Maggsinspain Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Hi all - does anybody know of any decent service area stopovers in Northern Spain - coming south from the French border on the motorway through to Tarragona area and is it safe to stay in these areas - has anybody been to one of these areas. Many thanks. Maggsin spain. ps it has rained heavily for the best part of the Easter holidays over here in the Costa Blanca sun just beginning to get through again and it is nearly 5.00 pm and I understand from the news that you in the UK have for once had the best weather. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesFrance Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Assuming you do not mean Autopista services, you could have a look here: https://sites.google.com/site/areasfeaa/ I would not stay overnight on any Spanish motorway services particularly anywhere near Barcelona, in fact I would not stop at all there, especially if someone in a car signals that you have a problem, so would suggest having plenty of fuel in the tank when passing it. This is from personal experience of three attempts on the A7. Another notorious overnight place is the Catalan Village on the French autoroute near the Spanish border. I have several friends who were robbed there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I never stay overnight on the motorway aires and I suggest that you do like wise. They are frequented by the local criminals. If you really have to, find the lorries and park with them, they are noisy but if they are parked up for the night it is usually OK. You can stay on the car park, back of the Police station in Jaca (if you are going that way) There are aires at Vitoria Gasteiz and Burgos, but there is somewhere to stay overnight in most Spanish towns and villages, try the church car park, the bar car park, the cemetary, sports stadium, supermarket car park and so on. I have stayed on all of these and had some very peaceful nights, the cemetaries are nice and quiet and there is usually water. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirage Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Don`t bother not worth the risk to yourself or those with you. I would imagine as here in the past, as unemployment rises and standards of living drop crime worsens and Spain is not in a good place at the moment. Stay on a nice safe campsite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simian Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 There are many references on M/H sites as to the wisdom (or not) of overnighting in Rest Areas and I think it's fair to say that the AP7 Auto Peaje in the Barcelona area justifies its notoriety. However for the last 20 years I frequently travel the route Irun Burgos Madrid Granada Gibraltar on the Autovias and always stop on truckstops BUT I always pick the ones with fuel station open 24 hours, and usually a busy hostel/hotel nearby, and if possible in full view of the fuel pay shop, or near the trucks,but trying to avoid the fridge units. I cannot recount one adverse incident in that time......luck? Many years ago I would more often than not look for alternatives, but after a long days drive in the winter, inland Spain is not the place to look for a campsite, and just because it was open last year doesn't mean it will be open this year. No I prefer to pull 100 meters off the road. Personally these days I would not park in Towns unless I had previous knowledge of the particular area, When in the past I have overnighted in a Town' invariably there has been something that I have overlooked in sussing out the surroundings eg disco, noisy bar. Furthermore on the Autovia truckstop there's no likelyhood of being asked to move, on you're just part of the in transit scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maggsinspain Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Thank you all for your replies. Yes I think I agree that it probably isn't a good idea especially as now over here there is such desperation with lack of jobs and also the gangs. I think we shall have to drive a little further south and stop near Tarragona although it will be about 6 hours from Avignon at least it is on our route back home to the Costa Blanca. Thanks again. Maggs. PS just had a thunderstorm over here!!! B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesFrance Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 If you want to stop in France and are on the autoroute, you will pass close to Le Franqui Plage and Leucate, both of which have Aires payantes for camping cars. They charge about 7€ for an overnight stop, but are close to the Autoroute at Fitou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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