Winter sun in Spain - advice please

[ron b]

We are contemplating a month or so in southern Spain around February 2014. Do we drive down from Calais through France or take a ferry to Bilbao ? It doesn't seem to be a purely cost comparison decision between mileage through France against the Bilbao ferry crossing. Are there campsites open in France during February? Is the Bay of Biscay an unpleasant crossing in winter ? After arriving in Bilbao, is the crossing of Central Spain in winter a straightforward journey ? We would appeciate anyone's advice and/or experience.

 

[DavidofHook]

On our winter trips to Spain but we have only ever travelled through France.
Suggest that you buy the Caravan Club Europe book they have lists of campsites which will be open that time of year (not many but they are there). It is in 2 volumes so make sure you get the one with france in it. A straight line on the map from Calais to Perpignan gives you a route through Rouen, Dreux, Evreux, A71 to Orleans, Clermont F. on A75. This avoid Paris and is quite cheap on tolls.
The A7 on the South Coast of Spain will take you as far as Malaga but, be warned you need to be very aware. Don't leave the van unguarded in motorway services. And travellers with big smart caravans and vans are seen as rich and open to being stopped on the motorway to relieve you of your money, phone etc.
We have never had this problem so don't let it put you off. (But we know some who have)
But we always carry a whistle, mobile phone ( we all do now, i know) and a short steel bar to hand in case someone gets in the van uninvited.
We used to sleep on French motorway service areas but wouldn't now and definitely not in Spain.
We have camped many times at Vinaros (Camping Vinaros), not the prettiest of places and not far south but it is quite warm and because it is a fishing and manufacturing town and not just a tourist town it is not all closed up in the winter as some places can be.
We avoid Barcelona, take the inland motorway otherwise it can be dire (having done it once by mistake).
A day trip driving inland from Vinaros can get you very quickly to some brilliant walking country, gorges, mountains, dams etc. And the footpaths are now much better signposted.
On the return trip we used to go inland to Lerida and then to the tunnel at Vielha which will eventually brings you out to Toulouse. Driving can be a bit hairy though.
It's a great place to go in the winter however you travel, so have a good time.

David

 

[Californiaman]

Drive there, ferry back...

 

[KernowLad]

I don't think many sites will be open - even in June, a few had only just opened up.

If they are, get an ACSI card; HUGE discounts and you get a very handy book which lists all their sites - all have to meet a minimum standard.

I checked (and joined, for one day!) CCC and the discounts were pretty dismal.

ACSI is the way forward IMO.

The Bay of Biscay can get rough but the Pont Aven is very well stabilised and it's enormous; I'd happy cross in all but the worst of swells. Try and book onto that one.

 

[gatvol]

I have just done the portsmouth to bilbao and am in spain now. The boat was 24h, but a genuinely relaxing experience as we had an external cabin with windows. The cabin had ensuite and was perfectly comfortable. I was on the smaller boat but it was built in 2001 so was quite rinkie dinkie. Bay of Biscay can be bad according to experienced travellers so go for the biggest ferry and take seasickness pills if you can.

The ferry is surprisingly expensive as there is only one choice of carrier. BUT if you add up diesel, tolls and depreciation it puts the ferry cost into perspective. They go from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Bilbao and Santander.

I have not driven around spain before, and was quite surprised at the extent of animal cruelty still practiced here by locals at various fiestas. I thought Spain had moved on from all this obscenity, but I was wrong. I was just in logrono which I really, really liked until I was dismayed to see a new bullring with retractable roof!!!!! that was built in 2001. Its a personal thing, but I just dont want to enrich or support places that still behave in pagan/ roman ways to animals. Now nr san sebastian which has banned bullfighting so I can sleep a little easier. To get here we drove past Pamplona which celebrates its mistreatment of animals. Shame

 

[spanner]

We have an apartment on the Costa Del Sol and travel down quite alot throughout the year. The Motorway pirates are now rife now on the main routes down through spain and the police are doing nothing to combat this as most of the victims are British, it is amazing how many people have been affected by this. The government has even paid for advertising on Spanish radio to warn people of this. Just on our last journey down in June we were flashed twice to pull over, one person said we had no tail lights and the other said our bikes we about to fall off. Both were lies and we just locked our doors and kept driving to the nearest service station.

