motorhome routes through france to spain

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. Main roads (mostly modern single carriageway roads) are in green. You can either have two small boards or one large board but they must be placed at the back of the outfit between 50cm and 150cm off the ground. Spanish life is all about family, religion, food and tradition. Utilise the campsite bar a glass of wine and a beer will typically cost 3, a bargain! ), you might find things a little quieter, certainly with British vans. If youre going later and youre in a popular town or city, expect to wait for a table or book. If you love motorhomes, road trips and a bit of adventure, dive right in! Complete Europe Motorhome Travel Toolkit, CHECKLIST: Dont forget to grab your FREE Europe motorhome travel checklist HERE. Breakdown cover documentation (not compulsory). Motorhome hire from a local owner. Tolls can be paid for in cash (Euros) or cards at selected booths. September and October offer warm sunshine, with the earth and sea still warm from the heat of August. TOP TIP: If you are travelling outside of peak season, definitely get an ACSI CampingCard youll save a fortune on campsites all over Europe, including Spain. We are Phil and Izzy. You cannot book aires for camping in Spain, it is advisable in the holidays and in popular places to try and get there early in the morning or just after lunchtime. DISCLAIMER: This post was last updated in October 2021. Free motorhome parking in Spain is easy and safe as long as you follow a few basic guidelines. We love helping motorhome & campervan owners make the most of their time on the road, whether youre a complete motorhome newbie or planning a long tour of Europe. First is the ferry crossing options from Plymouth and Portsmouth to Santander and Bilbao - both of these ports are in Northern . For a grown-ups-only holiday, check out our recommended sites just for adults Editor's Pick - The best campsites for dogs. Three-day friendly festival in West Sussex. Is there a straighf. Based on 53,609 reviews. If youre driving in Spain, you need to carry the following documents: Most UK citizens do not need anIDPto drive in Spain, as long as you have a card driving licence issued in the UK (in date, of course!). If you like chateaux and history, this is for you! A one-way trip takes about 24 hours and booking a cabin is recommended. Dont forget, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure the vehicle has the required safety equipment. Spain is not as finished as you might be used to. If you like to hike, head for the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, to hike the famousCircodeSoaso. 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. If you decide that you want to drive your motorhome or camper down to Spain, you first need to decide if youre going to take the ferry or tunnel from UK to France (there are pros and cons to both). Take a list of what is legally required with you and check it off one by one as you are given the handover. However if you encounter very strong winds remember its a forest area on light sandy soil, parking under trees may be ill advised. This gorgeous country, full of beautiful light, fabulous food and landscapes straight from a film set, will not disappoint. You can read more about aires, how to find them and road trip planninghere. They will probably be smaller than other pitches and perhaps not as favourably placed. 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. We stayed several nights at thisgreat spot,perfect for getting the bus to the start of the hike and then walking back from the end, via the bar of course! It has a host of information on best routes to many locations. Trams always have priority everywhere- keep eyes in the back of your head if youre driving near a tram network. We use the autoroute as we just want to make fast progress. Your UK licence allows you to drive in all EU countries. 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. Wild camping is not allowed in any of the Spanish National Parks. If in doubt, double check with the chef or waiting staff. If youre planning to stay to the north, youll need to bring warm clothing. Yellow diamond signs mean you have priority. 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. You might find these posts helpful: See all our Europe motorhoming posts here, NEED GEAR? If youre feeling brave, go to Valencia during Las Fallas, the famous fire festival. Brittany- one of our favourite areas in France The Loire Valley. The long road south - a motorhome route through France to Spain You may be surprised at how many motorhomes from northern Europe travel to campsites in Spain for the winter. ), or a tyre repair kit. Then you have two main routes through France to Spain. There are also sites open at Tours and Bordeaux (two) if you are not making good time. motorhome routes through france to spain The highest quality of care for individuals with developmental disabilities Mercadona, SuperCor and Eroski are similar in price and quality but do not carry the range of goods you would expect in a UK supermarket. Inland and in the Spanish mountains, nights can be chilly and in the north, you may well see snow. The Peaks of Europe, so called because they were the first landmark to be seen by sailors of old on approaching the continent, are well worth a visit. Hiking, cycling, kite surfing, incredible beaches and views, all with the sun shining down on us! 