France, Spain and Portugal (1 Viewer)

[Peter Boston]

We are travelling for the first time to France, Spain and onto Portugal. Is it best to go on toll roads and how much is it? do you save on fuel or do none toll. Any suggestions on a route would be great, we leave beginning of September.

 

[jumartoo]

We are travelling for the first time to France, Spain and onto Portugal. Is it best to go on toll roads and how much is it? do you save on fuel or do none toll. Any suggestions on a route would be great, we leave beginning of September.

How long are you travelling for and what do you want to see or do?

All three countries have lovely places to visit. Take your time and do some exploring.

More info can be given when we know your requirements.

 

[DBK]

Non-toll routes through France have been published on here and with a search you should be able to find them. I think most include a few short stretches of toll where it makes sense.

I must confess I use toll roads often in France, especially where the alternative is winding through numerous villages with 30kph speed limits. Of course, if we are not in a hurry we will take the scenic routes and enjoy visiting the villages. Toll costs are quite high in France but the toll roads are generally superb.

Costs in Spain are not so much and we don't generally take cost into the calculation when deciding a route.

Tolls in Portugal are a bit different in that you register the vehicle on entering the country on a main route and are then charged automatically as you drive as cameras read your registration number. As you cross the border look for signs directing foreign vehicles to the place you register. The process is automatic but drive up to the barrier - we stopped too short and wondered why nothing happened! I would use tolls in Portugal.

You can get tags for France and Spain which make using the toll booths painless but for a first visit you might not want to bother if you are not sure if you are going to use toll roads.

 

[Mike123]

Plus toll tags work in Portugal as well.

 

[LesW]

Plus toll tags work in Portugal as well.

What if you don't use toll roads?

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[TONCAZ]

When we first got our Motorhome I found this link to be very good, still use this route or parts of it now, toll free apart from last part, very nice run IMO

The long road south - a motorhome route through France to Spain

A how to guide to traveling through France in your motorhome to Spain for the Winter

www.outandaboutlive.co.uk

 

[Deep Owl]

Once we had entered Spain this June at Irun (€11), we were on FREE dual carriageway all the way to Cadiz, via Burgos, Salamanca, Toledo, Cordoba and Seville. And then all the way to the French border along the Med coast.

As DBK said, toll roads in France can be preferable to the interminable roundabouts, speed bumps and 30/50km limits going through villages. But costs can mount up; it depends how much time you have and if you want to make detours.

 

[GerTee]

Non-toll routes through France have been published on here and with a search you should be able to find them. I think most include a few short stretches of toll where it makes sense.

I must confess I use toll roads often in France, especially where the alternative is winding through numerous villages with 30kph speed limits. Of course, if we are not in a hurry we will take the scenic routes and enjoy visiting the villages. Toll costs are quite high in France but the toll roads are generally superb.

Costs in Spain are not so much and we don't generally take cost into the calculation when deciding a route.

Tolls in Portugal are a bit different in that you register the vehicle on entering the country on a main route and are then charged automatically as you drive as cameras read your registration number. As you cross the border look for signs directing foreign vehicles to the place you register. The process is automatic but drive up to the barrier - we stopped too short and wondered why nothing happened! I would use tolls in Portugal.

You can get tags for France and Spain which make using the toll booths painless but for a first visit you might not want to bother if you are not sure if you are going to use toll roads.

You can register online for the Portuguese tolls now. Saves the faff at the border (where the cameras misread our registration number).

 

[LesW]

ANYONE!
What if you don't use toll roads?

 

[MichaelT]

ANYONE!
What if you don't use toll roads?

What do you mean?

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[Simon Meadwell]

You wont need a tag normal roads are free.

 

[TONCAZ]

All depends how much time you have, personally only use them if none toll takes you well out of your way, as a rule no tolls for me as we have all the time in the world(Q for a song there)

 

[DBK]

ANYONE!
What if you don't use toll roads?

I didn't reply because I don't understand your point. Everyone is free to choose their own route and if folk don't want to pay tolls then that's fine with me.

 

[LesW]

I didn't reply because I don't understand your point. Everyone is free to choose their own route and if folk don't want to pay tolls then that's fine with me.

It was people using the word 'essential' for a tag that threw me.

I see someone else has also replied, I've never used a toll road in 15000+ miles touring Europe.

Thanks.

 

[DandJ]

ANYONE!
What if you don't use toll roads?

You won't be paying tolls......

To Peter, the original poster....have a look on the Viamichelin website. You can do a simulated route down thru France and it will tell you the toll costs. If time is an issue, we have used toll roads...they cost more for the actual journey but the route we used to do 4 otr 5 times a year would have meant an overnight stop somewhere, had we avoided the tolls....so both an extra day each way travelling and accomodation to fund (prior to us owning a motorhome)...

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[DBK]

It was people using the word 'essential' for a tag that threw me.

I see someone else has also replied, I've never used a toll road in 15000+ miles touring Europe.

Thanks.

I wouldn't say a tag is essential for using toll roads although it does make using them easier, especially for solo drivers. On some toll roads there are special lanes you can use with a tag where you don't even have to stop but can trundle through at 30kph.

And not of course remotely essential for those who don't use toll roads.

 

[IRHP]

ANYONE!
What if you don't use toll roads?

Then you don't need to register but if you find yourself on a toll road and don't pay, the fine is 10 times the cost of the non paid toll.

 

[Orion]

Via Michelin for route planning and comparison of toll v non toll routes - you decide which works for you.

