Basically from Manchester to Morzine and back at an average of 40mpg. What to expect interms of overall costs?

How many tolls (and roughly £)
How much approx on ferry? (Will chose a quiet crossing)
Any other costs?

hora, would be interested in this as well……

looking at 2012…no cash atm

no need to pay tolls go on the N roads ata weekend usually v quiet, last time i went on my Yam and i did it in a days riding morzine to bradford.. it rained all day a lot went via switzerland and chamonix (not direct but hey life expectancy is 78 yrs not ten days.)

thought tolls were about 70 each way (might be 70 return?) for a car.

i’ve paid about 30euros for ferry (car +1) each way most times dover-calais.

only other costs are headlight thingies, hi-viz jacket, etc.

Tolls are around £70 each way.

Ferry about £100 unless you find a special deal with tescos or something like that (always around)

1900 miles at 40mpg at £6 a gallon is around £300

so £470 in total

Forgot to say, triangle, spare bulbs, hi viz – circa £30 so would be around £500

http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Itineraires?strStartLocid=31NDFhd2oxMGNOVE11TkRnd056UT1jTFRJdU1qTTBORFE9&strDestLocid=31NDJ2b3ExMGNORFl1TVRjNU1EVT1jTmk0M01Ea3dOUT09&intItineraryType=1&caravaneHidden=false&vh=CAR&strVehicle=0&itineraryCarType=0&itineraryFuelType=0&isFavoriseAutoroute=false&isAvoidPeage=false&isAvoidVignette=false&isAvoidLNR=false&isAvoidFrontiers=true&dtmDeparture=04%2F07%2F2011&distance=km&devise=1.0|EUR&indemnite=&carbCost=1.3&autoConso=6.8&villeConso=6&routeConso=5.6

http://www.viamichelin.com

will plot your route and calculate fuel and tolls.

Sweet according to that I was about correct 🙂

You still thinking of going Hora? Any joy with Flowmtb?

I reckon £60 fuel plus £60 tolls each way last week

£60 fuel? Are you on glue?

Igm, can I have some of that glue? 🙂

So using the non-toll roads you avoid paying but the negs are longer journey/stress I guess? I drove through part of France last year and didn’t see a toll road (albeit south Germany to Calais).

Will a UK satnav pickup/plan ‘avoid tollroads’ even in france??

Not £60 total on fuel.

Bit less than a tank in each direction £60 each way – to be fair the car (58 plate diesel Mondeo) averaged 44mpg.

Yes satnav will do the avoid toll roads – it added 3 hours to a journey that already took 9 hours (when I drove it – 8 on the satnav I think).

I have a 09 diesel Audi and it averages about 500 per tank, or about £74. 1900 miles would work out at just under £300 surely?

1.9 straight d berlingo doing 70 in england and 80 in france from cumbria was 2 full £70 tanks and a 1/3rd of a tank.

ferry was £40 one way but they let me on at a peak time when i arrived early as i always plan to

high vis n shiz cost about £10 for aldi

no plans to return to england = priceless

Using the N roads is a massive ball ache, its not worth the savings.

Hora, You can get a easyjet from Mcr to Geneva on the dates that we are going for £200 return.

I know but then there are transfers and an extra night each at the hotel. Just wondered if it was enough to be ‘worth it’. Its not is it.

If I still had the Altea TDI I wouldn’t hesitate. I did S.Germany to Calais to Manchester in one day once with just me driving.

its not worth driving unless your here for a month imo. or have a car full of riders.

skidigonzalis are a great transfer company 🙂

What date are you off out again?

16th. 50 euro for the transfer from Flow. Like I said, you’re more than welcome to join us.

I’ve just booked a ferry for next week for £58 return, Norfolk line/dfds always seem to be cheapest for me. Tolls are about the same each way. It’s about 1200 miles in france plus the UK bit so £200 in fuel all in ish for that.

If it’s just you flying will be no more expensive and quicker.If you can get a second person driving is cheaper and means more bikes/spares etc.

The car is a 1.8tdci focus estate (mkv) but I always ‘worsecase’ on mpg…. Andy I would do but Aug is the first weekend I’m free 🙁

Ps. Any better transfer prices than 28euro each way?

Andyhilton – Member
I have a 09 diesel Audi and it averages about 500 per tank, or about £74. 1900 miles would work out at just under £300 surely?

