Driving to Tarn

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Fri 17 Nov 2006 09:54
Driving to Tarn - johnny
I fancy a family camping holiday in Tarn next summer. Ideally we would be arriving in Normandy on a Saturday evening, overnighting around Alencon then aiming for Millau the next day. Bearing in mind that this would be the 22nd / 23rd of July -is this likely to be a drive from Hell?

OK - I just want to go over the big viaduct really!
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Fri 17 Nov 2006 10:06
Driving to Tarn - Stuartli
>OK - I just want to go over the big viaduct really!>>

How I envy you...:-)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Fri 17 Nov 2006 10:30
Driving to Tarn - Armitage Shanks {p}
I think you may find the journey back will be the journey from Hell. The French lemmings hit the road in the first week of August SFAIK. Enjoy the bridge. I saw it from 38,000 ft 3 years ago flying down to Perpignan - the towers were easily visible, even from that height. Designed by an Englishman too!
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Fri 17 Nov 2006 18:50
Driving to Tarn - PhilW
22nd / 23rd of July -is this likely to be a drive from Hell?

Isn't that a Sunday/Monday. If so I don't think it will be that bad. No trucks allowed on the roads on Sunday (except those carrying perishables) so that helps. In many years of driving in France in Summer, often at peak times we have rarely encountered any significant holdups (road works near Bordeaux and break in motorway near Cahors, since motorwayised were the worst which cost about an hour in each case).
Whatever holdups there are in France will pale into insignificance compared to any British motorway on a Friday afternoon or the M25/M6/M1 at any time on any day.
What is your exact route - Millau seems an odd way and may be better as a "day trip"?Some incredible images of the bridge if you google millau viaduct .
If you plan your route correctly from Normandy you could go over some other cracking (!) bridges at Pont de Normandy, Nantes, Rochefort and Bordeaux with a couple of side trips to Ile de Re and Ile de Noirmoutier! We Have the Queen Eliz bridge at Dartford - the Froggies seem to enjoy slinging up at huge bridge at the slightest excuse!!
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Phil
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Fri 17 Nov 2006 18:56
Driving to Tarn - PhilW
P.S. If you need a good, cheap campsite for an overnighter near Alencon try the municipal site at Sees. Supermarket just over the road for those essential supplies and last couple of times the site has offered a "free Normandy cider tasting hour" from 7pm. Quiet site, good clean, free hot showers, big hedged pitches etc - all for about £7-£8 a night.
See
www.campingfrance.com/fiche.jsp?fiche=3668947&lg=u...3
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Phil
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Fri 17 Nov 2006 20:15
Driving to Tarn - Bromptonaut
This summer we crossed the channel on Sunday 23 July to Calais, staying at the BB hotel near Sangatte. Struck south at 07:00 on Monday for Clermont Ferrand's BB, knocking off the last few miles to Millau (for the excelent Camping val de Cantobre at Nant) on Tuesday. Worked a treat as have similar long hops to Chambery/Grenoble in earlier years. No traffic issues worth mentioning, though it was a bit slow round Rouen around 9am before picking up the N154 to Chartres/Orleans.

If you're heading for a Canvas holidays type operation you'll be fine, but might be cutting it fine to erect your own tent at a strange site.

As AS says the weekend to avoid is the one nearest 1 August when Paris evacuates to the south.
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Fri 17 Nov 2006 20:41
Driving to Tarn - johnny
Thanks for the replies - I'd love to catch the Millau Viaduct looming out of valley fog.

Coming from Southampton, I intend to cross Portsmouth to Caen, drive for about three hours to a BB Hotel or similar, then carry on through Le Mans Tours Bourges Clermont Ferrand. My concern was the A75 from Clermont which appears to be toll free and likely to be busy heading to the sun. Coming back via Le Havre, so I could do the big bridge there as well.

Also has anyone used the Condor "Commodore Clipper" Sunday service to Cherbourg ? It's only about £75 one way but looks a bit like a trawler and might be somewhat vomit inducing. Also it looks like one of the Truckine ferries that used to operate from Poole - are they by any chance related?
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Sat 18 Nov 2006 12:17
Driving to Tarn - PhilW
johnny hamster ;-)

"A75 from Clermont which appears to be toll free and likely to be busy heading to the sun"

Should be few probs on a Monday I would have thought. Enjoy your trip.
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Phil
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Sat 18 Nov 2006 17:14
Driving to Tarn - mike hannon
A75 - which is toll-free except for crossing the viaduct - shouldn't be a problem, even at the busiest times. The viaduct toll is the best value I've ever paid!
IIRC Truckline was swallowed up by Brittany Ferries. Also, IIRC, Commodore Clipper was bought to provide an up-to-date conventional RO-RO service for the Channel Islands and to act as back-up for the high speed Condors in place of the old, clapped-out Havelet. The Havelet was finally sold on (presumably to an unsuspecting new owner) after being pressed into service in bad weather and taking around 18 hours to get from Weymouth to Guernsey.
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Sun 19 Nov 2006 12:02
Driving to Tarn - Bromptonaut
Agree with Mike, the A75 is a pretty easy drive. It does however have gradients and, particularly in the section immediately south of Clermont bends way beyond those you would find on a UK motorway. These sections have a 110kph speed limit enforced by frequent cameras and radar controls.

Along the way you pass and earlier example of the viaduct builders art where the Viaduc de Garabit takes a rail line over the Truyere gorge. Only a few minutes off the motorway and well worth a visit.
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Sun 19 Nov 2006 20:54
Driving to Tarn - johnny
Phil W - fellow camper I take it...
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Sun 19 Nov 2006 21:39
Driving to Tarn - WelshWizzard
Just before the Bridge tolls are services with a viewpoint and an information place with all sorts of video displays etc - well worth a visit. I called last summer and it was good. The gradients after the bridge are preety steep as well - you seem to descend a lot of height in a very short distance - lots of switchbacks and tunnels. As a change we came back up through Toulouse and the A20 - also toll free. As we went through Toulouse ring road an A380 passed over - and that's one BIG plane!
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Sun 19 Nov 2006 22:56
Driving to Tarn - PhilW
"fellow camper "

Was camper for many years - but tents in the pouring rain?? I'm getting a bit ancient for that so now caravanner (and also like driving in France like you)

We must use the same message boards!!

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Phil
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