Summer half term

[Amarillo]

We are planning a trip to the northern Costa Brava over the summer half term, possibly leaving after school on Thursday 23 May to arrive late Friday 24 May; stay on site a whole week, arriving home late Saturday 1 June.

The site we have been looking at is https://www.almata.com/en/. It is reasonably priced and has a good swimming pool. Not all the facilities will be open in the low season.

Ben and Jack will be ages 4 and 5 at the time of the trip.

Anyone else, especially those with similar aged children, interested in a low season trip to the Costa Brava?

Google Maps suggests Camping Nautic Almata to be 11 hours from the Eurotunnel Calais terminal.


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[andyinluton]

The 11 hours is about right at a steady 90mph on the motorway & a crawl through Paris with just a fuel stop. Theres a lot of big hills to get over & tolls to queue for.
Its 750 miles from Calais.
We stay a few miles further down the coast , Ive done there & back about 6 times in the cali now & its a long way in a day.

 

[Kevthegas]

We used to travel down to the South of France, Narbonne area Cap Agde, Argeles sur mer ect . With 4 young kids in Ford Galaxy's then a Caravelle. Normally have a stop over on the way in/ near Avignon.

On the way home I used to do it in one go with only coffee breaks, stupid as I look back now.

Maybe on the way back come up the west coast via Bordeaux . we used to and now no longer go South but stay here

https://www.campingbel.com/en/

Take at least 1 stop over on the way down, and back up life is too short.

 

[Amarillo]

The 11 hours is about right at a steady 90mph on the motorway & a crawl through Paris with just a fuel stop. Theres a lot of big hills to get over & tolls to queue for.
Its 750 miles from Calais.
We stay a few miles further down the coast , Ive done there & back about 6 times in the cali now & its a long way in a day.

I rarely drive above 65mph, even on the autobahn. Fortunately, my driving plan is a little more sophisticated than a 1300 Km blast in a day.

Depart home 3.30pm Thursday
Packed dinner under the English Channel
Arrive Calais ~6pm English time
Break ~9pm French time - put boys into PJs
Transit camp ~midnight Thursday/Friday

Strike camp 7am Friday
Break 10am for breakfast
Break 1.30 for lunch
Arrive ~5pm Spanish time.

 

[westfalia]

I rarely drive above 65mph

That bloody predictive spelling again
Surely you meant 165 kmh.

 

[andyinluton]

Very optimistic timings? Calais from Greenwich in 2 1/2 hours leaving at school knocking off time including the actual crossing.!

I make it you've left about 11 hours driving time to do 750 miles in France- by the time you've navigated Paris, slowed down for tolls etc your not going to average 65mph if you don't go over 65mph.

Our usual is arrive calais 8pm French time, drive at 90mph on autoroute, stick to the limits through Paris, foot down again after Paris & aim to stop near Orleans at about 1AM

Restart after breakfast by 8am 90mph all the way to lunch & fuel up in the mountains at 1pm restart by 2 now the final bit over the mountains Millau bridge etc & drop down to the med, slow drive up to Spanish border, once there you've only got 100 miles to go...

You'll be doing well to get there by midnight at 65mph.

What was the longest distance you covered in a day when on your world tour?

 

[Amarillo]

Very optimistic timings? Calais from Greenwich in 2 1/2 hours leaving at school knocking off time including the actual crossing.!

I make it you've left about 11 hours driving time to do 750 miles in France- by the time you've navigated Paris, slowed down for tolls etc your not going to average 65mph if you don't go over 65mph.

Our usual is arrive calais 8pm French time, drive at 90mph on autoroute, stick to the limits through Paris, foot down again after Paris & aim to stop near Orleans at about 1AM

Restart after breakfast by 8am 90mph all the way to lunch & fuel up in the mountains at 1pm restart by 2 now the final bit over the mountains Millau bridge etc & drop down to the med, slow drive up to Spanish border, once there you've only got 100 miles to go...

You'll be doing well to get there by midnight at 65mph.

What was the longest distance you covered in a day when on your world tour?

We live 90 seconds from the A20, 60 minutes from Folkestone. Off peak, 2 1/2 hours to Calais is very doable, but also very variable.

I've estimated 4 1/2 hours driving in France on Friday (not including a 30 minute break) and 8 1/2 hours driving on Friday (not including 90 minutes of breaks).

Long legs in Europe include Trier to London, 650 Km; round trip on Sicily (Avola - Catania - Palermo - Caselvetrano - Ragusa - Avola), 640 Km; El Ejido to Benicassim, 560 Km including full striking and full pitching of camp. But we had plenty of time, and generally tried to keep to between 2 and 4 hours driving per day. Never felt particularly pressured.

