Planning to drive to DLP

[Dumbo Deb]

I have searched this site with no luck,as I have previously read about driving to dlp cost of fuel,time etc. Also about using tesco vouchers for the eurotunnel. Does anyone know the best days to travel to France? Is it Sunday there are no heavy goods on the road? Thanks for your help. I know someone always knows the answers on here. I have tried useful info, but this id not up and running yet.

 

[cap'njack.]

Hi,

We drove to DLRP on Sunday 5th October and back on Friday 10th October. It took us approx 3 hours to and from DLRP to Dunkerque.

I'd say petrol costs are around £35 each way (about 3/4 of a tank) and tolls are between 13 and 18 euros depending on time of day etc.

Can't say I noticed a difference between the traffic levels on the Sunday to the Friday to be honest and the drive was so easy!

 

[angel_nix]

We're doing the same in December. We've used some clubcard vouchers to go across on the tunnel which was really easy to arrange. Only thing to say is that they need them no later then four days after you book, so it's worth checking on the eurotunnel website first for cost, then ordering the vouchers before booking.

 

[spinneruk]

We drove over in Septemer of this year, drove to Folkestone late the day before we got the train and stayed at a premier inn. Drive down was fine for a friday afternoon.

Petrol was about £40ish from Devon to Folkestone.

Tolls were €18.90 or there abouts.

 

[Notredame]

Hi

Can you tell me which premier inn you stayed in - was it close to the Eurotunnel terminal?

Thanks

 

[spinneruk]

Hi

Can you tell me which premier inn you stayed in - was it close to the Eurotunnel terminal?

Thanks

Yep if you go to the Premier Inn website and search for Folkestone it's about a 5 minute drive from the actual tunnel.

 

[DCLMan]

I thought the roads in France were much quieter on a Sunday. Fewer HGV's. Friday afternoons seemed very busy round the A104

 

[jillrobinson]

Only HGV's carrying perishable goods are allowed on the roads on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Our coach driver pointed this fact out to us and did say that it made driving much nicer and we were certainly very early getting back to the port, she pointed out all the Goods Lorries parked up on the way back to Calais.

I would love to have the nerve to drive, let us know how you get on.

 

[Danauk]

I did the drive last Monday and Thursday and am doing the drive again next Friday and Sunday. It is a really easy drive, all motorway. Neither journey last week was busy, although there were lots of lorries on the road it was fine to drive with them and there were no delays.

 

[Cyrano]

I did the drive last Monday and Thursday and am doing the drive again next Friday and Sunday. It is a really easy drive, all motorway. Neither journey last week was busy, although there were lots of lorries on the road it was fine to drive with them and there were no delays.

I agree It is a very easy journey

 

[Nubbedy]

We did this last week - Calais to DLRP, and also found it really easy. We booked our Eurotunnel using Tesco Clubcard vouchers - it cost us £30 in vouchers (would have been £120).

We also stayed in the Premier Inn in Folkestone, which I can recommend, reasonable, close to the tunnel and they provide directions to the tunnel and details of local petrol stations for you to fill up before you go.

Travelling to DLRP on a Sunday morning the roads were very quiet, and took us about 3 hrs. Coming back on Wednesday evening was busier, but no jams or queues and again took us about 3 hrs. It was my first time driving in France and I found it really straightforward - the sat nav we borrowed was a godsend though.

In all, I would say go for it. It was motorway nearly all the way but you still get to see some lovely French countryside hidden behind it!

Sara.

 

[tennisfan]

What I really like about driving in France is that the outside lane is used exaclty how it is meant to as an overtaking lane & I have never seen lorries venture into it either, unlike over here where people hog it all the time

 

[AKB146]

I've done Eurotunnel via Tesco vouchers twice now, easy and cheap! Driving from Calais to Touquin (20 mins from Davy Crocket roundabout) took 3-4 hours each time despite quite horrendous crash on Sat morning just by La Francilienne (their M25 equivalent) and another by Charles de Gaulle airport which shut access to motorway toll road.
Have got a satnav but didn't bother using it even though I had to make my own detour. Road signs were clear enough.

Tolls cost 19.50 Euros each way.

Petrol is more expensive in France - prices range from 1.20ish Eu to 1.51eu on motorways and Disney! Diesel is cheaper there than UK I believe but as I don't buy it I wasn't really taking much notice.

Motorway driving is easy, even on a Saturday there are very few HGVs. Country road driving is sometimes more challenging, the roads we used were populated by French drivers who were always in a rush and sometimes seemed to want to push me off the road in their eagerness to get past!

If you get time and have the inclination there is a massive shopping centre next to Calais Eurotunnel for any last minute shopping or if like me you arrive to early to get into Eurotunnel site.

 

[tennisfan]

I've done Eurotunnel via Tesco vouchers twice now, easy and cheap! Driving from Calais to Touquin (20 mins from Davy Crocket roundabout) took 3-4 hours each time despite quite horrendous crash on Sat morning just by La Francilienne (their M25 equivalent) and another by Charles de Gaulle airport which shut access to motorway toll road.
Have got a satnav but didn't bother using it even though I had to make my own detour. Road signs were clear enough.

Tolls cost 19.50 Euros each way.

Petrol is more expensive in France - prices range from 1.20ish Eu to 1.51eu on motorways and Disney! Diesel is cheaper there than UK I believe but as I don't buy it I wasn't really taking much notice.

Motorway driving is easy, even on a Saturday there are very few HGVs. Country road driving is sometimes more challenging, the roads we used were populated by French drivers who were always in a rush and sometimes seemed to want to push me off the road in their eagerness to get past!

If you get time and have the inclination there is a massive shopping centre next to Calais Eurotunnel for any last minute shopping or if like me you arrive to early to get into Eurotunnel site.

I have always found the petrol to be the same or cheaper in France, diesel is way cheaper in France. I never buy on the motorways, I go to a hypermarket. Although I haven't been since the petrol prices have fallen in the UK

 

[diswix]

Hi Dumbo Debs my DS.We drove from Brittany to Paris and that was fine. However on the return we got lost driving from DLP to Cherbourg around the edge of Paris.My DH manged to drive us through the centre of Paris!!!!!
We did not have SatNav in those days, so that would help you guys.
Don't foget the Tolls.

 

[vas]

We've drove for the past 3 trips going dover to calais tolls are 19 euros each way and its a dream to drive not matter what day. On the way their we tend to get to parks about 2 and coming home we leave around 2 or 3 and never have a problem with traffic.