alex.stanley

We're going on holiday with the family in June, they're all flying to Majorca but I thought it might be nice if Rebecca and I drive the S instead and stop along the way.

What's the best thing to do, would you say? Ferry over to North France or catch a longer ferry further down?

Anybody done this before?

Johns999

ferry from portsmouth to bilbao, then drive across spain to barcelona, then get the barcelona ferry to palma de mallorca.

Is an option, depends how long you want to take over it.

echo66

Ferry to Bilbao across Bay of Biscay even in summer can be a mare. Plenty of experience of bad crossings on here. My choice would be France & drive to the Pyrennees in 2 days. Easy routes down the west coast with some great driving. Be daft to miss it. The S eats Euro roads & loves them.

Ed

gaddafi

I know Majorca well

I would not drive a nice car there

There are spectacular views but a lot of the roads are congested and driving standards are not high

Dent concern is also non-existent

Hire car best imo (small one)

Johns999

I also know majorca well, and I wouldnt say the roads are congested, in palma its pretty busy , about the same as any other city, the rest of the roads around the island are generally fine, but I do agree about the driving standards, well more specifically the parking standards.

I've thought about driving the car down to there, but I never have the time.

B B

Phew! so glad you mentioned 'ferry' as I have yet to discover any integral flotation bags, rudder, or propeller ...unless .... unless they are in the 'secret' compartment'.

Fellow posters are so right about careless parking. For the majority on Majorca a car is just an appliance to get from Palma To Pollensa, and fancy sports car or no it will be treated no different.

June can be hot but a least you won't get the dam arrogant cyclists taking up the entire width of the road. In the mountains they force you to climb at their pace and then get angry if you obstruct them on the way down.

You will find the roads busier than you might imagine, you are after all visiting in high season, and trying to get into & out of Palma in the rush hour resembles the M25.

Still my favourite holiday isle, but in September or October, as long as I keep away from the north and the mountains.

alibee

Drove an SLK around there for a few weeks last summer and loved every minute of it. The new motorway has made it a doddle to get from east to west, but it still takes an age to go from north to south.

I was staying in Fornalutx up in the mountains. Some fantastic driving, but getting sideways too often can get pretty scary!

If you get seasick then drive down, otherwise the Bilbao ferry and the run to Barcelona would sound like the best bet.

Avoid the route de soleil A6/A7 in high summer as it can get a bit congested. Don't worry about speeding tickets (the new cooperation doesn't come into force until '09) but do worry about get spotted doing over 100mph.

alex.stanley

Thanks guys,

Not worried about driving in Majorca - we have a villa with secure off-street parking so that won't be an issue, it's just the route we take when we get down there

Quite like the idea of driving in the South of France and camping / B&Bing around there somewhere and then driving down through Spain to Barcelona or something like that - is that feasible?

Just thought it would make a nice change from flying down on Easyjet