2018 anniversary trip 200 / 100 max miles per day for 22 days

[DavidG58]

Bonkers title, which if you haven't worked out I will now explain

We have a trip to France every February for our anniversary, this year is slightly more challenged due to Mums deteriorating condition, but we have decided life for us mustn't change too much, provided we can put things in place to keep Mum safe

Not actually booked the Chunnel yet but looking at Monday or Tuesday 5th / 6th Feb, returning Tuesday or Wednesday 27th / 28th Feb

In early planning we hoped to get down to Totana as the destination, with a few other funsters, their plans have changed and being realistic it now seems too far, particularly given the additional criteria I have decided to implement

That is, once in France we will drive a maximum of 200 miles a day for the first 7 days, to our 'furthest point' from Calais, then turn and head back at a maximum of 100 miles / day, mostly using aires for single overnight stops, but once a week so 3 or 4 times on the trip we would like 2 nights on hook up, probably on a site

No real plans for where to get to although we have both said for our anniversary (wedding, 37 years on 14th Feb ) if weather not too bad Gorge du Verdon area would be nice

I am now planning route options with these mileage rules applied to see how far we can get at a maximum, Totana not totally ruled out but unlikely, if not impossible

 

[Mikeco]

200 miles for 7 days would take you around 200 mile past La Manga which is only 1215 mile from Calais.

 

[Dazzlin]

Slow down David!
If you only have 22 days, aim closer to 50 miles a day and enjoy an easy jaunt thru romantic 'Francais' for your anniversary.
I'm sure Bev likes it slow - It's not Norway!

 

[DavidG58]

the above has taught me not to trust Google for route planning, we would always chose the second option, 100km less even if 1 hour longer

but it also takes no account of non toll which I major in, penny pinching beyond belief to avoid a toll booth

2000 km = 1240 miles, so the Totana option lives on

the routes were simply shown to get approx. miles not actual routes, you will not find me anywhere near Paris , well not that near anyway

 

[gus-lopez]

I'm only 1250 miles from Dunkirk & I'm past Totana.

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[Anthea M]

Are there many campsites open at this time of year David? We need to know too!

 

[DavidG58]

you are looking right @Dazzlin this is about 1800 miles and more realistic as a very approx. route

 

[DavidG58]

Are there many campsites open at this time of year David? We need to know too!

there are a few Anthea, but not many, but you really don't need camp sites, quite a few of the aires now have electrics, some of them are the old municipal sites and are really like campsites but just for motorhomes but they are often on the outskirts of towns, we prefer a town centre aire and use the local shops / eateries , but a good few of the ex municipal locations are close to town centres

 

[Anthea M]

there are a few Anthea, but not many, but you really don't need camp sites, quite a few of the aires now have electrics, some of them are the old municipal sites and are really like campsites but just for motorhomes but they are often on the outskirts of towns, we prefer a town centre aire and use the local shops / eateries , but a good few of the ex municipal locations are close to town centres

Yes we have noticed a lot ofoldcampsitesare now Aires but we may need electricnowand then!

 

[DavidG58]

but this option still is not dead, I just can't get my head round the maths of whether it fits into my mileage / daily limits with camp stops

time to sleep on it and come back to it when sober

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

I bet you can’t wait. We hope you both have a lovely time celebrating your anniversary, and that everything goes to plan.

 

[DavidG58]

Yes we have noticed a lot ofoldcampsitesare now Aires but we may need electricnowand then!

it really depends on how your MH is set up, and what you want, our leisure batteries charge off the alternator when travelling and we have a solar panel charging the 2 leisure batteries, so even 2 nights in winter is no problem with out hook up, we also have refillable gas so don't worry about heating or running out of gas the more we drive the less we need hook up, so for winter travelling we would rarely use it, unless there and included in the fees

 

[Anthea M]

Solar panel and 2 batteries but normal gas which they don’t sell abroad wondering whether to change?

 

[BreweryDave]

Just a couple of observations ....
No need to actively avoid Paris, just avoid the city and the peripherique. Plenty of decent motorway to get round it ( trust me, I know, I'm there now!!!)
Shouldn't need a site for EHU as if your going to be driving everyday the batteries will be well enough charged for overnight stops.
Lastly, I hope you have winter tyres fitted!!!

