Which car for France?

[jonny2112]

We always stayed near a town called Aigues Mortes, which in turn is near Montpellier 
Great drive down, especially on the autoroutes  with the only awkward spot being the drive through Lyon, which didn't seem to have a bypass 

[aaronjb]

Yeah, ferries are struggling. I much prefer ferries, though. I tend to take either the fast cat from Portsmouth or the overnight slow boat. 40 minute drive to the port, load up, hit the bar for a couple of beers and some dinner, crash out for the night, wake up in France, off to Normandy coastal village of choice for some coffee and pain au chocolat for breakfast before hitting the road.

I do like the slow ferries - as you say, nice and relaxing (as long as you're a good sailor!).. Hm, you have me thinking now.. this could make a nice trip: http://g.co/maps/5v8vf

Anyhoo, back to TBs dilemma.. 

[Andy B]

no issue - Insignia every time given age of Omegas - what is position on insurance cover?

I'd have no worries about jumping in my 176000 mile 1999 T reg Elite now & driving to French France. I ignored European breakdown cover, Red Pennant wanted £200 for a fortnight's cover ............. stuff that!

[TheBoy]

We always stayed near a town called Aigues Mortes, which in turn is near Montpellier 
Great drive down, especially on the autoroutes  with the only awkward spot being the drive through Lyon, which didn't seem to have a bypass 

I've stayed at Yelloh Village there, lovely old town, shame the surroundings are a bit naff.

Lyon now bypassed, but a long way round.

[aaronjb]

no issue - Insignia every time given age of Omegas - what is position on insurance cover?

I'd have no worries about jumping in my 176000 mile 1999 T reg Elite now & driving to French France. I ignored European breakdown cover, Red Pennant wanted £200 for a fortnight's cover ............. stuff that!

I was going to say "But how much would it cost to recover the car back to the UK?" but .. I guess Omegas are so cheap you could just dump it there, fly back and buy a new one

[jonny2112]

We always stayed near a town called Aigues Mortes, which in turn is near Montpellier 
Great drive down, especially on the autoroutes  with the only awkward spot being the drive through Lyon, which didn't seem to have a bypass 

I've stayed at Yelloh Village there, lovely old town, shame the surroundings are a bit naff.

Lyon now bypassed, but a long way round.

La Petite Camargue? Me too 

[TheBoy]

no issue - Insignia every time given age of Omegas - what is position on insurance cover?

I'd have no worries about jumping in my 176000 mile 1999 T reg Elite now & driving to French France. I ignored European breakdown cover, Red Pennant wanted £200 for a fortnight's cover ............. stuff that!

I was going to say "But how much would it cost to recover the car back to the UK?" but .. I guess Omegas are so cheap you could just dump it there, fly back and buy a new one

I speak as someone who has had to have an Omega repatriated

The breakdown people asked if we would like an extended holiday at their expense, so they could fix

[jonny2112]

no issue - Insignia every time given age of Omegas - what is position on insurance cover?

I'd have no worries about jumping in my 176000 mile 1999 T reg Elite now & driving to French France. I ignored European breakdown cover, Red Pennant wanted £200 for a fortnight's cover ............. stuff that!

Don't blame you 

[TheBoy]

We always stayed near a town called Aigues Mortes, which in turn is near Montpellier 
Great drive down, especially on the autoroutes  with the only awkward spot being the drive through Lyon, which didn't seem to have a bypass 

I've stayed at Yelloh Village there, lovely old town, shame the surroundings are a bit naff.

Lyon now bypassed, but a long way round.

La Petite Camargue? Me too 

Yeah, thats the one. Was there in 2004.  That was an uneventful holiday, except sleeping in the car on the way back, as we couldn't find the hotel

Stayed at other French Life camping places, in their 'cottages' (mobile homes basically)

2005, we stayed at Valont Pont d'Arc, that year the MV6 only made it back as far as Dijon under its own steam.  That was quite eventful (almost on a daily basis), including hitting a huge Raven at about 200kph, trying to make the Seacat. Fortunately, that was the hire car we'd got a Dijon, and was marked as damage to every panel. I pity the poor sod who had to clean all the entrails off that, bloody and guts everywhere.

2006, Frejus, but flew, given our car journeys back from France were getting too eventful. I noticed a woman pilot as we boarded on way back, and commented on it. The plane broke, so couldn't land at Luton, so diverted to Standstead. Quite surreal, coming in fast and low, including banking heavily, and seeing all the emergency vehicles just starting to move at the start of the runway as we passed, so they could follow us down.

[Lazydocker]

No contest... One of the Omega's (probably TBE as it will still qualify for cheaper breakdown cover) as you will suffer in an Insignia in your current crippleness

I may be able to get hold of some nozzles from elsewhere if it is that urgent (although I'm ringing himself tomorrow and will chase) 

As for ferries... Norfolk Line is not ridiculously expensive and a much better option that that big Rat Hole

[Vamps]

no issue - Insignia every time given age of Omegas - what is position on insurance cover?

I'd have no worries about jumping in my 176000 mile 1999 T reg Elite now & driving to French France. I ignored European breakdown cover, Red Pennant wanted £200 for a fortnight's cover ............. stuff that!

I was going to say "But how much would it cost to recover the car back to the UK?" but .. I guess Omegas are so cheap you could just dump it there, fly back and buy a new one

Like it......

[Nick W]

I wouldn't ever use the channel tunnel again, if that helps your decision?

Insignia? That dodgy after shave your aunt keeps buying you for Christmas? Might mask the smell of the LPG when you pass the sniffer dogs, I suppose...

I prefer the chunnel. At worse, you lose about 75mins (assuming no breakdowns), ferries (to dunkirk, for price) are probably a loss of 3.5hrs...

Then go Dover/Calais. I've never spent more than 75mins on the boat, and that was blowing a gale that didn't clear until we got to Paris. Add in the time to have breakfast, and you've gained time, not lost it. Loading the trains take the same time as a boat. The Chunnel isn't much of a time saving, and we find that it's more expensive. That's doing at least 3 crossings a year for the last 21 years. We're also looking at a 430mile trip once we land. This exactly the reason why I have a car like an Omega, slow underpowered cars are truly tedious in such situations.

Driving to Dunkirk from Calais takes about 30mins.

As for which car to take, ask yourself this; if your car isn't up to 2000 miles in a fortnight, then either fix it or drive it down the frag and get one that can! Any Omega is now old enough that a few thousand  miles makes no difference to its value.

Twenty years ago I bought a £25 1.6Capri with a blown engine(and a full tank of fuel hence the £25), fitted a secondhand engine, and 3 days later headed for a 2000 mile trip.

[joshwyatt]

I can always loan you something from the toy box? 
TBE for me, my Elite has been to France fairly recently and was a good performer.
I don't think I could manage an extended journey in an Insignia.

[MaxV6]

also,  if you're going way down south, consider one of the longer ferry crossings.....   make a mini cruise of it with the mrs.


say down to Bilbao, then back up across the Pyrenees ??

it's stunning......    .....    no it's not quicker.... but it's a LOT nicer.

[Elite Pete]

I would take TBE and get the Portsmouth Caen ferry. I've been over to France quite a few times and I always drive through the night to Portsmouth to get the 8am ferry then once boarded leg it to reception where you can pick up a cabin nice and cheap. Its about 6 hours sailing so you can get your head down have a nice shower and be refreshed for your long drive in France