Driving to Spain in summer holidays. Any tips.

The Prince-e-Paul

I'm looking to drive to Spain in summer hols with teenage daughters. One has a friend living in Palencia and the plan is to drop her off and spend a week in a nice seaside resort type place on the Northern or Western coast of Spain/Portugal. Anyone got any tips on places to stay. Also i'm planning to drive down via Tunnel with an overnight stop somewhere in Southern France.
I've not driven to South of France in over 10 years. Anyone got any good suggestions for travel or stop-overs.

_MrDick

Yes, drive on the left hand side of the road

ChiAddick

Hi. The French motorways are very good and free. The toll roads are empty but if you're driving to southern France / northern Spain the tolls will add up. I quite liked driving on motorways and A roads as the scenery is lovely.

If you can make it as far south as possible of the first day of driving then that's what I'd recommend. I stopped over in Biarritz. This was pre planned and pre booked a hotel. I was glad i did that because i didnt want to be searching a round after such a long drive. Biartittz Was a lovely town. The road from Biarritz through the pyranese to Pamplona was breathtaking. Not sure you'll drive that way for Palencia.

I've never been but heard San Sebastian is well worth a visit as that will be on your route.

Obvious things but remember all your brake down equipment including an illuminus vest.

Fortune 82nd Minute

http://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad

http://www.rac.co.uk/pdfs/driving-abroad/driving-abroad.aspx

ForeverAddickted

Envious of the trip you'll have through the Pyrenees

superclive98

ChiAddick said:

Hi. The French motorways are very good and free. The toll roads are empty but if you're driving to southern France / northern Spain the tolls will add up. I quite liked driving on motorways and A roads as the scenery is lovely.

If you can make it as far south as possible of the first day of driving then that's what I'd recommend. I stopped over in Biarritz. This was pre planned and pre booked a hotel. I was glad i did that because i didnt want to be searching a round after such a long drive. Biartittz Was a lovely town. The road from Biarritz through the pyranese to Pamplona was breathtaking. Not sure you'll drive that way for Palencia.

I've never been but heard San Sebastian is well worth a visit as that will be on your route.

Obvious things but remember all your brake down equipment including an illuminus vest.

I'm not quite sure which roads you have travelled on and when, but in my experience the toll roads are far from empty, especially during the summer. I've sat in some horrific jams on the A10, heading down past Bordeaux.
To be legal you'll need headlight adapters, hi-vis vests, emergency triangle, breath test kits and replacement bulbs/fuses.
As for a stopover, it all depends on how long you want to be driving each day. I always tend to have equal journeys each day, as I don't like to be driving all day. I also like to set out as early as possible each day, so that there is something left of the day to enjoy when I stop.
Saintes is a nice place to stop with a few things to see, such as the Roman ampitheatre.

cafcfan

Frankly, if you are going via Palencia, I'd strongly consider giivng France and its toll roads a swerve completely and taking the ferry from either Plymouth or Portsmouth to Santander.

ChiAddick

superclive98 said:

ChiAddick said:

Hi. The French motorways are very good and free. The toll roads are empty but if you're driving to southern France / northern Spain the tolls will add up. I quite liked driving on motorways and A roads as the scenery is lovely.

If you can make it as far south as possible of the first day of driving then that's what I'd recommend. I stopped over in Biarritz. This was pre planned and pre booked a hotel. I was glad i did that because i didnt want to be searching a round after such a long drive. Biartittz Was a lovely town. The road from Biarritz through the pyranese to Pamplona was breathtaking. Not sure you'll drive that way for Palencia.

I've never been but heard San Sebastian is well worth a visit as that will be on your route.

Obvious things but remember all your brake down equipment including an illuminus vest.

I'm not quite sure which roads you have travelled on and when, but in my experience the toll roads are far from empty, especially during the summer. I've sat in some horrific jams on the A10, heading down past Bordeaux.
To be legal you'll need headlight adapters, hi-vis vests, emergency triangle, breath test kits and replacement bulbs/fuses.
As for a stopover, it all depends on how long you want to be driving each day. I always tend to have equal journeys each day, as I don't like to be driving all day. I also like to set out as early as possible each day, so that there is something left of the day to enjoy when I stop.
Saintes is a nice place to stop with a few things to see, such as the Roman ampitheatre.