As an alternative, bite the bullet, hit the motorway, pay the tolls,and get to the warmth of spain within 3/4 days comfortably, then have a break! France is closed

 

[Anthea M]

Just a couple of observations ....
No need to actively avoid Paris, just avoid the city and the peripherique. Plenty of decent motorway to get round it ( trust me, I know, I'm there now!!!)
Shouldn't need a site for EHU as if your going to be driving everyday the batteries will be well enough charged for overnight stops.
Lastly, I hope you have winter tyres fitted!!!

As an alternative, bite the bullet, hit the motorway, pay the tolls,and get to the warmth of spain within 3/4 days comfortably, then have a break! France is closed

Dave do we need winter tyres!

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[BreweryDave]

Dave do we need winter tyres!

Better to have them and not need them, than need them and not have them!
I run all,year round on mine.

 

[Anthea M]

Better to have them and not need them, than need them and not have them!
I run all,year round on mine.

Oh dear we havnt got them will have to let him know!!!

 

[DavidG58]

Solar panel and 2 batteries but normal gas which they don’t sell abroad wondering whether to change?

personally for a trip of more than 2 weeks in winter, especially if not using sites I would say yes, certainly look seriously at getting it done, purely for convenience and removing the risk of running out of calor, not financial savings

Dave do we need winter tyres!

no, route planning to avoid risky roads is quite easy, but when changing next mud and snow tyres often don't cost any more

I don't know if there is much extra to pay for full winter snowflake marked tyres

 

[Anthea M]

personally for a trip of more than 2 weeks in winter, especially if not using sites I would say yes, certainly look seriously at getting it done, purely for convenience and removing the risk of running out of calor, not financial savings



no, route planning to avoid risky roads is quite easy, but when changing next mud and snow tyres often don't cost any more

I don't know if there is much extra to pay for full winter snowflake marked tyres

We got 4 new tyres last year but not winter ones

 

[DavidG58]

We got 4 new tyres last year but not winter ones

depending on the route you pick Sheffield might be the highest altitude you reach

although some of the options for Spain (and through France) involve some serious altitude, if you chose them

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[barsteward]

David, you do far too much planning. Go with the flow and enjoy whatever life throws at you, it will happen anyway whether you like it or not.

 

[DavidG58]

David, you do far too much planning. Go with the flow and enjoy whatever life throws at you, it will happen anyway whether you like it or not.

I do agree, up to a point, when I don't have a business to juggle my life around (March 18 hopefully) and Mum goes into permanent care we can then be the free spirits we also long to be

Until then, responsibilities, regrettably, justify the planning

and for us planning is part of the fun luckily

 

[Lenny HB]

Are there many campsites open at this time of year David? We need to know too!

Not in France.

 

[Lenny HB]

Solar panel and 2 batteries but normal gas which they don’t sell abroad wondering whether to change?

Well worth fitting refillables an 11kg bottle will only last a few days at this time of year.

 

[Minxy]

We got 4 new tyres last year but not winter ones

What did you get fitted?

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[Anthea M]

What did you get fitted?

We have Vanco tyres Mel.

 

[Anthea M]

Where is best to get the gas fitted please?!

 

[Jenben]

We have Vanco tyres Mel.

A large number cars and vans in France won’t have winter tyres as they don’t generally see that much snow especially outside ski areas.

Anthea if you are worried about your tyres why not pick up a set of snow chains ? If you have them (Sod’s law) you will never have to use them, but DO practice putting them on before you travel.

We have spent a number of evenings sat toasty in a ski resort watching people try to put their snow chains on their vehicles for the first time ever in driving snow, it is to be avoided.
.

 

[MillieMoocher]

View attachment 206599

you are looking right @Dazzlin this is about 1800 miles and more realistic as a very approx. route

I rather like the look of this route

2018 already pretty booked up for us but I might look at that route for 2019....always good when someone else does the legwork on potential tour ideas

 

[Kim H]

We've also had a change of plan @DavidG58. We had originally booked to go through the tunnel on 14th Feb and drive down to Spain, but as we're both missing sunshine, we thought we'd ring Brittany Ferries on the off chance that they may have a pet friendly cabin available and lo and behold we've nabbed one on the Cap Finistere at the end of Feb sailing into Bilboa. We can save all those miles and days driving through France, which we've found a little tedious at this time of year, and spend a few weeks on the Med coast until things warm up back in France. A nice meander home, visiting friends and generally exploring France and maybe get the high speed ferry back from Cherbourg in May.

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