The first leg of our small circle driving tour is Paris to San Sebastian. First question; If we need to make this distance in one day, must we take the Autoroute? Or can we make the trip more interesting by using good secondary roads and still make it to San Sebastian by a reasonable time? Any places we should absolutely stop and check out along this route?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
According to https://www.viamichelin.com/ Paris to San Sebastian is:
07h46 including 07h16 on motorways. Distance: 820 km including 805 km on motorways, Costs: €139.05 including Toll €72.60, fuel €66.45
I would add 25% to that time as it assumes no stops at all.
If you click "Avoid Motorways (Autoroutes) you get:
Time: 15h56, Distance: 838 km Costs: €79.31 (no tolls)
Conclusion: Even on the autoroute it would be a long days drive (9-10 hours). No way you can make it in one day if you avoid the autoroutes.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you very much Chris!
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7160 posts
That really is a long drive for a day, just over 500 miles. When my wife and I drove from Paris to Zaragoza we did it in a few days, stopping in Orleon, visiting chateaus in the Loire Valley, and then in Rocamadour before crossing into Spain through Andorra. If you get off the interstate you will add a considerable amount of time to the drive because the roads are 2-lane and go through towns, not around them, leading to getting stuck behind slower vehicles. Those roads also wind through any mountains. As an addition, after Zaragoza we drove over to Santiago de Campostela then north, drove along the coast, entering France near Irun. We drove the wine route near Bordeaux before heading back to Paris via Portiers. Not certain how much time you have and where your small circle goes, but there is a lot to see in the area you want to just drive past.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Direct TGV trains from Paris to this border area take under 5 hours to Hendaye, France and Irun, Spain. But if you will drop off a car back in France, you'll want to pick it up somewhere/anywhere on the French side. Avis has an office at the Hendaye, France train station. Hertz and Europcar both have offices in Hondarribia, Spain at the San Sebastian airport.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
6485 posts
Wow Chris, eye opening. Didn't know the tolls added up to be so much. Is all that available on the Michelin website?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Jules, yes. If you look up a route on https://www.viamichelin.com/ it gives estimated cost, fuel plus tolls. This is what I copy-pasted into the above post.