 

[bigmac77]

We are heading to Bourg Saint Maurice in the alps in a couple of weeks, it is 973 km from Euro tunnel Calais and it normally takes us 12 hours to cover this distance with breaks. Add in short ques at peages, traffic congestion, unexpected stops and your times will slip significantly.

If it’s not raining we drive at 135 kmh on the autoroutes.

 

[larrylamb]

Tom, seems an awful long trek and back for a half term break. Looks like 4 days driving to me in total. Is it purely the sunshine you are heading for?

 

[Amarillo]

Tom, seems an awful long trek and back for a half term break. Looks like 4 days driving to me in total. Is it purely the sunshine you are heading for?

Yes, it’s our sunshine holiday. We probably won’t leave the British Isles over the summer holiday. Twice I have driven to south of the Pyrenees, albeit without children, but the boys are well used to long journeys in the van.

The other place we have considered is Ile d’Oléron where we found a very nice campsite, but heat and sunshine is less likely there in May and the pool is unlikely to be open and if it is it won’t be very warm.

Two days averaging 375 miles a day is doable.

No final decision yet - but prior to this we had considered Croatia which would have been three days each way and meant taking an illicit day off school (the boys already have an inset day on the Friday before half term).


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[CaliforniaBen]

This is way too far for a one week break, why don't you just fly? It will be much more relaxing and a lot cheaper, have you calculated fuel and toll costs ?

 

[jts46]

I presume you'll be using auto routes?
cost approx €220 each way €440 total
750 miles + 40mpg = 95 litres of fuel + €1.36 litre = €130 x 2 =€260
total cost €700 + ferry + overnight camp + 7 nights camp.
Would it not be better to fly and camp.

Friend of mine using Sun holiday vouchers has just booked a week on med. coast in France, same week for £120 + flights £160 (2 adults + 2 children 3yrs & 6yrs). Camping.

 

[Adamvanman]

We did this a couple of years ago and wish we hadn't, by the time we arrived it felt like we were packing up to leave again and for the same price we could of stayed at a 4* all inclusive hotel including flights.

We thought just because we have a Campervan we MUST use it, we don't think that way any more

 

[Jay586]

This is way too far for a one week break, why don't you just fly? It will be much more relaxing and a lot cheaper, have you calculated fuel and toll costs ?

I think this particular OP will have done his planning & is a touch more experienced than most. (-:

I've been wanting to ask for ages, have you all settled back into being at hone ok?

 

[Amarillo]

I think this particular OP will have done his planning & is a touch more experienced than most. (-:

I've been wanting to ask for ages, have you all settled back into being at hone ok?

We’re still unpacking, but well settled. The boys enjoy school, but we are itching to travel again. Clare works part time as an hospital administrator, I’m a full time dad and run our business which takes minimal effort. Cali still manages ~1500 miles per month.


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[Amarillo]

We did this a couple of years ago and wish we hadn't, by the time we arrived it felt like we were packing up to leave again and for the same price we could of stayed at a 4* all inclusive hotel including flights.

How long were you away for? We have up to 10 nights away, so up to 8 nights on the campsite.

We are well-rehearsed in overnight ‘transit camping’, and have refined our technique further since returning from our year away.

I guess one very big advantage we have is being just 60 mins from Eurotunnel.



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[briwy]

I would try to avoid Paris if possible. We go down to the Pyrenees and Barcelona a lot and generally go down to Rouen across to Evreux and Chartres and then to Oleans. A lot of these roads a dual carriageways and if you aren't legging it along anyway it's likley to be just as quick or quicker than the Paris route which is fraught with danger for holdups. Watch out for the lower limit on single carriageways as well.

 

[MarkVw2017]

How long were you away for? We have up to 10 nights away, so up to 8 nights on the campsite.

We are well-rehearsed in overnight ‘transit camping’, and have refined our technique further since returning from our year away.

I guess one very big advantage we have is being just 60 mins from Eurotunnel.



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"Run a business thats requires minimal.effort" do let us into your secret, i seem to work none stop on my business, not enough hours in the day!

 

[Amarillo]

"Run a business thats requires minimal.effort" do let us into your secret, i seem to work none stop on my business, not enough hours in the day!

90% luck, 10% judgement.


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[WelshGas]

"Run a business thats requires minimal.effort" do let us into your secret, i seem to work none stop on my business, not enough hours in the day!

Either Property Landlord or Financial Consultant.