# overnight stops - France - Spain - winter



## 89017 (May 11, 2005)

*Help please.*
This year we've decided to to go for a bit of heat for a month over the Xmas/New year period. (last year we did the opposite and went to the Austrian Tirol - great, but minus 8-10C every night!!!). travelling Dover-Calais, via Paris - Tours - Bordeaux - San sabastian - Madrid - Murcia.
Have three and a half days to do it - Any suggestions for safe overnight stopovers.
Any idea of toll fees for 3.85 tonne Kontiki + trailer?
kind regard
Bob


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## weldted (May 1, 2005)

*your trip over Xmas*

Hi Bigger Mac, I hope you had a great time, We are going to Portugal via Calais on the 3rd of march this year and wondered how you got on? This is our first time with what sounds like a similar sized van a Bessacar 765 3800 kgs but no trailer any tips? cheers Ted & Karen


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

Before moving to S.Spain I ran the France/Spain and Spain (Bilbao) route, heading for Morocco, literally 100's of times with MH and tailer. The only toll was to Burgos and it was so cheap I can't even remember how much it was. I do remember using the alternative (Non-Toll) route once....and only ONCE. Not good.

Unless I stayed more than a night in one place, which was rare, I used the many "Transport" cafes with their HUGE carparks. Once or twice it was noisy but most times I just parked up in the corner and had a good night.

If it's sun and warm you want the coast and inland around Malaga and Marbella is having some wonderful weather at the moment. We went swimming and Xmas day!! So "come on down".

Take my contact with you. I can put up one/two MH's on a spectacular hillside 15 kms inland from Malaga........free.


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## 92821 (May 1, 2005)

*Edit By Admin*Post removed, no commercial advertising allowed in the forums Stuart. Please contact advertising[at]motorhomefacts.com for proper advertising methods and pricing


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## 89017 (May 11, 2005)

Hi Weldted,
We had a wonderful time thanks. Went Dover-Calais. Stopped in an Aire, 100 miles South. Got lost in Paris, know Versaille very well now. 
If we do Paris again, we now know to head for the centre and pick up the peritherique and not pussy-foot 'round the outside. As an aside, it was snowing at the time and we decided to get some fuel. The dual carriageway was gritted but unbeknown to us the slip road wasn't!!!! We skated up it with all 6 wheels locked up with a petrol pump at the top, looming rather rapidly. Fortunately they'd gritted the top near the pumps. Phew! 
Next stop, Poitier. All year site that accepts Camping cheques.
Then on to San Sabastian. Used Motorways all the way. Paying by credit card at the tolls is soooo easy. saves having to carry a lot of change all the time.
San S. camp site, again in the Camping Cheque book. Wondeful location, worthy of a return visit in itself. Next it was on to Burgos (as you've probably gathered we went down the middle)
We apparently missed the snow by two days which actually cut off the motorway (drivers had to sleep in their cars or find accomodation!) and drove on to Madrid.
We had an incident north of Madrid.
We were cruising at our usual 65-70 mph on a dual carriageway. Up ahead I could see two dark coloured cars parked on a slip road, then a man dressed in a flourescent jacked with a policemans hat on and a whistle in his mouth jumped out in front of us waving his arms about. It was clearly us he was trying to stop. My wife and I glanced at each other and made an almost instantanoius decision to floor it and let him make his own mind up as to whether he wanted to be run over or not!
If it was a genuine policeman they would have been after us for attempted manslaughter. No one came. Make of that what you want.

Throuthout the trip our security was tight. Chained the two front doors together every night. Locked ourselves in and padlocked the trailer to the van evey night. The van was never left unatended at any time. 
Anyway if you want part two, let me know, must dash, got a Panto to perform in.!!!!!!!!!!!!
regards
bob & Ann


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