Lenny's 1st Trip South 2018 (2 Viewers)

[Gorse Hill]

We hate the N10 between Tours and Poitiers. Always pay for the tolls on the parallel A10.

Can you remember the cost of the tolls on the A10 route between Tours & Poitiers and what do you think is the advantages, interested Thks

 

[peterc10]

Can you remember the cost of the tolls on the A10 route between Tours & Poitiers and what do you think is the advantages, interested Thks

That section of the N10, now renumbered D910, is an old fashioned French single carriageway route national. Goes through lots of towns and villages, most of which are not very picturesque, having been developed to service the old N10 road. They have lots of traffic lights and roundabouts as well as the heavy handed traffic calming the French have been putting in over the last few years in order to slow down the HGVs and encourage them to pay the tolls on the autoroutes. In between the towns and villages there are lots of junctions with local roads that can be dangerous and the scenery is very flat farmland, so not very inspiring. So to sum up stop-start, slow, boring, and dangerous. The A10 runs parallel with the N10 at this stretch and even the HGVs seem to be using it rather than the N10, so the traffic calming is working!

South of Poitiers the N10 is mainly dual carriageway and the few stretches that aren't seem to be being upgraded. Still not brilliant because of long stretches with 80kph speed limits and no overtaking for anything over 3.5t, so lots of HGV convoys develop, but still much better, especially if you "risk" the overtaking whilst driving a 4.5t moho. Not that I would do that, you understand . And in any event the A10 no longer runs parallel and curves round to the coast, so a few more miles to get to Bordeaux.

I am afraid I can't remember what the tolls are, but I would guess 20 to 30 Euros at most.

 

[Lenny HB]

Beautiful sunny day today until we got to the Pyrenees then the rain came back and when we came out of the Somport tunnel on the Spanish side it was (still is) hissing down.
Interesting trip through the tunnel, when we arrived there the tunnel was closed. They were waiting for a second escort vehicle from the other end then two of them escorted a tanker through the tunnel and didn't reopen it untill it was clear. We were the first through after reopening completely empty until over ½ way through and we saw one of the escort vans coming back.

Now at The Aire at Jaca 28km from the tunnel in Spain.
Things I do for you guys & girls, just been out in the scary dark and got soaked to take a pic of the Aire for you.

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[namwaldog]

I hope you have booked for Bonterra as the "Completa" signs have been up for about a week now. We have seen quite a few being turned away.
They are in the process of removing some trees and laying new gas feeds to the boilers in the toilet blocks so a few pitches are out of commission.
Written this on the assumption you are heading to Bonterra and not Azahar or Tauro.

 

[Lenny HB]

Meeting friends at Azahar, plenty of room I've been told. We never book anything, sites not our scene.

 

[Clarky]

Still not brilliant because of long stretches with 80kph speed limits and no overtaking for anything over 3.5t, so lots of HGV convoys develop, but still much better, especially if you "risk" the overtaking whilst driving a 4.5t moho. Not that I would do that, you understand .

Of course we understand.
Like you, I wouldn't dream of trying to overtake a slow moving truck on those veeeeery looooong boooooring stretches.

Richard.

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[Lenny HB]

Well we made it to Benicassim today, lost all my street credit now as we are on a site. I often jokingly reference to sites as prison camps perhaps I was right after all.
Give me a nice Aire/Camper stop anyday.

A bit low on supplies so thought we would eat out, oh boy what a mistake, prison camp bar choice of food not worth contemplating, walked down to the town, like a ghost town. One posey hotel with no prices on the menu everything else closed apart from a Burger King, at least you can get a beer with your burger over here.

 

[Greenway]

Well we made it to Benicassim today, lost all my street credit now as we are on a site. I often jokingly reference to sites as prison camps perhaps I was right after all.
Give me a nice Aire/Camper stop anyday.

A bit low on supplies so thought we would eat out, oh boy what a mistake, prison camp bar choice of food not worth contemplating, walked down to the town, like a ghost town. One posey hotel with no prices on the menu everything else closed apart from a Burger King, at least you can get a beer with your burger over here.

I thought I was reading our experience in Benicassim. Arrived on site in November a couple of years ago and decided to go out for a meal in the town. Walked passed Burger King and jokingly said "if all else fails we can have a burger" well we could have saved an hour or mores walk. A ghost town is about right nowhere to eat early evening.
Ended up at Burger King and couldn't even get the order right, ended up with 4 bloody burgers.

 

[BreweryDave]

Beni may not be everybody's cup of tea, but at least its all open and lively!!!

