Driving through France (route nepolean)

I am traveling through France at the end of May (for our holiday) with
my family (wife, 4 yr old and baby, grannie and grandad) from Calais
all the way down to Cannes. Because its going to be tough on the
children, we have decided to break the journey up to try an make it
bearable. We are staying overnight prior to departure from Dover and
driving to Lyon the next day for another overnight stop. My first
question to anyone who can help is how busy is the main motorway from
calais to lyon at this time of year (especially around Paris) and is
this possible to achieve this distance in say 9hrs. The route planner
indicates 8hrs travelling at approx 60mph average. Am I right in
thinking that the roads should be relively clear as they are toll
roads ? or is this naive.

The next day I would love to drive from Lyon down through Grenoble to
Sisteron and along the route Napoleon to the coast. How long will this
take me ? How much extra time is it to go this route than it would
around the alps along the Rhone Valley autoroute ? If its only an
extra couple of hours then it would be worth attempting, anything more
and its not worth it. Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ? Would anyone not
recommend this route ?

Anyone who can offer me advise I would very much appreciate it

On 4 Apr 2005 06:09:08 -0700, John Stephenson wrote:
...The next day I would love to drive from Lyon down through Grenoble to
Sisteron and along the route Napoleon to the coast. How long will this
take me ? How much extra time is it to go this route than it would
around the alps along the Rhone Valley autoroute ? If its only an
extra couple of hours then it would be worth attempting, anything more
and its not worth it. Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ? Would anyone not
recommend this route ?

Anyone who can offer me advise I would very much appreciate it

No, it's pretty much well made roads all the way. There are some twistier
sections but nothing that a people carrier shouldn't be able to handle.
It's a major tourist route so it can be busy, with a fair amount of heavy
goods traffic, but that means the road is generally wide, well maintained
and not too steep.

Grenoble to Cannes: The Austrian motorclub route planner reckons:

Motorway: - 4hrs (+Eur35 tolls, 435km),
Route Napoleon:- 5hrs 55mins (+0 tolls, 322km) which seems about right.

This *includes* getting out of Grenoble city centre, so calculate about
20-30 mins less if you keep outside the town. (and I would if I were you,
they were rebuilding the huge multi-lane through-road last summer and there
were roadworks and detours everywhere - I'd be surprised if it's finished
already).

--
Tim C.

Following up to John Stephenson

Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ?

I did the route Napoleon in an old van with four people dossing
on a mattress in the back, (when they were not playing van
football). don't remember it being too tough but certainly more
scenic than the motorway, this was many years ago though.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to John Stephenson

Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ?

I did the route Napoleon in an old van with four people dossing
on a mattress in the back, (when they were not playing van
football). don't remember it being too tough but certainly more
scenic than the motorway, this was many years ago though.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

"John Stephenson" wrote in message
...
I am traveling through France at the end of May (for our holiday) with
my family (wife, 4 yr old and baby, grannie and grandad) from Calais
all the way down to Cannes. Because its going to be tough on the
children, we have decided to break the journey up to try an make it
bearable. We are staying overnight prior to departure from Dover and
driving to Lyon the next day for another overnight stop. My first
question to anyone who can help is how busy is the main motorway from
calais to lyon at this time of year (especially around Paris) and is
this possible to achieve this distance in say 9hrs.

Why are you going anywhere near Paris on the way to Lyon? In July a couple
of years ago, the A26 to Troyes was very lightly used. From there, the A5
and A31 will take you down to the A6.

The route planner
indicates 8hrs travelling at approx 60mph average. Am I right in
thinking that the roads should be relively clear as they are toll
roads ? or is this naive.

The toll sections are usually OK, unless you are travelling on a French
holiday date. However, the sections around major towns are usually free and
can get very busy. Look out for 'bouchon' on the matrix signs, which means
traffic jam. I find the route planners rather optomistic, assuming you want
to avoid a very heavy on the spot fine for speeding. With accidents, a lorry
fire, bouchons and road works, I managed to average about 80kph from Calais
to Lyon, over a couple of days (I stopped in Reims) with fairly light
traffic along most of the toll sections. Coming back, I spent over an hour
crossing the Rhone at Lyon, because of an accident.

The next day I would love to drive from Lyon down through Grenoble to
Sisteron and along the route Napoleon to the coast. How long will this
take me ? How much extra time is it to go this route than it would
around the alps along the Rhone Valley autoroute ? If its only an
extra couple of hours then it would be worth attempting, anything more
and its not worth it. Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ? Would anyone not
recommend this route ?

I don't know the route, as I was on my way to Beziers. However, ordinary
French roads are often single carriageway, with limited scope for
overtaking, so you can travel quite long distances at the speed of the
slowest vehicle. If you can manage to average 60kph you are probably doing
quite well.

Colin Bignell

"John Stephenson" wrote in message
...
I am traveling through France at the end of May (for our holiday) with
my family (wife, 4 yr old and baby, grannie and grandad) from Calais
all the way down to Cannes. Because its going to be tough on the
children, we have decided to break the journey up to try an make it
bearable. We are staying overnight prior to departure from Dover and
driving to Lyon the next day for another overnight stop. My first
question to anyone who can help is how busy is the main motorway from
calais to lyon at this time of year (especially around Paris) and is
this possible to achieve this distance in say 9hrs.

