# The Best Route to Monaco



## Dill (Jun 3, 2010)

We are having a month off in July and travelling down to Monaco Area, across to Toulouse and Bordeaux and back up to Calais. We are looking to stop and Aires as well as campsites. Could you tell me the best route and recommended stop overs please.

We will be arriving at Calais around 9.0 am Via Channel Tunnel and thinking our first stop just after Paris. 

Thanks in advance

Dill


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## jarcadia (May 1, 2005)

We go Calais, Arras, Soissons,Troyes, Dijon, Beaune, Lyon, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence then the A8 to Monaco.
As we usually go in the winter we try to get from Calais to Beaune for our first night, where there is a good aire with EHU, if it is full there's another one at Nuits St George. We take the motorway around Lyon and then head for Avignon where we spend a couple of nights at the Bagatelle campsite right opposite the famous bridge.
We were in Monaco in February having lunch in the sun on the quayside next to all the yachts, one even had it's own helicopter on board.


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## damar1 (Sep 29, 2012)

All we do is put into the sat nav Monaco and no toll roads. All the sites are downloaded onto the sat nav from the book camperstop. then just go with the flow, when we wont to stop, look in sat nav for a aires, if we see a place we like we stop. Just take your time and and enjoy yourself.   Have a great trip

You dont wont to be looking at maps all the time lol


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Where do you stay when you get to Monaco please ?



G


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## Dill (Jun 3, 2010)

damar1 said:


> All we do is put into the sat nav Monaco and no toll roads. All the sites are downloaded onto the sat nav from the book Camperstop [MHF Link]. then just go with the flow, when we wont to stop, look in sat nav for a aires, if we see a place we like we stop. Just take your time and and enjoy yourself.   Have a great trip
> 
> You dont wont to be looking at maps all the time lol


Camper-stop Europe 2013 arrived this morning, I have also just picked up all the Aires France 4th Edition. Thanks for your help looking into suggestions.

Keep-em coming

Dill


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## jarcadia (May 1, 2005)

We actually stay in Italy and go into Monaco with friends. There is a site at Antibes,Camping Antipolis, which is near a train station. In February there were vans parked on the quayside in Monte Carlo, don't know if they had spent the night there.


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## Dill (Jun 3, 2010)

Hi Jarcadia how long does it take you to get to Beaune for your first night.

Regards

Dill


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## damar1 (Sep 29, 2012)

Hi Dill, If you are going for a month just forget about time, and take your time and enjoy all that france has to offer. most towns and villages have some wear you can stop. I know a lot of people wont to have things all set out like a military operation, and in some countrys you have to as there are no aires or they do not allow wild camping, but france is so good with places to stop. last year we spent 7 weeks over there and never spent a euro on camp sites or toll roads.


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## jarcadia (May 1, 2005)

About 9 hours, this included taking some toll roads and rest stops.


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

jarcadia said:


> We go Calais, Arras, Soissons,Troyes, Dijon, Beaune, Lyon, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence then the A8 to Monaco.


This is the most direct route using the autoroute for 99.9% of the route and the tolls for class 2 are about €120 one way.
I would avoid going via Paris as even though you go around it you still get loads of traffic and only save about 20 miles.
On the above route we didn't have to slow down below the speed limit once in March when we went down, just sat on cruise control all the way but we weren't touring we were just going A to B.
Try and avoid Lyon during rush hour as you will queue here as the autoroute goes right through it. 
We did it on Sunday and had no problems.
We use a mixture of aires and France Passion and try to choose one 10 minutes off the autoroute as this can soon add miles and hours to your journey.
Don't try and get into Monnaco in your MH as they are not allowed but the trains are good and cheap as long as they don't strike, usually they only do about twice a week.

James


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

damar1 said:


> Hi Dill, If you are going for a month just forget about time, and take your time and enjoy all that france has to offer. most towns and villages have somewhere you can stop.


I agree with damar1. France is beautiful almost everywhere you look. There are so many aires that you can be spoilt for choice. Why rush to meet a 'deadline' that was someone elses in the first place? Travel at your own pace, do your own thing. Have a basic idea of where you want to go but be prepared to change it at the last minute if necessary.

We very rarely plan where to go next. I pick a route that usually involves the 'D' roads and drive through the backwaters of France. When we have had enough travelling we look in the aires book and pick one out. There is never a schedule or timescale.

Enjoy.

JohnW


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## Dill (Jun 3, 2010)

Hi Chaps thanks for your comments, we are going to pick a route and try to avoid as many tolls as possible. We will take each day as it comes and hopefully get some sun on our backs. Just been looking at the exchange rate  not very good. 

Thanks again

Dill


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Dill

The rates not good but the best it has been for a long time. Remember to fill up at Auchan when you get over and before the autoroute. The prices average out at arounf 1.55 on the autoroute and 1.33 at the supermarkets. 
Can wait until were back to PACA in June. 

Happy Travelling

James


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