Live in York, Hull-Zeebrugge ferry, Zeebrugge-Les Gets 884km by motorway (say 550 miles), back via Calais so add 270 miles to the return journey. So 1370 miles and I can get 650 out of a tank quite easily (it may have been two and a half tank fulls on reflection – I set off full and came back half full with two fills).

3 tanks of fuel ( fuels about same as Uk)
Tolls £60- £70 each way
Ferry last Friday was £64return from Dover Dunkerque.
Euro breakdown cover about £25
Then there’s travel insurance @ around £50 with Dogtag.

I will be driving to Cham with a car full (mondeo Estate diesel) I am hoping to get 40 mpg (worst case)and based on c2000 miles hoping its not going to cost more than £300 in fuel alone. ferry was £90 and I was told the tolls will be £35 each way not £70 though my source of info is less than reliable.

I did it in a VW Passat last year and the year before and was returning 48mpg used a tank to get down past Dijon.
To estimate tolls google French tolls and a calculator will appear.

The peage is a great, but you might not get as good a fuel cons as you expect, as the road is so empty and smooth the temptation to leadfoot all the way is quite strong..

i did it about 10 years ago and it took 10 hours from London to Geneva. I’d just pay the toll and use the major routes, the roads are great as no one hogs the fast lane and they will toot you if you do. you also had to pay car tax when you go through Geneva but not sure if you still do.

great journey though

The peage is a great, but you might not get as good a fuel cons as you expect, as the road is so empty and smooth the temptation to leadfoot all the way is quite strong.

Except you then chew through fuel and have to endure the misery of French motorway filling stations. I waited almost an hour to get fuel the summer before last, with regular 20 minutes queues at the peages (admittedly high holiday season & middle of the day), and it put me off to such an extent that I now drive almost exclusively at night – empty roads, less heat, stick it on 80 and switch on the cruise control. Bliss.

1000 miles there, 1000 miles back = 4 tanks of fuel = £280

£100 ferry

£70 tolls each way (it might be less than this, but not by much)

other things to consider:

a bit of extra insurance.

some breakdown cover.

snacks.

£550?

Calculating the same thing myself, we’re heading out on the 28th for a week. T5 van with 3 people and 5 bikes from Bristol to Morzine.

£60 tolls either way
£60 fuel (Calais to Morzine) either way
£170 ferry return
£40 breakdown cover
Plus fuel from Bristol to Dover either way.

It adds up to more than we were expecting. It’s still cheaper than flying though, as none of us have bike bags so we’d have to hire them and by the time we’ve paid the extra baggage allowance, driving is a smidge cheaper.

never used a bike bag on any of the three times i’ve been out there. Just got a bike box from Halfrauds and used clothing and such to pad it out. works a treat 🙂

Tolls are about £65 each way I think, If i was you i’d take the tunnel, much quicker and on the way back trust me thats what you want! Toof the ferry a couple of times and I hated it, tunnel is roll on roll off and takes 25 minutes, book in advance and you’ll get it for £100, well worth it for the time saving.

I’ve done it from Preston a few times and its about 1800 miles all in. I’d drive every time, I actually enjoy the drive, its all part of the holiday and you can take as much stuff as you like.

check the tunnel schedules- we paid around £120 return a couple of weeks back.
I’d budget on a fair bit more than £60 of fuel each way too, even just from Calais.
Supermarket diesel is 1.24-1.28 euro a litre at the moment.

One big advantage of the van is that you can carry every spare part you own, minimising the risk of unnecessary purchases.

Except you then chew through fuel and have to endure the misery of French motorway filling stations.

Nickf, the chewing through fuel was my point, but I find the french filling stations fine, faster than the uk.

I’m heading down to Bike Village in a couple of weeks, from Edinburgh. Meandering around Europe, though, meeting up with family and friends for a few weeks and so it worked out cheaper to drive. One question, however. Where are you managing to get Euro breakdown cover for £40? Cheapest I can find is £100, so is it an extension of an existing UK policy (which is not available on mine, grr)

On the comment driving at night/foot down when clear.

Not a **** chance would I do that. Through Germany, Belgian etc I regularly sat at fruity speeds however in France I eased off. The semi-paramilitary/Gendarmarie on motorbikes scare my wallet far too much.

I went to martins money tips and got a 12months uk policy with 60 days euro cover for £60.