I'm driving down on the 2nd of September to Tarragona. I drove down last April to the south of Lleida, and will follow much of the same route through France. I'll be avoiding the tolls, and be on motorway/dual carriageway as much as possible.

Dunkirk - St Omer - Abbeville - Rouen - N154 / N20 to Orleans - N20 to pick the A20 at Vierzon.
Leave A20 at the end of the free section, stop at the supermarket at Cahors (on the N20) for refreshment, N20 to Toulouse then Foix. Cross the Pyrennes (through the toll tunnel) and head for Manresa. Where it gets a bit tricky, but will use the C37 and C15 to get to the N340.

No real pitfalls, except road numbers just seem to disappear then reappear at will! Plan your route well and all should be well.

It took me 8 hours from Calais to Vierzon in April ( 6.30pm - 2.20 am ), but not doing much more than 55mph. So base an overnight stay on that.

Thanks timbo route now selected with tolls but liable to changes as one does. Im going on the 21st sept via Paris to Moulins for overnight stop and continue next day over the Millau Viaduct to head south. Returning Friday via Andorra Toulouse Bordeaux and Niort for overnight. Fitting in D-Day beaches and Pont de Normandie on the last leg home. Hope ur trip went well. if you can find it you can see my route here on eurotreks.co.uk if this posting allows you too.

Thanks, it went pretty well. Except it turned out that there are 2 toll tunnels in the Pyrennes on my route. The first was shut, the second was just over E10. I don't recommend driving over the mountains at night, the rain was falling and low mist rising, combined with hairpin bends it's heavy going. Once I start driving I don't like to stop, so did the entire route from Dunkirk in one go - from 5.30am to midnight. Not a good idea as I ached all over.

Hey Timbo........... My trip went well got the 22.00 ferry back to uk Sat 27th after leaving Salou Fri 26th with an overnight stop. Came back via Andorra but over the pass not the tunnel, that was quiet an experience on its own and it takes about 60 miles to work back down onto flat land again.
The stop at the D-Day beaches and Pegasus bridge was worth it for me. Shame about the tolls but it was my decision, by the way the 2 day downward trip was just as good and eventless except for Paris where i got entagled in Madonna concert traffic. Cant wait to plan another tip now for next year as my cheap old Renault Laguna went like a bird.

PS have you taken the excusion to Montserrat ..... WoW

Hi Eurotreker, I came back at the end of Sept, I came back via A75 & Paris - very heavy traffic on the eastern Paris motorways at around 10am, like the M25. Somehow managed to drive into Charles de Gaulle airport - which makes Heathrow look small, and is full of lost drivers!
Went into Belguim to see the WWI war grave at Tyne Cot , well worth the detour.