Road Trip - France, Spain, Portugal

[willwander]

Day 14
Rest day. Being a Tourist is hard work,. Spent most of the day lazing outside the van and doing chores, Mrs went for another swim. Our current campsite is really big, a bit run down and completely deserted, I swear we’re the only ones here, has ’The Shining’ off season vibe, which I like.

Spent the evening in Saint Jean-de-Luz, nice place, has a nice old town and lots of busy bars and cafes.

Think we’ll do San-Sebastian tomorrow, looks a bit of a twat for parking. I alway try find a car park to sat-nav to before I arrive somewhere. I hate tight underground car parks. So far I’ve found park-for-night and google maps useful for finding normal parking spots suitable for the van.

 

[kurienp]

Day 14
Rest day. Being a Tourist is hard work,. Spent most of the day lazing outside the van and doing chores, Mrs went for another swim. Our current campsite is really big, a bit run down and completely deserted, I swear we’re the only ones here, has ’The Shining’ off season vibe, which I like.

Spent the evening in Saint Jean-de-Luz, nice place, has a nice old town and lots of busy bars and cafes.

Think we’ll do San-Sebastian tomorrow, looks a bit of a twat for parking. I alway try find a car park to sat-nav to before I arrive somewhere. I hate tight underground car parks. So far I’ve found park-for-night and google maps useful for finding normal parking spots suitable for the van.

Have heard that you need to be careful with parking in San Sebastian as it seems that breakin into vans is common there. Get a campsite or secure parking if you are able to.

 

[willwander]

Have heard that you need to be careful with parking in San Sebastian as it seems that breakin into vans is common there. Get a campsite or secure parking if you are able to.

Ah, thanks for heads up. Makes sense. I’ll try find secure parking I think.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Pre children, touring Europe in September was bliss. Warm and empty.
I miss those days…

 

[California Dreamer]

Lovely area around st Jean de luz! Few years ago but we got a train from hendaye to San Sebastián for the day which I remember being quick and easy - might be worth doing as a day trip to avoid the parking hassle?


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[soulstyledevon]

The Bordeaux area is nice. Lots of cycling, surfing and Lakes…
And the massive sand dune is worth a stop

 

[Azteccamper]

San Sebastián a lovely place to visit. We stayed here https://wecamp.net/en/locations/san-sebastian
A bus stop right outside and 10 mins later in the centre of the city. Alternatively, if you don’t mind walking we always managed to park here - always a couple of vans about.

 

[willwander]

Day 15
Hola !
San Sebastián, we love you. What a great town, wish we’d had more time here.

Just arrived at a fab little campsite called ‘Camping Izarpe’ near a small village called Aroztegi in the Pyrenees about 20km from Pamplona.

Feels good to be in Spain.

 

[Azteccamper]

Day 15
Hola !
San Sebastián, we love you. What a great town, wish we’d had more time here.

Just arrived at a fab little campsite called ‘Camping Izarpe’ near a small village called Aroztegi in the Pyrenees about 20km from Pamplona.

Feels good to be in Spain.

Not sure if you like walking / cycling but there is a lovely gorge walk at ‘Foz de Lumbier’ not too far away. A nice overnight halt at https://campingiturbero.com/ on the outskirts of the village.

 

[Tycho]

Day 15
Hola !
San Sebastián, we love you. What a great town, wish we’d had more time here.

Just arrived at a fab little campsite called ‘Camping Izarpe’ near a small village called Aroztegi in the Pyrenees about 20km from Pamplona.

Feels good to be in Spain.

Nice, we slept in C Izarpe last March. Good place and nice people. I remember the good showers and the little shop with good pastries. Beware of the cyclists, those Bask love to cycle.

 

[willwander]

Not sure if you like walking / cycling but there is a lovely gorge walk at ‘Foz de Lumbier’ not too far away. A nice overnight halt at https://campingiturbero.com/ on the outskirts of the village.

