7 days till departure to france/spain - advice required :)

[theskunk]

Hi - I have been preparing my bongo ready for a 12 day trip leaving next wednesday. I need to see my cousin in barcelona for couple of days the rest of the time i wish to tour spain. I planned to ferry or rail to calais, head down central/east france to barca then head south before getting back to santander for the trip to portsmouth. I get the idea that many people head south then race back to UK to get back to work... maybe the 24 hour / 35 hour ferry would be relaxing.. ? Or should I just drive back to calais?

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A GOOD PLAN? really I dont know - i have never driven in france or spain before. Overseas yes, but never campervan tour like this. Will I save time and money by returning via Santander? SHould I just aires it to Spain - or should i try find 2 day stop in france? Should we try and take in Paris?

I KNOW THIS IS ALL PERSONAL STUFF, BUT if anyone has ever done a similar journey I would be happy to follow your route if it will maximise my Enjoyment.

Is there a fact sheet called 10 days in Spain in April? I have been searching the forum but short of printing out 1000 posts and piecing together a strange jigsaw I am a bit lost.

I know this is a big ask - but with the short amount of time i have to get this sorted help from the members of this excellent forum wil be much appreciated.

Should I take 2 gas bottles? Do i need a waste water container? Will my girlfriend need a porta potty? Shall I use motorway and pay the tax or use the b road../.?? Should I try and get a driveaway awning? Will I have time to use it on this trip?

Seriously If someone can offer me a 10 day route plan I will somehow return the favour...... pippin... can yo help?

OK - i am getting a bit panicky - drop links done, bike rack bought, windows tinted, matress being made (by my mum - as we speak) ....

thanks in advance...

Nic

[Alison01326]

Can't answer all of it, but the Santander ferry is very relaxing. We used it last year to go to/from Spain and enjoyed it so much that we are going to do it again this year for the south of France. However it is NOT CHEAP!! We booked through the C&CC as we are members and saved quite a lot of money by doing so.

I think it would be good manners to take a waste water container, and you'd probably get kicked off a fair few campsites if you just let your waste water drip on the ground. At the very least take a bucket (which in an emergency your girlfriend could use as a loo!). If you are using aires you will need both a waste water container AND a porta potti. Most don't have facilities other than for disposal of grey/brown water and filling up of fresh water. If you are not completely self contained then aires are not for you. Municipal campsites in France are usually good and inexpensive (and have all the facilities you need).

Depending on what size gas bottle you are using, you shouldn't need two on that length of trip. Just make sure you have a full(ish) one when you go and then it won't run out (means you'll end up with two but you don't need to take them both).

Do you need a driveaway awning? Only you can answer that.

A lot of the motorways aren't toll, and a lot of the main roads are considerably better than ours. Depends which route you go for whether you can avoid the toll sections. Watch your speed if you do use toll motorways as if you get to the toll booth too quickly they'll know you've been speeding!!

Not much help, I know, and I certainly can't give you a route but I would suggest that you leave Paris for another time.

Have fun

[mikeonb4c]

Have you got a low coolant alarm fitted, and a full width spare tyre? Brakes pads checked and plenty of life in them? Oil change done? Spare filters? Spare fuses? Starter battery in good nick? etc. etc. Things like this would be top of my list, and apologies if you've already covered them in your pre-flight checks.

[scanner]

Have you got all the equipment those countries require?

Headlight deflectors?
Fire Extinguisher
Warning Triangles (2 needed in some countries possibly Spain?)
Spare bulb set
First Aid Kit
Hi-Viz jackets carried where you can get them WITHOUT getting out of the vehicle (not hidden away in the back)

Etc. Etc.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/to ... ipment.pdf

[briwy]

Can't help much with the Spanish bit but we regularly travel down to the Pyrenees usually using the motorways.
Tolls are getting expensive now, approx 90Euros each way Calais to Pyrenees and not much less from Le Havre or Caen.
I dont know where you are but Dover is a pain to get to for us so our preference is Portsmouth overnight using LD Lines (cheaper than Brittany Ferries) to Le Havre.

If Dover is OK for you then I would look at going Paris, Orleans, Clermont Ferrand down to the coast and then down to Barcelona. A lot of this is free and takes in the Millau bridge which is worth seeing. Some road Atlases will show the free/toll bits of motorways.

I agree with Alison, the Santander route is relaxing providing you geta smooth crossing. The Bay of Biscay is renowned for bad weather. I think its also horrendously expensive.

Don't fill up on the motorways, get off and find a supermarket.

Don't try to cross the Pyrenees by the mountain passes, they mostly still be closed due to snow.

The Dali museum at Figueres is well worth seeing. Absolutely bonkers.

