First trip - France to portugal (1 Viewer)

[Photo4x4]

Hello folks

We plan on taking our MH abroad for the first time next year. I'm thinking of Dover-Calais ferry return trip (preferably with an open ended return so we can stay for 2-4 weeks). I plan on staying the first night in France close to Calais so I don't have too much driving to do the first day. Then heading down to Vilamoura in Portugal. Preferably avoiding toll roads

Having read on MHFun how easy it is to MH on the continent I don't plan on doing much more pre booking than this first stop.

So folks, what camping guides do I need please? I don't want to rely on wi-fi so I'd prefer printed guides for camping sites and aires etc.

Thanks

KH

 

[Bill_OR]

I'd want a minimum of Camperstop Europe & "All the Aires"

 

[movan]

I've seen a house in Portugal where I would love to look at it and there are so many questions. Thanks for asking the starting point questions re going there .. Look forward to the answers.

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[9526]

As above camper stop Europe (we get a fresh copy every 2-3 years)

All the Aires is good but not very accurately titled (still worth getting though)

You mentioned not relying on wifi, and would prefer printed guides etc. bear in mind that you can download camper contact to a mobile device (iPad etc) and download the maps to use offline.

Also you can download poi's for your satnav of loads of aires from various sources (a quick search on here will help with that)

For your first night near Calais (travelling South) I would recommend Boulogne (5 euros per night and a stone throw from Calais on a free motorway)

 

[Zepp]

We listed afew stops on our blog for Portugal hope it helps

http://paulandlynne2011.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html

 

[chaser]

Jj's your man he posted about an escorted trip it that direction a while ago

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[MikeandCarolyn]

With only 2-4 weeks we'd go Portsmouth- Santander and carry Acsi book and 'Quite a few of the Aires for France, Spain and Portugal'

 

[Forestboy]

Aires books for France, Bordatlas/ Stellplatz and Acsi for everything else.
Those 3 are all we carry now chucked the rest away. Between them must be over 10000 stops / sites covering all Europe.
Gadgets on phones and laptops and gps are fine until you're in the middle of nowhere its getting dark and there's no signal. Stick to the 3 books you'll never go wrong.
You can get information overload if you're not careful.
Enjoy

 

[Charlie]

As a complete novice going for our first European trip I'm no expert......

But... Calais down to Portugal is a hell of a drive.

We go Plymouth/Roscoff and heading down to Sanguinet which is 580 miles from Roscoff. We have no time limitations and like the OP have booked only the outward bound trip..

So it will take us 3 days maybe to get down to Sanguinet. Then we will either stay there or travel down into Spain and maybe even Portugal. Who knows and we don't care

My point is that if we were going just to Portugal then we would have gone to either Bilbao or Santander. Then travel down to Portugal from there. Holidaying for us is taking our time and seeing the sights. Driving huge distances is something I would avoid.

After great advice here we have more books maps and literature than you can shake a stick at ! But every point has been not only noted but written down as well so dopey here has a reference !

Whatever have an awesome trip !

5 more sleeps for us as the kids say today..

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[Speve]

We would normally give ourselves 4 or 5 days to the Spanish border and then a couple more to reach Portugal from the Tunnel.You don't want to rush and miss the scenery and get stressed.

 

[peterc10]

We did that trip in March/April this year. We used The Vicarious Aires book for France and the one for Spain & Portugal. Also took the books that came with our ACSI discount card but only used it once to stop at Salamanca for a couple of nights. Also used the camperstop app on my phone, but downloaded all the info in advance do did not need connection.

Relatively easy run. We crossed using the tunnel at lunch time Friday. First stop at a nice Aire at Neufchattel en Bray, north of Rouen. Next stop just south of Angouleme, and we crossed into Spain just after lunch time on the Sunday. From there down on good non-toll roads to Caceres, and then across to Portugal to start seeing the sites. If all you want is the Algarve then it is quicker to continue down through Spain (again non-toll roads) to Seville and thenhead west to Portugal.