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. The Gorges d'Hric in Southern France brings our Vanlife diaries to the most dramatic destination where river pools and waterfalls await. Most of the routes i have seen on the forum have avoided toll roads. Okay, it's winter and may be raining, or worse, but you get to visit towns and tourist sites without the summer crowds. Shops Food prices are pretty inexpensive. See below for best route avoiding Spanish tolls. These are prettier than the coastal sprawl but the narrower winding roads mean no mileage saving and a longer journey time. Find it here). We will tell you more about nine selected places on this route. Planning to tour Spain with a motorhome or campervan? Some larger sites or those run by corporates will have a fixed number of ACSI pitches which will have EHU but no water or drainage. Campervan Castaways Vanlife 44 | Expert Adventure Motorhome Travel Writing. The AP7 on the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol retains some charges, but they are minimal and are no longer decided by the weight of your vehicle, making them even better value for motorhomes. No- wild camping is not permitted in any of Spains National Parks. Eastern route Paris - Clermont-Ferrand - Bziers - Perpignan - La Jonquera The eastern route through France is the obvious choice for travelling to eastern Spain. The main thing to know about wild camping in Spain is that you must not display any signs of camping, such as leaving chairs out or having your step out when you go to bed. Stayhereon the north of the lEncanyissada lagoon and if youre lucky youll spot flamingoes migrating. If you are travelling between 15 October and 15 April and driving near the mountains, you will need to have winter/ all- season tyres and carry snow chains. Headlight beam converters (unless you can adjust yours automatically). Motorhome with children Motorhome with animals Surftrip motorhome Wedding VW combi. Just like motorhoming in France, there are certain things you MUST carry with you in your motorhome or campervan whilst touring in Spain. These are surprisingly effective! An autova is like a motorway, except that bicycles and agricultural vehicles can use it. Vehicle V5 logbook or vehicle registration document (which must show your correct address). You can download the app in the App store (iOS) or the Play store (Android). Road surfaces are generally pretty good and, unlike France, they try to avoid 10,0000000 road works on a bank holiday weekend. With great routes across Europe, its easy to drive to Spain by car, arriving refreshed and unstressed from the comfort of your own vehicle. Use the three-step search above to select your ideal vehicle, or contact our 24/7 customer service team at +1-888-223-5555 for expert assistance. This is because of the financial crash in 2008 and the subsequent bursting of Spains property bubble. The Spanish government caps the price of gas, and you should expect to pay around 15-18 for a replacement bottle. For some reason, driving from the UK to Spain seems to confuse people. At the A16 junction turn right towards Boulogne and stay on this free motorway for 24 miles to junction 29 just before the peage. The first question to ask yourself if whether you want to drive from the UK through France and down to Spain, or whether you want to take a ferry direct from the UK and sail around the coast and down to northern Spain. Traditionally it was followed by a nap, the famous. Road map of Spain. GUIDE: Stop the overwhelm with our step-by-step guide. 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. So how do we all get there, to enjoy the warmer weather, and cheaper drinks, all subsidised by huge savings on winter energy bills. To find out where to stay during stage 4 - click here. Expect to show your passport or identification on arrival and many places require you to leave one passport behind the reception. Planning a trip to France with your motorhome or camper? Spanish supermarkets are generally ok, all offering the basics and some a bit more upmarket, such a Carrefour. Valencia is a green and vibrant city, with great nightlife. Our essential guide to visiting Norway in a motorhome will provide you with all the information you needwhat are you waiting for? In a short while, the Seine appears to the right and you are clear of the city. With the colourful traditions, good food and wine and fabulous architecture, you have all the ingredients for an amazing tour. GUIDE For a step-by-step guide, with video walkthroughs of aires, motorhome set up, checklists and more, grab our France Road Trip & Motorhome Travel Planner, CHECKLIST Dont forget to grab your FREE France motorhome travel checklist HERE. Go out along the coast in a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddle board if you can, and marvel at the crystal clear turquoise water, an abundance of sea life, wired rock formations and hidden sea caves. Destination. Our hand-selected campsites for a super staycation Holiday park profile: Rockbridge Country Holiday Park (Discover Parks). The website is supported by our readers, so if you buy through links on this site we may earn a commission- at no extra cost to you. See Route guide - Calais, Rouen, Orleans, Clermont-Ferrand route Toll May 2022 ~ 85.20 Distance: 1162 km Driving time: about 11h. All UK providers now limit data usage in the EU in some way or another, and its best to check with your provider to make sure you dont run up a big bill. As with most countries in Europe, you have four options when it comes to where to park your motorhome or camper overnight: Sadly, Spain is getting tougher about free overnight motorhome parking spots and many places now ban them completely. 