Went from Calais to Valencia. It was in October though so I'm guessing that's why I didn't see much traffic.

MrOneLung

One year we drove down to the Barcelona Grand Prix.
Got evening crossing, and drove as for a couple of hours before just spending night in a motorway motel. Then drove down to Montpelier (lovely city) and spent afternoon/night there before continuing to Barcelona the next day.

I would go toll roads - hardly any traffic and hassle free, with plenty of rest areas.

superclive98

ChiAddick said:

superclive98 said:

ChiAddick said:

Hi. The French motorways are very good and free. The toll roads are empty but if you're driving to southern France / northern Spain the tolls will add up. I quite liked driving on motorways and A roads as the scenery is lovely.

If you can make it as far south as possible of the first day of driving then that's what I'd recommend. I stopped over in Biarritz. This was pre planned and pre booked a hotel. I was glad i did that because i didnt want to be searching a round after such a long drive. Biartittz Was a lovely town. The road from Biarritz through the pyranese to Pamplona was breathtaking. Not sure you'll drive that way for Palencia.

I've never been but heard San Sebastian is well worth a visit as that will be on your route.

Obvious things but remember all your brake down equipment including an illuminus vest.

I'm not quite sure which roads you have travelled on and when, but in my experience the toll roads are far from empty, especially during the summer. I've sat in some horrific jams on the A10, heading down past Bordeaux.
To be legal you'll need headlight adapters, hi-vis vests, emergency triangle, breath test kits and replacement bulbs/fuses.
As for a stopover, it all depends on how long you want to be driving each day. I always tend to have equal journeys each day, as I don't like to be driving all day. I also like to set out as early as possible each day, so that there is something left of the day to enjoy when I stop.
Saintes is a nice place to stop with a few things to see, such as the Roman ampitheatre.

Went from Calais to Valencia. It was in October though so I'm guessing that's why I didn't see much traffic.

That could explain it!!

Hastingsaddick

Try either (or at least look at) either Llanes or Castro Urdiales on Spains northern coast also in that area are the Picos de Europe (lovely mountain range)....Potes is a good base for this area. Might be worth considering stopping of in the Dordogne on the way down.....plenty of campsites there and most are pretty decent. France gets very busy in 'their' summer season (July & August), I find the best time to be there is Mid May-end of June or the start of September to mid October...still warm enough for camping.....obviously if your not camping hotels are fairly easy to find.

superclive98

cafcfan said:

Frankly, if you are going via Palencia, I'd strongly consider giivng France and its toll roads a swerve completely and taking the ferry from either Plymouth or Portsmouth to Santander.

That takes away the pressure of driving but it's not cheap.

Hastingsaddick

superclive98 said:

cafcfan said:

Frankly, if you are going via Palencia, I'd strongly consider giivng France and its toll roads a swerve completely and taking the ferry from either Plymouth or Portsmouth to Santander.

That takes away the pressure of driving but it's not cheap.

Came back that way (Santander-Portsmouth) in 2013...done a road trip for 6 weeks via France, Switzerland, France, Andorra, Spain, Portugal and back into Spain and have to say the worst drive I done on the entire trip was along the A27 & A259 back from Portsmouth to Hastings.

CostaFortune

ChiAddick said:

Obvious things but remember all your brake down equipment including an illuminus vest.

boggzy

Breath-test kit not necessary.

http://www.drive-france.com/faqs/france-breathalyzer-law/

Southbank

Avoid the start and end days of the official French holidays

Solidgone

Drive on the right.

The_President

you going to Palencia or Valencia ?

stilladdicted

Check out prices of Brittany Ferries to Santander. Depending upon date and travel times, they can be a real help in that you arrive fresh and don't waste time. Some economy trips on the older ships can present a good deal.

bexleyaddick

We drive down to Cadiz at least twice a year, the toll roads are generally very quiet but costs can mount, as someone has said already, try to avoid Bordeaux anytime near 1st August, it can become a 20 mile car park. We generally stay in Biarritz or mimizan or sometime press on to San Sebastián or Burgos. In Spain be wary of the guardia traffico, they do regular speed checks, no leeway and happy to relieve you of cash for going just a few Kmh over the top. Otherwise the driving in Spain is much easier, roads even quieter. The ferry to Santander gets booked early for the summer holidays and can be pretty expensive. Good luck!