My advice is only stop in public areas, don't dive and night and never wild camp.

it is a shame as Spain is a wonderful country but is also very dangerous at the same time.

Use common sense and you will be OK.

 

[ron b]

Thank you for your comments and advice. I had not been aware of the dangers posed by thieves on the motorway travelling south from the French border. I googled the subject and was surprised by the number of posted comments describing the methods used by organised gangs to target tourist vehicles. We are going to have a rethink about a winter destination. Any alternative suggestions ?

 

[Paul1]

We are in same situation, wanting some winter sun in November. Thinking Portugal is safer but of course still have to go through Spain, well we do because we have a dog and use the Tunnel. I am not sure I want to spend my money in a country (Spain ) where the police don't take much action against these robbers and the growing resentment against the British concerning Gibralter etc. What about south east France, Nice ? Monte-Carlo ? Anyone had any experience at this time of year there ? Paul.

 

[DavidofHook]

We are in same situation, wanting some winter sun in November. Thinking Portugal is safer but of course still have to go through Spain, well we do because we have a dog and use the Tunnel. I am not sure I want to spend my money in a country (Spain ) where the police don't take much action against these robbers and the growing resentment against the British concerning Gibralter etc. What about south east France, Nice ? Monte-Carlo ? Anyone had any experience at this time of year there ? Paul.

France will be colder! And more expensive!

 

[gatvol]

We took the portsmouth bilbao in mid sep. Armed with a tom tom we drove to lisbon the day we arrived. We then drove up to porto from lisbon along small roads and then into basque spain and we crossed into france near donostia aka san Sebastian.

We did not encounter a whiff of crime or risk of crime. If you fill up at the port in the uk you can travel deep into spain before refuelling.

Historically the uk and spain have often been at odds - catholics v protestants, armadA, having to deal with the aftermath of brits on the p1ss in the sun type holidays, time zone aligned with central europe, gibraltar, british views on bullfighting, spanish speaking argentina ..... But if you can get past this stuff we saw no current threats that worried us.

Portugal in contrast is in the same time zone as the uk and has historically been more of a uk ally. Toll roads in portugal offended me as they treat calis as class 2, but otherwise I found portugal a nice holiday spot.

Besides, you will be travelling out of the tourist season, so risks should be lower.

 

[dfps]

We have "wild" camped in Spain or at least stopped on non paid campsites and rest areas such as those on the Furgoperfecto site.
If you pick somewhere where there are other campervans,mobile homes also using an area there is safety in numbers.
We try to make sure we arrive in daylight and speak or at least communicate as best we can with others at the site and confirm that its safe and that they will also be staying the night.
Arriving anywhere in the dark is not advisable.During darkness its difficult to get your bearings and your surroundings.
Also try to park up where it is possible to move the vehicle without having to reverse and keep the keys close at hand when sleeping so that you know where to get them in a hurry.
Personally I wouldnt worry too much if the roof was up or any possesions outside the van (bikes etc ) if I felt our safety was compromised.But we have never needed to do this.
Rural areas tend to be safer than big towns or city locations and we try not to draw too much attention to ourselves.
Whilst it makes sense to take precautions, the fear of doing these things is often far greater than the actual risk and camping inside a Cali has got to be a lot safer than under canvas.... and millions of people do this safely ever year.
Enjoy your trip.
We travel Portsmouth / Le Havre and try to keep off the tolls.
Evereux /Dreux/Chartres,Orleans,Vierzon ( where roads split )
Then choice of : Clermont /Millau/Narbonne/Perpignan and down past Barcelona into Spain
or Limoges, Toulouse. Narbonne, Perpignan " " " " " "

Clermont route very pretty ---lot more up and down hilly so not so good in winter as snow can be a problem or if towing
Limoges route - not so hilly, better winter option or if towing.

Enjoy your trip