads and they were quiet too.
French motorways will be busy at weekends.
I've driven to the French Pyrenees. Easy drive over 24hrs from Cardiff. A couple of the toll motorways were slow in parts but we never stopped moving. We did it on a Friday night and Saturday all day in August and returned on an even easier drive on a Sunday all day and Monday morning.
I did it mid week in August and other than one delay due to accident the motorways were fine. I went via tunnel on way down but back via Caen-Portsmouth which was a bit less driving.
Going to Vallnord? Easy access via lift from centre of La Massana but I was glad I had my own car to get around in as it was steep in all directions out of the centre.
So, might drive instead. If splitting between 2 or maybe 3 people looks to be worth it but will French motorways just be a car park at that time of year?
I have done the drive at least twice at precisely the time of year you are talking about, and travel on the French motorways was flawless: very low traffic compared to UK motorways, and the baguettes are good even from services.
Cheers all.
In terms of price £350 per flight x 2 people = £700 (Ryanair Manchester - Girona)
x3 = over a grand!
So pretty sure driving would be cheaper, IF I can persuade a mate with an efficient diesel to drive rather than go in my thirsty petrol car.
French motorways not busy during the week, even in August. Nor are they busy in the middle of the night except in exceptional circumstances. If you give me your dates Mrs B (French) will check against a specialist website which has all the school holidays etc. If you go at the wrong time they can be a nightmare - e.g. 3yr queue at each peage and bumper to bumper traffic and mad driving. If you share the driving it's pretty painless, Andora is quite a way though vs normal French/Swiss Alps. We last did that drive in '84 😳
We drove last year. The bit round Paris was a nightmare on the way out (Friday evening). Otherwise it was fine. Having the car meant we could have a day trip from Vallnord to Soldeu. A week's lift pass at one gives you a free day at the other.
My sister lives not far from Andorra, we drive there a couple of times a year. Black Saturday or what ever it's called can be a nightmare but otherwise the drive is great.
You turn off the main route to the coast/Spain at vierzon and head towards Toulouse, the motorway from there is never busy, and has less tolls so is cheaper.
In terms of price, I think we usually budget about £500 return to drive down there. Tunnel crossing, fuel and tolls.
All great tips, thanks so much!
Should be getting to a decision this weekend - drive to Andorra with 3 people in August or fly to Alps in Sept with 2.
Will be back here again if it's Andorra.
done it in December it was fine. Spend any time on the M6 and French motorways never seem busy unless driving into Paris.
I've lived near Lyon in France for 15 years and agree with all those who say to avoid Saturdays and Sunday evenings. It's not just the French who move from one place to another at that time, but the Belgians, Dutch, Germans and occasional Brit too. During the week it's mostly fine. Avoid Lyon though. Take the autoroute that runs down through Clermont and over the Millau bridge, it's nicer than the A6 route. Driving up to Andorra is fun, but the roads obviously get more winding as you approach the hills. The only time I've been there it was to shoot a TV feature with Max Commencal that never got aired. That's my mountainbiking claim to fame over and done with.
Driven a fair few times on the French motorways, 1 time (maybe it was black Saturday?) we had LOTS of stationary traffic heading down the south west coast and also big bottlenecks around the pay stations back up north on the way back. Generally we have been fine tho.
just looked at it and I'd pay £350 not to drive there...
Barcelona looks like a good option for flights and you might manage to avoid ryan air
Have you looked at all flight? Vueling do Barcelona to Manchester or easyjet do Liverpool to Barcelona