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). You are allowed to cross a white line to overtake a cyclist AS LONG AS nothing (not even another cyclist) is coming the other way. (stuffed aubergine) when this mediterranean vegetable is in season and youll be blown away. You can ask for a different pitch, but will usually need to pay a supplement which wipes out the ACSI discount! A visit to Lourdes is also possible. Mountain roads are also very slow and if your destination is Valencia or further south there is little saving in overall mileage compared to the much safer and faster route along the Atlantic coast near Biarritz. This is a long drive so to break it up we suggest stopping off at Eighty Mile Beach to stretch your legs. Across France to the Spanish border Stage 1: Calais to Rouen Leave the ferry terminal and follow the A16 free motorway for 24 miles to Boulogne. The driving time from Caen to Irun is around nine hours in a motor home, and tolls will cost somewhere in the region of 170 in tolls, although expect more if you weigh over 3,500kgs. Spain has a number of different languages. PDF versions of our most popular campsite guide books. If you've found it useful, please consider buying us a coffee to show your support. You can find lots of information in our guide to the best SIM cards in Europe, especially if youre planning to be away for more than a few weeks. An unusual bit of good news for motorists ! Just before Biarritz, take the D932 due south to Cambo-les-Bains. Some towns are making real efforts to combat this issue (one traces the poo and posts it back.how??) Click here to see our Privacy and Disclosure Policy. This first link is an award winning database about France. In our opinion, southern Spain is the perfect European winter destination. We highly recommend paying extra attention to your motorhome security when travelling in Italy. Be warned- the hot water in the shower is on a timer- usually between 3-5 minutes per token. If you wear glasses you MUST carry a spare pair! Some go for up to six months from October onwards, we prefer to spend Christmas at home and travel out in January. Some spots are even right on the beach! With the fantastic beaches of the Costa Brava and a beautiful old town, this makes a great final stop on your motorhome tour of Spain. See Through France without tolls. ), visit the Start Here page to find out how we can help you! 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. These are the things you MUST have with you when youre motorhome or campervan touring in Spain. Some are rustic and have basic facilities, while others are designed for long-term visitors and have entertainment, clubs, pools and bars! In the tiny state of Andorra, the campsite in Andorra-city, close to the historic old center, is highly recommended. From the green north and the mountainous interior to the gorgeous coasts, youll find all the best road trips in Spain here. The readers of the specialised German magazine Promobil have named Fiat Professional Ducato 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. We stood looking at these tinyvessels in awe of the courage and belief it must have taken to start that famous voyage. Stay at the lovelyCamping Ribamar(although be aware that getting there requires a few km of unmade road) and hike into Peniscola along the coastal path. Speak to a Canada & Alaska Tours Expert. READ MORE: Learn how we find and use aires and approved free overnight motorhome stopovers across Europe. Between 1st November and 31st March every year, the mix changes to 35/65 to account for the colder weather. An editorial review of Tyddyn Llwyn Camping, Caravan & Touring Park Editor's picks - ideal campsites for city breaks. Fruit and vegetables are seasonal; if you want something exotic you will have to search it out and it will be expensive. At 35 a night, this is without doubt, the poorest value-for-money motorhome campsite site we have ever stayed on, although our research suggests its the best motorhome site in Madrid! 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. 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. The minimum driver age for campervan and motorhome hire in Spain is 21. A gorgeous city, full of colour and atmosphere. We stayed at thePort of Gelvesjust outside the city but accessible by scooter or public transport. Ferry Crossings - Top Tips Winter Motorhome Trip to Spain. Petrol and diesel are widely available. Generally, taking a ferry from the UK to Spain is much more expensive than driving through France (depending on time of year and type of cabin). If you have refillable gas bottles in your motorhome, you can find LPG pretty easily while touring around Spain. The Gap Decaders are participants in a number of affiliate programmes. Bigger supermarkets may be open, but will close at lunchtime. Its common to tip other services, like taxi drivers. You are literally over the road from the old town and within 5 minutes, you will be at the Mezquita. Packed with great museums and atmospheric squares and quarters, Madrid is a great city in which to spend a day or so. Make sure your wild camping spot is not on private property and that you have parked respectfully of residents and other wild campers nearby. A similar scheme to France Passion, Espana Discoveryprovides motorhomers with stopovers at over 206 off-the-beaten-path farms, bodegas (vineyards) and producers. For us, we find it too hot during high summer, especially as we travel with a dog and keeping a dog cool on a road trip is never easy (especially when theyre a cocker spaniel who doesnt understand the meaning of the word chill! Motorhoming in Spain- what gear do you need to carry? Weparked for the nightat the top of the hill by theFranciscanmonastery where Columbus met Queen Isabella of Spain to successfully seek funds for his journey to the new world. 