Best route Calais to Valencia...and scrapping car?

[mikeytttt]

My (spanish) wife and I are moving to Spain in October. We are going to be driving down and have narrowed it down to 1 of 2 possible routes. Either:

Calais > Reims > Lyons > Montepellier > Barcelona > Valencia
or
Calais > Paris > Orleans > Bourges > Clermont-Ferrand > Perpignan > Barcelona > Valencia

Both seem to be roughly the same distance, roughly the same toll costs and take roughly the same amount of time (according to all the various route planners).

Does anyone have experience of these routes or can recommend one over the other? We're not looking to site-see on the journey, so really just want the quickest and easiest route.

Second question...

Does anyone have any experience of scrapping a UK registered car in Spain? We're driving our car down - it's a 12 year old rover, so worth virtually nothing, but is in very good condition (only 67,000 on the clock) and should be more than fine for the journey. We only plan to use it for a couple of months whilst we sort out residency etc and sort out buying a new car in Spain.

I've read a lot about the new rules affecting Uk registered cars but can't find out anything about exchanging/scrapping a UK registered car. Would a Spanish car dealer consider accepting a UK registered car as a part-exchange or would there be any problems scrapping the car with a Spanish Scrapyard as it would still be UK registered?

Many thanks....

[BabsM]

We have driven from Calais to Orleans and from Calais to Lyons over the last year. Personally I would say the Calais -Orleans route is the easier, faster route.

[Stravinsky]

Ive done both drives mikey. The first choice is by far the better to take imho. For one thing, you have to skirt Paris on the other route and the last time I came back that way I was stuck in traffic for 3 hours there and missed my ferry. The first choice was by far the easiest drive

Off the Ferry first thing in the morning I can easily make Valence or even a bit further for an overnight stop, and Valencia by evening the next day.

To my knowledge there is no problem about scrapping cars, whether it be UK or Spanish registered. I have a feeling there is a small charge. You could certainly try a part exchange, even if you got €100 it would be a bonus and then the car dealer has the problem

[El Capitan]

Mikey, my favourite routes are now either Portsmouth Caen ferry which gives me a 2 day drive or the Plymouth Santander ferry which gives one day to home. On scrapping or exchanging a UK vehicle, if you are serious then you tell DVLA you are exporting the vehicle before you leave and then it is off record in UK. When I asked about part exchanging a UK vehicle to a Spanish dealership, their excuse was that they had no way to know if it was debt free and would not touch it. You might get a private sale but that would be better if not exported from UK and allowed easily back if the new buyer would want to.

[chris(madrid)]

Originally Posted by El Capitan

On scrapping or exchanging a UK vehicle, if you are serious then you tell DVLA you are exporting the vehicle before you leave and then it is off record in UK. When I asked about part exchanging a UK vehicle to a Spanish dealership, their excuse was that they had no way to know if it was debt free and would not touch it.

VERY SOUND ADVICE.

Look at Portsmouth - St Malo too.

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by chris(madrid)

VERY SOUND ADVICE.

Look at Portsmouth - St Malo too.

OP was asking about Calais, but I agree, by far the best route I took was Portsmouth / St Malo. I was past Bordeaux on the first day easily and of course you start off at St Malo fresh after a nights sleep