Winter Sunshine

Dickdastardly1
Dickdastardly1 Forum Participant Posts: 153
100 Comments
edited June 2018 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

Hi, hopefully going to be travelling nov time to go across france into spain seeking some warmth. We are ehading in our motorhome towards bendiorm, benacassim area. Any recommendations for campsites?

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  • Vicmallows
    Vicmallows Forum Participant Posts: 580
    500 Comments
    edited June 2018 #2

    If you are new to wintering abroad it is well worth reading right the way through the 'Overseas' section of the website. (It will take you several days!).  Among all the trivia and obviously irrelevant posts (which you skip over) you will pick up lots of useful detail and  leads to follow up upon.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,356 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2018 #3

     Mark, many sites to choose from, but if you're heading for Benicassim then you might as well call in to Bonterra Park....we like it but it is popular (for very good reason) and has many returning regulars.

    enjoy.

  • Jaydug
    Jaydug Forum Participant Posts: 52
    edited June 2018 #4

    Quote:-- going to be travelling nov time to go across france into spain seeking some warmth

     If you're going across France and into Spain as late as November, take the route through Chartres/Tours/Bordeaux/San Sebastian, because on the Central routes you could well be delayed because of snow.   I've towed my caravan through France in November for many years but for the past five years I've taken the easy way via Portsmouth to Santander.   But for routes and sites in France which are still open in November, have a look at my blog.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,356 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2018 #5

    we generally do, Cherbpurg to Nantes (4 hrs) first afternoon, Nantes to Irun on the Spanish border (7 hrs) second day and Irun to Valencia (Benicassim) via Pamplona and Zaragosa (7hrs) on the third day.

    very unlikely to get the bad French winter weather, that way...

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited June 2018 #6

    You have to put the pedal to the metal to do it in those sort of times. surprised

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,389 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2018 #7

    If you are a member of the Camping and Caravan Club it is worth getting their winter sun brochure. Having gone it alone one winter I much prefer to book with them for winter sites.

    peedee

  • Dickdastardly1
    Dickdastardly1 Forum Participant Posts: 153
    100 Comments
    edited June 2018 #8

    Thanks BB, so in Irun, Pamploma and Zaragoza do you use a  campsite or an Aire?

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,356 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2018 #9

    https://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/cci.php?numero=4289

    we use this aire in Irun....no charge for parking overnight, but there is in the daytime....you have to pay until 6:30 I think and then free...

    there will always be a few vans there, we can usually get to Benicassim in a day from there...the road is a fast dual carriageway, especially the A23 beyond Zaragosa.

    we have  two or three stops for lunch, coffee etc.

    there are several Aires along the route (the website above is IMHO the definitive Aires source) should you need one, but after Pamplona, there's really only Zaragosa to camp...it's ok, we've used it before but it's pretty pricy just for a kip.....

    our other stop is the aire in Les Sorinieres, just on the southern outskirts of Nantes.

    its possible to push on further south than this on the first day, but the ferry comes in at 13:30 ish, so 4 hrs is enough usually, though it would shorten the following day...

    having said this, this is our 'winter timetable' where the weather isn't likely to be conducive for hanging about and sightseeing...

    weve also been in Spring and took ten days to get there, stopping many times along the VEndee...

    good luck.

  • Jaydug
    Jaydug Forum Participant Posts: 52
    edited June 2018 #10

    Quote:- Irun to Valencia via Zaragosa (7hrs) on the third day.

    Why the big hurry to cover the ground?   Last year I drove from Bilbao to Valencia and spent seven days doing it.   What an opportunity you missed to see some fantastic places and some fabulous scenery.   Excusable  I suppose if you're limited to a strict timetable of just two or three weeks, but otherwise I prefer to enjoy the journey.   After all, I'm supposed to be on holiday.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,356 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2018 #11

    perhaps you missed my earlier post where I said this was our 'winter dash' schedule.....travelling in December or January for overwintering isn't conducive to haning about in the cold....

    on our spring trips are a much slower affair with perhaps 6-10 stops on the way down....

    i het what you mean but Mark is looking for winter sunshine and won't find it in central France at that time of year...

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited June 2018 #12
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  • Swifty2018
    Swifty2018 Forum Participant Posts: 196
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    edited June 2018 #13

    We arrived at Bonterra Park this morning, weather cloudy and showery and after the great weather of the last 4 weeks a tad disappointing.

    Unfortunately we are pitched next to probably the loudest speaking Dutchmen in history!

    Will reserve judgement on the site until the weather improves. Seems OK at the moment but hopefully our opinions will rise a lot further.

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