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Hi All, travelling to spain (Alicante area) in august from Calais with folding caravan on tow.   We aim to take our time and do it in about 3/4 days.  Just looking for ideas and suggestions for the following: 

a) a good route.  Where a route through the mountains is not suitable for caravans is this marked before you get too far so you can find an alternative or do we need to rely on maps etc to inform us of that

b) reasonably priced sites in France and Spain. France seems to be ok but having difficulty finding reasonably priced sites in Spain.

Plus any others tips any of you more experienced caravaners may have.

Thanks

You are looking at 1200 miles or so from Calais which means that you can do 3 days at 400 miles or 4 days at 300. We have done the trip in Winter for 4 out of the last 5 years and we took 4 days. There are 2 obvious routes for towing and that is either the Western route in France down to Bordeaux and into Spain on the Bilbao side or striaght down the centre of France on the A71/A75 and enter Spain on the Med. side.  I'm ignoring any possible shorter route through the mountains via Pau because I have never done it due to travelling that way only in Winter.

Not much difference in time on either route. With regards to campsites you are of course in peak season so you will have to pay a bit more.

Mike

I have travelled many times from calais to albir near benidorm,and agree with all the posts .But if you can get hold of  the December 2011 and Jan 2012 MMM mag a guy called Brian Fairbrother did a brill route down to Spain,which I have nearly always used myself,it also includes many municipals in france with cordinates.Unfortunatly there are not many inlanid sites in Spain near to  motorways and in August there are No cheap campsites,In brief this is what he says

Calais-Rouen Rouen-Le  Mans-Le Mans-Poiters.

Poiters- Bordereaux -Bordeaux-Bayonne

I only recieved Decembers so the rest is my  route

Bayonne- Pamplona -Pamplona-Zaragoza,then join the brill A23 all the way Valencia around Valencia towards Alicante I do the last leg Bayonne to Alicante in one day as I tsaid there a`rnt many campsites and the Motorways quiet,so you can make good time

Quote: Originally posted by madge1117 on 27/5/2012

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Thanks for all your help on this.   What are the roads like going through the mountains with a caravan.  I'm a bit scared about this!!

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I think a lot of it comes down to how nervous a driver/passenger you are. we drove to the Ardeche last year, using a route Val A described as "a little bit steep in places" or something like that. I cried all the way to the bottom as I found it utterly, utterly terrifying! But then, I'm quite a nervous passenger, and the sheer drops were my side. And we were towing the caravan for the first time. Hubby, who is very relaxed and police pursuit driving trained, didn't break a sweat and didn't notice me quietly sobbing till we got to the bottom!

Oh dear Exessexmum!  I'm a nervous passenger but hubby is good/confident driver, so will have to take Berriow's advice!!!  How long did it take to get to bottom?

Quote: Originally posted by madge1117 on 28/5/2012

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Oh dear Exessexmum!  I'm a nervous passenger but hubby is good/confident driver, so will have to take Berriow's advice!!!  How long did it take to get to bottom?

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About an hour I guess, felt like several weeks!