# Preplaning a route for a months tour of France & Spain



## HARRYH (May 18, 2005)

My Wife & I are looking to tour the west side of France maybe going on down to Madrid & sw Spain.
Any one got a Route sugestion or a list of "must see places" "good stop overs" "dont go there" or just useful knowledge local to that area for the trip in May/June?
Our interests are, Scenic Country, Good beaches, wild life. history,
nice village/architecture. good eating out, antique fairs. junk market bargins, and general interests. 
We did a trip in 2006 down the central route though France on to the east of Spain returning via the french south coast and up though the Alps and Geneva
Among the highlights were, The Med Coast swimming, Provance birds. Chaminix mountains , Lake Geneva the richness. Dole canal's and more. Paris and the north coast we have toured previously.
As any one a copy of the 2007 Aires De Service in english? the pubishers have not yet got to translating the 2008 version.
We are more tourers than campers, two or three night per site is our average stay over. For driving between sites, the time/distance we try to limit to 3hrs/200m.depending on conditions.
Advice would be welcome
Harry & Carol


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Stunning beaches all the way down the west coast, pretty much from St. Nazaire to past Biarritz.
The forests are immense, pine trees as far as you can see.

Historically, you should, and I mean need to visit the Town which was reazed to the ground by the Nazis. They shuffeld everybody in to ....anyway, the French have left it exactly as was. It needs to be visited, just to pay our respects/
Theres the caves in the Dordogne. 40k years old and full of the most beautiful art.

Honestly, you could spend a lifetime looking and travelling in the area.

have a stunning time.


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## andyangyh (May 1, 2005)

If you are taking the western route you won't be going to the Dordogne (unless you turn left at Bordeaux). Likewise the village where the atrocity took place in WW2 was Oradour sur Glane, which is just NW of Limoges - again, a little outside where you are going.

La Rochelle is worth a visit. Aire is walking distance of the town and you empty/fill your tanks at the borne outside the municipal campsite.

Saintes (near where we used to live) is a good overnight stop and you stay on the aire which is in the car-park of the Abbeye aux Dames, a short stroll from the town centre. Take a trip to Cognac and see the distilleries.

Royan is also worth a slight detour - nice aire at La Palmyre. Cross the Gironde by ferry at Royan and tour a few Bordeaux vineyards.

South of Bordeaux we like the aires at Capbreton (which could be hell on earth in August but is fine in May/June/early July), Mimizan Plage and Biarritz. Try to be in France for the Fete de Musique on 21st June when every town in France has a music festival. My band played Saintes a few years back and it was a great community occasion. Lots of wine and next to no litter and certainly no yobbish behaviour.

Once you are in Spain try and visit San Sebastian. Stay at the campsite at Igueldo and catch the bus from outside the site (it's an "interesting" drive up the mountain to the campsite but the views are worth it) and go for tapas in the old town. Reputedly the best in Spain. Don't miss the Picos del Europa mountains. Santiago de Compostella is interesting too - especially if you manage to be there when they are swinging the massive incense burner from one end of the cathedral to the other.

Granada is famous for the Alhambra and it is every bit as stunning as they say.

Just a few suggestions. I could go on all day!


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## 111745 (Apr 28, 2008)

Agree with Bandaid

Beaches, woods and dunes down the West coast of France are great. Especially during the week, you may find aires busier at the weekend with the French if the weather is good. 

We have 2007 aires book in English ' all the aires France'. ISBN 978-0-9552808-1-8. Includes some photos, and we think easier to use than the French version. Can we suggest vicarious books. They are available on line.


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## Alemo (Mar 11, 2008)

Best advice I can give is, slow down, keep off the motorways, stop frequently, and take a good look at the country.

Plan one day at a time, don't stick to an itinerary.

Your 200m/3hrs is faster than the national speed limit 90kph 56mph.

Enjoy.

Alec


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi we set off in Feb for a month, and intended to travel down to Spain but ended up in Portugal (which we loved) you can read my report on this link
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-42247-0.html one site that we really loved and stayed on both the journey down and back was just below San Sebastian and is in the Alan Rodgers guide is this one http://www.campingsonline.com/grancampingzarautz/index.asp?idlengua=3 the views from the touring site there are fantastic..........next time we go that way we intend to have at least another couple of nights there.

