So back to thinking about our “Big Holiday”
I’ve had a bit of a re-think about the route. I’m thinking of going the Tolouse route again. We have never been down south via this route and after asking the question on some internet forums it seems that the Tolouse route generally has less traffic and is less hilly and just an easier drive.

Now the decisions start. When we get off the tunnel do we turn right or left?
Left means we are going to head down the A26/A1 and into Paris, across Paris to Orleans then down to Limoges on the A71/A20 and on to Tolouse. Which is probably the most direct route or do we…..

Turn right and go via Abbeyville, Rouen, Le Mans, Tours then cut across via the A85 and pick up the A20?

Or This Way?

Looking at the options there is not much difference in either distance or time. Indeed the longer route may even be the faster option if the traffic is as bad as last year on the other route. Last year the traffic added around 2-3 hours to our trip. We hit traffic around Paris (of course) and again around Clermont-Ferrand and again near Narbonne. It was only after that we learned that it’s the most popular weekend to go on holiday in Europe, so not only the French head south, but also the Dutch and Germans etc…. So I’m hoping that if we head west early we will not be competing g for tarmac with the rest of Europe. Plus we get to see some more of France which can’t be bad. Can it?