Search my posts about motorhoming, wild parking, taking a van to Europe, tips for new owners and much more. I quit my job to travel the UK & Europe in a motorhome with my husband and our dog Mac. Driving the Vrsic Pass Slovenias spectacular mountain road, Car crash or road traffic accident in Europe- what to do, Reviewed Best Wales Motorhome sites (& campervanning in wales tips! Some garages and supermarkets will have fresh water and a place for grey water. Make sure you have travel insurance you can trust when motorhoming Spain. When you sign up to our FREE newsletter, we'll send you the latest Whichever is your bag (and there is a lot of choice), if youre heading south in your camper in Spain for several months of the winter and a long site stay, make sure you book in advance! No- wild camping is not permitted in any of Spains National Parks. Many Northern Europeans (like us Brits!) If youre not sure what we mean, read more about getting gas in Europe: READ MORE: How we find motorhome LPG or bottles while touring Europe. 4. The route mainly leads through the (northern) French Pyrenees, but also visits the Spanish part and Andorra. Barcelona city boasts a rich cultural heritage, a 4km long sandy beach, fabled UNESCO architectural gems,a culinary scene the envy of the world, and all the attractions ofa modern global city alongside historic districts such as theGothic quarter. A very efficient drive all the French motorways despite getting caught up in a se. head to that area to get some winter sunshine. Planning to tour Spain with a motorhome or campervan? motorhome routes through france to spain The highest quality of care for individuals with developmental disabilities A perfect and peaceful escape for you and your touring caravan, motorhome or tent, or you can purchase your Editor's picks - ideal campsites for Christmas holidays. Tarifa, Spain is one of our favourite places for van life. Out of season, you can get over 60% discount on ACSI sites. Or take a campervan route through the popular region of Normandy and Brittany! This route lends itself well to ferries which arrive from the UK into Caen or Cherbourg. Leaving the motorway you drop down a hill. Do I need an international driving permit to drive in Spain? If you prefer to stay on campsites, few are open in winter, so your route and driving time will be dictated by those that are. Some go for up to six months from October onwards, we prefer to spend Christmas at home and travel out in January. Weve spent over 18 months travelling in a motorhome in Spain, and in this campervanning and motorhoming guide youll find lots of practical and helpful information. In both Pampaneira andTrevlez, we were the only motorhome in their car park,hereandhererespectively. Digital e-guides FAQ UK Car Sticker. Want to rent a vehicle for your road trip? Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Garmin Camper 760LM 7" - Lifetime Europe Maps Sat Nav - Camper/Motorhome/Caravan at the best online prices at eBay! If this happens, then we recommend stopping for the night somewhere safe (the beauty of travelling in a motorhome) and then continuing on when the snow has stopped and the roads have been cleared. If youd like to avoid campsites and aires, but dont want to risk staying off-grid, there is a scheme which connects business owners to people motorhoming or campervanning in Spain, called Espana Discovery. Wild camping for motorhomes in Spain (sometimes called free camping or wild parking) is generally tolerated away from busy beaches town and city beaches, and outside of national parks. Check out our post on wild camping for more rules and tips for camper vans and motorhomes in the UK and Europe, and for information on where to find the best camping locations and motorhome stopovers in Spain. Not all spaces are level and the majority were originally designed for cars so have kerbs in what is now the middle of the space! One of the cheapest places is on Amazon. Motorhome aires in France are so well located - we've stayed in inner cities, within castle walls, at the bottom of ski pistes and steps away from a lake's shore. John, we did that trip last year, although we had longer and set off earlier. keep your dog in the ferry cabin with you (like you can from Portsmouth to Caen). Many people will go to church but it is the extended family lunch, hosted by the matriarch, which is the most important part of the day. Is this your first time visiting Spain? For some reason, driving from the UK to Spain seems to confuse people. Just like other tolls in Europe, youll usually get a ticket when you enter the toll route, then have to pay when you exit at either a manned or automatic toll booth. We work hard to make this website the best it can be. Motorhome touring in the beautiful and varied country of France is a pleasure. The Route des Grandes Alpes traverses 16 alpine passes and ascends about 16,000 metres until finally, after about 700 km, you arrive at your final destination on the sunny Mediterranean