Has anyone ever driven to DLP?

[mollies_mum]

Hi,
For our trip in Jan we are considering having a bit of a road trip and driving through the eurotunnel to Calais and then driving to DLP.
Was wondering what other's experiences were, how long did it take? What is the drive like?
Thanks,
Ruby xxx

 

[Bolanette87]

My Dad drove us to DLRP... We were coming from Carnac in France though. Bearing in mind he'd had to drive the length of England just about to get to France, he said a lot of the UK leg of the journey was a more difficult thing to manage than in France. He said he found the drive into DLRP itself alright really.

Having said that, my Dad could drive like he was sat in an armchair, so that isn't much help!

Bob xoxox

 

[Cyrano]

We have driven a few times Because we stay at Davy Crockett Ranch we need the flexibility of the car.
Previously we took a ferry but last year tried Eurotunnel for the first time.
The tunnel was excellent and as easy and quick as others told us it would be.
We exited easily and Calais to DLP was a nice 3 1/2 hour drive away.
At the interchange with CDG it can get a little tricky if you are not used to heavy traffic and and faced with all the exits and joining traffic.
Toil was €19.20.
We took a satnav but in all honesty had managed just as fine with a France map book from a bargain book place.
The motorways are much easier to drive on in France than at home

PS will need to look at the travelling by car in The Very useful Info sticky over the summer. Wanted to make sure that it incorporated journeys from within mainland Europe and well as those coming from Britain

 

[Demonica]

We drove last October, the motorways were a doddle.

We took Speedferries (as we're on a budget) to Boulogne sur Mer and it took about three hours driving with a couple of stops (ferry took under an hour).

Only bit we were worried about was once we got close to Paris. Didn't realise we'd go through CDG airport and thought we'd end up on the runway at any moment.

What also surprised us was the lack of road signs to Disneyland. Much easier to find Asterix Park!

It was quite easy for us though as we drove to Kent the night before and stayed with my Mum. This year we're going to stay at Dover to catch the very first ferry

 

[markpsych]

As Cyrano says, the tunnel is fantastic! Would never use the ferries again.

Personally I love the drive. Takes us 3 hours from Somerset to the tunnel, so I usually leave late evening/early hours, and the kids sleep though most of the journey.

The french motorways are great. As others have said, the exit near CDG is the trickiest bit, and the signs aren't fantastic. Otherwise its easy. Oh, and if you haven't used the french roads before, the toll booths can be a little confusing the 1st time. You just push a button for a ticket when you hit the first one, and pay at the next one you come to. Most of the ticket machines are on the left, so your passenger might have to collect it, etc.

We even have our favourite travel stops on the way down. Love the machine coffee (1 euro a cup) that they have in the service stops (everything else is overpriced like ours are).

Best bit is arriving though (WE MADE IT!!!) and checking in

 

[thehails]

As other’s have already said it is really easy to drive to DLRP.

Eurotunnel is great to use, we now never go by ferry, the journey is only 35 minutes, you stay with your car so no need to cart kids, bags etc up loads of steps like on the ferrys.

DLRP is very easy to find, it is off A4 junction 14. It is pretty well signposted. Finding your way around Paris may seem a bit daunting if its your first time but don’t worry, prepare well in advance so you know which junctions to get off for each autoroute or better still use a satnav if you have one.

We go to France regularly and one thing we have found to be a real benefit is a Telepeage which means you don’t have to wait at the toll booths to pay or collect a ticket, you go through the barrier marked Liber-T. During busy times it can save us up to ¾ hour in waiting time over our whole journey.

You can find out about it at this website www.sanef.com In brief the cost is 30 euro deposit for the gadget and then you pay 2 euro a month for every month that you use the Telepeage system. The payment for the tolls are deducted at the end of any month of use straight from your bank account / credit card etc. I believe that you get the deposit back when you return the gadget to them.

Hope you have a lovely time

 

[Rachie B]

As other’s have already said it is really easy to drive to DLRP.

Eurotunnel is great to use, we now never go by ferry, the journey is only 35 minutes, you stay with your car so no need to cart kids, bags etc up loads of steps like on the ferrys.

DLRP is very easy to find, it is off A4 junction 14. It is pretty well signposted. Finding your way around Paris may seem a bit daunting if its your first time but don’t worry, prepare well in advance so you know which junctions to get off for each autoroute or better still use a satnav if you have one.

