How long drive from Spain to Paris
Apr 13th, 2004, 03:05 PM
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How long drive from Spain to Paris
Anyone know how many hours to drive from northeast-of-Barcelona to Paris (in one day)? Actually coming from near Girona, which is about 1 hr less than Barcelona to Paris. The Michelin site says it's about 8.5 hours, mostly expressway; but it's nearly 600 miles and a border crossing. I'm trying to find out if it's reasonable for a family of 5 on vacation (too short a trip), and also hope to get into Paris by early evening. Thanks!
Apr 13th, 2004, 03:39 PM
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I would agree with the Michelin estimate - - asssuming you are ok to drive 130-ish (kph), which is, of course, still within the speed limit.
And drive times are not intended to include <i>stop</i> times.
I'd say you can do it just find if you leave between 7 and 10 am.
Best wishes,
Rex
And drive times are not intended to include <i>stop</i> times.
I'd say you can do it just find if you leave between 7 and 10 am.
Best wishes,
Rex
Apr 13th, 2004, 04:49 PM
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jimmsla:
I have done a third of that drive, from Cordes sur Ciel to Barcelona, in about 4.5 hours, exceeding the speed limits all the way. I was exhausted at the end of the trip.
Whether its 8 or 9 hours, its a LONG drive, not particularly interesting, and the time does not include "pit stops". It could well end up being anywhere from 10-12 hours, if you have kids. My personal experience with Michelin is that one should add at least 25% to driving times.
If you don't know Paris, negotiating from the Periphique to an hotel in the center, can take a very long time. Are you dropping the car at CDG? I would not recommend trying to drive through Paris, late in the evening, after this long day.
You might be better off stopping somewhere in between Girona and Paris for the evening, or at least, consider it as an option, just in case.
Have you checked out the option of taking a train from Barcelona to Paris? It might be more expensive, but would probably be more relaxing. Here is the Renfe web-site:
http://www.renfe.es/ingles/index.html
I have done a third of that drive, from Cordes sur Ciel to Barcelona, in about 4.5 hours, exceeding the speed limits all the way. I was exhausted at the end of the trip.
Whether its 8 or 9 hours, its a LONG drive, not particularly interesting, and the time does not include "pit stops". It could well end up being anywhere from 10-12 hours, if you have kids. My personal experience with Michelin is that one should add at least 25% to driving times.
If you don't know Paris, negotiating from the Periphique to an hotel in the center, can take a very long time. Are you dropping the car at CDG? I would not recommend trying to drive through Paris, late in the evening, after this long day.
You might be better off stopping somewhere in between Girona and Paris for the evening, or at least, consider it as an option, just in case.
Have you checked out the option of taking a train from Barcelona to Paris? It might be more expensive, but would probably be more relaxing. Here is the Renfe web-site:
http://www.renfe.es/ingles/index.html
Apr 13th, 2004, 10:57 PM
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Like all European drive time estimates, Michelin makes assumptions about road conditions that may not always apply.
The border crossing is unimportant (and close to invisible): but, depending on the time of year, day of week and weather conditions, you may hit seriously congested traffic practically anywhere from the Rhone Valley north. The Bison Fute site will give you some help on this, but it really is useful only right before you start driving.
12 hours to the Peripherique, including very rapid pitstops, but no proper lunch or sightseeing stops, would be my estimate assuming just very slow traffic round Lyons. Driving into Paris is nowhere near as tough as many posters keep on claiming: but a really good street map (I find Paris par Arondissement essential) and, if you're unused to the town huge patience, are vital
The border crossing is unimportant (and close to invisible): but, depending on the time of year, day of week and weather conditions, you may hit seriously congested traffic practically anywhere from the Rhone Valley north. The Bison Fute site will give you some help on this, but it really is useful only right before you start driving.
12 hours to the Peripherique, including very rapid pitstops, but no proper lunch or sightseeing stops, would be my estimate assuming just very slow traffic round Lyons. Driving into Paris is nowhere near as tough as many posters keep on claiming: but a really good street map (I find Paris par Arondissement essential) and, if you're unused to the town huge patience, are vital
Apr 14th, 2004, 01:55 AM
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8.5 hours sounds a bit low. I think it would probably take an additional hour or so since you are traving with the family and will probably need to stop for lunch. If you are driving into the city of Paris then try to beat rush hour that starts around 5ish. Otherwise you can count on an extra 30 mins to 2 hours of travel time in traffic. Also be sure to avoid major holiday dates as traffic can be very heavy throughout France on those dates.