We tried to avoid tolls through France where sensible. Went via Rouen, Chartres, Tours, Poitiers, Angouleme, Bordeaux and Bayonne. But parts of the A16 we had to pay for, and we also paid to avoid Tours and Poitiers. Unfortunately most of the N10 South of Bordeaux is now tolled (used to be free), but we deicided to use it anyway.

Portugal is very motorhome friendly. We loved it and will return again.

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Hmmm... Edinburgh to Vilamoura, a 3600 mile round trip. Of course it's doable in 2 - 4 weeks but that's an average of 128 to 257 miles.... every day - just to get there and back. It wouldn't be my preferred journey, especially for my first trip over there.
No doubt you have a good reason to go to that town and have only 2 to 4 weeks to play with but, that's an awful long way to drive if you want to enjoy the journey and see something of the countryside you're travelling through.
Are you sure?

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[DanielFord]

You may wish to reconsider the toll roads in Portugal, the non-tolled roads are poorly maintained, and the Portuguese are insane drivers. It is now fairly straight forward to register for the electronic SCUT tolls.
I would second those who are endorsing downloading POI's to your sat nav. We have a large database of airres on ours, so when we find a place we like, I just look for ones that are close by

 

[peterc10]

On the other hand we never used toll roads when in Portugal. Yes some of the roads are bumpy and rough, but in other places you will find good quality "B roads" that are much smoother and wider than ours.

 

[DBK]

The CamperContact app and the ACSI book and card was all we used for our recent 8 weeks in Spain.

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[Photo4x4]

Hmmm... Edinburgh to Vilamoura, a 3600 mile round trip.

Hello all and thanks for the replies so far.

Not Edinburgh, we are in the Highlands north of Inverness! Google Maps tells me it is over 2,000 miles each way, of course 650 miles of that is just to get to Dover.

We are making the journey the holiday and will just spend a few days in Vilamoura so I'm guessing we need at least 4 weeks.

I'll get searching for the books.

Oh yes, we have decided to 'dip our toes into the water' by having a trip to France in October.

KH

 

[7735]

Portugal from Inverness is a hell of a long drive, even with 4 weeks I think you would be lucky to have more than 7-10 days in Portugal. If this is your 1st trip abroad I would suggest you stick to France, if you want beaches and sunshine anywhere around south of Bordeaux is good and you can get there without using a single toll road. France is very motorhome friendly with an aire in almost every town or village.
Hope you have a good trip.

spongy

 

[Huwmari]

Hello folks

We plan on taking our MH abroad for the first time next year. I'm thinking of Dover-Calais ferry return trip (preferably with an open ended return so we can stay for 2-4 weeks). I plan on staying the first night in France close to Calais so I don't have too much driving to do the first day. Then heading down to Vilamoura in Portugal. Preferably avoiding toll roads

Having read on MHFun how easy it is to MH on the continent I don't plan on doing much more pre booking than this first stop.

So folks, what camping guides do I need please? I don't want to rely on wi-fi so I'd prefer printed guides for camping sites and aires etc.

Thanks


We have made four trips, totalling five months, to France now and take only the Camperstop Europe book. We have always found a convenient aire and have never needed to use a campsite so don't think you will need an ACSI card. The mobile phones and laptop are charged as we go along and our leisure batteries take care of lighting, water pump and my husband's CPAP machine which he uses overnight. We don't have TV or other electrical gadgets to complicate matters so don't need an electric hook-up. We use Wi-Fi as and when we find it. Hope you have a wonderful time.

KH

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[Photo4x4]

Just a quick update (I just hate it when someone asks a question and you never find out what they did about it!).

All The Aires (North & South) ordered, Michelin road atlas of France ordered, and Rough Guide to France also ordered. I'll get the Spain and Portugal books after we return from our dip-our-feet-in-the-water trip to France in October.

