How long to drive to South France with 3 month old? And any tips?

[PlinkertyPlonk]

There will also be 3 under-12s in the car.

I know, we're mad even considering it. I've looked at other options, including flying the under-12s as unaccompanied minors, but we can't do that from any of our local airports so we're back to driving.

Although we will have an overnight stop in Paris, it feels like it would take a week to get there if we have to stop every couple of hours for feeding and giving LO a break from the car-seat.

It's a massive culture shock for me because I'm used to hoofing it flat out to the Alps, child-free but car crammed with friends and ski-kit, with few stops meaning we get there by tea-time.

So, how long does it take? And any top tips?

I recently drove back the other way, but from the southern tip of Spain, through France and then to London. With a 2 year old. It was fine, did it in 5 hour legs, pee stopping when necessary and picnic gathering when we stopped properly.

Definitely would have gone potty without the DVD player in the car, and used satnav, but didn't rely on it particularly. We stopped in Toledo, San Sebastian and then did a mega run of about 7 hours from San Seb to Vannes, where we stayed with friends. Last bit through France was about 4 hours to Le Harve.

Used four tanks of diesel, start to finish and I reckon the tolls through France were about 60?. I swerved paying them in Spain as I had a clicker for the autopista, so had massive discount with that (was living in Spain).

I think we used to pay about 70 Euros in tolls heading to the Alps, so that sounds about right.

I don't remember much about the Formula 1 (we arrived very late and left very early), except that the whole room seemed to be moulded from a single piece of plastic. How do they do that?!

We did London to Le Lavandou last summer, and have said 'never again'! Because it is a long long journey and expensive too.

DC's were 9,8 and 7, and they were fine in the car. No DVD player because it makes them car sick, but they each have an ipod, loaded with favourite audio books and music, and a nintendo ds.

If you take an early morning crossing it is do-able in two long days - book a hotel about halfway, somewhere just off the motorway. The Etap ones are good value and sleep 3 to a room.

Use the satnav to take you off the motorway for cheap supermarket fuel and picnic food (or our favourite - the Quick burger chain).

Useful websites are viamichelin and bison-fute which shows the busiest days on the French roads.

I also got a toll widget which allows you to use the 't' lanes at the toll booths, so no queuing and it charges your credit card at the end of the month. Worth it just to see the faces as zee eenglish zip through without stopping.

Oooh, I have to get a toll widget, that sounds fab! There's nothing worse than queuing up for hours at the payage.

Ahem, that should of course have been peage. Excuse the franglaise.

I used to live on the Riviera and and have done long drives since the DCs were tiny; they're pretty used to it now. Ex-DP refused to use the peage (motorways) so it took 18 hours to drive to Maastricht, which is about level with the channel. And yes, we did it straight through- DS slept a lot, to be fair, and I did a lot of singing when he was awake! On the Peage it's much quicker, (and kids don't get car sick) maybe 8 hours or less from the channel to Antibes, and if i remember right cost about £70 in tolls? they are great roads, you can fly along. i have a friend living in the Limousin and she says it takes 8 hours to Amsterdam on the toll roads.

A lot of the tips here I'd second; the only one not mentioned- i used to use Flunch restaurants because they're cheap, have kids meals, and they have a PLAY AREA which was great for kids that have neem cooped up for too long. oh and good facilities for the wee tinies as well- paper bibs, microwaves etc IIRC.

Someone mentioned formula 1 and i'd agree- shared bathrooms are a pain; the Premier Classe are Ok for en route travel as they're very similar but with an en suite bathroom, and they're only about 6E more a night.

We did Surrey to Zurich with a six month old and a 2.5 year old. This was 17 years ago so didn't have rules about how long babies could stay in car seats. I did about 15 party bags for the 2.5 year old with a little toy and some grapes or raisins and the odd sticker book. I handed one over about every hour when she was awake. No dvd players then (I am very old) but it seemed to go well.
Much better than first trip with PFB when she had what we discovered to be her first ear infection which perforated in Austria. I thought my brilliant sleeper had gone for ever!