Driving to Spain (1 Viewer)

[geordie graham]

We are seriously thinking of driving to Costa Blanca to a place we spent a few years at, about 10 years ago.We drove back to England (long story ) by going up the coast to near Narbonne then up through France via Millau, Clermont Ferrand etc and then on to Calais and then through the Channel Tunnel.We were dreading going around the outskirts of Paris but a continental bus driver friend of ours said just head for Lille/Charles de Gaulle airport and you can`t go wrong.Is this still the best way to go or is it easier to go down the east side A26 etc and then meeting up with the E15.We have no facility's in the van as it is a wheelchair access van and put the chair outside and sleep on fold up mattress and sleeping bags (we have just bought an awning but stopping at friends villa so wont need take with us) so will have to use sites with washing /cleaning facilities.I remember whislt in Spain you had to carry Hi Viz jackets, spare bulbs and a warning triangle,are their any other things you need to carry.I have heard you need a couple of breathalyzers for France. Also am i right that it is illegal to use speed camera facility on your Satnav so do you just switch that facility off and how do they know.

Thanks Graham

 

[peter marshall]

You have it covered Graham for the bits and pieces to carry, the way yyou came back is the same route I took last year. Pete

 

[DBK]

You need to carry a spare pair of specs in the vehicle in Spain if you wear them. Breathalyser not now required in France. It was planned to be a requirement but the law sort of stalled. The last I heard was the police had effectively no powers to do anything if you weren't carrying them. And for sat navs in France just turn off the speed camera warning function - but how they are going to know is anyone's guess. Another French law like the breathalyser not thought through.

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[funflair]

Hi

This site is worth a look. http://about-france.com/routes-from-calais.htm , we did the A16 A28 N10 route crossing into Spain at San Sebastián and then over towards Valencia via Zaragoza. We came home Carcassone and then towards Limoges and around Paris but the trouble with Paris is that it's all toll roads heading there but to detour is more miles which is fuel.

 

[geordie graham]

Thanks everyone, if I remember,in Spain you have to carry your passport,driving licence and insurance documents including a bank statement to prove you had paid that years insurance. Someone mentioned also that you had to have proof of when you entered Spain and a copy of when you were leaving ie ferry/tunnel return conformation because you were driving on Brit plates,don't know if that's true.

Graham

 

[oldfozzie]

Thanks everyone, if I remember,in Spain you have to carry your passport,driving licence and insurance documents including a bank statement to prove you had paid that years insurance. Someone mentioned also that you had to have proof of when you entered Spain and a copy of when you were leaving ie ferry/tunnel return conformation because you were driving on Brit plates,don't know if that's true.

Graham

Spain requires you to carry id, i.e. passport all the time; also driving licence and insurance.
The bit about proof that you had paid for your insurance used to apply to spanish issued insurance, they used to issue the certificate with the renewal notice, now they have an online system like the UK and it is now up to the police to check that your insurance is not valid.
the bit about ferry tickets is nonsense, I suspect 99% of foreign vehicles enter Spain over the land borders, and they don't issue tickets; Spanish law regarding how long a foreign registered car can stay in Spain refer to Spain and not to how long out of UK!!
They have tightened up on UK registered cars because so many of our country men went to live in Spain and didn't bother re-registering their cars so now you just need to prove you are tourist and not living in there.

I do live part time in Spain so have gone through most of these things and yes I do have a Spanish registered vehicle; I also drive a UK registered MH which is UK based.,

Hope this helps

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[geordie graham]

Spain requires you to carry id, i.e. passport all the time; also driving licence and insurance.
The bit about proof that you had paid for your insurance used to apply to spanish issued insurance, they used to issue the certificate with the renewal notice, now they have an online system like the UK and it is now up to the police to check that your insurance is not valid.
the bit about ferry tickets is nonsense, I suspect 99% of foreign vehicles enter Spain over the land borders, and they don't issue tickets; Spanish law regarding how long a foreign registered car can stay in Spain refer to Spain and not to how long out of UK!!
They have tightened up on UK registered cars because so many of our country men went to live in Spain and didn't bother re-registering their cars so now you just need to prove you are tourist and not living in there.

I do live part time in Spain so have gone through most of these things and yes I do have a Spanish registered vehicle; I also drive a UK registered MH which is UK based.,

Hope this helps

Thats brilliant information thanks very much, just need to decide the dates and book chunnel and sites.

Thanks again Graham

 

[ukbill]

if u go the same way u did before to clermond ferrand but head for bolougne and abbeville then onto rouen orleans then onto clermond no need to go anywhere near paris

 

[old-mo]

And remember in Spain "NO" driving in slip on`s or backless/strapless shoes... one of the things they are in some places very hot on..

I do drive with slip on`s, as I find them comfortable & Cooler... But... I have a pair of normal shoes I can slip on in a wink of an eye by my feet...

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[geordie graham]

Me again, thinking of doing this trip beginning of October and was wondering would it be best to book sites before we go or at that time of year will it be quite enough to just ring ahead,also could anyone recommend a good European sites guide book.

Thanks again
Graham

 

[ukbill]

no need to book i reckon

 

[greygit]

Agree with ukbill no need to go through Paris in fact its quicker if you don't.

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[geordie graham]

if u go the same way u did before to clermond ferrand but head for bolougne and abbeville then onto rouen orleans then onto clermond no need to go anywhere near paris

Can anyone give me details of any good stopover sites on this route,and also will be coming back end of October and have noticed a lot of sites will be closed. We think we have it covered as far as Clermond Ferrand both to and from Calais.We stopped at Orcet,Narbonne and then Cambrils last time and will probably do the same but on the way back we went around the outskirts of paris and then onto Peronne and would prefer to miss Paris altogether if we can find decent stopovers, also it is October and noticed a lot of sites in France are shut at that time.

Graham

 

[ukbill]

sully du loire is a great stopover check it on the map also in the aires book

 

[JOHNSTEY]

Sully sur Loire Bill. But you are right it is a good stop.

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