What’s best way to drive to Benidorm from Calais - Page 3

I have written an A4 page of notes on the latest of my many journeys from Calais to the Costa Blanca. Over the years I have gradually honed the route to what I find easy, virtually toll-free and with some lovely scenery to make it a bit more enjoyable.

If you would like a copy of my notes, please send me a private message with your email address.

All that said, I agree with Villas' comment above - the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao is great, and not always any dearer than driving all the way.

Geoff.

Hi,

We have driven Calais to costa Blanca many times and like most people on here it depends on your needs?

There are many different routes and depending on your circumstances some are totally toll free but may take 2/3 times longer then the quickest ones! 

Also we now have limited our driving time to daylight hours only as the headlights do both our eyes in ( age thing I think😂)

We generally take the view that we just want to get there as quick as possible and we do tolls all the way.

We start early off from Calais and normally aim for the Beziers/ penzacs area off the A75 in southern France for an overnight stop off after about 9 hours driving.

Following day we are about an hour to Spainish border and then about a total of another 8 hours down.

We found we miss all the Barcelona,Valencia and Paris traffic by honing it to certain times etc.

In all our times doing it this last journey was first time we actually kept tabs on costs....the total for fuel and tolls was just short of €300 and then the channel tunnel on top( 35 mins )that’s with a 2lt diesel car. And the dog in tow as normal although we have done the same journey with family as well.

We always use gas stations just off the motorway network as they are as much as 30 cent a litre cheaper then the rip off ones on motorways! And we try and avoid fuel in France as well as a lot more expensive then spain so make sure you fill up before starting off!

Good luck and safe travels!

The boats are dog friendly with their own excercise decks and cabins that allow dogs 

I quite agree, by the time you have paid for extra fuel, tolls and hotels I found the longer ferry journey worked out about the same price 

Same price, but much more relaxing eh Andrew?

Geoff.

Yes Geoff. Last time we had an early start Saturday morning to Portsmouth, the ferry arrived in Santander 3pm Sunday and we were in La Marina at 11.30pm on Sunday. The money we saved bringing items from the UK covered our journey and the car we came in is now registered in Spain, I know it's RHD but the equivalent car in Spain would have been 3000eu more.

I agree with this route done it a few times on my bike both directions done it non stop once (Cold wet and thoroughly pissed off) wont do that again. Plenty of places to stop over.

Other routes down through Dijon to Montpelier then down the 7, and the first one rode Rouen, Le Mans and on down through the centre of France over the Melou viaduct and down into  Perpinan then over the border All from Calais to Denia. All pretty much the same distance and I avoided Paris total amount of riding was in each case about 23 to 24 hours

My friend and I both senior citizens drove down to Cabo Roig with my two dogs last Winter. 

Calais - Rouen- Lemans - Bordeaux-

Spanish border - Pamplona- Zaragoza- Valencia and down the coast to Orihuela costa. 

Went like a dream. All motorway tolls worth it. Took our time stopped motorway services dogs walked plenty green spaces. 

Stayed over Three nights. Could be done more quickly. 

Return journey- up Spanish coast Stopped over near Girona all motorway PerpignanClement Ferrand - stopped to look at the Millau Bridge. Up central France Paris then onward to Calais. 

Enjoyed both routes. 

Have a good journey. 

Laraine 👍

Southampton to Bilbao.  We've done that, and it's an excellent way to travel, especially with kids.

Ramona - Portsmouth, surely?

Geoff.