coast. READ MORE: Discover the best & warmest places to enjoy winter in Spain. Weve spent months touring in France and from tips about driving, budgeting, where to stay overnight and off-grid and wild camping, to motorhome services and a round-up of the best motorhome destinations, youll find all the information you need for an amazing road trip in France. You cannot book motorhome aires in advance- its first-come, first-served, so if youre visiting at peak times you might feel happier booking a campsite so youre assured of somewhere to stay. Read on to find out all you need to know. Home Motorhome Advice Travel to Europe Motorhoming & Campervanning in Spain Complete Guide. Enjoy holidays year-round with this selection of sites that are open all year Editor's Pick - The best campsites in Devon. You may take advantage of our 30 percent savings and free cancellation within 48 hours of planned pick-up to Pietermaritzburg or elsewhere in the world right now on autoeurope.com! human resources job scope; holland america cruise cancellations due to coronavirus "LongRoadSouth. Diamonds with a black line through mean you no longer have priority ( this is usually on roundabouts.). Peaje or AP is a toll road. ferry or tunnel from UK to France (there are pros and cons to both). Spains capital city is a beautiful and cultured city with stunning architecture, tranquil parks and some of the best art museums in Europe. If you need any kit or essentials for motorhoming in Europe, heres what we recommend and where to find it, You can travel with Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth or Plymouth and go to either Santander or Bilbao (both on the north coast of Spain). Kat never planned to buy a motorhome. Spain uses the Euroconnector adapter. You will find some petrol stations with additional facilities for motorhomes, like waste disposal, water (NOT always drinkable!) Motorhoming in Spain- what gear do you need to carry? If under 3,500kg go straight on, otherwise the inside lane swings right down to a bridge, after which you turn left to bring you back, through the commercial area, to the main road. This quintessential Andalucian city is perfect for wandering, with cool bars and cafes on every corner, perfect to enjoy tapas and a glass of crisp white wine whilst watching the world go by. I dont like the Bay of Biscay in winter, nor paying to use expensive motorways. Caravan & Motorhome Holidays Abroad ; Trip along Spanish Pyrenees to . Either way, the destination is Abbeville where, just north of the city, you pick up the free A28 motorway, which takes you all the way to Rouen. For us option C is the only contender. The pros and cons of these options would take an entire article and there are many who have good reason for their choice. Just like motorhoming in France, there are certain things you MUST carry with you in your motorhome or campervan whilst touring in Spain. Before motorhome overnight parking, do your usual checks and add an extra one look forPine Processionary Caterpillars in Spain, which make their nests in those lovely shady pine trees we all like to park under. If you've found it useful, please consider buying us a coffee to show your support. If you are staying longer, then it is likely that the sites own rate will be better value the longer you stay the cheaper it becomes. If youre looking for a longer holiday, just throw in some beach time! Spanish campsites range from very basic camping spots in fewer tourist areas to full-on touring stops where people pitch up for six months and want entertainment every night, direct access to a sandy beach, three different bars to choose from and a covered, heated pool. Book this hike well in advance and go with a guide, for an extra few euros you will learn so much. Ferry Crossings - Top Tips Winter Motorhome Trip to Spain. Most of the routes i have seen on the forum have avoided toll roads. For Spain motorhome rental best if youre travelling with a family or need more room check out Motorhome Republic, who have over 40 pick-up and drop-off locations in Spain, meaning you can plan a one-way drop-off, or access the bit of Spain you want to see really easily. The white dots are the stops we describe and the moons are our campsite suggestions. Combining flavours of the Maghreb and Middle East, they offer a modern take on classic dishes using traditional techniques and local ingredients. Day 6 - Bordeaux. Make sure you have proof that you can take the vehicle across a border into another country if thats what youre planning to do. Next on our Perth to Darwin travel itinerary is the wonderful town of Broome. Autopistas are marked red on the map and they will have the letter P next to the number, Toll-free motorways are marked with the letter A and are marked blue on the map, Main routes /dual carriageways (green on the map). With short breaks, and sharing the driving, we usually arrive at the overnight stops around 4pm (ish) after a 7am (ish) crossing, and after leaving Poitiers around 9am. UK