There is a major crackdown on speeding in France so be careful not to excede the posted speed limits. There are automatic speed meters on the interstates that take plate photos and generate tickets.
Also be sure to keep to the right and use the left lanes for passing only. If the interstate is 3 lanes it is acceptable to drive in the middle lane if you are regularly exceeding the speed of the right lane traffic and trafic is constant in the right lane. Never drive in the far left lane as it is strictly for passing and for those that feel they need to drive in excess of 100mph.
If you are able to read some French you will find the information signs above the interstate informative. They will keep you updated on weather and traffic conditions as well as accidents. There is also an interstate radio channel (frequency posted on signs along the interstate) that will keep you informed. That channel has reports in both french and english.
There is a major crackdown on speeding in France so be careful not to excede the posted speed limits. There are automatic speed meters on the interstates that take plate photos and generate tickets.
Also be sure to keep to the right and use the left lanes for passing only. If the interstate is 3 lanes it is acceptable to drive in the middle lane if you are regularly exceeding the speed of the right lane traffic and trafic is constant in the right lane. Never drive in the far left lane as it is strictly for passing and for those that feel they need to drive in excess of 100mph.
If you are able to read some French you will find the information signs above the interstate informative. They will keep you updated on weather and traffic conditions as well as accidents. There is also an interstate radio channel (frequency posted on signs along the interstate) that will keep you informed. That channel has reports in both french and english.
Apr 14th, 2004, 04:17 AM
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Hi jim,
>I'm trying to find out if it's reasonable for a family of 5 on vacation (too short a trip), and also hope to get into Paris by early evening. <
I suggest you consider wether you are on vacation or on an expedition.
If your trip is already too short, are you sure that you want to spend 1-2 days just getting from Barcelona to Paris.
Also consider the cost of an overnight train vs a car.
Discount fares are about 55E for an adult at
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvHomePage?
DLG=SvHomePage&_CMD=cmdHomepageUK&WB=HP
There are also family discounts.
>I'm trying to find out if it's reasonable for a family of 5 on vacation (too short a trip), and also hope to get into Paris by early evening. <
I suggest you consider wether you are on vacation or on an expedition.
If your trip is already too short, are you sure that you want to spend 1-2 days just getting from Barcelona to Paris.
Also consider the cost of an overnight train vs a car.
Discount fares are about 55E for an adult at
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/dynamic/_SvHomePage?
DLG=SvHomePage&_CMD=cmdHomepageUK&WB=HP
There are also family discounts.
Apr 14th, 2004, 06:00 AM
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Michelin estimated times, in my experience, assume no accidents, no slow-downs, no road blocks, no breakfast, lunch, or dinner, no pit stops, and no fun. Having recently traversed France, albeit on a completely different route, I would say you should count on 12 hours. That would not be a "reasonable" day for my family - I can't speak for yours.
The border crossing is irrelevant, by the way. There won't even be a human being there to wave at you as you pass by.
The border crossing is irrelevant, by the way. There won't even be a human being there to wave at you as you pass by.
Apr 14th, 2004, 07:58 AM
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130 kph is about 78 mph; I don't recommend that you drive faster than this - - at least not first day, or until several hours of getting used to driving in Europe under your belt. You will get passed a lot at 130 kph; in fact, you will get passed quite a bit at 160 kph (about 96 mph) - - though other posters have suggested that recently (in France), there are new attitudes and technology ("robo-camera" speeding ticket cop devices, unmanned) that have slowed down the autoroutes somewhat? I'll believe it when I see it.
Apr 14th, 2004, 08:04 AM
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Traffic on the autoroutes in France is NOTICEABLY slower these days. The police are cropping up in unexpected places, random stoppings for DWI checks are common, and radar signals have been installed all over the country. There are definitely the occasional ace du volant doing 200kph down the left lane, but in general, traffic has slowed to around 130. When I came over the mountains on the A75 last week, every single vehicle was carefully observing the 70 kph and 50 kph limits on the downside of the mountain range.
Apr 14th, 2004, 10:44 AM
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I'm the one posted original query. Thank you all so much for good advice! I'm very new to this site but been getting some good info. I've been to France only once before in 2000, did a lot of driving then on slower rural roads, not much in Paris.
Please help with any further opinions on this trip.
Yes we knew it would be one awfully long driving day but would result in an extra day/night in either Spain or Paris. But I think your advice is right and it's too long and I'm looking further into train or cheap flights, or else a night's stay somewhere in between and cancel 1 night in Spain.