Dog booked into the vet this afternoon for rabies injection and pet passport stuff. Later today after visiting the vet we will book our ferry (Dover-Calais-Dover).

So a couple more questions but I'll do a search first and if I can't find the answer I'll start a new thread.

Thank you for all your help, it is much appreciated.

KH

 

[Stealaway]

I would consider the tunnel - so much easier and so quick, although I'm not sure about the price comparison.

 

[peterc10]

Yep tunnel for us too. So much quicker and easier. And the dog stays with you.

Probably a bit more expensive but worth it.

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[Photo4x4]

I would consider the tunnel - so much easier and so quick, although I'm not sure about the price comparison.

Thanks for the suggestion, but (I know it's a bit silly) I don't like the idea of being in a tunnel under the water!

Anyway I did my searches on the forums and now I've ordered a 2 pin plug adaptor for my EHU cable and a 'universal' tap adaptor for my water hose. I always carry a watering can as well just to 'top-up' if needed.

I'll pick up a vehicle kit (warning triangles, high viz vests etc.) from Halfords next time I'm in Inverness.

One more question but I'll start a new thread for that...

Thanks again

KH

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Thanks for the suggestion, but (I know it's a bit silly) I don't like the idea of being in a tunnel under the water!

I know what you mean! It's always puzzled, and worried, me why those trains are fitted with windshield wipers.

 

[Bica]

If its not too late Vicarious are publishing All the Aires Spain and Portugal 4th edition on September 8

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[bigtree]

We went to Portugal this year,left Glasgow on the Monday morning and boarded the train that night.Wasn't in too much of a hurry to get south but crossed into Portugal at Vilar Formoso on Sunday afternoon,we were heading for Figueira da Foz then following the coast down to the Algarve..Would recommend the Cepsa Mapamax Spain and Portugal map,Camperstop and ACSI camping card.Loved Portugal and WILL be going back.

 

[vwalan]

We went to Portugal this year,left Glasgow on the Monday morning and boarded the train that night.Wasn't in too much of a hurry to get south but crossed into Portugal at Vilar Formoso on Sunday afternoon,we were heading for Figueira da Foz then following the coast down to the Algarve..Would recommend the Cepsa Mapamax Spain and Portugal map,Camperstop and ACSI camping card.Loved Portugal and WILL be going back.

they have dropped the cepsa bit now . but mapamax is still available on amazon,
still done by anaya touring

 

[peterc10]

Thanks for the suggestion, but (I know it's a bit silly) I don't like the idea of being in a tunnel under the water!

I have heard of several ferries sinking. Not heard of a tunnel breached (although there may be some somewhere.

and a 'universal' tap adaptor for my water hose.

Not sure what you mean by "universal". Is that the one with the rubber seal and worm drive to tighten it up like this one? If so probably better get one of these as well. Most taps I have seen in France Spain and Portugal have threaded spouts, and the threads usually are the same as over here. At that price I would buy at least a couple because you will leave one on a tap somewhere.

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[bigtree]

Mapamax as recommended to me by vwalan.
Thanks Alan.

 

[vwalan]

i find the best tap adaptors are the old twintub washing machine type push on .
you can get them in pound shops . almost fits every tap there is . might have to hold it on .


yes i was told and shown the cepsa mapamax by some irish travellers several years ago . havent found a better version yet. you can get os style but need a trailer just to carry them all. ha ha .
i find all the beaches and coves are named . makes it all easier to remember .

 

[Photo4x4]

I have heard of several ferries sinking. Not heard of a tunnel breached (although there may be some somewhere.

Tell that to the Chilean miners!

Anyway Pertec10, it was and I've just sent for the other one. Thanks.

I've just picked up a couple of photography jobs in Inverness for tomorrow so whilst there I'll call in at Hafrauds and get one of the vehicle kits.

Oh, I'm getting excited now.

Whilst I was out this afternoon the Michelin Road Atlas of France and the Michelin Camping in France books arrived. Now for a nice cup of tea and a browse...

Thanks

KH

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