Routes to and from the UK?

We’ve done various routes. We now take our time and stay in or near some lovely towns. Our last route was, Calais, Rouen,Alençon, Le Mans, Tours, Poitiers, Bordeaux, Saint Sebastian, Pamplona, past Zaragoza, Teruel a lovely little place, Valencia, Elche, Murcia Lorca then home. 

Thanks Lmj18

I have been t several of the places you mentioned, some on the way to a holiday home in the Pyrenees and found them very good stopping points to blow the cobwebs away from the hours on the autoroutes. For a few years we got a deal for a family tooom with Novotel south of Orleans and it had a tennis court and small swimming pool to revive children! :) Buffet breakfast included  where the children got more value too! :)

Yes, there are so many lovely places. Last July we stayed in a casa rural, logi de France hotel, chateau, restaurant with rooms, all had different character. A boat ride, wine tasting. Some really good food too. The only issue was the heat last year. In the 40’s. Accident near Valencia, 2 hours on stop. Stocked up on some French wine and food too. 

When driving up to France we stop at El Retiro, Cambrils- near Tarragona - on the A7. It has indoor pool and a good bar/restaurant as well as outside seating.

Chris

One of the advantages of living in the east of Andalucia, if you are going via Madrid is the route to the east is much simpler than arriving from the south? Last year, following some recommendations I went around the north-east to Mirasierra (a hotel recommended on this forum for people crossing Spain to Santander). Although it tends to lead more to the west of France, the route from the coast past Albacete was not too busy, interesting and then a short route around Madrid that was easier to navigate? Just a thought?

In Spain, Vitoria is a very nice town cutting down direction Burgos from Bilbao and Burgos is a very nice city with lovely cathedral and good restaurants. If you prefer the Perpignan Mediterranean coastal route, we dropped once at Figueras to see the amazing Dali museum. Going towards the coast but a little bit off your route from there, is the beautiful village of Cadaques where Dali was born and there's another gallery of his works in what probably was the family home. We haven't been to Cadaques yet but it looks a beautiful place.  

Many thanks juanida

Yes, I arrived in Vittoria at three in the afternoon and experienced a ghost city, my first real introduction to siesta! :) It was a really nice place and now seems a little out of place compared with other cities in Spain?

Dali museum was a good visit too I went when my kids were small and everyone enjoyed it but I haven't been to Cadaques so I can pencil that in for a visit too.