Ah that looks fantastic. Thank you.
We plan to visit Pamplona and maybe Olite, visiting the gorge may make a nice little loop.

Such a beautiful part of Spain, with so much to do, once again I am embarrassed by my lack of planning and knowledge of the area.

 

[willwander]

Nice, we slept in C Izarpe last March. Good place and nice people. I remember the good showers and the little shop with good pastries. Beware of the cyclists, those Bask love to cycle.

Showers are great !
Looking forward to trying the pastries for breakfast.

 

[kurienp]

Showers are great !
Looking forward to trying the pastries for breakfast.

We need a photo of the pastries then

 

[willwander]

We need a photo of the pastries then

 

[kurienp]

:hide

 

[willwander]

Day 16
Change of pace. Went for a walk with the dogs along some trails and paths near the campsite, didn’t see a soul, beautiful countryside here in the Atez region, reminds me of back home in Yorkshire.

 

[willwander]

Day 17
Pamplona, what a lovely place, gorgeous, really relaxed and chill vibe, home of the famous bull run through the medieval city also home to probably the best car park in the whole of Spain (zoom into photo)



Just arrived at a free aire in Olite, our home for tonight, packed full of the usual great whites, you’ve got to admire these guys, they know all the best spots.

Spent the evening in Olite, really cute place, the entire village is like Hogwarts Castle from the Spanish version of Harry Potter.

Planning out next spot, we are in two minds, should we head back up to the coast and visit Bilbao? Or head further south into the Central Spain.

 

[BigPritch]

Following with interest, as its our '40th Wedding anniversary' next year, and a trip around France is being planned. Planned, as in we just want to 'definitely' go to Burgundy, St Emilion & Bordeaux.(been to Bordeaux a few times, not with the van, but we love it). Stopovers probably wont be planned other than looking at the 'aire' app en route and see where that takes us. Interesting comments re VW Assist...hmmm might look at that. Sounds like you guys are having a blast, keep enjoying and look forward to more updates.

 

[willwander]

Day 18
Logroño, the capital of the Rioja wine region, lively little city, full of little bars serving the best tapas and pintxos we’ve tasted. A great place to ask for a glass of house red, only 1€ per glass. Tipsy.

Staying in a free overnight car park, 10 min walk from city centre.

 

[BrugseB]

Day 18
Staying in a free overnight car park, 10 min walk from city centre.

Probably on "Las Norias"? Good spot indeed. Churches are worth visiting, also small exhibition in tourist office "espacio lagares"; I remember the €1 euro wine, the wife paid 1€40 for a glass of water

 

[willwander]

Probably on "Las Norias"? Good spot indeed. Churches are worth visiting, also small exhibition in tourist office "espacio lagares"; I remember the €1 euro wine, the wife paid 1€40 for a glass of water

Yes, ‘Las Norias’, it was empty when we arrived, completely rammed now, the Circus is on tonight.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Yes, ‘Las Norias’, it was empty when we arrived, completely rammed now, the Circus is on tonight.

Watch your wallet!

 

[CaliforniaSeb]

Ah that looks fantastic. Thank you.
We plan to visit Pamplona and maybe Olite, visiting the gorge may make a nice little loop.

Such a beautiful part of Spain, with so much to do, once again I am embarrassed by my lack of planning and knowledge of the area.

So beautiful that we have decided to retire in that region. We are buying an apartment in Oviedo. The wheels are in motion. We will of course take our van with us. You can't really go wrong visiting Asturias, Navarro, all of that side of Spain.

 

[CaliKatt]

Out of curiosity. When you stay on a site with no facilities, and you need to do #2 quick in the morning? What do you do? You always have a local toilet in mind for emergencies?

 

[willwander]

Out of curiosity. When you stay on a site with no facilities, and you need to do #2 quick in the morning? What do you do? You always have a local toilet in mind for emergencies?

Haha, valid concern, we find a public loo, or cafe, we always have the porta-potty for use in emergencies only.