1st Trip To Southern Spain 1st week in Jan - Route Advice - Pyrenese Conditions

[Mister Charmed]

Hi,

Merry Xmas to all!
Mrs Charmed & me are heading off soon for our first long haul to hopefully get some winter sun and warmth in Southern Spain.
Mrs C has been busy reading, researching and working out a route and stopovers. But nothing beats experience , so we'd appreciate any info/comments on our chosen route from you good folk who have done this trip - especially any who are en route or been this way recently. Help or advice on stopovers would be really great too.

So:-
We sail to Caen, then heading to cross the border into Spain at Irun (anticipating a no snow route). The notional route is Caen to Argentan (1st stop), then Niort via Angers (aiming to avoid the toll roads). Then down the coastal route (E05/A10 to Bordeaux, and A63 to Bayonne & Irun).

Once in Spain, we're thinking head to Pamploma, then either the MWay to Zaragoza then Valencia, & Alicante. OR non MWay straight (?) down to Albacete then Alicante. Our destination is La Manga (nr Cartagena).

Hoping to get lots of good suggestions

 

[f6c]

Get off the Boat Put your finger in the air and Chase the weather

 

[Jays2]

On theN10 you can a avoid 2 Toll booths by leaving the motorway and then rejoining.
Not sure how much you save?
After that just pay theToll.
When you cross the boarder to Spain fuel is now 30/40 cents a litre cheaper.
We use Fuelflash.eu to check prices. Other comparison sites are available.
As for route check the weather and then decide.

 

[Augusta08]

 

[cyberyacht]

Mostly follow the D810 south from Poitiers. I had my Satnav set to fastest route but avoid tolls and picked up the A63 south of Bordeaux, came off before a peage, heading towards Dax and then back on until CapBreton. Followed D810 thereafter. You can pick up the A63 again at St Jean de Luz and then there's just a five mile stretch before the final French peage at the border before joining the AP8.

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[Augusta08]

We always used to go via Pau and the tunnel but that route is closed until they fix the missing road. Our route edges on the safer west coast route. I can't be bothered with ducking and weaving about to avoid tolls, i've got a "Bip&Go" transponder. It comes out of my French Credit Agricole account about a month later.

BE AWARE! Many aires will have the water turned off for the winter months, so always fill up when you can! We travel "Empty and Full" wherever possible.

 

[BikerGraham]

Just for information.

We did tolls from the tunnel to Benidorm way via Rouen and Irun route then over the Pyrenees a couple of weeks ago.

My Fulli account has the French tolls on it. They come to €168 one way for France only. The Spanish tolls are not on the bill yet. Last year they were around €40 one way.

So around £175 each way from Calais.

I reckon it will be around £1500 in total to get here from the North East ( and back). So now have a figure for future budgeting.

 

[Jays2]

When we travel from Calais to Spain, the first toll we pay is to Abbeyville.

Then one night half way, next toll after Dax to spain.

Will the toll cost save me time?
Hassle (roundabouts still breeding France)

Just asking as always looking alternatives.

 

[Tigertom]

Through France avoiding tolls - Calais-Bayonne and Southwest France

Drive from Calais to the Spanish border at Irun, avoiding most tolls. Route guide and hotels

about-france.com

Then Irun- Zaragoza- Teruel- Valencia then head south.

 

[Brendan + Kath]

On theN10 you can a avoid 2 Toll booths by leaving the motorway and then rejoining.
Not sure how much you save?
After that just pay theToll.
When you cross the boarder to Spain fuel is now 30/40 cents a litre cheaper.
We use Fuelflash.eu to check prices. Other comparison sites are available.
As for route check the weather and then decide.

The Spanish police N332 site on
Facebook has up to date info on weather conditions as well as other useful advice

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[Mister Charmed]

We always used to go via Pau and the tunnel but that route is closed until they fix the missing road. Our route edges on the safer west coast route. I can't be bothered with ducking and weaving about to avoid tolls, i've got a "Bip&Go" transponder. It comes out of my French Credit Agricole account about a month later.

BE AWARE! Many aires will have the water turned off for the winter months, so always fill up when you can! We travel "Empty and Full" wherever possible.

Yes - saw the warning about water elsewhere. Any tips on places to top up on water (other than Aires) - maybe services, supermarkets or any other places?

Not sure what you mean by "Empty and Full" (clearly motorhoming parlance I'm not familiar with

 

[Baldybazza]

Full freshwater tank, empty waste tank & toilet cassette
Bazza

 

[MichaelT]

Yes - saw the warning about water elsewhere. Any tips on places to top up on water (other than Aires) - maybe services, supermarkets or any other places?

Not sure what you mean by "Empty and Full" (clearly motorhoming parlance I'm not familiar with

All CCP aires will have water and you can use for €5.50, some supermarkets have aires with services.

Through france we used the aire at chateauroux both ways last year as it has services turned on.

Municipal Rochat Belle

Details for Municipal Rochat Belle a Overnight parking - with services Châteauroux, Indre, Centre, France, 36000

www.searchforsites.co.uk

 

[pandas]

But when you get there you end up next to someone on pitch 16 drying their washing and in the shade of a building. The interior of Spain has so much more to offer than the coast in my humble opinion so take your time.

 

[Augusta08]

I'm at St Jean d'Angely tonight. All services in good working order .

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[MichaelT]

I'm at St Jean d'Angely tonight. All services in good working order .

Is that CCP?

 

[Mister Charmed]

Full freshwater tank, empty waste tank & toilet cassette
Bazza

Ahhh - that's what we do too.

 

[Mister Charmed]

All CCP aires will have water and you can use for €5.50, some supermarkets have aires with services.

Through france we used the aire at chateauroux both ways last year as it has services turned on.

Municipal Rochat Belle

Details for Municipal Rochat Belle a Overnight parking - with services Châteauroux, Indre, Centre, France, 36000

www.searchforsites.co.uk

Hmmm - hadn't heard of CCP before so checked it out and signed up last night. Looks pretty useful.
Thanks

 

[Brains]

Just for information.

We did tolls from the tunnel to Benidorm way via Rouen and Irun route then over the Pyrenees a couple of weeks ago.

My Fulli account has the French tolls on it. They come to €168 one way for France only. The Spanish tolls are not on the bill yet. Last year they were around €40 one way.

So around £175 each way from Calais.

I reckon it will be around £1500 in total to get here from the North East ( and back). So now have a figure for future budgeting.

£1,500 return.
Is that all in ?

Dart Charge
Crit air sticker
Ferry/Tunnel
Food on Ferry
Fuel
AdBlu (1L per 1k miles)
French Tolls
Spanish Tolls
Aires/Campsites
1st Bottle of holiday plonk

 

[BikerGraham]

£1,500 return.
Is that all in ?

Dart Charge
Crit air sticker
Ferry/Tunnel
Food on Ferry
Fuel
AdBlu (1L per 1k miles)
French Tolls
Spanish Tolls
Aires/Campsites
1st Bottle of holiday plonk

Except for food and plonk then yes.

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[Augusta08]

We made it to Moncofa this morning, sat in the aire cleaning the van prior to going on site tomorrow.