Hi everyone has anyone got any pointers for driving down to Spain from Cherbourg? So far I have been told to get a motorway tag as its saves queuing and of course the usual driving abroad regalia including a couple of tins of tire weld! We plan on taking 3 to 4 days to do it so we can enjoy some of the sights as well as splitting the days drive to max of 300 miles.

Tag is a good shout - particularly on a busy day - there are lanes with an orange t symbol that are tag only and much quicker. I only have one for France, but they are also available for Spain depending on how far you're going.

Print off an agreed statement of facts document in english - found here - if you're involved in a minor accident then you will be expected to complete and sign one at the scene, so it's useful to know what it actually says.

I'm not usually one for stoping - and if I do, it's the nearest hotel to the motorway and back on the road in the morning - for that, I use Accor who have a nice interactive map Plus, you can somewhat offset the cost of staying by filling up at a local fuel station which are usually in the region of 20c/litre cheaper than the motorway services.

Would be helpful to indicate where in Spain you are intending. John
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Hi thanks for the heads up on the agreed statement docs, have printed all 3 languages to be safe! I am heading down to Alicante area, was looking to stop somewhere near Zaragoza on the last night stop.

Purely out of interest, I downloaded the English version of the Accident Statement to look at. I was hugely tickled by the “translation”:

At least I's stand half a chance with birthday - with Oeuf Corse I'd by trying to figure out what eggs has to do with it

One egg, Alistair More than one wouldn't sound right.  John
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MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

I love the fun you can have with almost-correct-sounding translations, like oeuf Corse for ‘of course’ (Weegie is quite right – plural 'eggs' would be pronounced “euh”, not “uf” like the singular).
My two favourites (in perfectly correct, albeit totally incomprehensible French, as perhaps enunciated by a French-type person trying to pronounce the English) are, for ‘Thank you very much': Saint-Cloud vermifuge (pronounced San-cloo-vermi-fuge) and Tant qu’il y a des mouches (ton-killya-day-mooch).
Try them out! You’ll be met with bemused silence …
Anyone got other examples? I collect!

OK, sorry, lock me up ...

 It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)

At the risk of going totally off topic.....

I once had to ask for some jam for my kids to put on their croissants - and I had no idea what was french for jam - kept thinking jambon, but knew that was ham - so I tried ordering croissants avec preservative pour mes enfants - which caused some hilarity to everyone working there.....

Alistair - quite right! Been there, done that!

Another classic is when a female member of the opposite sex of our species wants to say "I'm full" and tries "Je suis pleine" which, in the animal kingdom, translates (if only they could speak) as: "I'm pregnant".
(The correct expression would be "J'ai trop mangé" - I've eaten too much.

Love it! Language can be such fun!

 It's "bébéchoon", ackcherly, with accents. 'Steve' to my chums.
20 years ownership of Solihull products, ALL GONE NOW, sniff!
Current motor: Suzuki S-Cross 4WD auto, 1.4 petrol. Oh so reliable! 7 years now and no problems. Oh, all right then, a leaking shocker replaced under guarantee.
Previous:
TD6 HSE L322 Auto FF
2.5 TDi 4-door Classic
Disco II
And my 1st Rangie: in 1995, a 2-door VM 2.5 diesel Classic
Not to mention the Lada Niva before those. (I said not to mention it!)

I use je suis rassasié for "I am full". I find one egg is enough.

However, interesting as it is, we aren't really helping the OP.

Mattlidster
When are you looking to travel and what time is the ferry crossing?

The direct route, on the planning sites, shows picking up the motorway just south of Torigni-sur-Vire and then south round Bordeaux and on to the Spanish border.

The bit south of Bordeaux, through Les Landes, is mainly through pine forests and is not terribly interesting, in my opinion. However, if you want to stop at Zaragoza, crossing into Spain in the Basque country is your best bet.

Be aware that there are extensive road works on the motorway, the A62, from the border to quite a bit north of Biarritz. Traffic flows alright but there are speed restrictions on sections and it would only take a small accident to snarl things up. Having said that, I was there in October and it flowed smoothly.

A bit more on your timings would help.  John
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MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

arrive Cherbourg 1345 so first stop around Niort then down to Zaragoza the next day via Biaritz. Have seen quite a few worrying posts about robbery scams on the motorways, has anyone have any tips or experience on that? Im not one for making many service station stops and consider myself as pretty observant as well as a slightly naughty driver who may on occasion drive a little over the speed limit!

Niort is quite an attractive town for a stopover. Plenty of restaurants and hotels.

In your original post you mentioned "enjoying some of the sights". If you are aiming to do Niort to Zaragoza on the second day, I would suggest you won't have much time for that.

I wouldn't worry about robbery scams. Your UK registration might make you a bit more vulnerable but if you take normal precautions you shouldn't have any problems. Just be suspicious if anyone approaches you and, if you get out of the car, lock it even if you are only going round the back to look at something. In the past the border area in Spain has had a reputation for scams but, having said that, I have used motorways pretty extensively in France and have not experienced any problems. I do have French plates.

Enjoy your trip.
 John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
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2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

bebechoon wrote:

a female member of the opposite sex of our species