Why are you going anywhere near Paris on the way to Lyon? In July a couple
of years ago, the A26 to Troyes was very lightly used. From there, the A5
and A31 will take you down to the A6.

The route planner
indicates 8hrs travelling at approx 60mph average. Am I right in
thinking that the roads should be relively clear as they are toll
roads ? or is this naive.

The toll sections are usually OK, unless you are travelling on a French
holiday date. However, the sections around major towns are usually free and
can get very busy. Look out for 'bouchon' on the matrix signs, which means
traffic jam. I find the route planners rather optomistic, assuming you want
to avoid a very heavy on the spot fine for speeding. With accidents, a lorry
fire, bouchons and road works, I managed to average about 80kph from Calais
to Lyon, over a couple of days (I stopped in Reims) with fairly light
traffic along most of the toll sections. Coming back, I spent over an hour
crossing the Rhone at Lyon, because of an accident.

The next day I would love to drive from Lyon down through Grenoble to
Sisteron and along the route Napoleon to the coast. How long will this
take me ? How much extra time is it to go this route than it would
around the alps along the Rhone Valley autoroute ? If its only an
extra couple of hours then it would be worth attempting, anything more
and its not worth it. Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ? Would anyone not
recommend this route ?

I don't know the route, as I was on my way to Beziers. However, ordinary
French roads are often single carriageway, with limited scope for
overtaking, so you can travel quite long distances at the speed of the
slowest vehicle. If you can manage to average 60kph you are probably doing
quite well.

Colin Bignell

go to www.viamichelin.com ... they have traffic information about France and
route planning guides.

"John Stephenson" wrote in message
...
I am traveling through France at the end of May (for our holiday) with
my family (wife, 4 yr old and baby, grannie and grandad) from Calais
all the way down to Cannes. Because its going to be tough on the
children, we have decided to break the journey up to try an make it
bearable. We are staying overnight prior to departure from Dover and
driving to Lyon the next day for another overnight stop. My first
question to anyone who can help is how busy is the main motorway from
calais to lyon at this time of year (especially around Paris) and is
this possible to achieve this distance in say 9hrs. The route planner
indicates 8hrs travelling at approx 60mph average. Am I right in
thinking that the roads should be relively clear as they are toll
roads ? or is this naive.

The next day I would love to drive from Lyon down through Grenoble to
Sisteron and along the route Napoleon to the coast. How long will this
take me ? How much extra time is it to go this route than it would
around the alps along the Rhone Valley autoroute ? If its only an
extra couple of hours then it would be worth attempting, anything more
and its not worth it. Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ? Would anyone not
recommend this route ?

Anyone who can offer me advise I would very much appreciate it

go to www.viamichelin.com ... they have traffic information about France and
route planning guides.

"John Stephenson" wrote in message
...
I am traveling through France at the end of May (for our holiday) with
my family (wife, 4 yr old and baby, grannie and grandad) from Calais
all the way down to Cannes. Because its going to be tough on the
children, we have decided to break the journey up to try an make it
bearable. We are staying overnight prior to departure from Dover and
driving to Lyon the next day for another overnight stop. My first
question to anyone who can help is how busy is the main motorway from
calais to lyon at this time of year (especially around Paris) and is
this possible to achieve this distance in say 9hrs. The route planner
indicates 8hrs travelling at approx 60mph average. Am I right in
thinking that the roads should be relively clear as they are toll
roads ? or is this naive.

The next day I would love to drive from Lyon down through Grenoble to
Sisteron and along the route Napoleon to the coast. How long will this
take me ? How much extra time is it to go this route than it would
around the alps along the Rhone Valley autoroute ? If its only an
extra couple of hours then it would be worth attempting, anything more
and its not worth it. Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ? Would anyone not
recommend this route ?

Anyone who can offer me advise I would very much appreciate it

go to www.viamichelin.com ... they have traffic information about France and
route planning guides.

"John Stephenson" wrote in message
...
I am traveling through France at the end of May (for our holiday) with
my family (wife, 4 yr old and baby, grannie and grandad) from Calais
all the way down to Cannes. Because its going to be tough on the
children, we have decided to break the journey up to try an make it
bearable. We are staying overnight prior to departure from Dover and
driving to Lyon the next day for another overnight stop. My first
question to anyone who can help is how busy is the main motorway from
calais to lyon at this time of year (especially around Paris) and is
this possible to achieve this distance in say 9hrs. The route planner
indicates 8hrs travelling at approx 60mph average. Am I right in
thinking that the roads should be relively clear as they are toll
roads ? or is this naive.

The next day I would love to drive from Lyon down through Grenoble to
Sisteron and along the route Napoleon to the coast. How long will this
take me ? How much extra time is it to go this route than it would
around the alps along the Rhone Valley autoroute ? If its only an
extra couple of hours then it would be worth attempting, anything more
and its not worth it. Does this route get busy ? is it very hilly as
my heavily laden people carrier might struggle ? Would anyone not
recommend this route ?

Anyone who can offer me advise I would very much appreciate it