As successive storms have caused 3 sailings from Portsmouth to be cancelled due to dangerous wave heights , we are having to consider scrapping the Santander route and drive down through France.

Can anybody recommend the best route and suggest good stopping places in France. We're not necessarily looking for the cheapest, more the most scenic and interesting hotels.

Ideal driving chunks about 400 miles a day.

All suggestions most welcome

Hi Bruce

We do this route frequently and have a well rehearsed route. Take an early morning (09.00-ish) ferry - make the first stop Vendome in the Loire valley, second stop Cap Breton just north of Biarritz and half the prices and third stop Salamanca in Spain. All are interesting places and worth a couple of nights stay if you are not in a hurry and about 5 to 6 hours driving sensibly between each.

Our hotels are Hotel Capricorne (Vendome), Inter Hotel de l'Ocean (Cap Breton) and Hotel Horus (Salamanca). All are family owned, spotlessly clean and have secure off road parking. Vendome has excellent restaurants in town, Cap Breton the fish restaurant next door is to die for and not expensive, Salamanca the hotel restaurant is probably the best in town.

Hope this helps you and any other non-sailors coming down.

Roy

P.S. Top tip - take the executive package on P&O ferries - champagne, coffee and snack included and most important priority disembarkation

Thanks Roy.

Do you go via Paris to Vendome or stay to the west? My inclination is to avoid Paris.

Anybody else got any suggestions?

Stay West - the Paris ring road is not for the fainthearted. Roughly from Calais > Abbeville > Rouen then N154 to Chartres then N10 to Vendome.
No tolls and almost as fast as the motorway.