Recomendations please SouthWest France/NorthWest Spain

[emjaiuk]

We're leaving late on the 28th via tunnel. The original idea was to head for Portugal, but unfortunately due to baby sitting commitments we've only got 3 weeks. I'm a great fan of Autoroutes for covering long distances in a comfortable relaxed way, and the weather forecast is diabolical for the first few days, so the plan is to get down as far as Bordeaux on motorways, and then start meandering.

Has anyone any recommendations for stops Bordeaux onwards please? We've two dogs who like nothing better than a swim in the sea, or rivers/lakes, although I'm very limited in how far I can walk, and I definitely can't do steep slopes, let alone hills which rules out anywhere where you have to climb over dunes. We've no knowledge of this area at all so any suggestions gratefully received. we'd also consider the Pyrenees rather than Spain, although I remember driving from Bilbao to a small port on the Northern coast of Spain on buisness once and thinking how attractive the area was.

Malcolm

 

[JackieP]

There's a lovely little aire in Saint Paul lès Dax in the Landes Department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine in south western France. It's inland about 70 Kms from the Spanish border. You can find the details and review in the Parkings App.

It's a lovely little aire set in a tiny forest so you have shade should you need it. You can walk through the trees and many paths around and about with the dogs. Just down the hill is a beautiful landscaped park with a lake.

Up in the village is probably the best boulangerie in France and I should know - I've visited most of them. Their almond croissants are to die for.

The aire is free and the 'pump and dump' is free too - not all are in this region.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[burtonbird]

If you've got time to stop just before Bordeaux, Blaye is a great one. Large Aire right in the centre of town but next to the port and citadelle. From there you can get a ferry across the estuary to the Médoc and continue south from there avoiding Bordeaux.

 

[Littlewheels]

Saint Pee dur Nivelle has a great Aire right next to a Lake with a Beach and it's flat ,twixt Bordeaux and Biarritz.

 

[peterc10]

If you've got time to stop just before Bordeaux, Blaye is a great one. Large Aire right in the centre of town but next to the port and citadelle. From there you can get a ferry across the estuary to the Médoc and continue south from there avoiding Bordeaux.

I would agree with Blaye, but not the Aire in the middle of town, which is noisy and dusty and costs 3 Euros. Instead there is a Aire in a wine chateau on the outskirts (10 minutes walk) which has free parking, water and dump as well as free electricity, all in much nicer surroundings than the one in town. Campercontact number is 53173.

You can go for a sampling, but they are not pushy in offering it - in fact I had to go over and ask them! In addition they also have TripAdvisor's number 1 restaurant on site. They do a 4 course lunch with as much wine as you want (a different one of their's for each course). Not cheap but is supposed to be very good. Tried to get on it when we were there but they had a coachload of people in so were full

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[Parrot Face]

We did this route in March. We found an amazing aire in a beautiful village called Verteuil-sur-Charente, just south of Poitiers on the N10. It was right next to a park, very quiet with toilets 100yds away. The river is also nearby and our dog loved swimming in this. The village has a few bars and restaurants and there is a lovely Chateaux nearby. It was a free aire with four electric hook ups (16 amps) that charge 2 euros for 24 hrs. There is a phone no to ring to get connected but if you arrive before 12 noon you can pop around to the mayors office and ask them to connect you up. I would really recommend this Aire. We also stayed around the Messanges area and went over to northern Spain where we stayed at Camping Zarautz. Probably best to give you the blog link that covers this trip and gives some good photies of our trip and other similar trips
http://lightningtours.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[Parrot Face]

This link might take you to the part of the trip that you might need to look at.
http://lightningtours.blogspot.co.u...:00-07:00&max-results=7&start=7&by-date=false

 

[magicsurfbus]

In the Biarritz area you've got the Anglet and La Barre aires, with a good quality footpath running along the beachfront between them, and beyond, and easy beach access. Both have beachfront facilities, although Anglet is the better serviced of the two. Bus stops to Biarritz centre close by.

However, an issue might be dog access to beaches at this time of the year.

 

[burtonbird]

I would agree with Blaye, but not the Aire in the middle of town, which is noisy and dusty and costs 3 Euros. Instead there is a Aire in a wine chateau on the outskirts (10 minutes walk) which has free parking, water and dump as well as free electricity, all in much nicer surroundings than the one in town. Campercontact number is 53173.

You can go for a sampling, but they are not pushy in offering it - in fact I had to go over and ask them! In addition they also have TripAdvisor's number 1 restaurant on site. They do a 4 course lunch with as much wine as you want (a different one of their's for each course). Not cheap but is supposed to be very good. Tried to get on it when we were there but they had a coachload of people in so were full

Totally agree, also another new one we found at Cartelègue a few km away.

But we always use the town centre one on Tuesday or Friday nights ready for the market the next day!!