France, September 2019 Normandie and the Lot Valley

Hymer motorhome trip to France

Another motorhome journey mostly through rural France visiting sites in Normandie that are associated with William the Conqueror followed by some visits in the Lot Valley staying mostly on aires.

Read about each day of our motorhome journey through France by clicking on the links in the table below.

The overview map (left) shows our overnight locations during this motorhome trip through France. Our original intention had been to make another journey through Spain, we usually wait until September to visit Spain because temperatures can be too high for us in July and August. It's also school holidays, so there are a lot more people about wherever you go.

However, we left the ferry booking until too late so there were no places available with cabins. Perhaps we're not the only ones who wait until schools are back before taking off for some sunshine.

Plan B was to drive through France to Spain, but experience on previous journeys through France has taught us that driving a motorhome through France is something that you don't want to rush, and being practical and realistic, you can't rush. In a car maybe you can rush by taking the Peage and spending money on road tolls, but in a motorhome that's over the 3,500 kg barrier that's something you don't do easily.

We now allow 5 days to travel diagonally across France. Yes, it is possible to take the Peage but motorhomes are limited to 90 kph on French motorways including Peage. Our Hymer motorhome has a plated weight of 4,250 kg which makes the cost of French toll roads more expensive. It's very difficult to work out the cost of French toll roads in advance, but our limited experience tells us it really is not good value for our money for us.

Generally, French food and other goods are more expensive than similar things in the UK. That always surprises us. Wine really is a lot less costly, especially good French wine. For comparison, the French government taxes wine at 3 euro cents a bottle, compared the UK at £2.33 per bottle, both governments charge VAT on wine as well. More information on wine taxes in Europe (opens in a new window).

Overnight costs

Our overnight costs (aires etc) are given in this table, France is wonderful for motorhomes, we wonder if the UK will ever catch up. Click the link to read about our motorhome travel through France each day.

Our Hymer motorhome records the time travelled and miles per gallon on two trip meters, so it is straightforward to write the figures down each day. They are presented in a small table on each day of our treks. A brief summary of this trip shows that in the 18 days we spent sixty five and a half hours driving, covered almost two thousand one hundred miles at an average speed of thirty one miles per hour. Miles per gallon ranged a lot depending on the type of roads and terrain. Generally we achieve much better fuel economy on motorway type roads and roads where there is not much stopping and starting.

Summary of trip