St Malo - Sitges (1 Viewer)

[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

Hi

We are planning a trip down to Sitges in Spain in our motorhome to celebrate Pete's 60th birthday. This will be our first time taking the MH abroad so we are looking for any help or advice.

Routes,
Campsites on route,
Things we need to know about travelling through France into Spain.

Many Thanks

Jayne

 

[funflair]

Do you want campsites or aires?

It’s 5 miles further if you don’t use toll roads.

Martin

 

[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

Hi Martin,

We prefer campsites as we will have Sophie with us and will need some EHU. Prefer a more scenic route even if that is longer and avoiding tolls if possible.

Thanks Jayne

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[dabhand]

Have you got solar, there are some excellent aires on that journey, some also have elecy have you got all the aires book?

 

[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

We have just upgraded our MH and plan to put a solar and MH satnav on/in before we go. How safe are the aires for kids (Soph is 11) ??. Can you recommend a good route taking in some nice places? Looking to take about 3 days to travel into Spain and the same back.
We are looking at Sitges or Cambrils once we get into Spain.

Thanks Jayne

 

[funflair]

Certainly a camp site and aire with power at Angouleme St yriex plan de eau, and on your toll free route.

Martin

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[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

What route would you recommend Martin?

 

[Riverbankannie]

Many French aires are the old municipal campsites and many more are purpose built and perfectly safe. If I didn’t feel safe in a particular location, I wouldn’t stay whether or not I had a child with me.
You haven’t given us your time scale or rough dates, that would help.
Edit: just seen 3 days into Spain, that doesn’t leave much room for deviating and meandering.

 

[funflair]

What route would you recommend Martin?

I just stick the start and finish in CoPilot with no tolls and then do as I am told that would take you via Pau and over the Somport into Spain, we have done that stretch and it’s OK as long as it’s not the middle of winter, the Spanish bit to Sitges we have not done. I guess the other way is to go into Spain via Carcasonne and then Narbonne.

Martin

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[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

Hi (still working, unfortunately So we have just over 2 weeks in June, planning to travel early morning before it gets too warm. Hoping to drive 2-3 hrs each day until we reach Spain. Stay 5-6 days then travel back.

Jayne

 

[Southdowners]

That’s one heck of a journey to do in 2 weeks. Have I got it right that you’ll be travelling from St malo to Sitges?

 

[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

Yes, planning to do around 150-200 miles a day.

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[funflair]

What route would you recommend Martin?

I just stick the start and finish in CoPilot with no tolls and then do as I am told that would take you via Pau and over the Somport into Spain, we have done that stretch and it’s OK as long as it’s not the middle of winter, the Spanish bit to Sitges we have not done. I guess the other way is to go into Spain via Carcasonne and then Narbonne but think that will incur some toll roads or certainly more miles.

Martin

 

[funflair]

Two weeks I could be tempted to stick to France.

Martin

 

[namwaldog]

You don't say where you are staying at Sitges, but if it is the ACSI site at El Garrafor, you will have to be careful of the main road where the entrance is. It is very fast and you have to walk or bike along it to get into town or cross it to get to the supermarket. Sitges is a nice town though.

Also be aware that the site itself does not have marked out pitches and it would be easy for your daughter to wander into someone else's pitch to the wrath of the occupant
I think there are buses from outside the campsite into town and on to Barcelona.

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[Southdowners]

I would think that to do the trip, which is around 750 Miles, in three days and travelling 150-200 Miles a day you’ll need to take the toll roads. I wonder if it’s going to be possible to be honest.

 

[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

Having a bit of a rethink and might just explore France. Thanks everyone for the feedback.

 

[busby]

Yes, planning to do around 150-200 miles a day.

Thats very achievable ,,BUSBY.

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[busby]

I would think that to do the trip, which is around 750 Miles, in three days and travelling 150-200 Miles a day you’ll need to take the toll roads. I wonder if it’s going to be possible to be honest.

