Towing from Dieppe to Cadiz
Hi, I am making the trip from Dieppe in France to our home near Cafiz. We leave early September. I am toeing on my own with 4 pets and my not so able daughter. i want to stay off the motorways. I am a bit anxious. Can anyone give me any tips or tell me
their experience of this journey. I can't work out how far I will be comfortable towing each day. Also feeling mistrustful of our new GPS!!
thanks
Comments
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That is an awful long way to do avoiding motorways, is that because you want to avoid tolls? Towing would be much easier on the motorways but if you really want to avoid them as much as possible I would set your sat nav to avoid toll roads and aim to do about 200 miles a day which means at least 6 night stops. That should be fairly comfortable driving but you might want to consider having a couple of rest days on route. At least build them into your planning so you are not under any pressure to drive when you don't feel up to it.
peedee
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Yes it reallly is a long way but I can understand why you are not using the long ferry as you have pets. Keep to the west side of France and Spain. Would suggest you bite the bullet and use motorways in France; the motorways down the west side of Spain
are free and virtually empty. A lot of us the 2 x 3 hr driving plan; 2 hours, stop for coffee, 2 hours, stop for lunch (and look at your site books to see where you will be in 100 miles) and then the last 2 hours then stop for night; you will find that is
quite enough driving for one day and you can easily do 250+ miles a day although I endorse peedee's suggestion of 200. Have done the trip from Santander to Cadiz and the return to Calais. There should be plenty of sites open in early Sep but recommend you
stop fairly early to ensure you find one (Join ACSI and take the CC O'seas book). The sites in Spain are fewer on the route but you should be ok. Have confidence in your GPS - or change it. My TOMTOM is excellent on the continent but use it in conjunction
with a map and be wary if it tells you to turn off your motorway to save a few mies or to go through the centre of towns/cities, most have an 'Autres Direction' sign. Take care and don't rush; a couple of days break en route might make a welcome rest for
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Thank you all so much for your caring responses. I wish you were all coming with me!!
i probably should have put that we didn't want motorways until Bordeaux - though:
i think I have decided to use the the motorways. Less tiring and also to have at least one 2 night stop.
Some head scratching and much time on the phone proved the new GPS was faulty!!!! So now replaced with caravan map compatible model and confidence restored. Using in conjunction with Via Michelan and regional maps.
i think the 2 X 3 system is brilliant and also interested to notice you don't book in advance, just see how the day is going.
in Spain this isn't so easy due to fewer sites, but still as you say, September will be quieter.
Your info. has been very encouraging.
Thank you.
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I use ACSI sites in Spain normally and in September it is not really necessary to book. 8 would recommend the ACSI cd as it contains a lot more sites than just the ACSI ones. Also it does have a crude route planner and mapping facility which is useful to
estimate distances between stops. It only costs about £15 and is well worth it. I buy it every year much easier to use than the books.I agree with all other comments about the autoroutes in Spain especially. The ones down the west through Extramadura etc are virtually empty and excellent and more importantly FREE!
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