# Stopovers on way to Barcelona. (help and advice needed)



## bofb (May 29, 2008)

We plan to travel to Barcelona mid August with two kids and would welcome advice on suitable places to stopover en route.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi

How long is your trip? Do you want to rush down, or take your time? How old are the kids? What do they like doing?

I could recommend a number of aires, but they might be a bit boring for young children (or they may not).

Gerald


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Spain*

Hi

We daudled in March and took a week to get there.

Night a Calais Cite Europe, two nights in Paris, night outside the aire at Sully sur Loire, night at St Pourcain aire and a night in Millau.

In October we hammered on and had a night at St Remy and a night at Millau.

Both occasions were toll free, so my point being that toll free does not slow you down that much compared to the motorways.

Details of the aires on my bloggy blog if you want to read them

here

Russell

PS all the toll free routing is on there too or on here under toll free to Costa Brava


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Have done this route lots of times and there are lots of routes you could use. Which way are you going?


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

bofb.. bit more info please and we can give some better advise..
Age of kids, how long you want to take getting there, toll or non toll.
Any prefered route, ie want to follow coast or go via mountains and Andorra. North or south Barcelona ?

I do it twice a year with small kids now aged 4 and 6. Cross at Calais and overnight there. Then we usually do it in 3 days, 2 sleeps. Just me driving about 6 hours a day and a stop ever 90mins or so...
Several aires and stopovers are listed in the campsite database.


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## Vinney (Feb 23, 2010)

Hi Bofb

We are about to start same trip/adventure. We expect to be on a calais ferry @ 7.00am this sunday hope to make paris to catch the end of tour with kids. Then millau /tarn valley for canoeing rafting walking and anything else to keep smallies happy then on to beach around spanish boarder. Barcelona and possibly salou for fun park. We have nothing booked in the line of campsites we usually wing that one! But always looking for stuff to entertain 3 active kids & 2 tired adults. Ours 3 boys 7 to 14. Expect to take about 2 weeks to get there and possibly return through pirenees. 
Anyone have any suggestions on stuff to do.
V
PS would love to go to a French Passion type place to walk on grapes or the like. Any recommendations.
TA. V


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Where are you sailing to in France? Do you wish to use or avoid tolls? Which way do you intend to get to Barcelona - if you follow your sat nav you will be routed via Paris and that is not a way I would recommend. Do you want campsites or Aires? 

If the latter and you are sailing into Calais, we usually stop off at the Aires at Brezolles, St Eloy Les Mines and Gruissan.


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## bofb (May 29, 2008)

2 kids 12 & 14. From Calais. Prefer non-motorway route. Like aires and France Passion. Avoid Paris on outward journey. Keen to find aquaparks/theme parks. Hope to find kid friendly campsite near perpignan or costa brava on beach. Plan to stay at park and ride for Barcelona visit. If poss return via Dordogne. 2 weeks holiday.


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## Wilmannie (Feb 7, 2010)

You'll find lots of advice on how to go down thru France, easy stop-overs (eg at Leucate Plage near Perpignon) but bearing in mind your requirements, absolutely no doubts where you should go to be right on the beach on Costa Brava! Look up Camping Bon Repos, Santa Susanna on the internet. Have fun!


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## Avenonickname (Jan 25, 2011)

As with Wilmannie's input, others will route you down to the Spanish border. Suggest look up Nautic Almata near ROSES on Costa Brava. Not cheap but seriously good. Choice of six sites on the beach between Castello D'empuries and L'Escala.
Pete


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

bofb said:


> 2 kids 12 & 14. From Calais. Prefer non-motorway route. Like aires and France Passion. Avoid Paris on outward journey. Keen to find aquaparks/theme parks. Hope to find kid friendly campsite near perpignan or costa brava on beach. Plan to stay at park and ride for Barcelona visit. If poss return via Dordogne. 2 weeks holiday.


Just night stopping and travelling sensible daily distance will take you 3 days to the Costa Brava and 3 day back especially if you want to avoid toll roads. My favourite site on the Costa Brava is >EL Delfin Verde< but it is not cheap this time of year but the kids will love it.

For a route the quickest, not using toll roads, is probaly via Rouen - on the A16/A28 from the channel ports and just before crossing the River Seine at Rouen, take the N15 via Pont de l'arche to the A154/N154 to Evreux and Nonancourt. From here take the N12 to Dreux taking the ring road to again pick up the N154 south to Chartres, then round the Chartres ring road and either stay on the N154 to join the A10 just north of Orleans to travel down central France via Vierzon, Chateauroux, Limoges, Brieve, Montauban, Narbonne and Perpignan. Alternatively from Chartres take the N10 all the way down to Bordeaux then work your way east to Narbonne.

Only you can really decided what suits you. Have a look 
>here<  for some more ideas/information

peedee


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