citizens can only stay in the Schengen Area (a zone in Europe where countries have no internal borders and allow the free and unrestricted movement of people) for90 days in every 180 daysin the Schengen Area. If youre driving from the UK to Spain (well cover that shortly), you need to allow the time it will take to drive through France to Spain (and back again!) Over the years we've fine tuned our route so that, as far as possible, we avoid toll motorways, heavy trucking routes and roads passing through endless villages with low speed limits, speed bumps and traffic lights. If you're planning a trip to Ireland, make sure to check out these great campsites to stay at Our selection of the best campsites for exploring wonderful Wales With two coasts, Devon is the perfect county for a beach lover Editor's Pick - The best campsites for families. When we travel, we kind of end up with a happy medium of both. But of course there is much more to see along the way! Yellow diamond signs mean you have priority. Dont try and wild camp in busy/ popular areas- like the Costa del Sol- unless youre visiting in the lowest of low season. Motorhoming through France means that you are totally flexible as you road trip France, and you can either have a fixed plan and route all mapped out or you can travel along and decide where to go as your whim decides. Traditionally it was followed by a nap, the famous. If you only see one thing, it must be the Cathedral, where all roads seemingly lead, includingthe famous Camino. This is a fascinating and ecologically diverse part of Spain withover 80species of birds livingand breeding here. Motorhome route along the most beautiful locations in Spain A motorhome tour of Spain offers plenty of variety: from sun, sea and sand in the south of the country to green surroundings in the north. Once in France, head down the west side of the country, via Le Mans, Tours, Poitiers, Bordeaux and Bayonne, crossing the Spanish border at Irun. Motorhome Route France, Spain and Andorra - Straight through the Pyrenees. Youll need to book a pet-friendly cabin or kennels on the ferry or travel via the tunnel. But, I promise you, there is much more to Spain than the Costa del Sol, especially if youre travelling and touring in a motorhome or camper. You can park a motorhome during the day anywhere parking is allowed (as long as there are no signs banning motorhome parking) and as long as you arent overhanging a space or blocking the road. Spanish people live a more relaxed life than perhaps any other country in Europe and this is reflected in the organisation of the day. Motorhome Route France, Spain and Andorra - Straight through the Pyrenees Developed by: NKC - travel guides (the NKC is the Dutch parent company of Campercontact) Described route: 15 travel days The Pyrenees form the natural border between France and Spain and are richly blessed with natural beauty. Use an app likePark4Nightto locate motorhome and campervan services. An autova is like a motorway, except that bicycles and agricultural vehicles can use it. This is a long drive so to break it up we suggest stopping off at Eighty Mile Beach to stretch your legs. Number of days: Two to four. Country information - all the info for your trip, Developed by: NKC - travel guides (the NKC is the Dutch parent company of Campercontact), Total length of the route: 910 kilometres. If youve been motorhoming in Italy, you might surprised to learn that aires are called Aires in Spain, just like in France (theyre called Sostas in Italy). Our route only involves one major junction so, outside rush hour, traffic should be reasonably light. Water is regulated in much of the country, especially in the south, and many sites provide de-salinated water instead of potable. Thanks. Remember, this is for daytime parking for motorhomes- lets move on to overnight parking. As someone who gets seasick (hilarious considering Im ex-Navy and lived on boats for 15 years), I avoid this crossing and prefer to drive from the UK through France to Spain, but its entirely up to you. Visit to Athabasca Glacier and Columbia Icefield Skywalk. Highlights of 20 days travelling through south-west France. This road trip itinerary will take you to the major cities and best places to visit in Andalucia Spain, bringing the country alive. Do not drive until you are happy you comply with the local laws. Guided wildlife tour in Jasper National Park. campsite news, special offers, availability and much more direct to If the weather is good there are two low altitude passes you can take instead. The load must be indicated by an aluminium panel with diagonal red and white stripes, manufactured to ECE70 standard. If youre new to our website (welcome! Among its many Roman ruins are a 1st-century B.C. As you approach the N12 the map, and probably your navigator, will suggest turning left past Dreux and Chartres to meet the N10. The trade-off is the Costas where traffic ramps up and tailbacks are frequent. Its one of the warmest places in Europe