driving from Bristol to Benicassim Spain

[Martyn22]

Not driven my motor home abroad before, but would appreciate info on tolls cost ect, were to get insurance from, internet seams a mine field, also would like to buddy up with anyone who is experienced in driving through France, Spain and Portugal wish to be down in Beicassim for 1st December, think I can do it in 3 days would prefer to use tunnel as I'm not good on boats (?)

[Tillerman]

Driving through France with the thousands of aires is a breeze. Spain has much less and the way everything is gated and fenced is a bit off putting but the driving is still relaxing when compared to the UK .

Enjoy your trip!

[Derek Uzzell]

You can use the Via Michelin website to obtain route suggestions

 

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Routes

 

French autoroute toll-rates can be found here (motorhomes tend to be charged the Class 2 rate)

 

http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/key-rates.htm

 

The distance of the suggested Via Michelin route from Bristol to Benecassim is 1167 miles (mostly on motorways). The toll charges for the trip (if you fully exploited autoroutes) would be well over £100.

 

I note that you asked for travel-insurance advice not long ago

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Hints-and-Tips/Travel-insurance-for-90-days/32725/

[bolero boy]

We had driven in France and other EU countries prior to our first visit to Spain last year.

We were in Perpignan and then Argeles sur Mer and he presto, we had crossed the border and were in Spain.

If you have driven abroad before, in a car, you will feel fine in the MH as the roads are generally less busy, obviously other than the big cities. For us, we were talking a long time to meander through France and then tagged another 6 weeks in Spain on the end, coincidently staying at Bonterra Park. We came back more directly via Zaragoza to Bilbao and back to Portsmouth then to Somerset so a similar route to ourselves.

Getting to Bennicassim in 3 days (from Bristol, Dover, a French port ......) is still a big ask for a novice.

Eddie (Judgemental) has just done this trip from Calais to Benidorm and had two overnighters, I think. He can tell you a bit more about his route but Eddie has been there before and was travelling solo so was able to manage his own stopping points.

How long is your break, where are you crossing, do you have family with you.....my advice, take your time and don't burn yourself out before you get to the sun.

Good luck.

[Guest pelmetman]

3 day slog to Spain is a helluva way to start a holiday, and expensive if using tolls all the way 8-).......

 

We take a week, the only thing to remember is that most aires will have their water turned off until South of Bordeaux, but the loo emptying points will still be usable, although without a rinse facility........and you can buy bottled water in the supermarket for peanuts..........so no major problems there, and better still the aires are often free at that time of year :D...........

[Dave225]

3 days from Calais to Benicassim is do'able....just, but you will be tired. However to achieve this will probably mean using autoroutes and the tolls will mount up. However, you can offset these against time saved. Do not however think you can drive from Bristol to Dover, get the Shuttle and then drive 300 miles in France unless you wish to have an accident, so at least 4 days is your minimum timetable, and as others have said maybe allow a day or so more. It is about 5-6 hours driving from the Spanish Border to Benicassim alone.

 

The other thing to check is weather forecasts as it is winter and speed restrictions are imposed in heavy rain. Also fighting the spray from all the trucks will tire you as well.

 

You mention an aversion to boats but from Bristol the ferry to Spain leaves from Plymouth or Portsmouth and you can cross Spain in 2 days easily.

[Tracker]

Two full days to cross France without using toll roads is doable and a third day to cross Spain to Benicassim is also doable, however to get from Bristol to the Chunnel, cross over and THEN cross France and Spain in three days is a very tall order indeed unless you have two drivers and are happy to pay a small fortune in tolls and even then fatigue in a foreign land is a very dangerous companion, and not worth the risk to save one day in my view.

[bolero boy]

Google maps suggests 14 hours roughly from Calais to Bennicassim using tolls.

The same trip avoiding tolls comes in at 20 hours ish.

Even on the toll roads, this means 3 whole days (in my book) of 5 hours driving, 3 hours before lunch and a couple more in the afternoon.

With the same regime on non toll roads this would take me 4 days and I'd still be bu**ered upon arrival.

I'd seriously look at how long the whole trip is and allow a bit more for driving if at all possible.

Of course, you might just be on a two a week break, in which case take the plane ;-) .

[Tracker]

bolero boy - 2013-10-31 5:23 PM

Google maps suggests 14 hours roughly from Calais to Bennicassim using tolls.

The same trip avoiding tolls comes in at 20 hours ish.

Even on the toll roads, this means 3 whole days (in my book) of 5 hours driving, 3 hours before lunch and a couple more in the afternoon.

 

I know we are all different, but I have no problem whatsoever with steady driving from 9 am to 7 pm with a 20 min break every two hours and 40 mins for lunch thus giving me over 8 hours travel time per day - roughly 320 to 400 miles depending on road type - for three days and on that basis using non toll roads, three days from Calais to Benicassim is a very comfortable run with no real after effects - but that's just me - and I would still like another day to get from Bristol to Calais to reduce the stress of having to be at the Chunnel or port at a specific time - after all I am on holiday!

 

However as you will be ending each day in darkness you will find it a lot easier if you know where you are going to overnight and can be sure that the Aire/site will be open and available in the darkness.

[gocro]

Morpeth to Dover 366 miles, we do this 4 or 5 times a year no problem usually takes 7-8 hours with breaks, that's on our scabby roads. Spain in three days with just a bit of peage piece of peas.

 

 

[bolero boy]

gocro - 2013-10-31 10:22 PM

 

Morpeth to Dover 366 miles, we do this 4 or 5 times a year no problem usually takes 7-8 hours with breaks, that's on our scabby roads. Spain in three days with just a bit of peage piece of peas.

 

Gordon, driving a long trip regularly on roads you know well will be considerably easier for someone than one who has never driven on the Continent before hence the reason for the thread..

Your trip to Dover, while you describe the roads as 'scabby', are in fact our beloved motorway network and good progress can usually be made on them.

The trick to eating up the miles (kilometres) is reducing the times we have to slow down or stop so taking the motorway, here or abroad, makes sense from that perspective, although there will be a cost in getting to Spain in this way. The amount of peage used will depend on the balance between time and cost. This will be for the OP to conclude.

Avoiding tolls will inevitably mean a lower average speed as, away from the (non-toll) motorways, towns and villages eat into progress as we trundle slowly along at 30kph. Out of town, how quickly do we actually drive? Probably 50-55mph on non motorways? Im not a slow driver but i reckon a projected average of upto 50mph is a bit optimistic.

And when on the motorway, how many of us bat along at 70mph? I tend to run at an indicated 60mph (true speed 56mph) but this is not really fast enough to complete this trip in the timescales being discussed.

I would ask the OP what is the timescale for the trip? Is this a quick bash down and back as there are deadlines involved? Is he retired and can take his time, which is what I would want to do on my first trip, especially with no experience of arriving (as Rich says) in the dark at a place you've not been to.

Ensure your satnav is upto date and has accurate GPS locations for all the aires or sites you wish to stop at. On our first trip to France i put in a postcode for our first stop, not realising that this covers a vast swathe of French countryside which meant many frustrating hours?? of driving about asking directions. Not what you want.

3 days, 4 days, longer......your choice of course, just try and enjoy those days as they are still part of your life in the van which are 'holiday' days.

Good luck.