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. Also, many campsites put ACSI users on lesser pitches (either bad view or no electric or drainage). Wander here for a day and see the cathedral, Plazas Mayorand Santa Domingo andtheBasilica de San Isidoro. Whether you like it or not, bullfighting is a huge part of Spanish life and culture. Bike Road Trip With Road Cycling or MTB Tours. . The Spanish Pyrenees are absolutely stunning. stuck in the rat race to being a digital nomad and inspiring thousands of people to have their own epic adventures here. You can find out more, It is allowed to park a motorhome during the day anywhere that parking is allowed (as long as there are no signs specifically banning motorhome parking, which will say something like , If you have an accident youll need to complete the. The drive west from Great Basin to Reno along Highway 50 takes you across central Nevada and past stunning state parks, only-in-America roadhouses, and wonderfully preserved . You can find out more information here. Here's a classic setup on a campsite: shaded by trees, bikes strewn, card games underway! A selection of campsites for Christmas breaks Make the most of your motorhome this winter by relaxing at campsites that welcome you all year long, Campsite review: Tyddyn Llwyn Camping, Caravan & Touring Park. Always have a second choice in reserve, one of the best resources to use isAll the Aires Spainand Portugal. Motorhoming in Italy: Your Complete Guide for 2023, Planning Your Morocco Motorhome Adventure, Campervanning in Portugal: Complete 2023 Guide, Campervanning in Norway Tips, Routes & Destinations for 2023, Motorhome Germany: 2023 Complete Touring Guide. On our 2019 tour we drove to the eastern end of the Pyrenees, using the free A75 motorway south of Clermont . If youre coming from the south, make sure to stop at thewetlands of La Albufera and try the traditional paella which originated here. From castle to castle along the Loire 6. Aires are just approved motorhome overnight parking places- often provided and maintained by the local commune. Motorhomes and Campervans weighing over 3.5 tonnes: Motorhomes with trailers or caravans (over 750kg). Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a0d3bb0083595b6364da5d620cb66011" );document.getElementById("fe07b4a206").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. the packaging is unbroken unless in current use. Starting at the English Channel and continuing to the Bay of Biscay, you're sure to make the memories of a lifetime along the way. The most famous of these is the Mezquita; the grandest and most beautiful mosque ever built by the Moors which is now a stunning Cathedral. There are some essential things you need to know before your trip, including important paperwork and kit to bring with you. Youll find great hiking and bird-watching trails here. If youre an active and adventure seeking van lifer, then Tarifa, Spain is for you! You can choose from unlimited data packs to just single days, depending on your needs. Are you desperate for some Spanish sun but dont want to fly? Join our email list here and get access to our FREE resource library. The Pyrenees is best visited between May and October, unless you want to ski, as outside these times you will definitely encounter snow. Are you feeling a bit nervous about wild camping for the first time? Motorhome aires in Spain are not as plentiful as in France but they are out there! Vegetarian or vegan food can be hard to find outside of bigger towns and cities. Campervans or motorhomes and cars with caravans or trailers are not allowed to exceed 18.75m in total length, 4m in height and 2.55m in width. To find out where to stay during stage 3 - click here. This is our favourite route for a France road trip as you pass some incredible places (including some of the most historic places in France!). The weight of your motorhome no longer matters- all motorhomes are charged the same. Use an app likePark4Nightto locate motorhome and campervan services. In practice, this could mean towing your car while its fixed to a trailer, although there is ambiguity around this and differing advice can be found on the internet. The SpanishCostas can feel crowded withtouring motorhomes over winter, as Northern Europeans seek a milder climate. We intended to do Callais to Biarritz area, cross the border through centre of Spain to Portugal. Unlike other countries in the continent, in the UK there are no Areas enabled for overnight stay for motorhomes or campervans. Some go for up to six months from October onwards, we prefer to spend Christmas at home and travel out in January. The (pass) roads in the Pyrenees are sometimes not too wide, but are easy to drive with some mountain experience. 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).

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