Andorra would be good for cheap fuel but again check that the roads are clear.

A couple of sites my help with the French bit.

http://fr.mappy.com/#params={%22page%22 ... omepage%22}

http://www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.f ... ?langue=en

Hope this helps a bit, have a good time.

[mikeonb4c]

What a great forum - all great advice on this thread

[scanner]

I agree with Alison, the Santander route is relaxing providing you get a smooth crossing. The Bay of Biscay is renowned for bad weather. I think its also horrendously expensive.

But before you dismiss it out of hand compare it to the cost of fuel+tolls+overnight stops+wear and tear (on the driver as well as the Bongo) HMRC reckon it costs 40p mile to run a car (and have done for over 15years now ) if you use that as a comparison the long route ferry fares look more attractive.

[theskunk]

Hi.. i have to say that you guys are amazing ... and by far the bongo community is the best online community I have discovered since i started out on the web in 1996. Hats off to you all. I think i might lurve you bongo fury forum.

[scanner]

Hi.. i have to say that you guys are amazing ... and by far the bongo community is the best online community I have discovered since i started out on the web in 1996. Hats off to you all. I think i might lurve you bongo fury forum.

Now Now settle down - you can take things too far - especially with a name like yours.

[briwy]

Scanners right about the wear and tear on you and the Bongo although doing a rough check I reckon it would cost about £100 more on the Santander option both ways, ferries, tolls, fuel.

Don't forget you have to pay to eat on the boat and you are on it for approx a day and a half.

If you are set up for camping in the Bongo then overnight stays are minimal.

Time wise, there's probably not much in it.

Incidentally, I forgot about the Michelin map site which is in English.

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm

[scanner]

Time wise, there's probably not much in it.

If you are going to do Calais - Northern Spain in a day and a half I think you should put quite a bit more in for "wear and tear" on the driver and do not take any children.
After a few "how much furthers" and "are we there yets" you'll wish you'd taken the ferry.

If you want to see a bit of France there is also a ferry from St Nazaire to Gijon http://www.ldlines.co.uk/horaires_stn-gij.php that is a lot cheaper than the Portsmouth - Santander route.

If you don't live anywhere near Dover it could be worth looking at Portsmouth - Le Havre and then St Nazaire - Gijon all with LD Lines.
You could ring them and see if they do a through ticket package.

Personally I'm happy to pay £50 NOT to have to travel to and through Dover.

[scanner]

Time wise, there's probably not much in it.

If you are going to do Calais - Northern Spain in a day and a half I think you should put quite a bit more in for "wear and tear" on the driver and do not take any children.
After a few "how much furthers" and "are we there yets" you'll wish you'd taken the ferry.

If you want to see a bit of France there is also a ferry from St Nazaire to Gijon http://www.ldlines.co.uk/horaires_stn-gij.php that is a lot cheaper than the Portsmouth - Santander route.

If you don't live anywhere near Dover it could be worth looking at Portsmouth - Le Havre and then St Nazaire - Gijon all with LD Lines.
You could ring them and see if they do a through ticket package.

Personally I'm happy to pay £50 NOT to have to travel to and through Dover.

PS £100 extra each each way for the ferry? If you price your driving time at the national minimum wage that comes to over £150 each way. The alternatives are either sitting back with a drink in hand possibly watching whales and dolphins or being violently sick - all depends on the weather.

[Alison01326]

I agree with Scanner. Or as Mastercard would say "sitting back and relaxing ... priceless".

And you don't have to pay for food on the ferry. We took a picnic with us - admittedly ham and cheese rolls for breakfast, lunch and tea isn't the gourmet's choice, it saves money!!!

As we have a 5 year old who sits in the back of the Bongo like a coiled spring waiting to unleash his energy when we arrive at a campsite, when all we want to do is set up camp and chill out, we tend to keep our driving days short, finishing at about 4pm so that he can go to bed before us ( ) so again, the cost of the ferry is worth it for us to relax and him to enjoy himself (they have children's entertainers and a swimming pool on the Pont Aven, not sure about the latter on the other ferry). We only plan one long driving day at the other end.

[Bongopoet]

I would definitely go via the Millau Viaduct, it is the way the French head south from Paris and well worth seeing.
As for a porta potty we have a boginabag, a wee stool that was designed for use outdoors etc. Carries in a bag like a camping chair. Can be used in the bushes or in the van. It had bags with gel in them so they can be put straight into a rubbish bin.

Happy Camping!

[scanner]

If you haven't booked a crossing (any crossing) yet you are leaving it a bit late. If you just turn up and try to buy a ticket at the ferry office, the long crossing to Spain might begin to look a bargain.