Fulli tag for toll roads in France, Spain, Portugal & Italy (if you use them!).

 

[Richard n Ann]

Just come through France toll free, my van uses less diesel (it guzzles it on the motorway) and time wise it will probably take an extra day.
Best to hop on the toll road at the French /Spanish border at Le Boulou. it's only €1.50 and much better than going round the mountains and through that border town

 

[rosalan]

If in a hurry to visit Spain and Portugal, take the ferry to Santander which is expensive but relaxing.
Trying to hurry across France on normal roads like N10 can be less than fun. Toll road charges add up and are not cheap.

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[Peter Boston]

How long are you travelling for and what do you want to see or do?

All three countries have lovely places to visit. Take your time and do some exploring.

More info can be given when we know your requirements.

Hi, we are going for Three months in total. Our daughter lives in Portugal. Would also like to visit Austria or Switzerland on the way back.
Have been told that it could cost around £300 in toll roads just one way.
We don’t won’t to go into large cities.
Many thanks

 

[Brains]

I'd get a Fulli Tag in any case for peace of mind.

The set up cost is minimal (£10 from memory) and you stick it to your windscreen.

If you do end up on a toll road, which is very easy, as that is the way the signpost and sat nav will direct you, then the Fulli tag goes 'beep' and your account is deducted a few cents or a few Euros for every exit you pass or every km you drive.

In Portugal, if the road has toll barrier, stop at it and the tag goes 'beep' and the barrier opens.
Do not use the fast 'V' lanes.

We also found in Portugal we were directed onto roads with no toll signs (that we saw) and no toll barriers.
Just the tag went 'beep' at every exit and charged you a few cents each time.
Had we done the route without a Fulli Tag we would have ended up with a very large fine!

If you browse though this forum you will find several Toll Free routes through France to Spain, but there are several places where you can save a lot of time by using the toll route for a few miles.
(The Millau Viaduct being a classic example and at €18 to cross, they know it's the cheaper option!).

 

[cyberyacht]

Just come through France toll free, my van uses less diesel (it guzzles it on the motorway) and time wise it will probably take an extra day.
Best to hop on the toll road at the French /Spanish border at Le Boulou. it's only €1.50 and much better than going round the mountains and through that border town

I wish I'd done that when we came back from Andalusia and the Costa Blanca. You couldn't move for coach loads of bargain hunters. It's a bit the same the other end of the Pyrenees. Could have picked up the autoroute when I left Biarritz instead of getting caught up with a cycle race in Hendaye

 

[Minxy]

(The Millau Viaduct being a classic example and at €18 to cross, they know it's the cheaper option!).

Cheaper than going via Millau? How do you work that out?

 

[Reallyretired]

I avoid tolls as far as I can, but have a Fulli tag as they are cheap and only charge if you use them. The convenience is amazing especially as swmbo is vertically challenged and used to find reaching the toll booth a problem.

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[kurvengeisst]

Hello Peter, we just got back last week from a two month tour through France, Portugal and Spain, it was quite fantastic! You can see our route in summary by the attached P4N favourites we stayed at. In total we spent £427 on tolls. We took the toll road about 70% of the time where it was an option, but non-tolls where it was not too much longer (an hour or less). We were taking it easy, driving 3, a max of 4 hrs a day.

I did a travelogue of the places we stayed if you or other funsters want the detail, - post a link in a min.

 

[kurvengeisst]

Here’s the link

Shared Journals by Day One: A private space to share life updates and memories.

Shared journals are a private space for your closest friends and family to share life updates and memories.

dayone.me

Forgot to say, we found the non toll roads in Portugal rather pot-holey and slow so quickly shifted to toll roads. Spanish tolls are more reasonable, your big decision is whether you want to mosey through France or pay a whack for the toll. We drove up through the Forets National Park on the non-toll D959, stunning scenery, lovely smooth drive. Reminded me of home.

 

[Fidge]

We are travelling for the first time to France, Spain and onto Portugal. Is it best to go on toll roads and how much is it? do you save on fuel or do none toll. Any suggestions on a route would be great, we leave beginning of September.

We did Spain for the first time this year and LOVED it, got down as far as Mazarron, the site is Bolnuevo right on the beach. We used toll roads through France as we wanted to get to Spain quickly. We drove from Calais to Hornfleur as we like it there and also wanted to avoid Rouen! We then loosely followed the Long Road South ( find on Google, have a look at Kissies Adventures on youtube too) We were a bit nervous at first, we're not youngsters (in our 70's) but we can't wait to do it again next year. Used search4 sites, campingcarparks, and Acsi card for the whole trip and a good few freebies. Go fir it!

 

[Peter Boston]

We did Spain for the first time this year and LOVED it, got down as far as Mazarron, the site is Bolnuevo right on the beach. We used toll roads through France as we wanted to get to Spain quickly. We drove from Calais to Hornfleur as we like it there and also wanted to avoid Rouen! We then loosely followed the Long Road South ( find on Google, have a look at Kissies Adventures on youtube too) We were a bit nervous at first, we're not youngsters (in our 70's) but we can't wait to do it again next year. Used search4 sites, campingcarparks, and Acsi card for the whole trip and a good few freebies. Go fir it!

Could I ask how much it cost for your tolls. Peter

 

[Joethejoiner]

Lots of details people on here . What do you actually save by using non toll roads ?
Common route maybe Calais to Spanish border ?

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