# Travelling to Spain in December



## vanna (Jan 10, 2013)

Hi,
We are leaving UK heading to Estepona,Spain in December. We are trying to plan a route down to Spain. We have a large motorhome and tow a car. So trying to find routes which are not toll roads(we paid a fortune in tolls last time,sometimes paid as class 4!) but not wanting to get stuck in small French villages. 
We would probably be leaving UK on the 22nd of Dec so looking for ideas where to stay for Christmas on route too.
Look forward to hearing your ideas and advice.


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## Bigusdickus (Nov 6, 2012)

Hi Vanna.
http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/ is a good planner if you haven't used one before.
We prefer crossing to Calais then the N10 avoiding Paris and usually stop at Beauvais, Tours, Bordeaux, (short toll road A63) Saint Jean de Luz, then into Spain. There are meny Aires or a few campsites open in December on this route.
BD..


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Camp...ACztqSj2dqE3zLSY2Ln_AWiqneIwzDltZsBQYsCYXEKKw

Some info on here if it helps...
You will have to change route after Spanish border and maybe go via Madrid.. Cant help with that part.
Remember keep water topped up as most aires have their water turned off in winter. Also Snow can sometimes be a factor north of Madrid near Burgos.


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## tuscancouple (Jan 29, 2007)

We did something similar in March this year and also have a large motorhome with a trailer. Tolls can be expensive!

We decided to catch the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao as there wasn't a great deal of difference in the cost, based on fuel, ferry to Calais and tolls, etc. Plus we arrived in Spain quickly with less wear and tear on the motorhome and me 

Many French towns on the N roads seem to have incorporated chicanes into the roads to slow the traffic, which can make them a challenge in a large motorhome and trailer!

Enjoy your trip.

Mick


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

Amboise or Bouchmaine (Angers) in the Loire would be my choices for aires at Christmas, we stayed in the former for the New Year. Some big vans on them too.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Hope your not towing your car on a A frame.


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## dragabed (May 24, 2008)

we will be travelling down through spain to portugal in dec our route is abeville ,le mans,cholet,la rochelle,bordo,beritz,burgos,victoria across central spain and into portugal,excuse town name spellings not got a map in front of me,we have done several times and had no trouble with water or aires being closed when we cross into portugal we head for evora and then down onto the algarve.
have never had an issue regards weather,when we have encountered snow ,ploughs have been out in the night and cleared the roads also deiced and gritted


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

Day 1 - get to Tunnel and in France drive to Wissant(Calais) or Le Crotoy (Boulogne) aire to overnight. 

Day 2. Drive 350-ish miles via Abbeville, Rouen, Evreux, Dreux, Chartres, Tours to St Maure sur Touraine aire. Pay on A26 to Abbeville, around Chartres and around Tours - the alternative roads can be dreadful. 

Day 3. Drive 350-ish miles to Cap Breton aire (Bayonne) by the beach not far from the Spanish border. Christmas here at CP on the beach might be nice and quiet.

Day 4. Drive 270-ish miles towards San Sebastian, over Spanish border, head for Vitoria and then Burgos overnight at Riaza ACSI site. Pay from Bayonne to the border - the alternative can be double dreadful. After that, there's one long stretch of pay road to Burgos.

Day 5. Past Madrid drive 340 miles to Otura ACSI site, south of Granada. Choose your motorway around Madrid carefully so as to get a straight through non-pay road.

Day 6 . South 240 miles along coast on the A7 to Estapona. 

All aires are in the books. An ACSI card keeps the camp site cost down to a maximum e16 per night. 

PM me if you need more info. The days allow for setting off in the dark at 8.30 and arriving before dark around 3pm.


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## vanna (Jan 10, 2013)

*A Frame*



hogan said:


> Hope your not towing your car on a A frame.


We do tow a car on an A-Frame and never had any problems. Actually in Spain this year. We called in a Police Station and asked the question if they had any problems with a motorhome towing a car on an A-Frame. They said they had no problems with that and was perfectly ok with it.