Thats 750 miles plus from Calais,,will be probably 1050 to 1100 miles from Staffs,,BUSBY,

 

[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

Travelling from St Malo but rethinking and will probably just explore Brittany this time as we only have two weeks,
The advice on here really helps as i tend to get a bit carried away with how far we can get

 

[Riverbankannie]

With an 11 year old I would definitely consider staying in France. The first day of long driving is ok, the second a bit of a chore and the third horrible.
It will be very warm, maybe too hot in a MH in Spain, and in France you could go to somewhere like the Dordogne which has so many sites to choose from and activities both on and off the river that you will be able to all enjoy.
If you want the seaside then there is lots of choice on the Atlantic coast from Brittany down.
If your 11 year old is happy then you will all have a great time.

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[Riverbankannie]

Glad to read your post above which happened as I was typing mine.
Have a great time!

 

[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

I'm thinking of heading for La Rochelle area? What do you think, seems it might be warmer going towards the south???

 

[Riverbankannie]

I'm thinking of heading for La Rochelle area? What do you think, seems it might be warmer going towards the south???

That’s the great thing about a MH, you don’t have to decide now. In June, you will be able to get discounts on ACSI sites and you shouldn’t need to book ahead. I would start in Brittany and, yes move south if not warm enough. One year with a tent (and 2 children) we were intending to stay for 2 weeks in Brittany but it rained so we up sticks and moved south to the Vendee where it was beautiful.
I would recommend ACSI sites and you can get the books and discount card from here



In the meantime you can use the ACSI database on the website to look at the sites.

https://www.acsi.eu/en/home/l2-n144/

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[Pete-Jay-Sophie]

I have already ordered the ACSI card and all about aires. Do you think we will find campsites without prebooking? I just want to roam rather than been tied to bookings etc...
Someone has recommended a visit to Puy Du Fou ??

 

[Riverbankannie]

I have already ordered the ACSI card and all about aires. Do you think we will find campsites without prebooking? I just want to roam rather than been tied to bookings etc...
Someone has recommended a visit to Puy Du Fou ??

I’m sure you don’t need to prebook, there are so many sites. We never book and last year we were in France nearly all of June but the heat drove us home. However there was a heatwave in UK too I believe.

Yes, Puy Du Fou is always recommended, if you look on the website it will give information. You don’t need to book if going in the day but there is an evening show which you would need to book. We wanted to go once but was fully booked quite a bit in advance but I cannot remember if it was a weekend or not.
As an edit, we have once found the site we wanted full, right on the coast on the way to La Rochelle but we turned up on a Friday evening. So think about weekends and just phone ahead, the ACSI books give the numbers.

 

[busby]

I have already ordered the ACSI card and all about aires. Do you think we will find campsites without prebooking? I just want to roam rather than been tied to bookings etc...
Someone has recommended a visit to Puy Du Fou ??

N

I have already ordered the ACSI card and all about aires. Do you think we will find campsites without prebooking? I just want to roam rather than been tied to bookings etc...
Someone has recommended a visit to Puy Du Fou ??

Have never booked in June...Busby.

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[stewartwebr]

I was going to ask why you particularly wanted to visit Sitges? I appreciate its a great location to visit Barcelona and a nice little town. However, not a great deal to see and do for a family. You appreciate it is a major gay destination, with large number of bars catering for the pink euro?

 

[magicsurfbus]

I have already ordered the ACSI card and all about aires. Do you think we will find campsites without prebooking? I just want to roam rather than been tied to bookings etc...
Someone has recommended a visit to Puy Du Fou ??

Your youngster should enjoy Parc Puy du Fou, especially if you go to the evening Ciniscenie performance (if it's on) that usually happens on a Friday and Saturday. Pre-booking is advisable for that. They have a huge aire with loads of other campers around. It's possible to do it all in a day with military precision, but at a more relaxed pace you might consider two days. The themed midday meals can be fun, and French meals do take a while

Another theme park in that general area of France is Parc Futuroscope north of Poitiers. Again, with a huge aire attached.

Neither park has roller coasters - Puy du Fou is historically themed with different performances, and Futuroscope is mainly audio-visual and simulators.

Another possible young person attraction is the Zoo at La Palmyre, although you'd need to consider a campsite (plenty to choose from) as the aires don't have electricity that I know of.

If you go onto Ile de Re and want central spots, there's a low key but convenient municipal campsite inside the town walls at St Martin de Re, and on the other side of the island next to the beach there's an aire with marked pitches and electricity attached to Camping Amis de le Plage at Bois Plage en Re. We've used both a number of times. The island is brilliant for cycling.