I still can't get used to the forums all split up LOL much preferred continental touring on one forum as I might have missed this post had it not been at the top of the forums........esp in a post like this when a member is asking about more than one area.


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## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

A must see down west coast and well down is the largest sand dune in Europe at Dune du pilat or something like that. Lovely campsite right on it too. I reported in my journal for our trip last June, got down to Santiago. St Jean de Luz has a great festival at end of June.


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Oh forgot, have a look at Le Vieux Boucau, a sort of new town, right on the coast, theres a festival in later June, where the traditional shepherds walk about town on their stilts. Which is really clever as an idea, 'cos of the height of the vegetation locally the shepherds get on stilts to see their sheep easier.

Better than any other circus type I've ever seen.

quite spectacular in the evening, not too dear at that time of year, without hordes of Brits on holiday.

I liked the aquarium in La Rochelle, some of the fish are eye wateringly beautiful, and also quite rare, due to the usual stuff, oveer fishing, pollution, worth the money to go see that. Enormous parking availability.


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

If you get near Madrid go to El Escorial built by one of the Spanish Kings (might have been Philipe but can't remember exactly) to commemorate a victory against the French. Wonderful architecture and contents including the mausoleum for all the Spanish Kings and Queens.

Also the Valle de Los Caidos, built by prisoners of war after the Civil War tunneled out of solid rock and really impressive. Good campsite close to both of these near Escorial.

If you like Roman ruins Italica is very impressive as is Merida.

Enjoy!


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## HARRYH (May 18, 2005)

*thanks*



DorisDay said:


> Agree with Bandaid
> 
> Beaches, woods and dunes down the West coast of France are great. Especially during the week, you may find aires busier at the weekend with the French if the weather is good.
> 
> We have 2007 aires book in English ' all the aires France'. ISBN 978-0-9552808-1-8. Includes some photos, and we think easier to use than the French version. Can we suggest vicarious books. They are available on line.


hi 
thanks for the info. as a forum novice what is ISBN------------ Is it an attachment? how do i read it
Harry


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## ned (Dec 12, 2006)

*trpi to france and spain*

Hi Harryh

Don't worry about the english translations the french is easy in both the aires books. If you go to campingcar infos you can order a dvd of all the aires which will fit into your laptop as you go and you can plan two or three days ahead.
A few stops for you on the way down. 70 miles south of Calais on the Somme estuary mouth. A great Aire on the dunes at Le Crotoy. Don't go into the village, go one more turn at the roundabout and follow it on for about 2 Km. Dead peaceful, water, waste and great walks. Only 5 euros a night.
2.5 hrs south through Rouen and onto Lemans. Carry on to Sure le Sarthe. As you go into the village ( 7km south of LeMans) you get to the sarthe bridge. Turn left before you get onto the bridge. the Aire is next to the camping. If you are lucky you will get electric ( plugs are on the wall of the toilets) water waste etc all for 3 euros. Great stop with good walks on the river Sarthe and the village just over the bridge with a good range of small shops, hotel and 4 bars/tabac.
This should get you started. We are going the same route at the begining of june for four weeks.

cheers Ned


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## pelicanpete (Apr 28, 2007)

*Re: thanks*



HARRYH said:


> hi
> thanks for the info. as a forum novice what is ISBN------------ Is it an attachment? how do i read it
> Harry


HarryH: ISBN = International Standard Book Number. It's a unique number assigned to books; nothing to do with forums.


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## barrosa (May 9, 2005)

Hi Harryh may see you around we will be around then but we always use the ai :lol: :lol: res


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## Nora+Neil (May 1, 2005)

Don't forget the island Ile dOleron + Ile de Re + Noirmoutier.


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## 112624 (May 26, 2008)

Hi,

Why don't you try this site for France Tour.
So you can check it out for yourself: http://www.viamigo.com/place/2738/france
Have a nice trip, it truely is a stunning country.

Thanks.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Braylon-welcome to MHF-and your first Post is giving help! :lol: :lol: 

Don't forget to subscribe.... and you can carry on giving help-and getting it.

Tell us about yourself-(on "Introductions" Forum)-are you going to get/havehad/ a motohome?


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