Hideaway in France - gîtes in the Pyrénées near Carcassonne

Which way to travel to the South of France?

Rush hour on the A66 near us!

The South of France is now in easy reach from Britain; and whether by air, by road or by rail the journey from the South of England can be completed in one long day, or easily with an overnight stop.

The further away from the South coast you start, the more likely it will be that flying is the most practical option. Despite that, many of our guests have driven to us from the North of England and Scotland, although we've never had anyone drive from Ireland!

To help aid your decision, we've tried to put on this page some of the feedback we've had from our guests on how they like to travel to our area, and why they choose that way of getting here. The following pages have details of flight routes, ferry routes and rail options that we update at the start of each year.

So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the different options?

Option	Advantages	Disadvantages	Costs
Flying	Flying is undoubtedly the quickest way to get here	Cost increases with the number of people travelling Airport security, baggage weight limits, etc. Need to hire and drive an unfamiliar car on holiday	Airline ticket cost per person Cost of hire car, insurance etc. Parking / travel to departure airport
Driving with ferry or tunnel	No limit on luggage You have your own car on holiday with you The journey can be leisurely and extend the holiday Cost is fairly constant irrespective of number of people	Many hours in the car which can be difficult with children Wear and tear on the car	Petrol and autoroute tolls Overnight hotel costs for stops on the way
Rail as foot passengers	No limit on luggage More space and comfort than in an aircraft or car Can be quicker than driving, although slower than flying	Cost increases with the number of people travelling Hassle of train changes if you're not near London Need to hire and drive an unfamiliar car on holiday	Rail tickets per person Cost of hire car, insurance etc. Parking / travel to departure station
Rail with the car	No limit on luggage You have your own car on holiday with you No need to drive all the way across Britain and France	Cost increases with the number of people travelling Still need to drive to Dover and cross the channel before boarding Also quicker than driving, slower than flying	Rail tickets per person + car Travel to Dover and channel crossing