Please remember that you will have started your journey quite some time before you arrive in France, and that the hour goes forward between the UK and France, so don't drive too far, feeling that you should get as many kilometres under your belt (so to speak) before stopping for the night.... after all there are lovely places to visit en route before you actually arrive at your eventual destination.

To help you plan your route, why not visit http://www.viamichelin.fr , which will give you some idea of times and distances. If you are looking for low budget but clean chain accommodation, you could look up Formule1 (NON-en suite rooms) or Etap hotels (with shower and wc in room) - both part of the Accor chain. Other chains such as Campanile, Ibis, (2*s), Mercure (3*s) and Novotel (4*s) are also close to major roads, and provide standardised rooms at reasonable prices for what they offer.

I am sure that many readers will be able to supplement my post with individual recommendations, but please take it slow and steady ... driving on the wrong side of the road, unknown towns and road signs, dodgy weather and traffic jams all contribute to a weary feeling you would perhaps not feel doing a similar distance at home.

Apart from that, enjoy your holiday ..... including the getting there and getting home.

Boulogne to Valance is about 8 hours if you go round the periferique in Paris.

Or alternativly just North of Lyon at a place called Limonest there is plenty of budget hotels. This would be 6.5 hours from Boulogne. We always use ETAP hotels, clean and cheap.

Perpignon would be about 5 or 6.5 hours from these respectivly on the A6/A7/A9.

Alternativly take the A16 again through Paris but this time come out or the periferique towards Bordeaux on the A10. Change onto the A71 for Clermont Ferrand. Plenty of hotels at CF. Then continue south on the free motorway A75 and cross the greatest bridge in the world at Millau (you might have seen it on Top Gear) There is a toll for this but money well spent for the thrill alone. The motorway drops you near Beziers then you can stay on the N9 or get onto the A9 toll to Perpignon. This route takes you though the Massif Centralle with stunning views along the way. I have done both routes.

Thank you both for getting back to me. We have (finally) decided to take the Eurostar from London to Paris.

The Michelin website is brilliant, thanks ver much for that.

We were thinking of stopping off at CF, and you have just helped us make our minds up. We'll stop in one of the hotels there for the night and then take the scenic route South to Perpignan.

Very excited now ... we leave here tomorrow night.