Winter sun in Spain - where to stay en route?
I've decided to take the plunge and head south for a month in the winter. The question is this: where to stay en route through France? I'm fairly new to motorhoming too, having had a caravan for years, so any tips from seasoned motorhomers would be welcomed. I'll be travelling on my own in February 2024.
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I suggest you update your profile, DML, as folk will tell you about aires and places suitable for motorhomes if they can readily see you're a motorhomer and not a caravanner. 👍🏻
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Where are you crossing the Channel and where are you making for, and have you chosen a route? Do you want a list of campsites open at that time of year along that route, or are happy with motorhome Aires? And how far do you drive in a day?
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Fair point Tinwheeler, done it now.
Eurortraveller: Crossing from Portsmouth to Caen, early morning crossing both ways so arriving mid afternoon.
Have stayed at Ouistreham before but was a bit put off by hordes of would-be migrants around the site, although they didn't give us any hassle.
Making for Vilanova Park near Sitges for the winter sun rally. Haven't decided on a route yet, have done most of the main routes south over the years but with a caravan. Usually aim to drive no more than 300 miles in a day. I've never stayed on a motorhome aire. Assume I know nothing - any information gratefully received.
Thanks to all.
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Try Camping-Car Park. They now have more than 500 hundred good safe and secure aires across France and a handful in Spain. At £10-£11 per night for 6 amp power, waste disposal and freshwater, they are good value and most are open all year.
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The campsite you mentioned at Ouistreham which you mentioned is not open in February, and with a 3 pm ferry arrival your first night will probably be in an aire as others have said as I don’t know of any nearby campsites.
Therafter I would aim for the Poitiers area and then the Toulouse area. There are.campsites as well as Aires open in both those areas according to your preference.For your Villanova destination you should aim to cross the French border via Perpignan as the road over Pyrenees might not be a good idea in February, but most sun seekers would go much further south than Sitges.
Good wishes.
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Correction. If you decide to spend your first night close Ouistreham ferryport and prefer a campsite with facilities, then Camping les Capucines at Ranville will usually be open - and accepts arrivals up to 7pm.
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- Agree with the above....get the camping cap park app, it will show you the stopping places all over France. There is one at Lion sur Mer, just west of Ouistreham and another on the NW Caen ring road.
other recommendations for open campsites all good for the route south.
also, need advice re winter travel over higher ground.
we head for the eastern Spanish coast pretty much each February and (along with other good advice) our route is usually down the west side as we use Cherbourg but after a night in Caen it's pretty much the same...
you can head for Bordeaux via Poitiers or even Nantes then use A63 (toll) to La Rouletta for a site....we use Irun (stopping place...
from Irun turn inland on n232-A to Pamplona and then it's possible to go all the way (we would go straight to Benicassim from there) or stop in Zaragosa, either at the municipal or at the new aire (nice car park) on the northern ring road where you can park for free and walk to the wonderful city centre (45 mins). Also a tram station right next door to the aire, simple hop into town.
enjoy!
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The average temperature at Sitges in February is 9C - the average daily range is from 5C to 13C.. Take warm clothes - or fly to somewhere warmer.
Good wishes1 -
Thank you for all information. Vilanova Park is now booked, so will take whatever the weather throws at me. Hopefully it will be warmer and sunnier than the UK but in any case it will make a change of scenery - but noted your point about warm clothes.
As for the route, looks as if there will be plenty of options and I've not seen the campingcarpark.com website before, so thanks for that.
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I also endorse the use of Camping Car Park sites, I used some this year and have been favourably impressed with the system. One thing You also might like to do is to have other Apps available which give you information on sites. I tend to favour Search4Sites for information and reviews but there are others e.g. Park4Night and of course there is always ASCI.
peedee
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Thanks, I'll try those as well.
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