2019-07-13 Home to Calais
Our route from home to Calais
Day one of our motorhome trek through Germany to the Europeade Folk Festival at Frankenberg on the Eder, then through France visiting sites associated with William the Conqueror.
An early start as we drive south via the M6 to Stafford, where we are re-routed off the M6, through the town centre of Stafford that is every bit as run down as it was in 2013 when Gill taught a course there. Back on the M6 at Wolverhampton and south over Spaghetti junction to Warwick Services on the M40 where we stop for lunch. Back on the road again through a series of Smart motorway upgrades, roadworks and various minor delays to the M25.
Here we discover that the M26 link road from the M25 is closed with a delay of over one-hour. This is getting serious as it means we would have used all three hours of our contingency time getting to Eurotunnel around the time of check-in closing! Fortunately, going the long way around the M25 will save us an hour. We arrive at Folkestone at 5.30pm and park up at the lemon Leaf Nepalese restaurant, basic, good prices and excellent food. We have two Nepalese mixed grill chef specials; we realise we are both very hungry.
To Eurotunnel departures, arriving in good time for check-in, no searching this time, it is very quiet and very little queueing. A good journey over in 30 mins arriving at Calais before 9.00pm local time. We are off the train very quickly and drive to Gravelot Camperplaats (Aire for motor homes only), there are at least 30 campers already there and the campsite next to it looks full. We park up and realise we have driven 350 miles and are very tired, so go to bed fairly soon after arriving and sleep very well.
Home to Calais on our motorhome trip to Germany and France
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Summary of motorhome journey through Germany and France
| miles today | mpg | average speed |
hours driven |
| 341 | 31.6 | 44 | 7:40 |