# winter rally in Spain



## anitainjune (Apr 21, 2009)

Hi, I,ve booked 2 weeks in Spain mid January but never been so far in new motor home and getting nervous about how to get there. I,ve been looking at a web site suggested by a fellow club member for winter sites but planning a route and finding sites is giving me a headache. We want to be in marbella area and have a week to travel there and back. should I travel through Perpignan and follow the coast please or is there an alternative. We don,t speak french very well and the idea of mountain passes in winter is a bit scary? Sorry if I sound a bit of a wimp, you seem to have such intrepid travellers as members.
Cheers Anita


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

Do you really need to go that far down ? It's a real real long way, especially for just 2 weeks.. !!!
Youll be driving more than having a holiday and most of that will be in the cold as you go though France...


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## anitainjune (Apr 21, 2009)

Sorry in my ignorance I have booked the site, just wanted some warmth and I can only manage a month as I still have small PT job.


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

Whoops sorry...  Youv'e a month in total.. That's a lot better..
Cant help with route for Costa del sol as we have only been as far as Benidorm and used the coast road...
Sure someone will come along with the info for you...

Good luck and enjoy..!!!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Spain*

Hello,

We have traveled to Spain in Winter (Christmas 2005/New year 2006) for two weeks. I did find it very easy but avoided mountain passes, despite having RWD, winter tyres and snow chains. Quite easy realy but a lot of miles. It was only a few weeks after getting our first motorhome, people said we were mad. Our three Daughters, aged 21, 15 and 13 Thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip. That said, we did cheat a bit as we stayed in a coastal villa in Salobrena for the Christmas and new year period.

Going out we went via Tunnel and down via Milau then dropped down to Perpignan. On the return we came back up through Madrid, Basque country and up via Bordeaux.

I have done this trip a few times, by car and and again since in the motorhome. In Summer, The easiest way I find is out the long route through France and back via Bilbao-Porstmouth. We travel most of the 545 miles in one day from Costa Tropical to Bilbao, then stay in a campsite until we head for the ferry the next day.

The problem with using P&O during December January is cost. Brittany Ferries don't run so as P&O have a monopoly, prices can be very high. In summer if booked early, we can get a one way with Brittany Ferries for £395. In December P&O quote us £629 !

If you need any more advice, please ask.

Trev


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## anitainjune (Apr 21, 2009)

I,ve booked Calais return through caravan club. How easy was it to find overnight stops, did you prebook please, and did this affect your choice of route around Paris. I was thinking of heading for Reims as a first stop?


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

A while ago, (2 years in fact) a chap called Fego did a trip like this, and helpfully wrote up a blog about the trip.

The main page is >> here <<, although the actual trip starts >> here <<, and then click on "Newer post" to proceed. It's well worth reading the whole blog though, because Fego writes a very interesting and entertaining blog.

Gerald

_Edit: make that nearly 3 years ago  _


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

Use aires down though France. 
Best to stay away from the motorway ones. 
If you go the Med coast route lots of sites open in the winter in Spain if you go via Madrid fewer sites.
I do not use this route for this reason as I do not like long drives between stops. 
Sites near Burgos then south of Madrid @ Aranjuez and @ Santa Elena then you are within reach of you destiation.

Depends on how far you want to travel.

Try to find out as much as you can regarding the highway code for France and Spain.

Andy


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## derek500 (Oct 31, 2005)

Your best bet, IMO, is to go down the west side of France to Biarritz. Two reasonable days toll free driving (we use the free aire at Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine as our overnight stop).

As for Marbella, I wouldn't go that far. It is generally drier and just as warm in January in the Costa de Azahar/Costa Blanca region.

You can reach there in a good day's toll free driving, crossing Spain from the French/Spanish border at Hendaye and travelling via Pamplona and Zaragoza and then A23 to Sagunto on the Med.

It's another 450 miles from there to Marbella, so hardly worth the extra mileage for such a short time.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I agree with derek500 go down the western side of France, avoid central France where it is much colder. Briefly Calais, Rouen, Evreax, Dreux, Chartes, Tours, Bordeaux, Bayonne, and Spanish border, If the weather looks bad use the autovia to Burgos, Madrid and onwards. Don't worry if there is any snow the Spanish clear the autoroutes very quickly. If you are only night stoping seek out the aires in France, make your last stop the aire at Cap Briton near Bayonne and you can then easily make the open all year sites on the Burgos Madrid A1. See >this post<

peedee


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## anitainjune (Apr 21, 2009)

You're all great, thank you. I'll do some map reading, read that blog, ( I've read one or two travel bogs and some are brilliant) I feel more confidant already. I have "Go Motorhoming Europe" for driving info and sent for up to date travel maps so I should be ok. Thank you again.
Anita


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