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## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

*Re: A Frame*



vanna said:


> hogan said:
> 
> 
> > Hope your not towing your car on a A frame.
> ...


Good luck with running the gauntlet here in Spain again.

Just be aware that it is and always has been specifically illegal to tow one road vehicle with another on any public road here in Spain, and in Portugal.

It's a gamble to do so, and it's an expensive episode if you are nicked by Trafico for it (don't know what or why you asked at local Police station, as it is not the Policia Local at all, but a division of the Guardia Civil called "Trafico" who enforce road trafiic law here on the roads). 
They are the serious ones in the green uniforms, with the very big guns, that you really want to be smiley and polite with at all times.

It's a pretty hefty on-the-spot fine and an order to immediately de-couple and only proceed as two separately driven road vehicles if you do get pulled over. So you may want to have a contingency plan ready in order that you have two drivers in your motorhome ready at any time for that, along with sufficient immediately accessible funds.

In the past Trafico didn't seem to take much heed of foreign vehicle breaking this law here, but their attitude has changed substantially now.
There are now numerous reports of foreign a-frame users being stopped, fined and made to de-couple, across Spain.


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

PS We'll be hot on your heels, setting off on New Years Day but heading for Cacares after Burgos, and into Portugal, instead of Estepona


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

I agee with TheNomad. My A frame is currently residing in the garage of my house in Spain and will probablybe scrapped when next we go.

He is quite correct about the Policia Local, they are the tame ones, you don't want to arguing with the Guardia, they bite!

Mike


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

I think at the last count it was a €600 on the spot fine.
Re policia local --
If you went in and asked if it was ok to commit murder they would tell you its no problem.what they mean is that its no problem to them.
I will take bets that you will get pulled within the first 100 miles.
Spain is using every law old and new they can think of to rake in some money.
And the easiest target is Johny foreigner.


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

We will be on an early Ferry on Dec 27, it will then be 

Camping Acacia at Tours

Laroulett at St Jean de Luz

Riaza or Aranjeaz

La Manga

It is 1250 mile so 4 days is about right, we will be using Motorways though as 300 mile a day on N roads can be a bit slow.

Mike


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Another very convenient and no hassle overnight stop through France is the dedicated aire at the Futuroscope Theme Park, Poitiers, but check that it is open. If not simply use their adjacent parking area. There is miles of room in each area and its just off the autoroute.

Ron


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## vanna (Jan 10, 2013)

*Thank you for all your replies.*

Just wanted to say thank you very much for all your replies and advise, very much appreciated. Looks like we are going to have to buy a trailer then....


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## apxc15 (Dec 1, 2007)

*Re: Thank you for all your replies.*



vanna said:


> Just wanted to say thank you very much for all your replies and advise, very much appreciated. Looks like we are going to have to buy a trailer then....


I would if I were you. You may get away with an A Frame but it's now more likely that you won't.

Some friends of ours who over winter with us got pulled on their way home last year. They came back last Autumn with the car on a trailer.

Pete 8)


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## vanna (Jan 10, 2013)

*Re: Thank you for all your replies.*



apxc15 said:


> vanna said:
> 
> 
> > Just wanted to say thank you very much for all your replies and advise, very much appreciated. Looks like we are going to have to buy a trailer then....
> ...


Thanks for your message.

We have been looking today at different makes of trailers for our smart car.

At least we have a bit of time to get one before we go.

Sorry to hear about your friends getting stopped. Whereabouts to you stay over winter?

Vanna


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## apxc15 (Dec 1, 2007)

Cabopino.
Hope to be there for 15th ofOctober until May '14.

Can't wait.

Pete 8)


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## vanna (Jan 10, 2013)

*Cabopino*



apxc15 said:


> Cabopino.
> Hope to be there for 15th ofOctober until May '14.
> 
> Can't wait.
> ...


Wow fantastic. I bet you can't. Its getting chilly here already...


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