# Calais to Benicassim



## waspes (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi we are leaving on the 29th December and intend going on the toll roads so was wondering which route would be the best to take at that time of year.
The route planner is saying Calais Paris Perpignan then Benicassim.
Not sure if its best to avoid Paris any suggestions.
Peter.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Hello,

Calais to Paris (If Evening/Early Hours)

Otherwise

Head towards the Southern Toll roads out of Rouen and then the Free Motorway Until Milau Bridge. Then South to Med Coast. 

Calais - Rouen - Bordeaux - San Sebastian - Pamplona - Zaragoza - Toward Valencia

Would be my Route. But that is to avoid tolls. I also Avoid Barcelona and the Highway Robbers.

We go Via the Pyrenees in Winter so I can Ski En-Route.

TM


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

First time i ever went we went toll all the way and crossed at Perpignon we avoided paris though, without getting my french map i dont know the route but you can avoid Paris definitely.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Rouen , Evreux, Dreux, Chartres, Orleans (various routes around there with good overnights near the Loire) and then down the free autoroute - and go off before you get to Millau and have a look at the bridge from undereneath before joining the other side. toll is almost as high as the bridge! 8)


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

bognormike said:


> - and go off before you get to Millau and have a look at the bridge from undereneath before joining the other side. toll is almost as high as the bridge! 8)


Yeah but it'll cost you around the same in diesel climbing back out of Millau on the slow road-and take an extra hour than using the toll bridge.
-As for the route-its the one i use & mostly toll free.
Last January when i came down it was snowing so i used pay toll motorways most of the way & they were kept perfectly clear, i think it was around €60 in all.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I doubt you would save that much vic! And of course Millau is a good overnight stopover - even with the charge on the aire now.


how's the weather down there now?


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Calais Paris*

Calais to Paris not bad at all on a toll free run - we have done a couple of different routes

Russell


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Weather here in Benicassim has been bright,blue skies & generally temps around 16 to 18deg during the day but it does get a lot colder once the sun dips down-we have also had some VERY windy nights rocking the vans & tearing one or two awning tents but the forcast is for quieter slightly warmer-either way its a lot warmer than in UK ! . . Some of the braver people are planning their Christmas day swim . . Something i think I'll give a miss as I'm a wimp !


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

The snow starts on the Millau motorway from November and it's mighty hilly so good luck. I would use the western France route N10 then to Pamplona and drop down.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

My own choice would be and has been via Rouen, Chartres, Bordeaux, Pau then through the tunnel (free), LLeida and Tarragona.
This is an easy road without the hills of southern France or the Barcelona by-pass.
Check it out on the map!

Alan


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Mike48 said:


> The snow starts on the Millau motorway from November and it's mighty hilly so good luck. I would use the western France route N10 then to Pamplona and drop down.


Climbed many a mountain in snow, Milau with it would be a breeze,

TM


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

teemyob said:


> Mike48 said:
> 
> 
> > The snow starts on the Millau motorway from November and it's mighty hilly so good luck. I would use the western France route N10 then to Pamplona and drop down.
> ...


Not for me. I got caught up in it in the first week of November and luckily was able to pull into a service area where I spent the night. Perhaps you have chains or winter tyres but in general motorhomes are not good in the snow.


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## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

For anyone who wants a stopover rather than full camping, there's a cracking little wild-camp spot right on the sea front in the middle of Benicassim during the winter months.

It's the smallish, triangular shaped free car park right next to the Tourist Info portacabins (they are closed from something like October to May) on the seafront. Just come North along the south-north one-way section of the seafront road and you'll see it on your left side.

No services of course, but a great place to stopover for a night of two, you are literally just across the road from the beah...and there's a little general store just across the smaller road behind it.

We were there again for a couple of nights about 2 weeks ago as a stopover on our way back south from France. There were two other MH's in there with us. 
Local Police cruise by from time to time, and Guardia car even came into the car park and parked right by us....but they were just stopped to nip out and buy ciggies from the Tabac round the corner....smiled and nodded at us, then left.




(There is also a much bigger free gravel car park about 1 mile further north, on the left hand side just before north end of the prom road stops, which many MH's use without hassle during the winter months. Not pretty, but easy parking, and a 1 minute stroll to the beach).


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## ptmike (Apr 25, 2010)

teamyob 

just a note to let all know the freebie dual carriage way north of Bordeaux is now being upgraded and the froggies have introduced new toll booths on the toll free road to pay for the new lanes they are putting in and the new aire facilities one of which now has the craziest of parking lanes , go into the lorry area. the aire is the one near the huge piles of logs which get sprayed with water .

we came through 3 new booths on way down.
cheers Mike


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Will that be the A10 coming into Bordeaux AND the road to Angouleme (N10)?

Alan


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