We go to France regularly and one thing we have found to be a real benefit is a Telepeage which means you don’t have to wait at the toll booths to pay or collect a ticket, you go through the barrier marked Liber-T. During busy times it can save us up to ¾ hour in waiting time over our whole journey.

You can find out about it at this website www.sanef.com In brief the cost is 30 euro deposit for the gadget and then you pay 2 euro a month for every month that you use the Telepeage system. The payment for the tolls are deducted at the end of any month of use straight from your bank account / credit card etc. I believe that you get the deposit back when you return the gadget to them.
Hope you have a lovely time

oooh thanks for the info,this sounds good

 

[xeni72]

Did it on Sunday 8th, came back last Friday. Easy peasy. Two tips:

- if you use a satnav, make sure it's not set to avoid tollroads (I wondered why the trip was all set to take 5.5 hours until I realised)
- make sure someone competent is on the left of the car, on the way there I was sat behind my husband who was driving, DD to my left, I had to throw myself across the car to take the ticket and later pay the toll!

 

[A Small World]

We have driven several times to DLP. We drive down to Ashford and stay in the Travel Lodge there and then go through the tunnel very early the next day meaning we arrive in DLP by lunchtime.

As others have said the drive is very easy (not that Ive ever done it - DH is the driver) and the tunnel is fantastic compared to ferries. One thing I like about the tunnel is you can often get an earlier one that you booked for if theres space.
When you arrive you check in and then are usually offered a choice of times to cross.

Its also really useful having the car there to throw extra shoes/coats etc in as well as loads of room for souvenirs

 

[mollies_mum]

Wow thanks everyone for all that useful info

'Its also really useful having the car there to throw extra shoes/coats etc in as well as loads of room for souvenirs'

That was also my plan!

Think we might give it a go, was just worried it might have been a nightmare and it works out so much cheaper for us than flying so that's a bonus!

Ruby xxx

 

[Rachie B]

don't forget to factor in fuel and tolls too !

 

[Happy Tappy]

Is it really €19 in tolls? That seems a bit expensive. Living in the North it's cheaper for me to fly but I've always fancied driving for some reason.

 

[Pinkradleygirl]

We have only ever drivin to DLP and that feels as much a part of the holiday as anything else. When you work out the costs it may seem expensive (petrol, tolls etc) but we enjoy the freedom of being able to go at our own pace and stopping whenever we want to. As we have to go during school holidays it does work out cheaper especially if Mr T helps out with the tunnel costs!

 

[Rachie B]

We have only ever drivin to DLP and that feels as much a part of the holiday as anything else. When you work out the costs it may seem expensive (petrol, tolls etc) but we enjoy the freedom of being able to go at our own pace and stopping whenever we want to. As we have to go during school holidays it does work out cheaper especially if Mr T helps out with the tunnel costs!

definitely

also i like the fact we can pack the car up,taking the boys scooters,games ,loads of clothes,snacks etc

and room to bring back things

rather than having a baggage allowance to adhere to

 

[xeni72]

Toll was €16.20 on the way back, don't know about the way there as we paid by card (and I was flinging myself across the car at the time).

Oh, one thing that might be worth knowing - oddly enough (given that booking flights direct with Air France was cheaper than via Disney) booking the shuttle as part of a package was significantly cheaper than booking direct.

 

[Pinkradleygirl]

Also by taking the car I can bring back as many Mickey-shaped food items as I can to feed my addiction(See my tag!!):

 

[tennisfan]

I find driving the best way, having flown & gone by eurostar. Your not restricted to the amount of luggage you can bring. I'm lucky though as I live close enough to the tunnel & the ports, plus my uncle works for Eurotunnel.

 

[Booknut]

Great trips for driving over

 

[tttessa]

We usually drive and P+O ferry, have had no problems on French roads - just make sure your headlight converters are fitted BEFORE you get to French side - lights are compulsory in road tunnels and in the rain - also make sure you know the speed limits - and what they change to in the rain - they are lower on wet roads. The French speed police do lie in wait for the mad rush North to the tunnel and ferry ports.....

We printed off our route using both theaa.co.uk and rac.co.uk - theaa - put disney as destination, rac needs disneyland paris and you get a choice. the nicest loos are at the toll road stops. Non toll road ones can still be of the "turkish" variety unless you slip into the disabled for a sit down one....

It is an easy route though and once you get to the A4 there are plenty of signs.

Tessa