I'm a light sleeper and wouldn't sleep well on the overnight train and so wouldn't want to ruin the whole next day in Paris, with too few days there as it is. Absolutely I'd love to take a train but when I checked the fares for daytime trains, seemed too much for 5 people versus the auto. I suppose I'll think more on the overnight train, as it does save time.
OReilly and Ira, thanks for alerting me possible discount fares and I'll look into that.
Rex, WOW thanks for the pointer to Easyjet.com. I see another possibility would be Marseille to Paris. OMG, Easyjet is showing the fare as ONLY 8 euros on that day (plus taxes). That would be a much easier drive from northeast Spain, plus airport is actually northwest of Marseille. Michelin says it's 3.5 hours from Gerona, so even if we took about 6 hrs. with stops and a nice lunch, then a short flight to Paris, be there by dinnertime.
Any opinions on that?
We'll have a car rented at Paris CDG and so I'm guessing fees way too high to drop it off in another country and consider flight from Barcelona? I'm hoping car rental not too much higher to drop it off at Marseille?
By the way, regarding route from Spain to Paris, it would not be up thru Lyons. It would be up expressway thru center of France.
Interesting: Michelin and Mappy.com do not agree on that proposed driving route, when I type in Girona to Paris. Michelin has it on expressway up past Clermont-Ferrand, Bourges, Orleans. Whereas, Mappy has it going about 25 miles farther on expressway further west up past Toulouse, Limoges, then Orleans.
Thanks!
Please help with any further opinions on this trip.
Yes we knew it would be one awfully long driving day but would result in an extra day/night in either Spain or Paris. But I think your advice is right and it's too long and I'm looking further into train or cheap flights, or else a night's stay somewhere in between and cancel 1 night in Spain.
I'm a light sleeper and wouldn't sleep well on the overnight train and so wouldn't want to ruin the whole next day in Paris, with too few days there as it is. Absolutely I'd love to take a train but when I checked the fares for daytime trains, seemed too much for 5 people versus the auto. I suppose I'll think more on the overnight train, as it does save time.
OReilly and Ira, thanks for alerting me possible discount fares and I'll look into that.
Rex, WOW thanks for the pointer to Easyjet.com. I see another possibility would be Marseille to Paris. OMG, Easyjet is showing the fare as ONLY 8 euros on that day (plus taxes). That would be a much easier drive from northeast Spain, plus airport is actually northwest of Marseille. Michelin says it's 3.5 hours from Gerona, so even if we took about 6 hrs. with stops and a nice lunch, then a short flight to Paris, be there by dinnertime.
Any opinions on that?
We'll have a car rented at Paris CDG and so I'm guessing fees way too high to drop it off in another country and consider flight from Barcelona? I'm hoping car rental not too much higher to drop it off at Marseille?
By the way, regarding route from Spain to Paris, it would not be up thru Lyons. It would be up expressway thru center of France.
Interesting: Michelin and Mappy.com do not agree on that proposed driving route, when I type in Girona to Paris. Michelin has it on expressway up past Clermont-Ferrand, Bourges, Orleans. Whereas, Mappy has it going about 25 miles farther on expressway further west up past Toulouse, Limoges, then Orleans.
Thanks!
Apr 14th, 2004, 10:56 AM
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http://ryanair.com/
Jimmsla:
There are direct flights from Girona (North of Barcelona) to Paris on Ryanair! You might be able to get a bargain for the dates you want.
Check it out
Jimmsla:
There are direct flights from Girona (North of Barcelona) to Paris on Ryanair! You might be able to get a bargain for the dates you want.
Check it out
Apr 14th, 2004, 11:43 AM
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Thanks for the speed limit info. I was afraid everything in via.michellin was based on going twice as fast as I would! Have heard stories about horrendous wrecks on German autobahn, so glad that France appears slower.
Apr 14th, 2004, 12:47 PM
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Hoping: Yes, there are spectacular wrecks on the Autobahn, and yes, the French are curbing their speeding habits a bit, but the accident rate in France is still worse than in Germany and one of the highest, if not the highest, in Europe.
Apr 14th, 2004, 12:55 PM
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Be careful with the Clermont-Ferrand route. The interstate is not yet complete. You drive on the interstate a bit then get dumped off onto a highway that goes through Millau before getting back on. There can be some really wicked back ups there. Check the traffic before choosing that route. You can check traffic here : http://www.infotrafic.com/ (in French).