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[busby]

Must have changed then,,we were there on Bonterra Park for all of november 2017 and found plenty of bars and restaurants open every night we walked in...Very busy during the day time. Not much open on the sea front though towards the end of the month..BUSBY..

 

[Lenny HB]

Our jail cell.

Wardens are tough here they send the trees out to attack you.
Inspecting the awning after the tree attacked us.

 

[Lenny HB]

Ended up at Burger King and couldn't even get the order right, ended up with 4 bloody burgers.

I know we nearly ended up with 3, at least we got a beer with it, surprised how expensive you can get a 3 course meal for those prices in Spain.

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[BreweryDave]

You’re obviously ‘camping’ in your jail cell, how nice to have the chairs out

 

[Just smiffy]

Can you get over the “Wall” with that ladder......

 

[Wagoneer]

Beware the trees on the main drag in the vicinity of the potable water tap.

A tree ripped off my awning end cap

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[2657]

To all of you expecting to eat out 'early' in the evening in Spain........the Spanish don't do early evening, many places will not open until 20.00/20.30. Lunch never before 13.00 more usually !5.00.

Benicassim centre is one of the most 'Spanish' resort type towns that I have visited and Spanish towns go to sleep in the afternoon.......think they call it a siesta

 

[Lenny HB]

I know about Spanish eating habits just couldn't find anywhere to eat, didn't get as far as the main town centre as the prison camp gates closed at 9pm and I'd forgot to ask for a key.

 

[Robert Clark]

How much per night to say there Lenny?

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[Lenny HB]

Too much, ACSI rate €19 with out ACSI €28.5 without ehu €22, 30day rate only €12.
First time had to pay since we left on Monday.

 

[busby]

I know about Spanish eating habits just couldn't find anywhere to eat, didn't get as far as the main town centre as the prison camp gates closed at 9pm and I'd forgot to ask for a key.

Thats going out time,,,BUSBY,,

 

[Lenny HB]

Too much, ACSI rate €19 with out ACSI €28.5 without ehu €22, 30day rate only €12.
First time had to pay since we left on Monday.

Edit:
€26.50 withoutACSi

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[Just smiffy]

ACSI paid for its self then after a few nights...

 

[Northernraider]

Our jail cell.

View attachment 219157

Wardens are tough here they send the trees out to attack you.
Inspecting the awning after the tree attacked us.

View attachment 219158

That's a nice ladder

 

[Northernraider]

Well we made it to Benicassim today, lost all my street credit now as we are on a site. I often jokingly reference to sites as prison camps perhaps I was right after all.
Give me a nice Aire/Camper stop anyday.

A bit low on supplies so thought we would eat out, oh boy what a mistake, prison camp bar choice of food not worth contemplating, walked down to the town, like a ghost town. One posey hotel with no prices on the menu everything else closed apart from a Burger King, at least you can get a beer with your burger over here.

Told you it was dead

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[Northernraider]

Beni may not be everybody's cup of tea, but at least its all open and lively!!!

And orrible

 

[Northernraider]

To all of you expecting to eat out 'early' in the evening in Spain........the Spanish don't do early evening, many places will not open until 20.00/20.30. Lunch never before 13.00 more usually !5.00.

Benicassim centre is one of the most 'Spanish' resort type towns that I have visited and Spanish towns go to sleep in the afternoon.......think they call it a siesta

I dunno everywhere seems to close at 7 or 8 pm just now. ..

 

[Northernraider]

To all of you expecting to eat out 'early' in the evening in Spain........the Spanish don't do early evening, many places will not open until 20.00/20.30. Lunch never before 13.00 more usually !5.00.

Benicassim centre is one of the most 'Spanish' resort type towns that I have visited and Spanish towns go to sleep in the afternoon.......think they call it a siesta

Benicassim was closed all day when I was there last month ...im guessing it's still out of season ...its only been the last week or so I've seen more things open and that's further south.
A few locals told me it was still too cold this year normally warmer ...

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[Northernraider]

Too much, ACSI rate €19 with out ACSI €28.5 without ehu €22, 30day rate only €12.
First time had to pay since we left on Monday.

See those longterming snowbirds.

Your subsidising their €12 A day with your €20 +

Id send them home the lot of them .....freeloaders

 

[BreweryDave]

See those longterming snowbirds.

Your subsidising their €12 A day with your €20 +

Id send them home the lot of them .....freeloaders

Pot......kettle........

 

[Northernraider]

Pot......kettle........

I do real freeloading ...not that pretend in beni stuff lol

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