Hi.Can anyone please help we are going down to Benidorm early Feb and have not been that far before but have now retired so time is not a problem anymore ( hopefully ) We will be taking a caravan from Calais so which would be the best way ? do we have to use the toll roads or are the ordinary roads o.k.to use.Also could anyone advise roughly how long it would take and how many overnight stops we would need to take.Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks a million.Derek
------------- Delboy
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
The route we used to do from UK without toll roads was:
Calais, Rouen, Le Mans, Free overnight caravan halt at St Maure de Tourraine just south of the Loire, Bordeaux, Dax,
Free night at closed municipal camping (gate left open and in village centre) at St Jean Pied de Port, over the low pass to Roncevalles (weather permitting), join the road South just below Pamplona, Head south just before Zaragosa via La Almunia de Dona Gadina, Teruel, Valencia.
We used to stay in a park on the left just after Teruel overnight but we were in a motorhome.
If the weather is bad it could be better to head for Chartres after Rouen and then either the A/N 20 to Toulouse or the eastern route via Clermont Ferrand, then go down the coast. We do use the Spanish Toll roads now as a lot of HGVs don't and it can be busy on the ordinary roads. This means passing Barcelona so see my comments re bandits.
The Caravan Club European sites book is good for winter overnight sites.
When we have been down to Spain in Feb, we find it worth checking the weather websites a day or so before leaving, so we can pick out the mildest route. We use motorway all the way, and take 2 overnight stops in France, cross the border by Perpignan, then one more stop between Barcelona and Valencia. We tend to stop earlyish in the day eg 3pm, as we have a dog with us, and like to get everyone a decent walk and a meal. That way, it feels like part of the holiday, and not a chore. It can be a challenge to find sites open, but we now have a few we use according to the route taken. Do some route planning using the viamichelin website. Also good for the weather forecasts( under tourism)
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: Benidorm The way
