Driving from uk to orihuela

Hi Vectra. You'll get quite a few replies I think. Everyone has their own favourite. 

I used A26 A1 Paris A6B A10 A71 Clermont Ferrand, A75 Beziers, A9 Perpignan, AP-7 Valencia,  A7 Alicante. Straight through the middle of France, very easy driving. 

The A71 and A75 offer stunning scenery. Total cost in tolls for standard car was euro 128 (May 2016 )

Be sure to choose the A75 at Valencia as it's toll free, the AP-7 is tolls.

One option anyway! Steve

thanks for your feedbabk,very helpfull

That's exactly the same route I take from Calais, done it many times over the last 12 years. Nice easy driving, I do the trip over 2 days with an overnight stay down the bottom end of France about 1&3/4 hours driving from the French / Spanish boarder.

Just got here today after driving from the North West. We go tunnel, Rouen, Le Mans, Poitiers, Bordeaux, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Zaragoza, Teruel, Valence,  Alicante, Villamartin. We don't avoid toll roads and don't overnight stop I share the driving with the wife. 26hr door to door. Costs me about £600 return. That's the tunnel cost with dogs, all tolls and fuel.

Different schools of thoughts with tolls however my car sits between 100km - 140kmh pretty much all the way. Toll roads are empty and there is never any police. Wouldn't consider non toll route.

Take the boat from Portsmouth to Santander or Blbao and then cross country and straight down the coastal route - avoid Madrid!

We are of the sail to Santander/Bilbao group of thought.  Done this route many times, with and without dogs.  I don't like driving through France particularly and in Spain we don't pay tolls on the going south route as far as I can remember! If you do, it's really not much at all.  The main tolls are near Madrid, but there's plenty of routes avoiding there.  North to south of Spain is about 8 hours in total and the roads are great.  Lots of petrol stations and rest stops on the way, and hostels if you decide to spend the night on the way down - all very reasonably priced.

We have looked at the ferry and for us with dogs it would cost £500 return more than driving and take 7 hrs longer.  So not for everyone 

Yes, I know money-wise it's not the cheapest, but driving through France was so stressful (especially the Rouen area) that overall we found it not only better for the dogs (not so hot or lengthy for them travelling), but also for our sanity!  We made it all part of the holiday.  Like you say not for everyone, but definitely the preferred method for many!  Good luck with your decision, whatever it is.  Lesley

Interesting that you say you wouldn't consider a non toll road. 

Because the AP-7 from Valencia to Alicante is toll but the A7 is free and they are exactly similar in terms of speed and road surface etc. 

The A7 is slightly busier as a result of it being free, but not so much so to make me prefer the toll option.