Well it's two years since we travelled through France but I am keeping updated on traffic Roadworks etc

for me there are two major routes
A26 via Reims running at 5 hours 20 today but at max speeds takes just 5 hours
this has three sets of roadworks

A1 +A6 round the Outer outer Paris roads
this has 6 sets of road work this is a couple of miles further but is running at 5 hours 34 today (should be 5 hr 17 min) even with the road works

there is a third route according to Google Maps but that uses the Peripherique and they don't like caravans there (takes 6 hours(5hours 17 without traffic probs) yet is the shortest route)

Personally if we travel the Eastern Route through France we do go via Reims opting to steer well clear of Paris

Thanks for that. I always prefer to do the eastern route rather than go anywhere near Paris. To be honest me and Mrs H are not troubled by traffic in the main but this time we are taking Mrs H's parents with us.

I usually don't race along the autoroutes preferring to get maximum fuel economy but this time I plan to have the pedal to the metal (within the limits obviously) to try and reduce the time as much as possible.

WE do tend to use the autoroutes as we always have the tin tent on the hook so for us using the Autoroutes is more fuel efficient as we have less gear changes and need to accelerate away from roundabouts

I know some people absolutely abhor the Autoroutes
but we did as you are doing but from Calais to Mont Saint Michel
by the Route Nationale the timing was 8 hours 45 minutes
by Autoroute 4 hours
so for us it was a no brainer

For most of our journeys in France we always plan to go leasurly and often deliberatly avoid the toll roads and have had some lovely experiences. However on this one occassion there is really no alternative to the autoroute. Even when on the autoroutes I generally drive at my car's most economic speed (higher) which I have found to be between 65 and 70 mph. (I know that 40 would be more economic but you have to be practical)! With my current car I can also get significantly better mpg on motorways by 'driving' it whereas my previous car always gave better mpg on motorways by using cruise control!

What I really would appreciate is some info on what the French Holiday situation is like that weekend. Hopefully we have avoided the 'Black saturdays'.

Of course the journey down to Folkstone on the Friday could be the worse part as it is a bank holiday weekend. That is why we have chosen to have a night in Ashford rather than drive down to the chunnel on the saturday!

Hi De Hi wrote:

What I really would appreciate is some info on what the French Holiday situation is like that weekend. Hopefully we have avoided the 'Black saturdays'.

Of course the journey down to Folkstone on the Friday could be the worse part as it is a bank holiday weekend. That is why we have chosen to have a night in Ashford rather than drive down to the chunnel on the saturday!

We tend not to travel on Black Saturday if we can help it

Although we did accidentally travel on the return to work but fortunately we were travelling South and watched in amazement at 30+Km of standing traffic Paris bound on the A6 South of Chalon Sur Saone
Wish I could help you more with your travel plans Hi De Hi

Not to worry. I have already done 2700 miles in Europe so far this year and I am sure we can cope with whatever their roads throw at us. Just 2 more sleeps!

JEALOUS

Not over until May when we plan to go to Twin Lakes and then September when we go to Spain

Roads turned out to be a breeze. One little hold up due to an accident on the A26 but the French police and motorway engineers are extremely efficient.

The worst traffic was our experience on the M25 both going down and coming back!

Glad to hear all went well with your trip Hi De Hi

Hi De Hi wrote:

Roads turned out to be a breeze. One little hold up due to an accident on the A26 but the French police and motorway engineers are extremely efficient.

The worst traffic was our experience on the M25 both going down and coming back!

Got to agree the M25 is the worse road to be on
Unforunately we were on it Monday Folkestone to Poole (4 hours as opposed to 7 on normal roads) the traffic was very strange heavy then instantly fast then stood again and the traffic management just didn't help

Wish WE were in France

We just thanked our foresight in travelling down on the Friday and staying in the Holiday inn in Ashford overnight. If we had been sitting there on saturday sweating on the tunnel it would have been horrendous. And as a bonus the Holiday inn gave us free upgrades to executive rooms!

Lensman 2002 wrote:

Hi De Hi wrote:

Roads turned out to be a breeze. One little hold up due to an accident on the A26 but the French police and motorway engineers are extremely efficient.

The worst traffic was our experience on the M25 both going down and coming back!

Got to agree the M25 is the worse road to be on
Unforunately we were on it Monday Folkestone to Poole (4 hours as opposed to 7 on normal roads) the traffic was very strange heavy then instantly fast then stood again and the traffic management just didn't help

Wish WE were in France

Having made 4 journey on the M25 in August I have come to the following conclusion regarding trafic management.

60mph above the lanes means 'You are about to hit the back of a queue'

40 mph above the lanes means 'You are now sitting in a queue'!

Hi De Hi wrote:

Lensman 2002 wrote:

Having made 4 journey on the M25 in August I have come to the following conclusion regarding trafic management.

60mph above the lanes means 'You are about to hit the back of a queue'

40 mph above the lanes means 'You are now sitting in a queue'!

Hmmm and for the M3 it means 60mph you are in a queue and 40mph you have been sat still 15 minutes

Looking at alternate routes home