Travelling to Spain - December 2013

[merlin1]

Planning to take the caravan to Spain in December of this year and going down the west coast of France. Has any caravanner a preferred route with campsites opened all year?

Ian

 

[Jaydug]

I've been doing this route for a lot of years however last November I decided instead to use BF to Bilbao. Going through France my usual plan is to cross in the evening by Eurotunnel, park up at Baie du Somme - service area on A16 near Abbeville for the night, then with an early start drive 300miles to Poitiers - http://www.camping-le-futuriste.fr/?lang=en. Next day I drive 290 miles to close to the Spanish border to http://www.larrouleta.com/. On the third day I drive 330 miles to Aranhuez south of Madrid and stay at http://www.campingaranjuez.co.uk/ There's so much to see here, I sometimes stay a second day but then after an early start, another 300 mile day gets me to the coast by late afternoon. The entire journey is nearly all done on dual carriageway with very little of it being toll roads.

 

[Gafferbill]

I also mostly use the route and stops mentioned by John Douglas goin via Rouen, Chartres,RN10, Angouleme, Bordeaux then Burgos Madrid or Pamplona Zaragoza.
Take note that the French are in the process of upgrading the RN10 south of Bordeaux to a Autoroute toll road with no viable alternative through the Landes Forest.
I used the road last February..... the road was then nearing completion with ominous toll booths appearing.

 

[merlin1]

Thank you for the info which is greatly appreciated. I am a bit apprehensive to park up on a motorway aire. Are there any campsites near Calais that are open all year?

Ian

 

[Jaydug]

Thank you for the info which is greatly appreciated. I am a bit apprehensive to park up on a motorway aire. Are there any campsites near Calais that are open all year?

The service area at Baie du Somme is one that's regularly used by caravanners for overnight. Even forum members who I know don't usually advocate using service areas, regularly use that particular one. There are three sections, all with dedicated caravan parking bays. Also the mobile gendarmes make frequent visits throughout the night. However if you want a camp site there's Les Epinettes which is only about 5 miles from Eurotunnel. It's in the village of Peuplingues, exit at junction 40 of the A16. Reception is rarely open but the entrance stays open all night.

 

[RayS]

Here's another route, although the first stop may be a bit far from the Calais crossing. We go Portsmouth to St Malo overnight, then to Pons between Saintes and Bordeaux - Moulin des Averne site open all year. The miss out St Jean de Luz and go to Sabinan south of Zaragoza (in CC book under Calatayud) Camping Sabinan Park, open all year) the a long day 420 miles to Mojacar north of Almaeria. The south east corner of Spain is the sunniest in winter. We've done this route for 10 years now, leaving UK night of December 27th. and being on site New Year's eve. If you don't fancy quite such a long day there a nice site at a hotel in Crellivente near Exe/Elche but I don't expect it's particularly quiet on New Years Eve.

The arning about roadworks on N10 is well worth heeding. I found 20 or 30 miles on two narrow lanes between concrete barriers quite nerve wracking - absolutely nowhere to go if you ( or any one else) has a problem. I shall be very surprised if they are finished by December 2013. Since when they do open they will be toll, a good alternative already finished is to take A66 (Toulouse from the Bordeaux ring road, near Langon join A 65 south to Mont de Marsan, go round the south and take d993 to Orthez and then join A 64 back to Bayonne. It adds a few miles and some euros, but much more pleasant driving with less toll booths.

If you follow my route you need to be on the right hand side as you go France to Spain at Irun as the N121A to Pamplona turns off the autoroute within about 1 km. This is not 4 lane but a very scenic and well engineered road and much shorter than the A8 A15 route. Join AP 15 south of Pamplona to Olite/Tafalla and then N121 To Tudela , A 68 for a while then Magallon and the short cut to Ricla (A but not autovia) 1221 then to Sabinan on A2. Leave back onto A2 south to Calatayud south, then Daroca , Teruel, Valencia and south. Avoid alicante by follwing road towards Albecete to Font de la Figurea and then follow Murcia.

I've probably skipped a few stages but I've driven this route enough not to need maps or satnvas. Know that diesel is cheaper in Spain than France, there are several stations Irin to Pamplona but not many Calatayud to Valencia. Between Christmas and New Year or Saturday Sunday will minimise the HGV traffic at the French Spanish borders but the vast majority of the HGV drivers are good and considerate and will ofter give you a 'flash' to let you know it's ok to get back into their lane when overtaking. It's a courtesty to do the same for them.

Spanish campsite pitches tend to be quite small. Some are dominated in winter by either Brits, Dutch or Germains.
We are not 'beach' people and like to get inland while saying on the coast. Do not expect everything to be immaculate but I would be very disappointed if you did not find the loacls friendly if sometimes a little noisy but hey, it's their country.