in February average temperatures in Malaga are 17c (but only 12c in Madrid- that extra bit south does make a big difference). The Spanish Pyrenees are absolutely stunning. When it comes to reaching the Spanish Mediterranean coast there's basically two options - drive through France or catch a ferry to Northern Spain. Stop your vehicle immediately but safely- out of the flow of traffic if possible. Motorhomes < 3,500 kg (also relevant for those touring Spain by car or campervan). We recommend you dont drink this water and also clean out your motorhome freshwater tank thoroughly before refilling it to get rid of the particles found in de-salinated water. You could also look at Auto Europe who act as an aggregator site and may be able to get you a better deal. You will also be within easy walking distance of the Casco Antiguo, the old town. If you're planning a UK campsite stay then visit our Campsite Finder, with over 5,000 campsites to search you'll be sure to find the perfect place to pitchup to in your Motorhome. In Spain you can visit the Spanish National Park Aigestortes. Continue straight on to seamlessly join the D323 southern bypass and in 7.5 miles turn south, still the D323, to La Fleche and on to Bauge and Saumur. Most garages will require you to pay electronically for fuel at the pump, usually you can adjust the instructions to English. motorhome wild camping heres everything you need to know to stay safe and find free spots. Of course, the downside with any book is that it goes out of date, but dont worry if its only a year or two out- most information about aires wont change too much. Motorhome aires in Spain are not as plentiful as in France but they are out there! This also includes a motorhome sat-nav- program it before you leave and dont touch it unless youre parked up safely. The motorhome route is shown in the map below. Brittany- one of our favourite areas in France The Loire Valley. Look out for traffic signs indicating that winter tyres or snow chains are compulsory where you are. Founded by the Carthaginians around 220 B.C., the city boomed during the Roman period. If you like to hike, head for the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, to hike the famousCircodeSoaso. Park outside and use public transport to get in. That's what awaits you during your trip through the French and Spanish Pyrenees. We have an 8m motorhome and are travelling down to Barcelona but wanted to take a detour through the mountains. You need lights on in the tunnels (there are signs to remind you). If you find this post useful, you can also treat us to a coffee at the bottom of this page- we promise to enjoy it while creating more useful content like this- we might even indulge in a biscuit (or two!). In this post, youll find all you need to know about touring Italy by motorhome. The motorway becomes dual carriageway at the citys edge and drops down through a tunnel. Heading east, stop in the pretty and modern city ofAlmeria for an afternoon lunch along the promenade. This tranquil and beautiful nature wetland nature reserve is known for its birdlife and encompasses rivers, dunes & beaches. From here either turn towards Ainhoa to cross the border, or continue on to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port where you enter Spain and climb to a 1,000m over the Ibaneta Pass. Be sure to get: Name and address of all the people involved in the accident, Vehicle registration numbers of all parties, Take photos of damage using a camera, GoPro or phone. Many roads have automatic speed cameras on in Spain and theyre quite happy to send tourists a fine through the mail. If you want a different pitch, you will be charged a supplement which often wipes out the benefit of the ACSI card, so pick smaller sites for the best experience. In some places, to turn left across a dual carriageway you need to pull-in on the right and wait until it is clear in both directions. Developed by: NKC - travel guides (the NKC is the Dutch parent company of Campercontact) Described route: 15 travel days. Take a road trip to Spain from UK by driving through France. Be warned- the hot water in the shower is on a timer- usually between 3-5 minutes per token. The quickest motorway routes from France are the E70 to northern Spain (the route continues to A Corua in the northwest) and the E15 to south-east Spain. They also have dog kennels onboard but you CANNOT keep your dog in the ferry cabin with you (like you can from Portsmouth to Caen). Dont forget, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure the vehicle has the required safety equipment. To find out where to stay during stage 3 - click here. The Best European Campsites For Camper, By Campers. Gerard's Bistro, Fortitude Valley. Weve tried all sorts of kit- some useful, some not so much. See all our dog travel and road trip tips, Emergency Numbers: 112 will get you everything, Language There are several local variations of Spanish.
31 Weeks Pregnant With Twins And Feeling Pressure,
Articles M