Best route from Calais to Southern Spain

David Clarke
David Clarke Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited September 2018 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

Travelling down to Costa de Luz in January for the first time in our motorhome (first time abroad too) crossing 1st of January and have planned to reach costa de luz by 4th of January anyone got any tried and tested routes. Thanks Dave

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,829 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #2

    Put your start and finish points into ViaMichelin.com  and it will give you the motorway route via Bordeaux -  as well as mileage, toll costs and estimated timings. Take care.

  • David Clarke
    David Clarke Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited September 2018 #3

    Thanks for your speedy reply. Dave

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited September 2018 #4
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • David Clarke
    David Clarke Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited September 2018 #5

    Thanks David will check out the link on your profile. Dave

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #6

    David that is a long drive to do in three days in the winter, I am not saying it cannot be done but my recommendation would be to give yourself more time. In january it is all about avoiding the worst of the weather and finding places to stop when many sites are closed. However,  with a motorhome you can use the Aires but many of these will have the facilities turned off so take every opportunity to take on sufficient water for your needs. In the winter the best routes are down the west of France to Bordeaux and Bayonne crossing into Spain at Irun and on to San Sebastion sticking to the motorways to cross the Pyrenees and on to Burgos and beyond.

    To keep an eye on the weather I use these sites:

    https://www.foreca.com/Europe/browse

    https://www.snow-forecast.com/maps/dynamic/pyrenees

    With respect to night stops, it would probably help further if you advise your expected arrival time  in Calais. Will you immediately need a night stop or will you have time to drive south?

    peedee

  • MDD10
    MDD10 Forum Participant Posts: 335
    edited September 2018 #7

    I agree with Peedee.  I travelled from Yorkshire to near Bordeaux which was 780 Miles which I did in 2 and 1/2 days.  It was a bit of a hoof to put mildly but then I wasn’t sharing the towing.  Given its winter I would definately give more time.  

    I foumd afterwards that if I had joined the Brittany Ferries regular traveler club (can use just once)  it cut loads off the ferry price to Bilbao or Santander and meant it didn’t cost much more

  • NutsyH
    NutsyH Forum Participant Posts: 534
    edited September 2018 #8

    David

    We are doing a similar run in February, down to Murcia. I am towing a 7.9 metre twin axle, so cannot use aires. I avoid Paris like the plague, prefer the slightly longer route via Rouen.

    Here's my plan, if it helps, all on Autoroutes  -(Get a France and Spain toll tag) using the west coast route as described above by peedee:

    So, Calais, Rouen, Tours, Bordeaux, Bayonne, Henday, Pamplona, Zaragoza, Valencia then onwards down the Autoroute southwards.

    Overnight at Black Horse Farm CC site, Folkestone

    08.30 tunnel. Overnight at Val De Loire - St Avertin, Tours - 522KM from Calais

    Camping Le Bilos, Salles, Gironde 398 km from Tours

    Zaragoza Municipal site - 452 km from Salles

    Destination Vila joyosa (twixt Benidorm and Alicante) 465 km from Zaragoza

    Be aware that the auotoroute from Pamplona via Zaragoza down to Castellon is a very lonely place to be - very little traffic and in anexposed location up on the top of  the Spanish Plain all the way. Its free from Zaragoza to Castellon though.

    I have done this route several times in Spring and Autumn, and can do that with only 2 overnights (but only as far as Castellon) but feel that winter and short hours of daylight warrants less daily mileage.

    Whilst these mileages may seem a lot each day, you need to remember that these autoroutes all the way from Calais will be almost deserted - nothing like the english motorways. You can crack on at 65 mph for hours on end, until your bladder (or the dog) demands a stop:-)

    Hope this helps

    Enjoy the trip

    Paul

  • Jaydug
    Jaydug Forum Participant Posts: 52
    edited September 2018 #9

    My next winter journey to southern Spain which will be my 25th will begin in four weeks time.   You are not allowing yourself much time for the journey.   In the past I've left Calais on Tuesday afternoon and arrived in Malaga on Friday evening and it's a gruelling drive.  Now I like to take up to two weeks to do the journey.    You'll need to be doing close to 400 miles per day.   There's really only one route and I would suggest Rouen, Chartres, Tours, Bordeaux, San Seb.  Burgos, Salamanca, Caceres, Seville.   I've covered different routes south in my web pages but you can find the Spanish section of this one with some sites HERE   French sites may be found in other sections.

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