Best route from calais to the south of France in August - do I need to avoid Paris?

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

Hello,

We're driving from Calais to the med coast, just south of Beziers, on Saturday/Sunday this weekend, and I'm trying to work out our best route. It looks like our options are going down the A26 through Dijon and Lyon, or the quicker (distance wise) way of through Paris and down to Bourges and then on the A75. I like the look of the last route, not least because the tolls will cost less, but is it a mistake to go via Paris in August?
I've heard it is hellish busy, but I was thinking it is late August, so perhaps most French people would be more likely to be travelling north? Can French mumsnetters, or those who are familiar with the route, enlighten me?

Thanks in advance.

Bump?

Having driven to Spain numerous times over different routes. The best I recommend is Calais, Rouen, Evreux, Chartres then over to Clermont.

This avoid Paris, and the tolls are cheaper that way.

We came back via Lyon a couple of weeks ago, didn't like it and tolls were dearer.

End of August shouldn't be too bad.

Thank you, I will check out that route.

Do all you can to avoid Paris by a wide margin.
It seems to have this ability to suck you in when you get close,then you spend hours lost.

Hmm, I was only worrying about the traffic - am I hopelessly naive to think it's just a case of driving round a ring road like the m25?