To toll or not to toll?

[DesolationAngel]

We are heading off to France on Thursday and I was just after your opinions on toll roads versus non toll roads.
I know it will take longer but the cost of the tolls versus a couple of more hours seems ok. However this is according to Mappy!
In reality am I going to regret not taking the direct route with 2 kids in the back. I know it's a bank holiday weekend as well this weekend so will the toll roads be heaving or will everyone go off the main routes.
Any experiences??

Where in France are you going?

We went to the Vendee region in May/June half term and, on the whole, took the toll roads.

The few times we left those roads it just seemed to take forever -slow traffic through towns, agricultural traffic etc. However it was lovely to see some beautiful towns which we would have missed if we'd just stuck to the toll roads.

Cost was about £30 each way

Oh that would help wouldn't it
From Zeebrugge to Ile D'Oleron over two days.

I always use toll roads driving in France when heading for a destination. As Norbert says, when you leave these roads, the traffic through towns does take an age. Lovely for when you're out and about exploring but just a pain when you're just wanting to get to your destination.

We're in the same boat as you, going non-toll in France for the first time. DH is not keen, but it will save us over £100! We're taking two days to get to our destination (that's changed due to bad weather where we were going to go) so we'll try it for the first day and if we don't get very far, we'll just have to go back to toll roads. I'll report back when we return in September.

Good luck Desolation!

We are in the ardeche right now (and its really warm).
boasting aside we alway take the toll roads as it tends to be the quickest and most straighforward way of getting to your destination , but it really depends on you.
Its cost us about 90 euros one way which you need to factor into the cost of your holiday
If you want to see a bit of the "real" france (ie the towns and villages with the accompanying traffic lights, queues etc ) and not just long straight roads then dont use the toll roads, but it might take you longer to get to your destination.