Quick Query please Funsters and stupid question incoming,
We have a 4.5T A Class MoHo which we used to spend 3 month in Europe back in the beginning of February 2023. Weather was great when we crossed over from France (bottom end of the Pyrenees) into Spain via San Sebastian North West of Spain and had no problems. Even when we ‘accidentally' drove up to the peak of the Picos De Europa at about 1,900 metres
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Going back home at the beginning of May we crossed through the middle by Jaca using the Somport Tunnel. Also a great drive and no snow. Spanish side easy and big new roads, French side a little more winding and picturesque but still great.
We are looking to do a similar trip this February (around 7th) and are thinking about travelling over to the east side of France and crossing over from France to Northern Spain via La Jonquera (Perpignon to Girona). Worth mentioning we are never in any rush and always stay off of any toll or major motorways if we can help it as find the scenic routes much better for our needs and we were really looking to avoid the tolls on the French side of that crossing and use the D900/N11 instead of the A9/AP7.
Two queries really;
Thanks all in advance.
We have a 4.5T A Class MoHo which we used to spend 3 month in Europe back in the beginning of February 2023. Weather was great when we crossed over from France (bottom end of the Pyrenees) into Spain via San Sebastian North West of Spain and had no problems. Even when we ‘accidentally' drove up to the peak of the Picos De Europa at about 1,900 metres
.Going back home at the beginning of May we crossed through the middle by Jaca using the Somport Tunnel. Also a great drive and no snow. Spanish side easy and big new roads, French side a little more winding and picturesque but still great.
We are looking to do a similar trip this February (around 7th) and are thinking about travelling over to the east side of France and crossing over from France to Northern Spain via La Jonquera (Perpignon to Girona). Worth mentioning we are never in any rush and always stay off of any toll or major motorways if we can help it as find the scenic routes much better for our needs and we were really looking to avoid the tolls on the French side of that crossing and use the D900/N11 instead of the A9/AP7.
Two queries really;
- Has anyone used the D900 crossing rather than the A9 and is it relatively easy or like anything, does it really depend on the weather i.e. snow ? For those that have gone that route, would it be far more advisable to just use the motorway and not mess around with the more scenic route?
- Secondly we have all season Continental Van Contact Camper tyres that have the mountain symbol with the snowflake in the middle and M+S marked on them as well as the rain, sun, leaf and snowflake - the latter I am guessing suggesting the all weather nature of the tyre. Reading on the French guidance site they state that in the winter months you must have either snow chains/socks OR winter tyres with the M+S symbol on them when driving in mountainous areas and specifically the Pyrenees. In relation to HGV’s and at 4.5T we are classed as a Private HGV, the same rule applies as long as not drawing a trailer otherwise it’s snowchains only. Is my understanding correct then (weather permitting and it not blowing a blizzard) that we can cross on the La Jonquera side without needing to purchase some snow chains/socks to throw in the boot of the van. Albeit I guess always worth having them on the off chance.
Thanks all in advance.
