DRIVING FROM CALAIS

Calais to Combloux is 560 miles by autoroute, i.e. 7 hours driving plus stops. The total cost of tolls is about 65 euros each way (18+42+2+3). Visit www.viamichelin.co.uk for a detailed itinery from your home.

The A26 autoroute runs direct from Calais docks, after about 40 kms you pick up a ticket at the Péage (toll), you pay at the station just before Reims. You can pay tolls automatically by UK credit cards through certain (left hand) gates. Calais to Reims is 275 kms.

At Reims you join the A4 towards Metz. We sometimes take the first turn off at Tinqueux, exit 26, for Carrefour supermarket, cheaper petrol, or overnight stop at the Formule 1. Sometimes we take the second exit to visit the city of Reims.

You pick up the next Péage ticket 5 kms out of Reims. About 26 kms after this, turn right through Champagne country towards Troyes (on the A26 again), where you link into the A5 towards Dijon - which joins into the A31 at Langres. Reims to Dijon is 280 kms.

Look out for the Geneva exit near Dijon. This is the A39, through the Juras to Bourg en Bresse. (In summer, you may prefer to take a more scenic route on the N roads through the Juras and down into Geneva). Dijon to Bourg is about 100km. Just before Bourg the A39 joins into the A40.

This is a good area for an overnight stop because it is only about 160 kms from Bourg to Combloux.

Watch out for the turn off to Geneva about 25 kms after joining the A40. Then you climb through the mountains, with spectacular views and viaducts and four tunnels in the 78 kms to the next toll gate - which costs about 42 euros. From here the road descends towards Geneva, and joins into the route from Geneva towards Chamonix.