Best route to Salou

[SteveB123]

I leave for Salou on Saturday and looking at the map the A75 over Millau looks more direct route than the West Coast, however the more experienced travellers seem to prefer the west coast route then across Spain. Why is this?

I would like to see Millau Bridge but not if its going to cost a lot of time or hassle.

Any advice appreciated

[SteveB123]

Sorry should have said I will be travelling from Ypres through France

[Guest Joe90]

A75 is a free motorway from Clermont-Ferrand to Beziers with just the toll for the bridge, which is best seen from below in any event, great stretch of motorway, that'll have you wondering why ours are so crap, enjoy your trip.

[ham]

We did the route in reverse Salou to Calais. We were down in Salou in September. The A75 down to Bezier is some route it is above 2000ft for most of its length, The Millau Bridge whichever way you see it is something of a site we played around 7e to cross there is a viewing area just after the tolls. From Bezier down to Salou your choice Motorway toll or no toll. From Bezier to the Spanish border we used the coastal roads and some toll to get around Bezier also the D609 D6009. We choose the motor way to get around Barcelona In your case AP7 C32 N340 as we had broken our journey at Villnova. After taking a bus into Barcelona there was no way I was going to drive through there . I have a blog with some pictures on of the Millau Bridge http://gw1pjp.wordpress.com/2014/09/

[Billggski]

A number of good campsites in Millau itself, down by the river, so you could take a break there and the site fees are about the same as the toll over the bridge. You get a better view of it from below, and the town is a proper French provincial one with cafes and bars to sit at.

[Brian Kirby]

Reasons? I can think of two possibilities.

 

First, as ham says, the A75 runs high through the Auvergne, and weather tends to be more extreme at higher altitudes. The Auvergne can get particularly severe winter in winter. OTOH, the west coast routes will generally be warmer and less prone to ice/snow (though they may well be wet/windy!), and so less prone to salted roads and weather delays (however, there are black ice warning signs on roads well south of the Dordogne!). That said, in October you should be fine - many make the run December/January.

 

Second, your Millau route will logically take you into Spain via La Jonquera, and thence behind Barcelona on the Spanish AP7. This road has acquired a reputation, particularly the stretch around Barcelona, as the site of numerous distraction robberies, either at fuel stations, or from passing cars indicating a fault of some sort on your vehicle. The technique in the former case seems to be to wait until you go to pay, and then enter your van, take whatever they can grab, and beat a hasty retreat, or in the latter case to flag you down and get you to the rear nearside of the vehicle on some false pretext (flat tyre etc), while another gang member gets in on the opposite side and takes what he can. As above, both then leap into their car (invariably driven by a third gang member) and away, while you are still wondering what the fuss was about.

 

The result is shock, and in some cases considerable loss, especially if wives/partners bags have been snatched in the process. They are quick, slick, and well practised, so many avoid this route altogether by crossing the Spanish border at Irun, and then via Zaragoza (though many are heading further south than Salou).

[SteveB123]

Many thanks for the advice it looks like A75 then AP7 country down to the sun.

[PJay]

If planning to stop in France at a site, be aware that many close end of September