After 2 disastrously cold summer holidays in UK we are looking to drive south to find the elusive sun! We thought we would try northern Spain (perhaps its hiding there during our summer months)
The question is...should we book a hotel en route or just drive until we want to stop and find something where we do stop. Always use this method in US but not sure how practical it is in France. We are using tunnel early am and intend to drive as far down as we can in one day. Has anyone any recommendations of somewhere to stay or visit
------------- 2026
Various weekends, weather and time permitting
April - Yorkshire and Yorkshire
June - Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
Autumn - North and Scotland
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It would depend when you are travelling. If you are going Jul-Aug & want Friday or Saturday night then booking might be advised. If you are taking a tent anyway perhaps take a small overnight tent & stop on a campsite on the way down, plenty on your route & no need to book them.
We drive to Spain every year (from Scotland)to the Costa Tropical, the only accommodation we book is that which we will stay at when we arrive, we use the tunnel usually around 1am and we do the journey non-stop, sharing the driving between the two of us, takes around 36 hours all in. There is plenty of roadside accommodation in France and Spain, but don't stop at anything called a 'Club' in Spain it'll be a brothel and there's plenty of them!
We travel to Spain in July/August, we usually pre-book a Premier Classe or Etap hotel in Clermont Ferrand for an overnight stop and then travel the rest of the journey to the Costa Brava the next day.
------------- Ilse
July/Aug 2013 - L'Amfora
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There were no 'seniors' discounts advertised the last time I stopped for coffee at one near Zaragoza
A lot of Spanish lads are taken to a club by their father, uncle etc to lose their virginity (age of consent is 13 in Spain), so they are never short of business, most of the girls are eastern european now, mind with the Spanish economy as it is who knows....
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We have had a couple of worrying evenings driving around, looking for a hotel, so now we book hotel on route. Depending on our route, we either stay in Clermont Ferrand of Bordeaux
You can do it without booking, but for peace of mind better to book. Both times we almost got caught out was a Friday or Saturday night
I always stop in a formule1 budget hotel just for stop overs....usually two rooms and they are basic but great and from 23 euros for two or three with a couple of euro's for the dog. Breakfast for an extra 3 euros consists of baguette, brioch and a toaster, cereals and coffee..and a few other bits...basic but as much as you want. If your driving from Wiltshire I recommend a stop near Macon if travelling the 'route de soleil' via Reims and Lyon route which I find is far better than the Paris route. We normally go to Rosas (Roses) or Empuriabrava so Macon is a good stop a little over half way...best book the Formule1 though during high season. If you really want a shorter trip on day two or are going further south in Spain, Orange in France was a good F1hotel.
Would echo the recomendation of stopping at Macon. We tend to use Cmpanile hotels, which although a little more expensive, are more to our taste. We nnormally prebook these.
We have also camped overnight at the Municipal site at Macon which was good, however that was several years back!
We stayed in the Macon Municipal campsite site last Spring Bank brilliant site but a number of tents were slashed and wallets...passports etc stolen overnight while the occupants were asleep...Macon is a nice town but everywhere has thieves unfortunately...we were ok as in a motorhome. PS McDonalds is right opposite the site for those of you with children....campsite bread best avoided!!!
Probably the best toilet/shower block I have ever been in at the Macon municipal...new and very well thought out and strange for a toilet block very well adorned with plants
I note in your original post you say you will be travelling to Northern Spain - the Basque coastline while very beautiful can have weather similar to Cornwall in the summer so be prepared for wet weather there - thats why its so green.
if you want sunshine go to the med. - the area round Rosas and St Pere Pescador can be windy but the beaches are excellent
If you prebook a hotel half way you can take advantage of special offers e.g. 20 days in advance 20% off - makes the mid range hotels nearly as cheap as the budget ones. If you want a quiet night be sure to check the location as most chain hotels are next to busy roads in france
Quote: Originally posted by tobyleeds on 09/3/2013
Hi
I note in your original post you say you will be travelling to Northern Spain - the Basque coastline while very beautiful can have weather similar to Cornwall in the summer so be prepared for wet weather there - thats why its so green.
if you want sunshine go to the med. - the area round Rosas and St Pere Pescador can be windy but the beaches are excellent
If you prebook a hotel half way you can take advantage of special offers e.g. 20 days in advance 20% off - makes the mid range hotels nearly as cheap as the budget ones. If you want a quiet night be sure to check the location as most chain hotels are next to busy roads in france
Sorry ... have to disagree ... have spent six years of summer holidays there over the last twenty ... never had anything but beautiful weather ... two days of a little rain in the Picos ... but mountains anywhere can do that!
Winter is a different matter.
Average rainfall in July is 8mm ... pretty low!!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Driving down to Spain
