Can anyone advise me on the best route avoiding tolls between Caen and Valencia driving a 13 ton rigid. I have three days to make the journey so time is not too much of an issue. I was considering via Bordeaux on the way down and Millau on the return journey.
The outbound leg is probably one for Toby 
Many thanks in advance.
KP
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On my way to help out,computer is playing up. 
Here we go then,you are allowed to park up in the secure trailer compund when you come off the ferry,you do not have to follow the crowd to passport checks and the French Douanes check,they want to see the CMR,that is it,get a coffee in the tourist terminal,nice blonde bird who is married to a gendarme works there.As you leave the port,you may see the Pegasus bridge on your right,where the ww2 gliders landed.If taking a rest period,leave when your 11 hours is up,a 9 hour break,add the 2 hours,if due a 11 off,you must add 2 hours,and can not leave till the 13 hours are up.This is only for interupted daily rest on a ferry,as you have had access to a bunk/couchette with a smelly,snoring,â– â– â– â– â– â– â– stranger that you have never met in your cabin.
Head west on the Caen ring road to Bayeux/Cherbourg,then south to Thury-Harcourt on the D962/Flers/Domfront/Laval,this area is called Petite Suisse,or little Switzerland,hilly,river rafting area,it saves the toll and weight limits on the Le Mans to Tours route,you can go that way,i have ran on the weight limits,where it says local traffic only,and not had any problems,up to you on that choice.
From Laval take either the D21 to La Fleche/Saumur/Poitiers/,or take the way to Angers/Poitiers to Bordeaux to the Spanish border at Irun,you will have to take the toll from St.Geours de Maremme,the first toll at the end of the free forest road to Irun,Spain,lot of lorry controls on both sides,weigh bridge on the Spanish side.
From Irun go to Sunbilla on the n121 to Pamplona/Tafala/Olite/Tudela/Magallon/Epila/Almunia de Dona Godina/Carinena/Teruel.
You can go via Zaragoza,it is about 30 miles more.,there is a BP truckstop,food is not that good,a bit smelly with loads of flies.
Take the free fast dual road to Teruel,you will bypass it,unless you want to see the Dinosaur museum,old bones,
Not many service stops on the dual part,so need to plan your stops and fuel.
If you have time near Tarragona,there is a good drivers buffet at Cambrils,fresh seafood,eat like,marina in the town,or the beach with the bars.They give you an invoice to park,but you dont pay,the boss will refund the parking,they want you to eat there.
Coming back,take the free dual via Limoges on the A20 to Orleans/Chartes/Dreux/Evreux/Lisieux to Caen.
Or if Millau viaduct,it is free too via the A75 to Clermont Ferrond.
You will see weight limits,and routes that take you to a toll road,sometimes it is quicker to take a toll,tractors and doodlers on the free national roads,losing driving time and more fuel,i used to dodge the tolls,better places to park up on the nationals.Open the cab door,if controlled by the Douanes,they may search all the load and the cab too,the Gendarmes speak good english too,be polite,or they will keep you there for hours.
You will need two warning triangles,one in front,one in back of the broken down vehicle,and wear a hiv-viz if stopped on the road.
The last 28 days of tachos,or an attestation activity printed on line,no hand writting on it,no photocopies of any documents.
Bit behind the times there Toby, you haven’t had to extend the split ferry rest to 13 hours for years. Just need 11 hours rest now.
If i was due a 11 hour break before getting on the ship,i would have to make it a 13 when parked up in Caen,if due a 9 off,then that becomes an 11,as add 2 hours for the crossing,is that correct Luke,or not? 
toby1234abc:
If i was due a 11 hour break before getting on the ship,i would have to make it a 13 when parked up in Caen,if due a 9 off,then that becomes an 11,as add 2 hours for the crossing,is that correct Luke,or not?
Not since April 2007
As it is a wartime history lesson, look up the Falaise Pocket
Boredeaux to Valencia is 500 miles,so two full shifts from Ouistreham,Brittany ferries give freight drivers a 50% reduction for food only,wine and beer is full price,and you have to get the food,as before a waiter would wait on you in the drivers lounge.
The leg of lamb,with its juice is my favourite,shame about cabin sharing with a mass murderer,would like to see the paying tourists shack up with a total stranger,to see if they like it,to save the cleaners costs in the cabin changeovers.
The Steve Martin/John Candy film,planes trains and automobiles,comes to light,with a pair of kite sized white y fronts being washed in a dirty sink,
I believe it’s 11 plus the time You actually interrupted it by. So if it took 5 mins to get on and 10 mins to get off then you can’t carry on till after 11 1/4 hours after sticking it on rest in Portsmouth .
I got a free meal last time but had to put up with being diverted to Cherbourg
The problems arise when there is no access to a bunk/couchette,like on the older vessels on the Calais/Dover crossings,i would rest in my bunk,and risk the ship sinking,no trace of where i was,or if there was a chemical leak or a fire in the vehicle decks,then it is goodbye to Toby Carvery.On the longer crossings,except the Bilbao/Santanter routes,i would sleep in the cab,and miss the meal on-board for having peace and quiet for a few hours.Shower in the port later,cofffee/croisants and go,that is the law.lol.
The French do like their pattiserie and puddings,it is an art form,as well as the splenid boulangerie bread shops in the small towns off the toll ways.
Gram67,ask your gaffer to get the toll boxes for Italy.Spain and France,you get a discount,you will see promotional offices at the peage stations in France,they will fill out the application forms for you,in all languages too.,that is if they are sending you out there a lot to make it worth it.
You can not let your mate “borrow” the toll box in the windscreen,as they will assume the vehicle has been stolen when going through the peages,the registrations wont match,most times the gendarmes are by the peages,and at this time of year,they are weighing our Muslim friends over-loaded vans/trailers/mini-buses/cars,as they travel non-stop from northern europe,to see their familes in Morocco or Tunisia,to get the ferries and hydrofoils.
The vehicles will have literaly the kitchen sink on the roof,along with old tyres/bikes/fridges/grand-ma,to recycle or sell at home,somebody told me,they will empty their house,as the contents would be stolen when they go away for few months on the road.
For a moment there Wheelnut,i thought you were on about how Hitler made blow up dolls for his front-line troops,as they were getting STDs and STIs,and unable to fight,the troops were having a good time with the ladies of the night in Paris,then refused to place the dolls in their back-pack`s incase the brits caught them with the dolls,and made a laughing stock.Not a made up yarn.
toby1234abc:
If i was due a 11 hour break before getting on the ship,i would have to make it a 13 when parked up in Caen,if due a 9 off,then that becomes an 11,as add 2 hours for the crossing,is that correct Luke,or not?
No need to extend anymore, and you can’t split a 9
Thanks for all your help, esp Toby, I will attempt to put together a diary with pics of the trip.
Anymore suggestions are more than welcome.
Best regards
KP
Ps I remember the “fuller fullers” travelling south to Maroc etc in knackered old motors loaded to the hilt, mostly broken down or being flogged up the hills with smoke belching out the back, a nightmare especially at night.
Looks like I’ll be on the caen Sunday night
I’m on the 1430 boat on the 31st July from Pompey