Slow drive Bilbao to Calais

swigle · Apr 14, 2012

Just booked ferry to Bilbao for end of April.

Plan is to spend 2 weeks driving back up to Calais ...

And that's the plan so far!

Any / all suggestions on route, stop-overs, campsites greatly appreciated!

Can anyone recommend any vineyards with camping nearby? Ever the conscientious driver, I want to sample the wares without having to drink and drive.

Steve

PS: Unless I can sneak in an overnight stay in the Cali in the next 2 weeks, this trip will be my first stay away in her - I'm too much of a woose to sleep out in our variable weather conditions - so wish me luck ... and feel free to give any advise you think might help!

Anonymous · May 13, 2012

Hi Steve,
Did you complete his adventure? We are keen to do sonething similar.
Luke

swigle · May 13, 2012

Skywalker said:
Hi Steve,
Did you complete his adventure? We are keen to do sonething similar.
Luke

Yup - got back Friday.

- Ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao
- Haro (for Rioja). One to watch out for - ferry arrives Saturday evening, most things shut on Sunday!
- Valencia (no wine - just headed south until it stopped raining and the sun shone!)
- Sitges (for Torres Penedas) - very good campsite! Good toilet block; 20min walk to town & beach
- Fitou
- Macon (for Beaujolais)
- Sancerre
- Paris (no wine - just sight-seeing).
- Calais (to top on wine from all the regions we didn't get too, plus more Sancerre (you can never have enough Sancerre!))
- Ferry from Dunkirk to Dover.

2000 miles in all.

Used ACSI guide to find most campsites (forgot to take card though, so no discounts :doh ).
Only one duffer (Le Fun + Fitou - had a look and drove off to another site).
Plus a couple of Minicipal sites.

Had to reign in my desire to buy too much wine + each place, hence the 'top up' at Calais at the end.

Now just have to settle down and start drinking all the lovely wine ...

Anonymous · May 13, 2012

Thanks very much for replying. i was waiting a reasonable time to see if you were back.
I take it the Cali went well. Did you go through the mountains?

swigle · May 13, 2012

Cali was a joy to drive. It eats up the miles on cruise control on the motorways - a couple of 4 hour drives were no problem. And can still get down narrow country lanes and drive round town centres.
Didn't go over any major mountains - though the motorways out of Bilbao climb at a fair rate over a relatively short distance - easy work for the Cali.