LinofDe Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 We are just planning our first trip to spain for a couple of months (mid-Jan/Feb/March) and would welcome any advice about best route and stop-overs from Calais, -we are undecided whether to use aires or campsites or a combination. We are planning to visit the coast around Barcelona to Malaga. We are on a limited budget but have plenty of time! Thanks Linda and Rik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinfrier Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 If using campsites get a ACSI card then you pay between 11 & 15 euros a night if staying at one site for weeks should be able to negociate a better price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porky Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Cheapest solution is to wild camp, aires and municipal sites. If you want to plan a bit then ACSI sites. Log on to their website though www.eurocampings.co.uk as there are many more sites listed which do not appear in the book. We are going in two weeks time but if you would like some more web sites then pm me. Roy Fuller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Porky. The only sites that benefit from the discount are in the Camping Card Book. Those others on the website you mention are ACSI inspected sites and do not qualify for the 11, 13 and 15 euro rate. The new 2010 camping card book is available from early December from Vicarious Books who are the UK agents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 As I understand it, close to Barcelona, it is not safe to wild camp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Depends which route through France you intend taking. If I were you I would, in Jan go down the western route as it lower in altitude and you're less likely to encounter snow; than if you go through central France. Come back with a bit of a plan of route and destination and I could, along with several others easily recommend something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 The main problem will be finding somewhere that is open across France. As you have time to enjoy yourself on the way, and assuming that you might want to travel 200-300 miles a day, can I suggest the following route that we took a couple of years ago. Disneyland Paris (190 miles) Camping 'La Futuriste', St Georges-Les-Baillargeaux, Nr Poitiers (200 miles) Camping 'Larrouleta', St Jean de Luz (274 miles) Camping 'La Figurotta', Bizanet, Nr Narbonne (280 miles) Barcelona and South are then another 180 miles away. There are an abundance of sites and aires south of Barcelona to choose from. The above are all open through the winter and near the main west route down. Personally I would give aires a rest in the winter across France as many have their water, etc, turned off in adverse weather in our experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryan Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 LinofDe - 2009-10-29 9:48 PM We are just planning our first trip to spain for a couple of months (mid-Jan/Feb/March) and would welcome any advice about best route and stop-overs from Calais, -we are undecided whether to use aires or campsites or a combination. We are planning to visit the coast around Barcelona to Malaga. We are on a limited budget but have plenty of time! Thanks Linda and Rik The aires in france are great, take with you, ALL THE AIRES BOOK available from VIcarious books, we went last dec. had a great time, when you get to spain, over the border from via. perpion stop at a place called laescala it is well worth a vist, you will find various car parks, just off the beach which you can park up, we stayed 4 nights no problems. hope you have a great holiday regards, bryan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Wildcamping in Spain is generally not a problem at all, but it's much better, and much quieter if you venture inland a few kms, rather than trying to find a spot right on the (normally much more built-up) coast. Spain is a MASSIVE country, and away from the coasts there are enormous areas/regions of countryside, national parks etc. We wildcamp a lot, all over Spain. I normally try to park up a little way off the road, often out of sight from the road where possible, in the countryside. Obviously, use common sense: don't block the road or an access point/track, move on if you do feel that the spot is somehow "dodgy", etc. There is a national law in Spain which allows you to park a MH overnight (note: only park, not "camp" as in getting all your kit and caboodle out) anywhere where parking throughout those hours is allowed. We have used that principle many times, even overnighting in big cities at the roadside. However, if the Local Police do tell you to move on, do so with a smile, be polite, and don't argue with them (regardless of the legal rights and wrongs), especially if you are intent on arguing with them in a foreign language......the Police in Spain are NOT like the British Police; they don't mess about over here. In all, we've probably wildcamped around Spain for 100 nights or more over the past two/three years, and never had a problem at all. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 RonB - 2009-10-31 10:21 PM The main problem will be finding somewhere that is open across France. As you have time to enjoy yourself on the way, and assuming that you might want to travel 200-300 miles a day, can I suggest the following route that we took a couple of years ago. In the winter we get through France in two reasonable driving days. We don't use tolls and have our first night in the free aire in Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, between Tours and Poitiers. Second night in the aire in Biarritz. We always have enough water for at least two days and Biarritz is quite mild in the winter, so no freezing problems there. Third day about seven hours drive, all the way toll free to Valencia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 Correction - Please forget what I said about aires south of Barcelona. Aires are not a feature of Spain, I meant wild camping. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 RonB - 2009-11-01 7:44 PM Correction - Please forget what I said about aires south of Barcelona. Aires are not a feature of Spain, I meant wild camping. Ron They are, we've stayed in a few now. http://www.lapaca.org/areas/espana.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Thanks Derek, something else I've learned. My Bordatlas 2009 only lists ten aires in total for Spain, I wonder why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Vicarious books also do a book of Aires in Spain and Portugal but the Aires always seemed to be where we were not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 We don't use tolls and have our first night in the free aire in Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, between Tours and Poitiers. Second night in the aire in Biarritz. We don't use tolls and have our first night in the free aire in Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, between Tours and Poitiers. Second night in the aire in Biarritz. I have a feeling the Aire at ST Maure De Touraine will close.the reason is that as you leave St Maure going South ,a new Aire has opened, It's a private Aire and is very much like a C L site,it is in woodland and about 30 acres to wander.You pay A La Carte, A.to park B. to get water C. to dump your toilet.D electric. about 5 euros for all, The owner has learned English in recent months and loves to practice it with you, he is an Artisan Carpenter and makes Wheels , Carts, and anything else you want in wood, his work is fantastic and it is worth staying on his Aire just to see it, he has built a huge barn for campers to use ,it contains toilets showers and an information bureau,He told us the local Mayor was very keen on him opening the Aire when he first applied. As we were passing the place where the town Aire is we decided to look in on it and noticed the signs for it were gone but you could still get water and empty your toilet there. APRIL this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 vindiboy - 2009-11-02 10:40 PM I have a feeling the Aire at ST Maure De Touraine will close.the reason is that as you leave St Maure going South ,a new Aire has opened, It's a private Aire and is very much like a C L site,it is in woodland and about 30 acres to wander. We only use the current aire in winter and we tend to arrive in the early evening and depart the following morning. I assume we'll still be allowed to park there? Looking at campingcar-infos, a review for the new one you mention, says 'parking on grass'. Something we tend to avoid in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinofDe Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share Posted November 3, 2009 :-D Thanks for all the helpful tips, we are busy making notes and plans! Look out for us, we are in a silver grey IH van conversion Linda and Rik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Put the kettle on Linda. We will be following you down, probably in the third week January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ts3man Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 We called in to the new Aire at Ste Maure de Touraine in October, looks very nice, all facilities including WiFi, and eggs, wine etc left in the wooden washing barn to take and pay for on trust. We met some French motorhomers there, they were very enthusiastic about it, the owner lives on site just below the parking area and is available if needed. Supermarket - a new Intermarche is close by. We dont think the grass parking would be a probem as the site is very well kept. There is another super village Aire at Chateau Larcher, with hard standing, electricity etc for 3 euros a night (collected by Madame the Mayor), 30K south of Poitiers East off the A10 - we have stayed here and it is well signposted. The village is a short walk through the playing field and has a cafe and bar. With regards to the "All the Aires" book, we find the French version, available in most supermarket newsagents in France, has many more Aires listed, it's in French but the directions are very clear. There is a really good DVD available from www.campingcar-infos.com, if you take your laptop with you, you can load the disc on and find Aires by departement in France and lots more as well. Again in French but easy to understand. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 A Few Aires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Whoops, a few aires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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