Driving to French Alps (samoens) from South Wales. Best ferry routes?

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

Just that really.

Never done it before and getting muddled between routes. Not driven in France for over 20 years so have no idea if any routes are to be avoided.

Any tips gratefully received.

My in-laws always use Dover-Calais as I think this is actually the shortest way and you avoid Paris. Arriving at either Dieppe, Le Harve or Ouistreham (Caen) doesn't shorten your journey at all and you have to go round Paris (not actually that difficult these days if you're coming from the west as you can use the A86 and avoid the peripherique).

For alps you need to go Dover Calais then down motorway, turn left at Besacon.

Great, thanks.

We're looking at booking a chalet from Sunday to Saturday (13 nights) so that we can take our time travelling. Have you stopped en-route before?

I've been looking at the motorway peage tag which looks useful and also found out that the car will need an emissions sticker as well as the other regulatory items to be carried.

Do you know anything about using sat navs in France? I'm sure I read something about them not being legal if they warn about the location of speed cameras (even if that function is turned off). I don't have inbuilt sat nav in the car so would be using my garmin device.

Calais to the Alps is an OK drive. I do it often.

www.le-val-moret.com/en/ is almost half way between Calais & Geneva & is a nice stop, especially with DC.

Alternatively Dijon is a lovely place for a break & easy to get in to/out of.

Sat navs with speed camera locations are illegal.

You only need an emissions sticker for driving in certain cities - Paris, Lyon, Grenoble & possibly Marsailles.

We drove at Easter. Eurovtunnel for speed over ferry. Stopped at Reims Tinqueux based on MN recommendations. Plenty of hotels there. Left Reims about 9.30 got to Samoens about 4.
Left about 10.30 coming back. Arrived in Tours in time for a look about the lovely old town and dinner. Samoens is v close to motorway. Are you going in winter? Snow chains if so. Satnav thing is if the satnav shows speed cameras. If it doesn't then ok. You need dayglo vests and s safety triangle in case you break down. Halfords sell a kit with it all in. The gadget for tolls is great. Ours is sanef.

Which sat navs don't show speed cameras?

Mine does

Can you disable that option? TBH never seen police on the peage motorway.

I expect I could, will have to have a fiddle!

Another vote for Eurotunnel

We usually drive down to Kent the evening before and stay in a Premier Inn or similar near the tunnel. Early start the next morning and drive down from Calais to the Alps in a day.

It takes about 8 hours from Calais to Samoens with a couple of short stops